Balance & Flavor submod for Imperial Civil War 2.1

[NeoSigma]

This is most likely the dreaded freeze, which is a vanilla bug. Use the Defreezer http://www.moddb.com/mods/thrawns-revenge/downloads/unit-selection-freeze-fixer-utility to fix it.

Incidentally I'm playing the very same campaign, at week 97.

Nah, this is a different issue. I tried the defreezer and it doesn't work for the save, there's still a hang-up. This seems more like game corruption, like a messed up AI move or something.

[tlmiller]

does it crash to desktop, or does it just hang forever?

[kucsidave]

how are things going with the mod? I'm curious

[Pali]

Stop rushing the man!

[kucsidave]

Stop rushing the man!

I never told him to hurry up, i just ask for a percentage about what's done so far, nothing else.
Don't be that impatient to think others rushing him for you...

[tlmiller]

It's only been 5 days since he stated nothing new, I wouldn't expect much to change considering the time of year it is.

[Pali]

I never told him to hurry up, i just ask for a percentage about what's done so far, nothing else.
Don't be that impatient to think others rushing him for you...

Reverse psychology is of the dark side.

[Lord Xizer]

Patience.  Remember Alderaan wasn't destroyed in a day...wait, nevermind. Bad example.

[tlmiller]

Patience.  Remember Alderaan wasn't destroyed in a day...wait, nevermind. Bad example.

EXACTLY...it was destroyed in 5 minutes. 

[NeoSigma]

does it crash to desktop, or does it just hang forever?

It hangs forever.

[Lord Xizer]

Other than the new GCs, any plans to make the Warlords factions playable in other pre existing GCs?

[kucsidave]

Other than the new GCs, any plans to make the Warlords factions playable in other pre existing GCs?

That would be great.

[Lord Xizer]

That would be great.

Hasn't been any activity here in a while, I wonder how things are progressing.

[kucsidave]

Well, if you want something to happen, then I'll write a GC strategy tip here for the PA, just like I did in here:
http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php?topic=4857.40
I will start working on it tomorrow.

[kucsidave]

Sorry, but yesterday there was too much job to be done, so I made it today.
This is based on my post here:http://thrawnsrevenge.com/forums/index.php?topic=4857.new#new
So pls read the base tactic for PA first. If something differs because the extra, I will let you know...

Sign explanation:
RED GLOW: Hard Era, you have to be careful.
GREEN GLOW: Easy Era, you should use your time to strengthen your forces as much as you can before changing Era.
ORANGE GLOW: Medium to Hard Era, but should not have too much difficulty if you can use good tactics.
YELLOW GLOW: Something really important in the current Era. Pay attention to these informations, and always keep them in mind.
Pally is Palpatine, and not Palleon. just wanted to make sure there will be no misunderstanding...

Pentastar Alignment Multiera GC Strategy

I will come with examples from Art of War, because that have the most planets with every playable fraction in it.

Era 1

First off, go to the defensive against the IR and the EotH and quickly create a more solid frontier with the IR by quickly taking the neutral Garqi first, and then Ithor from the NR and Ciutric from the IR. If you feel like you can manage it, you can also take Wayland(I always take it, so I will tell you this expecting you did so).
After this is done, you have to build up your economy ASAP(As Soon As Possible).
The planets I recommend you to build up your Tax Collection Agencies(TCA from now on) are Bastion, Muunilinst, Gravlex Med and Anx Minor.
Use the bonus given to you by Gregor Raquoran. It does matter a lot if you spend 500 or 375 creds on a TCA. if we see things for 5, it costs 2500 without bonus, and 1875 with it. You spare more than 600 credits, what really counts.
I might not have to say to redirect all your fleets to Borosk, Ithor, Wayland and Anx Minor.
Don't forget that with 2.15[beta] patch Zsinj has an AI what will eventually attack you. I recommend separating Kaine and Jerec, and sending one to Ithor, and the other to Wayland, as the IR's Executors and Issard will most possibly pop up there.
I recommend you to send the Preator IIs you get at beggining to Borosk, so EotH will have a hard time there with you.
Build 2 Hypevelocity Gun(HVG from now on) to each of your border planets, and only start building Gollans after that.
When you feel strong enough to protect Ithor or Wayland without Kaine and/or Jerec send one of them with a huge ground force straight to Kuat without conquering any planet, and invade Kuat. When that's done, build up 2 HVG there and build up to Capital
Shipyards. After that the 2 Golan III, 2 Golan II and a Golan I. A defensive fleet could also come handy there. When that's done, and you feel like they will never take Kuat, not even with an SSD, then send Kaine/Jerec back straight to Anx Minor.
While you wait for the credits to come in for your build able Vengeance-class SSD, you should start invading Zsinj's starting planets. They are easy to be defended, and have great base income. Maybe not Tangrene, but Kauron and Telos have +160 base income, and the corporate sector is good too. You should build up 5 TCAs in each one of them(except Tangrene).

Era 2

For this time, Issard should have been killed by you, so I continue it from Era 2. after the Corporate sector is dealt with, you can turn your attention back to Telos, and from there you should conquer Yavin and Phindar, while from Wayland you start an invasion on Selaggis and Garos IV. after you have this done, turn your fleet from Garros back to Wayland, and take Dathomir too. As long as you can hold Phindar's space you don't have to worry for Garos. Now you have a decent income, some extra heroes, special units and your front lines only stand from 4 planets, Borosk, Ithor, Wayland and Phindar. You should start to build your extra Vengeance ASAP.

Era 3:

For now, Thrawn should be dead by now, so hope you are prepared for the worst. Get your heroes and your newly built Vengeance out of the front line ASAP, because it's not healthy for them to be hit with a superlaser.
You may also want to strengthen Phindar, because NR have Wedge from now on, and he will not disappear like in base ICW.
Try to kill Pally ASAP. Search for him, and kill him, no matter the cost.

Era 4:

Quickly take Mon Calamari for extra Preator II source and as much IR and NR Capital shipyards as you can before Era 5, but basically the same as the base tactic.

Era 5:

The exact same of the base tactic.


Have a nice, and easy Victory.

[Pali]

Some thoughts to add to Kucsidave's...

With the recruitment changes to the PA in this submod, your starting ship roster is incredibly limited - IIRC, none of your starting planets can produce either Vic, leaving a heavy cruiser-sized hole in your lineup, and some ships like Venators are only buildable at one or two planets, so it can pay to expand while keeping in mind the new ships you'll be opening up as you do so.  The CSA in the north-east corner isn't just a great early-game target because of its high credit planets, but now also because it'll provide your only access to VSD1s until you reach the Core.  If you don't take many losses hitting Garqi and Ithor (and with an SSD leading the charge you shouldn't), consider pushing further south a bit before setting up a defensive line - Levian 2 is a great choke point and provides access to VSD2s, and an early push to Bilbringi will give you ISD2 access as well as another great choke point as well as denying the Hand another level 3 shipyard.  Speaking of the Hand, a lightning strike at Nirauan at the very start of the game can also pay dividends - with a little luck you can catch their starting hero fleet and have an SSD rip it to shreds, and taking the planet gives you a choke point just as good as Borosk as well as some info on all planets neighboring your own anywhere, while also cutting a decent chunk of the Hand's income.

[kucsidave]

Some disagreement with Pali...
I know the small base list, but you have to consider the following things, what you seemed to forget about.
First: I think I told to conquer the CSA in Era 1, so this info was completely useless, since this is a base thing. If someone don't know this himself, he/she shouldn't play this game.
Second:, if you push down from Wayland to Levian, you might get a chokepoint, but you also expanded the borders from 4 to 5 planets, and with the starting units you get it is hard to defend 5 planets at the same time. There are two options for this, protect one with all your fleet and leave a goddamn hole somewhere, or two: scatter up your forces, and spend extra credits on the fortification(what you do not have any to waist at the moment) and let your lines shatter when Issard pops up in your half prepared lines.
Third: Why push to Bilbringi, and have Levian Two when you have Kuat very early, where you can build both ISD IIs, VSD IIs, Tector class SDs, and even the extra Vengeance class? It makes no sense to have at least 6 border planets instead of 4 when you don't have credits to build up strong defenses everywhere. Maybe the problem shall not be seen immediately, but if Issard and Thrawn dies quickly, then you will be in a whole lot of trouble with Palpatine.
Always hope the best, but also prepare for the worst, that's my motto.
I also have to admit that you make sense with Nirauan.
Don't misunderstand, I only tell this because I know stuff like this a bit better. I play PA most of the times(90%), and if not that then IR, and the two is very similar.

[Pali]

1) You did not mention the CSA in the post above, and since the point of strategy guides is to provide help to people who don't know how to play, it seemed sensible to do so.  Similarly, you didn't mention the recruitment system.
2) I tend to take the CSA with Jerec and a handful of frigates, which can handle anything the NR or Warlords can throw at you in that area for some time, while Kaine gets a similar force and Grant gets the starting Praetors backing him up in a third fleet.  Kaine hits Nirauan while Grant starts clearing out space defenses from Ciutric to Levian.  Ideally, my defensive line after a few weeks is Nirauan, Bilbringi, Levian 2, Wayland and Telos, and the middle three are close enough together that it's not hard to rush a fleet from one to another.  With the CSA and your starting Banking Clan planets pumping out credits, you should by now be at well over 10k a week income, plenty to support building up fortifications and new ships.  Isard's popping up unexpectedly can be a problem, but a quick recombination of Kaine and Grant's fleets can usually take her out without much trouble (SSD matches her, Praetors and Grant bonuses give the edge).  Defending on the ground at many of these planets is also quite viable, and usually cheaper than defending in space.
3) Kuat's a mid-game goal for me with the PA.  While being able to build new SSDs is nice, you've already got two at the start of the game, as well as the ability to build Praetors - what your fleet is lacking are heavy cruisers and carriers, meaning Venators, Lukrehulks, Vics and ISD2s, and taking the CSA, Levian and Bilbringi gives you a decent number of shipyards able to pump those ships out.  I usually prefer to not take planets in isolation as well, so a quick run down to Kuat without taking the planets along the way isn't my style - when I start my mid-game push to the Core, Kuat's my primary target, but I take every planet along the way too.  Oh, and Bilbringi's other advantage is that ships built there can easily be sent to link up with your other fleets - an isolated Kuat would be sending ships through enemy territory.
4) I wasn't trying to challenge your strategies or claim mine as better, just provide alternate or additional food for thought.  But I think it a bit presumptuous of you to claim to know the PA better than I do when you have no way to know how much experience I have with them.  I made no such claim of superior knowledge regarding you - I viewed our posted strategy ideas as complementary or alternative, not conflicting - but I have spent a significant amount of time as the PA as they're my number two faction behind the NR.

[Lord Xizer]

I would make some small revisions to these strategies. The main threats to you are from the IR first then the EotH second. The Warlords will be quickly killed off by the major Galactic powers so leave them for later. Put Kaine, Jerec and some of your starting vessels into a single fleet. Your remaining vessels should be put on your two choke point planets and those planets fortified.
Immediately strike Niraun and burn it to the ground. Hopefully you will kill the EotH hero list and also hurt their economy as well as gaining the information the HoT provides on enemy planets. HUNT Isard down. Kill her and the IR can't build SSDs(Your primary threat) As soon as she is dead, go take Kuat, Bilbringi, Fondor and Byss. This drastically reduces the IR's ability to build ISDs(And later will deny them the ability to build Sovereigns, Praetors and Executors) It will also limit the IR from being able to protect itself from the NR and Warlords weakening them further.
Form here your next target after having crippled the IR is to eradicate the EotH(Which should just be getting it's power up) Smash them completely and use their planets as resource gathering(I.E. Lots of Tax centers and stations.)
After EotH is dead, if the Warlords are still alive(VERY unlikely) take them out to get Zsinj's territory. By this point in terms of power it should be You, the NR and a dying IR in that order. The NR should pose no problem for your economy and resources. You can recover losses and basically steamroll them, then finish the IR off at your leisure.

[Pali]

I guess I just prefer the more methodical, economy-centric approach. Like I said, I'm not a big fan of taking planets in isolation, so lightning strikes deep into enemy territory to take places like Kuat and Byss aren't my style (I don't do them as the NR either).  Considering the AI's stupidity, I don't mind if they get a few Executors out, so taking Isard out ASAP isn't at the top of my list - I actually prefer to let her live a while, as Thrawn often dies fairly quickly in the games I've played, so era 3 often comes quite quickly after era 1 ends, and Sovs are more of a threat to the PA given their superlasers mixing badly with Kaine/Jerec than Executors are.  Part of the advantage to focusing on the economy early on is that when facing SSDs later, you don't mind losing a couple ships in the process, since you can afford to (plus, they tend to provide really fun, epic battles).

I'm also not sure I agree with putting Kaine and Jerec in the same fleet, particularly under this submod, since only one SSD can be deployed at a time given the pop increase to 24.  At least, that is unless you've altered the space pop cap, which I tend to prefer to have at 50 rather than 40, but while two SSDs at once can be fun, I prefer a single plus effective escorts anyways.  Still, this is part of the great fun of any decent strategy game: comparing the various approaches people use.