First 100 turns

[Wolfe1759]

I've been having quiet a bit of fun with Armada over the last few weeks, played a number of games (mainly as Human or A.R.O.M.) and as I'm constantly learning new things and wanting to try out different opening strategies I haven't as yet played a game much past turn 150-200.

Maybe I'm not playing overly aggressive or maybe it is just the fact that in the games I've played I'm still in the Explore, Expand and Exploit phases of the 4X sequence but I'm not finding that I have any more than 1-2 if any battles within the first 80-100 turns.

What I'm sort of missing in the opening phases of the game in comparison to some of the other 4Xs is some small independent races that I can flex my military muscles on without having to consider the consequences of provoking an enemy empire.

Maybe if there were single system races, with small 10-20 populations all of which would be fairly generic (and probably even nameless) and small limited fleets (cutters, corvetts, destroyers and possibly cruisers) which remained in their home system. Probability of these being present could be linked to the size/value of the system and their aggressiveness (ie whether or not they initiate combat when you enter their system) could be totaly random.

EDIT On second thoughts the "lack" of battles may be the game working just as it was intended to as I've mainly been playing the Twelve Races scenario which is intended to give a slower and less aggressive start to the game. I'll see what my thoughts are after playing a few sandbox games. Still like the idea of having smaller independent races though.

[Ntronium]

That's a fair point, though they'd have to be generic.

The next patch will have pirate AI sorted out, which might give you a bit more early action, though you might be the victim rather than the aggressor.

Also don't be shy about fighting the AI players, it's usually fairly easy to make peace if things don't go well, at least in the early stages.

[JosEPhII]

Has the next patch ever come out? After 1.03?

JosEPh