tips for tall megacorp build?

[Shaikinn]

I didn't play the game in a loong time and decided to give it another go, I want to go mercenary enclaves megacorp kind of game, any suggestions for powerful or just interesting builds? there have been alot of changes since I last played and I feel kind of overwhelmed ;d

also how is the cloaking feature from first contact? do you think that feature adds depth to the game or is more of a gimmick? thinking about buying it, sounds cool on paper

[mss73055]

I use cloaking only on a few special science vessels one can find. These come with cloaking modules included.

Tall Megacorp: go machine with xenophile (new: machines without gestalt).
Ringworld start
Rush 3rd tradition > go virtual > develop your 3 segments as much as you can > complete virtuality > bume instant pops for all your jobs!

... profit!

[Geoff]

Originally posted by Shaikinn:

also how is the cloaking feature from first contact? do you think that feature adds depth to the game or is more of a gimmick? thinking about buying it, sounds cool on paper

It's pretty to look at, it allows you to ignore closed borders during the exploration phase, but at the expense of shutting down that middle-game exploration phase when the leviathans fall and little unexplored bubbles open up. The AI will spam your territory with cloaked fleets constantly. I bought First Contacts, played it for a few months, then turned it off. I'm not a fan of cloaking to begin with, but I also don't feel it was implemented very well.

[Sedmeister]

I play mc allot. Half the time as criminal heritage. I tend to go cybernetic for the trade value cybernetic mod. When I use criminal heritage, I also use mercenary enclaves. Having an additional source of significant income tied to one or two big fleets I can hire if war is declared on meet unexpectedly is super helpful.

I like the (is it a civic?) that allows me to open augmentation centres. The engineering research buff really speeds along the cybernetic situation and research.

Cloaking can be helpful for CE. In the early game, being able to get a science ship into neighbouring colony systems allows you to open branch offices before you have relevant Intel on them which could make a significant difference if the game spams other MC's who are competing for those same branch offices.

I feel like cloaking is good in niche situations but depending on the circumstances, the niche opportunity may or may not present itself and if it does, the window of opportunity is only open for a short time. What I mean by that is RNG gives you cloaking before it gives it to a neighbour but then eventually they get cloaking too.

I'd love to see some kind of change to tech where rolling a tech option makes subsequent techs cheaper but converse techs more expensive allowing there to be significant technologically different empires into the mud to late game. For example if you take ballistics before lasers, subsequent ballistics are cheaper and subsequent lasers are more expensive, that way empires would be more distinctive.

Similarly with cloaking, although I'm not sure what you'd make alternative to cloaking. Maybe drives and speed? Or shields? That way empires would be forced to consider, what is more important to them, where do they invest research wise? Then if you do get cloaking, it is semi unique to your Empire and more of an enduring dynamic rather than gimmick.

[identity]

I never really have problems playing generic megacorps. If you get the mercantile tradition, you can focus on consumer goods or unity as your trade bonus, and you if you get your branch offices up, you make a ton of money. Generally, I find it a lot easier to play biological species using megacorp. You basically don't have to worry about or juggle as many resources and production buildings in exchange for some expansion penalties, but that leaves open different types of diplomatic options for you with vassals or federations. Anything you need can be covered by the Galactic Exchange for the most part. The Lord of War ascension perk is for mercenary enclave bonuses, and there might be some unique megacorp civics for it, but I don't know off the top of my head.

[Carog the Fat]

cloaking really has 2 uses science vessels for exploration and torpedo frigates a stack of cloaked torp frigates can get on top of a monster and do massive damage, really good for clearing leviathans early.

[Revontulet]

I have no opinion on cloaking. I listen to Geoff so I will turn off that DLC now. Thx again, man.

I do have a lot of observations about playing tall with a megacorp. It's the only way I play. I am generally winning now at level 3 -- "ensign" I think it's called -- with 1 planet and 3 to 5 total systems here and there in the galaxy which are homes to my mercenary enclaves.

Playing a megacorp you can start as hegemon, common ground (another federation) or imperial fiefdom. All of these starts allow you to immediately build branch offices on several other planets. Maxing pre-ftl civilizations and lowering the hyper-lane density is also great for a "tall" start -- the way I play tall -- as I will explain.

I like the militarist ethic for the mercenary enclaves. They are incredibly powerful. If you want to be able to instantly defeat the most powerful navy on the map early game they are the way. The civics for mercenary enclaves are naval contractors (gives 2), letters of marque (1) and private military companies (1). But I don't think you need these to start. You can get the Lord of War Ascension perk before you can make your first mercenary enclave.

Taking the merchantile tradition early for the market place of ideas trade setting is essential for quick unity rushing. This will allow you to get a a couple early quick ascensions.

The authoritarian ethic is also great for early game expansion because the +influence rate.

I play as "The Pirates of the Galaxy" and my winning strategy is this:

Early game alloy rush because my first mercenary enclave (which is like building the deathstar) is super alloy pricey.

Get to SIX SYSTEMS away to colonize or land on an pre-FTL planet. If you are not six systems away you won't be able to release them as a vassal. This is where the lower hyperlane density will help you get vassals.

Release your new tiny colony as a vassal. Make sure to set their vassal rights so they can expand. The AI will do a great job growing their empire. If you find an pre-FTL immediately conquer and make a vassal. It's rewarding to see a pre-FTL civilization instantly enter the galactic community (as your subject). You can build overseer holdings on your vassal AND branch offices as the megacorp.

I like to attack early empires, take over their capitals, and make them vassals.

Choosing your next system to make an outpost is important. It needs an asteroid belt or moons so that you can build another Mercenary Enclave -- which will be your power projection. This is where your influence is so important. Don't waste any of it. It is for your second and third outposts, and for your vassal agreements.

I like to make my second system near my starting system so that a 2nd mercenary enclave will be there for end game crisis. Build an outpost and a mercenary enclave their. Mid game you can build living orbital stations their for extra pops.

My third system is farther away and near an enemy. This sucker is going to be 800 influence. There I will build my second or third mercenary enclave. The alloy rush continues as I seek to build up their fleet size. When their fleet is massive I will hire them and attack the empire capital.

It will be insanely pricey to pay for this fleet. I'm still trying to figure out the balance of fleet size, alloy production, and money. Even silos may be a factor for this operation as max everything is the idea. When I hire the fleets everything goes red.

Don't attack someone with allies or you can't control their surrender. You need enough influence to claim their capital. One more system to keep for your self (the future location of a mercenary enclave) might be the right move. Go take the capital and steal some pops if you need them then release them as a vassal.

By the time you have a deathstar mercenary enclave in your starting system, another near you for big defense and another for offence off near this master empire you just conquered I think you will have "won" the game.

You should go into politics enough to promote Defense Privatization. This will make your mercenary enclaves better and everyone else weaker. Super good politics.

At this point you can do whatever. Remember your projected mercenary enclaves are also YOUR SYSTEMS that must be defended. Their huge fleets will defend themselves from galactic threats, but not your enemies which are other empires. In the game I am playing my 4 systems are spread out and I wish they were closer together for that reason. And by this I mean 2 groups -- my home system and the nearby merc. enclave system and then another clump of 2 or 3 systems. Having 1 enclave system alone makes them vulnerable. Two can withstand anything that comes at them.

I am tall for life, man. The AI is much better at doing the daily grunt work of building my empire(s).