Sid Meier’s Starships Quick Strategy Guide
![Sid Meier’s Starships Quick Strategy Guide](/content/images/size/w2000/wordpress/2020/04/1-eNEd2s4Xp17S6yY0l7TKzA.jpg)
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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.
![](https://firdausariff.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/04/1-VIFjiT8IH7P45HyrESFLkA.jpg)
Victory Conditions
First off is the victory conditions as your strategy and tactics will be built upon this.
- Population — Control 51% of the galaxy population
- Science — Research 3 level 6 upgrades
- Wonder — Build seven wonders
- 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.
![](https://firdausariff.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/04/1-Rej_wDlC0PLJrVKN8pDDFw.jpg)
Affinity
- Supremacy — One wonder already built
- Harmony — Repair ship at half cost
- Purity — Double reward for missions
Leaders
- Barre (Benevolent) — Reduce cost of cities by 25%
- Sochua (Progerssive) — Two random tech upgrade
- Kavitha (Humanitarian) — Starts with one extra city
- Élodie (Charismatic) — Crew morale increase 10%
- Kozlov (Industrialist) — Metals production increase 25%
- Hutama (Diplomat) — Always get first visit influence bonus
- Bolivar (Warrior) — Starts with one additional starship
- Fielding (Economist) — 50 credits per city each turn
Resources
- Energy — Build, upgrade & repair starships
- Metals — Build planetary improvements and wonders
- Science — Research tech ugpgrades
- Food — Build cities and increase population
- 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.
![](https://firdausariff.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/04/1-EoBi1zsLkI9W1waJp-SSXw.jpg)
Influence on Planets
![](https://firdausariff.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/04/1-5XQRTrHlhfpvrWra1PRfcg.jpg)
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:
- First Visit Bonus — 1 influence point
- Buy Influence — 1 influence point per purchase. Starts as low as 500 Credits. More population = more Credits needed.
- Complete Missions — Green (1 influence point), Yellow (2 influence point), Red (3 influence point)
- 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.
- Redundant Sytems — Repair 50% damage after each battle turn
- Hyperlaunch — Give fighters full initial movement. My personal favorite
- Jump Start — Move immediately at the beginning of each battle
- Cloaking — Stealth system activates at no cost
- Intellishield — Full strength protection from all side
- Damage Control — Prevent Critical Hits
- Naval Tradition — Eliminate Crew Fatigue in Battle
- Glide Path — Three additional moves when using Impulse Power (Usually one)
- Great Shipyard — Reduce starship repair cost by 50%
- Convergent Light — Remove distance penalty for laser fire. (100% laser weapon strength at any distance)
- Repulsors — Pass through thight passage at any time
- Warp Control — Control jumps
- Reactive Armor — Prevents damage from torpedoes
- 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!