Getting thrashed on Challenging

from GalCiv2 Forums

Hey everyone, I started playing Galactic Civilizations II a few weeks ago (Dread Lords, haven't gotten any of the expansions yet), and I was able to finish a couple games on Normal difficulty without any issue, so I decided to try playing on Challenging. I've done 3 or 4 games, and while some have gone better than others, I end up in a hopeless situation every time. I've noticed a few problems I keep running into, so I was hoping people here could help me.

 

1.I've customized my race to get every possibly research advantage, with a few points in social production so they can build research buildings faster. The problem is that when I look at my empire's budget breakdown, I notice that my bonus research and production is part of my expenses. What good do these do me if I have to spend money on them anyway? Don't I lose any advantage they give me if I have to use less of my industrial base to pay for them?

 

2. Even with my heavy emphasis on research, it seems that often the AI is getting as much or more. In fact, there's usually at least one race that can get to the point where it's putting out 3-4x as much as I am and stay there for long periods of time. Any likely reasons this would be happening? This seems to happen largely with empires that have better early expansion, but I would think that their increased maintenance costs for colonies and buildings would prevent them from spending too much on science.

 

3. Not really a problem, but a question. When I choose a government party in the race creation screen (in my case, technologist), so I get the benefit of that government straightaway, or do I have to wait until I have my first senate elections?

 

strategies
9,534 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

... my bonus research and production is part of my expenses. What good do these do me if I have to spend money on  them anyway?

  I've wondered this too.  They increase your maximum production;  the proportion is set in the spending slider bars but I don't know how the total spending amount is calculated (maybe its based on the maximum production).  It seems 100% production simultaneously in all 3 categories is not allowed. 

... research, it seems that often the AI is getting as much or more.

  Look at the research graphs (at the bottom of the main galaxy map viewscreen) to see when AIs are maximizing research with their production slider bars.  Also,  they tech-swap with each other.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Bonus production or research is whatever you get because of any percentage bonuses to Research or Production (from abilities or otherwise).  It costs half as much as base production or research.  So you can judge whether you have too many research buildings by turning the funding for research up to 100% and then multiply by 2 to figure out how much bonus research you're getting at maximum.

Even if the AI players are doing more research than you, you can focus on just the things you need to win.

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Thanks for the responses, guys.

 

Anyway, I'm glad to report that after playing around with it a bit more, I was able to get my first win on Challenging! \o/   By moving some of my racial bonus points from social production to economy, I was able to get enough funding to keep all my research buildings going. That gave me enough of a technological edge to survive when other races attacked me.