Katrina Kirellii's New Captain Tips

Cheap Movement

If your last move was a real poor one, you can get a free ride back by attacking deployed forces and then choosing retreat. This is especially handy if you warp to a body of Neutrals halfway across the Universe to hide and then want to return the next day real cheap.

Hiding in Plain Sight

If you are in a dark sector (one with absolutely nothing in it) then captains who are computrading are likely to never see you as they have no reason to go to that sector. If you find yourself without fuel and lost, you can deploy 10 or more fighters to "hide" the sector from any ship which does not own a sector scanner.

If you want a sector to not be popular then you can divert traffic by moving ports away from that sector. In the case of dead ends, making sure the entrance to the dead end path is clean and that other sectors are more interesting helps. Sometimes you can make sure someone leaves by putting a large port which guarantees they will have something to sell elsewhere as the blocking port or the reverse.

To Trade or Not To Trade

Many captains will find that trading ports are gossipy and will tell others you are near. Trading far away from your base is a really good idea. Wormholes that you create pointing at a good trading galaxy are handy. Nuetral fighters which you can attack and retreat from back to your previous sector halfway around the Universe is handy too.

Removing Homing Devices

When moving around the Universe you will eventually get someone who tags along keeping track of you with a Homing Device. Some captains remove them all the time before parking their ship by stopping at a Trading Post. At times though, leaving it on may be a better as it might belong to a friend. Remember - homing devices are tricky and having one may prevent picking another up that is less friendly.

Mean Tricks

A lot of veterans will wonder why it took me so long to start talking about mean tricks. Yes, in the past I have bought all the wormholes and linked all the galaxies to an enemy secret base or linked one enemies secret base to another's and the reverse. That is not what I am talking about here. Nor is ringing someone with Defensive Bases and then leaving a large Auto Attack base over them to remove their fighters and then have them in a ping pong of self destruction mode. No, what I am talking about is the removal of planets and ports from a Galaxy. You see, the wonderful navigation device finds the nearest - say - Trading Post. If your enemy has a base sitting on top of a Trading Post, and you remove all the others in the Galaxy, then all the newbies and players will find it the next time they need one. Usually they get quite mad. Just like placing Auto Attacks in the wormholes, this is really a bad thing to do to someone. So do not remove all the planets, ports of a type, neutral fighters, or anything else from a galaxy. It is only yourself that you are hurting in the end. Oh and before I forget, whoever tractor beamed my planets into the nebulas can stop now.

Planet Busting

Did you ever have a planet that was not the best example and wanted a better one? Did you ever have a planet that was the biggest and wanted to replace it with a smaller one? Well, now your problems are solved. Through the handy usage of commissioning and decommissioning a bunker, you can get a brand new random level of production. Higher or lower, the odds are there to manipulate.

On Bots

Several captains just rolled over in their grave, but let us talk about robotic players (bots) for a moment. If one was using the client, you would see that the Kirellii Tactician is the beginning of a bot. I know, you don't need one because you are the best thing since sliced bread. If you ever were being chased by someone, tagged with as Homing Device, or retreating from a live fight, then maybe a Kirellii Trick might assist. The Kirellii Tactician can be set to dump out fighters or bases as you computrade or move along. This is very handy at slowing pesky Captains aiming to take you out. Also, the Kirellii Tactician can destroy fighters on sight. Love them or hate them - bots exist just like macros. Can a bot ever obsolete a Real Captain? Briefly it has been known to happen, and then an adjustment is made such as the autoscoop to automate an advantage for everyone and even the playing field.

The Final Battle - Trade versus War

Upon reading my Manifesto of Universal Domination, many Captains question the existence of the "Final Battle". In a Timed Game where the prize is position in the rankings, it exists. In a War Game, where no fighting can occur for the first half, it exists. In a Team Game, that is the whole point - proving who is the best. If you are an Independent Captain, you can ignore those around you. Anyone can concentrate on trade. The "Neverending Game" allows you to amass tremendous resources. However, when you have the largest bunker, the largest starbase, and start accumulating a fleet of destruction - temptation will knock. Once it comes knocking, someone is converted to Reputation Points and the victor becomes just a little more vulnerable. Feelings and Honor as well as Retribution - nay Vengeance awakens. Bunkers, Bases, and Deployed Fighters may be your little savings nest egg, but when that ship is gone - a significant investment has to be replaced. Luckily, my playing style converts others to Reputation quickly and I enjoy a shiny new ship too. When Reputation is part of a Timed Game score, I have been known to fish for points with an Auto-Attack Starbase. Unprotected ships are a juicy prize and hard to pass over. Yes, my companion is War and yours may be Trade. That may be a peaceful starbase or bunker you have there, but it can be toggled at any time or the fighters used for a quick strike. If you think the game is about Peaceful Trading, then don't bother buying shields, attack computers, or fighters - they only slow down trade and decrease your profit. My advice is to look twice at anyone who is a peaceful trader. "I come in Peace" - right...

The Mythical Planet - Kirellii Gold

There are some that continue to talk about a planet filled with treasures such that it can NEVER be traded out. If such a planet existed, I could neither confirm nor deny it. However, reporting it would be a real good idea - so that proper study and research could be done of course.

FUD - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

Gamesmanship, Politics, Manipulation, Friendship, Reciprical Non-agression Pacts, and Fun are all terms you should become familiar with in the Starship Traders Universe. The Universe is a large place and you will meet many Captains. You may not know them or they you. FUD exists in the farthest corners and on the mainstage in plain sight. Concentrate on Fun no matter what you do. Challenge yourself each day. Find your niche. You will meet best friends and good enemies. Sometimes they are the same - or not. I find that the best enemies become good friends. I hope to become yours.