First full play through - now what

[concern]

I've just about completed my first full play through dominating the galaxy. I left most automation controls on in order to learn the systems. Occasionally, I'd jump in and direct a fleet or two.

Next play through what should I do to mix things up? Where do you start turning off automation?

[SirHoraceHarkness]

The game setup screen allows for near endless combinations of conditions so its really up to what you want to do as the next scenario. An easy way to ramp up the difficulty especially with the current state of the AI is to buff their starting systems and grant them a +2 tech advantage with a few starting colonies. This will ensure they are well established by the time you get to them instead of being still in the early expansion phase and easy meat. If you want a really stiff uphill fight then seed in a few boskara and zenox then play as teekan.



As to automation I tend to leave most of it on with research, colonization and state ship construction up to me along with diplomacy. The AI will get you into needless wars if you let it or spend all your money with gifts and such. But the mundane private sector stuff like mines and research stations etc the AI can handle perfectly. I might jump in to tell it to build a mine or build a space station before its ready but otherwise its on its own. Fleets are left on automation so they auto clean up space monsters and pirates but I always build and position a few strong manual fleets for quick reaction to events or wars.

[concern]

Thank you