[X3 LU] Guidance For A Newbie Requested

[Morgon]

Hey all, I've got a few (or a lot) of questions, and I do apologize in advance if this is the incorrect forum to ask them in.

I've played X3 (Vanilla, TC, and a little AP) before, but I never made it past the "Dozen or so UTs" mark as far as advancement is concerned. I never played through any of the stories, and I've never built any complexes at all, let alone building my own ships and such.

Which is why I'm asking some questions here. I've really been enjoying Litcube's Universe. It really does streamline the whole experience, and it's forced me to actually go out and explore for some credit opportunities. I understand that the goal is to run an empire which is big. REALLY big. With logistics and self-sufficient supply chains to fight an enemy just as strong and stronger than you are. This appeals to me greatly.

However, I fear I'm running up against the limits of my (limited) experience, and I'd like to ask for some help regarding the next steps of the game. I've got a couple traders up and running (The starting Caiman Advanced, of which I'll probably be buying another of) and a Mercury. I've got a good 8 mil in the bank from scavenging loot and claiming abandoned ships. So, here's my list of questions.

- Where do I get the HQ, and when?

- How do I go about setting up the start of my production and logistics? Good starting factories and etc.?

- Do I claim one of the unknown sectors to serve as my home base when that time comes?

- The big one: What will be involved in the mid-game, where I understand I will be using large numbers of factories to manufacture my own equipment and related supplies to fuel my future fleets? I understand Saturn Complex is involved in this, but it offers me a fair bit of confusion at the moment.

These are the main questions that currently come to mind. Thanks in advance for any aid rendered!

[ancienthighway]

If you are playing in Litcube's Univers, you should probably ask on the S&M forum.

[Morgon]

That makes sense. Can this topic be moved or should I just start a new topic on that forum?

[Cpt.Jericho]

I think it's better to wait for a mod to show up and move the topic.

[Nanook]

Moved.

[jack775544]

Where do I get the HQ, and when?

Look up the headquarters entry from the encyclopedia in game. If you have surveyed the galaxy enough then you will get the location. If you haven't then the location will be:

Spoiler

Show

Cloudbase Southeast Shipyard

How do I go about setting up the start of my production and logistics? Good starting factories and etc.?

As always 1MJ shield factories in the Argon Prime area are great for starting up.

Do I claim one of the unknown sectors to serve as my home base when that time comes?

Personal choice. Some people like setting up in already occupied sectors so they don't have to worry about as many nasties (like Xenon and pirates). Other people want to be away from everyone (because they are definitely are not selling space weed). Personally I chose the middle ground and set up my stuff in Presidents End so I could have a desolate'ish sector and still be relatively safe from pirates.

The big one: What will be involved in the mid-game, where I understand I will be using large numbers of factories to manufacture my own equipment and related supplies to fuel my future fleets? I understand Saturn Complex is involved in this, but it offers me a fair bit of confusion at the moment.

The mid game is where everything starts to ramp up in LU. Early on you are fairly free to do what you want, however this is where the real game begins. The Phanon Corporation will start attacking your assets with small and medium sized patrols and the OCV will start to expand into the known galaxy, however they will still be on the more isolated eastern side of the galaxy. Here is where you need to start focusing on halting Phanon's operations and also preparing a fleet that can repel the OCV. If you haven't gone for a trip to inspect the OCV's ship capabilities yet you should probably start a trip to that side of the galaxy to have a look. You won't realise how overpowered they are until you do.

Hope some of this can help and good luck.

EDIT: I just realised that I didn't talk about Saturn Complex Hubs. A SCH is basically a giant self sufficient factory that can create any product, only after you load it with the required component factories. They are very handy since they are much much easier to manage then a giant complex and are automated in their construction if you have enough credits and you are used to the process.

[Morgon]

Thanks for the suggestions! I've got a couple more questions.

I notice that SCHs have a very large number of 'variants', 1 to about 350. What does that mean?

Second, I'm guessing that, using SCHs, I am only limited by an initial massive credit investment, and not the logistical resource woes that I hear plague vanilla complexes?

If so it looks like my early game goal is to amass credits and establish my income via traders and the Stock Market, moving towards minor factories, then onto building a small, mobile defence force for my assets.

[Zaitsev]

I notice that SCHs have a very large number of 'variants', 1 to about 350. What does that mean?

It's the number of end product factories the SCH can support. So an SCH 400 (the largest available) can hold for example 400 Wasp factories.

Second, I'm guessing that, using SCHs, I am only limited by an initial massive credit investment, and not the logistical resource woes that I hear plague vanilla complexes?

Since the SCH is self contained it will run all by itself once you start it up. So no resource shortages or blinking warning signs if that's what you worry about.[/quote]

If so it looks like my early game goal is to amass credits and establish my income via traders and the Stock Market, moving towards minor factories, then onto building a small, mobile defence force for my assets.

According to Litcube the stock market is more of an early mid-game thing, but your mileage may vary as they say. Get a good satellite network, a fast, well shielded TS and a TM and check known hot spots for abandoned ships and dropped missiles/weapons/shields every now and then, and you'll have money coming out of your ears in no time.

Also, as an addition to jack775544's comment, due to changes in prices and production times mass driver forges are easily the best early game money makers out there. You need a Station Agent to sell them, but once you can afford a size 50 mass driver SCH it's practically a license to print money. Of course, if you're short on cash or wanna get going early, 1 MJ shield factories are cheaper than mass driver forges.

As an example, in one of my games I'm five days in, I have the equivalent of 120 mass driver forges, 120 PAC factories and some other odds and ends, and I make some 50 million per hour. However, since I'm about to fork out two and a half billion for a 400 size Hammer heavy torpedo SCH I need all the money I can get.

[Morgon]

Oh okay! That makes a lot of sense.

I've had some good luck for my first game. I started on the Trader, and using the initial Kestrels mapped out a good chunk of the Universe. While my first two traders levelled up, I went in what wound up being my only remaining Kestrel (the others died to pirate/xenon zones) deploying satellites and keeping an eye out for aforementioned loot and ships.

So far I've found an abandoned L, and before I left for work I happened upon an abandoned pirate Kestrel /and/ the Dolphin Tanker XL it looked like it was attacking. I'm set to sell that for a solid 3 mil injection, and I'll wind up with a good 12 mil. Enough for a third Caiman Advanced and probably my first factory or two.

Additionally, I've noticed that great places for loot tend to be sectors bordering a pirate sector, plus that pirate sector itself. I've been told Used Ships are great early income too, but I'm using EMS and I haven't found any yet.

[Zaitsev]

*snip*
Additionally, I've noticed that great places for loot tend to be sectors bordering a pirate sector, plus that pirate sector itself. I've been told Used Ships are great early income too, but I'm using EMS and I haven't found any yet.

That goes for Xenon sectors as well, but you probably found out by now. If not, sectors like Getsu Fune, Menelaus' Paradise, Thyn's Abyss, Black Hole Sun, Zyarth's Dominion and, to a lesser degree, Zyarth's Stand, are all great sources of loot and abandoned ships. Also, Faded Dreams down in the south east tend to be pretty good. I just started a new game, and found a Mamba, two Novas, two Scimitars, a Barracuda, a Penatron and an Octopus Sentinel floating around there. Needless to say, they were worth a ton of money.

[Morgon]

Oh wow, that's quite a haul.

Thanks for the systems suggestions too, that'll help me out a lot I'm sure!

[Joubarbe]

Or use Satellites Monitoring !

[Zaitsev]

There are a few more too, like Thuruk's Beard, Merchant Haven, Aladna Hill, the stretch from Rolk's Legacy to Ceo's Doubt, Eighteen Billion, Scale Plate Green, PTNI Headquarters, Priest's Pity, Cardinal's Domain, Priest Refuge, Jupiter 3, Perdition's End and Third Redemption, in addition to the obvious ones like Elena's Fortune and Atreus' Clouds.

As a note to myself I think I've played this game way too much, as I remembered all those hot spots off the top of my head.

Since you're already into mods via EMS, I suggest taking a look at Joubarbe's Satellite Monitoring. Basically it checks every sector where you have an advanced satellite and give you a summary of what's in that sector, i.e. number of enemy ships, enemy stations, abandoned ships and wares floating around in the sector, if any. It's an extremely handy tool, especially in the beginning when money's tight and every credit counts.

Edit: (Semi)Ninja'd by Joubarbe

[Morgon]

I did indeed pick up Satellite Monitoring! I haven't used it terribly much, though I know it's a great recon tool, and I have a pretty well-established network by now.

[Morgon]

Progress report time!

I'm about 2 and a half in-game days in. I've got a good few Caiman Adv. UTs up, just bought my first Heavy Centaur Prototype, and I've started repelling the Phanon. (Admission: I waited an in-game day before turning the Phanon and OCV on, to get my bearings and learn) They brought in a Woden so I had to bolt.

My 1MJ factory is doing respectably well in Argon Prime, so more thanks for the suggestions on that. The Argon Stock Exchange still hasn't opened for me, but that's a common problem, I've heard.

More acclimatization with Satellite Monitoring has made me really fall in love it with. I also got a few LU-specific mods, like that trader enhancement one. That's been pretty great.

I've decided to put down in an Unknown Sector, specifically Gamma, which is nicely nestled between friendly sectors. I've scanned all asteroids and will be putting most of my SCHs and other stations there when the time comes.

That said, I now have a few more questions:

- UTs are currently my main method of steady income, supplemented by looting and claiming abandoned ships. The 1MJ Factory in Argon Prime was mostly to unlock the Exchange (which hasn't, as mentioned above). Is this okay until I can afford a SCH? I understand UTs start suffering massive diminishing returns when you have around 15-20 of them.

- Managing fleets. This one is probably answered on the LU wiki, but I'll ask here anyway. I've heard I wont really use them until I have my MLCC up. Are wings fine for now, or can I setup a fleet? Should I?

- Is there a way to make one ships continually scan for ships that need more ammo/energy cells, like a security fleet that needs to jump around a lot?