Sid Meier’s Starships Quick Strategy Guide

Space is a disorienting place & the game doesn’t really welcomes you with proper onboarding. They just plop you on the admiral seat with a piece of paper and let you figure it out how to conquer the galaxy.

This game is not for everyone, it’s a compressed Civilization experience. It is for those who want more of the tactical rush of battles and less of strategic empire building.

Victory Conditions

First off is the victory conditions as your strategy and tactics will be built upon this.

1. Population — Control 51% of the galaxy population
2. Science — Research 3 level 6 upgrades
3. Wonder — Build seven wonders
4. Domination — Destroy everybody else

Setting Up the Game

Your choice of Affinity & Leader will affect the bonus your receive and make certain Victory easier. For example thos who started with Sochua have a headstart in Science victory while those who go with Barre will find Population victory easier to achieve.

Affinity

1. Supremacy — One wonder already built
2. Harmony — Repair ship at half cost
3. Purity — Double reward for missions

Leaders

1. Barre (Benevolent) — Reduce cost of cities by 25%
2. Sochua (Progerssive) — Two random tech upgrade
3. Kavitha (Humanitarian) — Starts with one extra city
4. Élodie (Charismatic) — Crew morale increase 10%
5. Kozlov (Industrialist) — Metals production increase 25%
6. Hutama (Diplomat) — Always get first visit influence bonus
7. Bolivar (Warrior) — Starts with one additional starship
8. Fielding (Economist) — 50 credits per city each turn

Resources

1. Energy — Build, upgrade & repair starships
2. Metals — Build planetary improvements and wonders
3. Science — Research tech ugpgrades
4. Food — Build cities and increase population
5. Credits — Buy anything include influence on planets!

Trade these 5 resources using the Intergalactic Marketplace. As you buy more of the same resource, it will get more expensive.

Influence on Planets

For those who have played Civilization V think of them as city states. You gain favor through multiple methods until they join your federation. You will want 4 influence point on them so you can control them and build wonders. There’s a few methods:

1. First Visit Bonus — 1 influence point
2. Buy Influence — 1 influence point per purchase. Starts as low as 500 Credits. More population = more Credits needed.
3. Complete Missions — Green (1 influence point), Yellow (2 influence point), Red (3 influence point)
4. Shore Leave — 1 influence point per turn

If you play it right, you can control the planet in one go through a few combination. You complete a very difficult mission (Red) and earn First Visit Bonus. [3+1] Or you can complete a difficult mission (Yellow), Buy 1 influence and take a Shore Leave. [2+1+1]

Wonders

You can only build one wonder on each planet that have joined your federation. Each planet have different wonder options and some can’t build it.

1. Redundant Sytems — Repair 50% damage after each battle turn
2. Hyperlaunch — Give fighters full initial movement. My personal favorite
3. Jump Start — Move immediately at the beginning of each battle
4. Cloaking — Stealth system activates at no cost
5. Intellishield — Full strength protection from all side
6. Damage Control — Prevent Critical Hits
7. Naval Tradition — Eliminate Crew Fatigue in Battle
8. Glide Path — Three additional moves when using Impulse Power (Usually one)
9. Great Shipyard — Reduce starship repair cost by 50%
10. Convergent Light — Remove distance penalty for laser fire. (100% laser weapon strength at any distance)
11. Repulsors — Pass through thight passage at any time
12. Warp Control — Control jumps
13. Reactive Armor — Prevents damage from torpedoes
14. Stealth Torpedo — Self explanatory

Go On & Play!

Admittedly, this guide is far from comprehensive. But I believe it can help many aspiring admirals win faster and not wasting time figuring it out via trial & error.

Have a blast!