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Player Number used for game play.

Thu, 02 July 2009 22:54

Xardre

Master Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 100
Registered: June 2005

There are lots of hidden and not-by-design features in Stars! which make the game so great. One of these not-by-design features is the advantage played to the lowest player number, and when used correctly can cause utter defeat to your enemies or if used poorly to yourself.

Before reading any further I would strongly suggest you read and understand the Stars! Order of Events and Battle Board Starting Positions found in the Stars! must know forum.

First advantage played by player number is in tech trading. In team games or games with large alliance allowed, players are able to use this to prioritize transfers.

Example by scrapping � If an alliance choose to transfer tech by building the scrapping ships in the orbit of an allies planet the ships will be scrapped in the order of lowest number player to highest number player. This can be used by having the lowest numbered player research build and scrap weapons transfer ships allowing for that tech to be the first roll for successful transfer.

Example by wolf/lamp � When wolf/lambs are used for tech transfer the lowest numbered player�s lambs will be the first to be consumed by battle giving the tech sent by that player first priority for transfer.

Please note that pop dropping for transfer seems to be 100% random as to what tech you gain, not as easily influenced by player number. Honestly I have never tried or can really even think of a way to test for this even being able to be controlled by player�s actions.

The second advantage of player number is in packet attacks. This can be very well used if a PP is luck to gain a low player number, but is still useful for any race. When planning to kill a newly established enemy colony with packets or to soften one up prior to bombing/invasion packet attacks are resolved in player order. This means that if multiple players are attacking the lowest player needs to throw the largest packet, the player with the highest number the smallest placket.

If the lowest numbered player is a PP they could in theory throw a packet large enough that if it doesn�t kill the colony off entirely it would de-terraform the planet to a red (yellow) allowing only 10 defense to be used. This PP advantage is even useful again CA instaforming in the invasion (or bombing) is to occur on the same turn as the packet attack using Waypoint 1 unload tasks.

The third advantage comes with bombing a planet. By coordinating bombing runs a team can first retro bomb a planet to red (if possible) using the lowest player number (which doesn�t have to be a CA just has to have retro bombers from my understanding, though a CA with TT would be far more effective then any other race with normal terraform tech). Next lowest number player then smart bombs the planet taking advantage of the max 10 defense operated on red planets. Third player then kills planet with cherry bombs or invades and takes planet.

The largest advantage of player number would be in determining battle board start positions. By bringing in even an allies scout or leaving that scout out of the battle you can create range for your missile ships or place your enemies missile ships within one turn movement of your beamers. This tactic works by giving position 1 on the battle board to the lowest numbered player, position 2 to the second lowest numbered and so on up to all 16 players. This tactic could quiet honestly be called the true art of fighting for team and alliance games. The only way to make sure if results would then be take into account every enemy ship within 100LY of your planned attack when test bedding battles.