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= Wizzard's Power Words for Star Trek: Birth of Federation =
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- Which Race to choose? The Federation members don't like conquerring the
galaxy, even when the other started the war, striking back lowers the
morale. So for "attack" games I would play the Romulans, for they have
a good secret service (Tal Shiar) and cloaked ships. (though the computer
player seems to see them... another bug?) I don't like the Ferengi, but
they are an (unrealistic) powerful race because they can have trading routes
to every system from the beginning. When lots of credits you can "buy"
other races as members or accelerate your production.
- Before you begin a long game start it several times, save the game & explore
the stars around your system if there are at least two planets with over 250
population. One good planet (over 350 is great) is more worth than 10 small
ones! In the mid-game it is important to have many colonized systems for they
bring credits, science & intelligence.
- There are two different sorts of games: with small races and without them:
- If you play without small races start with building several labs & buy them
every turn & assign every possible worker to them. After some time you will be
able to build type II factories: if there is another great planet around, build
another colony ship first, then upgrade your factories. If you have the credits,
buy the upgrade or a part of it, because a fast beginning with science and
production is the key to win "The Birth of the Federation".
- Playing with small races: again check out at the beginning whether there are
good (small) races near your system. Some races have great buildings like one
for giving 25% to all research, but even more important is that they have big
systems (at least 300) or over 70 population in the beginning. You may be
lucky to find some races which offer to join you from the beginning: that
speeds your science & expansion greatly. The others you have to give some
credits while asking for friendship. For that save all your credits exept the
first few labs you should buy directly at the beginning for faster research.
When they signed that friendship-contract with you other races can't have
diplomatic relationships with that race. Hehe. When a small race refuses the
friendship offer, just spend more money the next time you ask. You don't
need to wait for another diplomatic offer, just do it the next turn When you
have the money & they are friends already: continue asking them for being
your ally & then membership & bingo: you have a new planet & maybe even a
small fleet. If is important to get fast one or two good races with big
systems. You will be short on money then, just "buy" only the friendship of
all other avaiable races and ask them for membership later.
- The first 30 rounds are very important for fast expansion: every single science
or production is needed. If you don't need the dilithium-mine switch it off
and use the workers from the energy-buildings for something else. When buying
a product don't waste the workers in the factories (because a bought product
don't need any production) and assign them all to science & your spies.
- Another "speeding up" during the start-phase: only terraform the best planet of
a system & then colonize it. Later when you have another colony-ship send it
to terraform the rest of that system. If you have some time left look out on
my site www.wizz.de for updates for these "Wizzard's Power Words".
- In the next phase you might meet some other races such as Klingons or Ferengi
(they tend to attack fast in the beginning). It is disappointing that the
computer-played races in this game are nearly all alike: even the "peace-keeping"
Federation attacks you without any reason when thinking you are weak.I hope
Micropose improves that sort of "diplomacy" on a patch. (And also stop
that annoying SafeDisc which lets run the CD-ROM-drive all the game)!
- Diplomacy: I don't pay when a race wants money from me. In many cases it even
seems to be illogical how races change their symathy for my race. For example
one time I had an alliance with the Klingons, but they anyway wanted to
force money from me.
- Science-points: in this games distributing them is not so important like in
"Master of Orion II" or "Pax Imperia II". You can start with 33% on buildung,
but after getting the class II upgrade on factories, re-distribute the points
that all areas have 17%.
- Very important from the mid- to the end-game: specialize your worlds! That
means your "best" planets should (fast) produce command-ships or colony-ships
or upgrade, while the medium & smaller ones should run the science & secret
service. When having enough money, buy the upgrade, especially when your the
Cardassian Order of Obsidian is doing sabotage, upgrade all your secret
service-buildings to the highest level.
- Dilithium (the important mineral for constructtion of your fleets) : you need
not only many planets with large population & high-level industry, but also
at several planets with Dilithium. Seek at least two systems with dilithium
(-> the crystal symbol at the sun) & colonize them.
- Science again: if you have technologically advanced ships they are of course
stronger than the corresponding ships of other races, but there won't be such
a big difference as in "Master of Orion II" or "Pax Imperia II". That means if
you are more advanced in science to another race your destroyer won't
nescessarily beat a command-ship or three enemy destroyers. In TBotF science
is less important than fast production (of course you have to research
high class factories). If you own several systems with newest factories
for fast ship production, you should strike & weaken your enemies before your
final attack wave.
- If you have really dificulties playing the game, use this cheat:
Open a DOS-Window, go to the TBotF-Directory and type "Trek.exe -Mudd"
(case sensitive) & press following keys during the game:
- F9 for adding 100% research
- F10 to add 10000 credits (Ferengis will love that ;-)
- F11 show the entire map
- If you want to see special slides, use following switches after the Trek.exe:
