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There are three ways to win in Master of Orion

1. Conquer the galaxy and destroy all the other races
2. Destroy the Antarans
3. Be elected supreme ruler of the galaxy by the High Council

Uses Picks(Bonuses)


• Creative(-6)
• Telepathic(-6)
• Cybernetic(-4)
• +10 Spying(-3)
• Large Home World(-1)
  
  Gives Picks(Penalties)
  
  
• Low-G World(+5)
• -.5 BC(+4)
• Poor Home World(+1)
  
  Explanation of picks
  
  This is a race for conquering! My personal favorite! This race will be best on Advanced Tech but will work great on any setting. The Creative pick is a must! It allows you to get ALL the tech in one field.
  The Telepathic pick gives many abilities. A 25% bonus to all diplomatic negotiations. Ships that are Battleship size or higher can "Mind Control" an entire colony without a fight instantly assimilating it into their empire if its defenses are defeated if it is non-Telepathic. They get a 10% bonus to spies & they can immediately used ships captured in combat.
  The Cybernetic pick is so you can heal your ships in combat. 10% of armor & structure is healed each round. Systems repair at 5% per round.
  +10 Spying is always nice.
  A Large home world is the only -1 and it is always nice to have.
  
  How to Use this Race
  
  On Advanced Tech this race starts with a better fleet because they are creative. This race is used to conquer people. Your spies have a 20% bonus too(good for sabotage). You can heal damage in combat. You should put Assault Shuttles on some of your ships so you capture others(3-5 or them). You will be able to use them instantly in combat.
  
  Modifications
  
  Instead of -.5 BC try -10 ground combat & -20 defense. Instead of a large home world & +10 spying try Warlord. Or if you like the large home world change the +10 Spying to +50 ship attack.

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  Race #2-Meklars
  
  Uses Picks(Bonuses)
  
  
  • +50% Growth Rate(-3)
  • +1 Food(-4)
  • +1 Production)-3)
  • +1 Research(-3)
  • Large Homeworld(-1)
  • Creative(-6)
    
    Gives Picks(Penalties)
    
    
  • -10 Ground Combat(+2)
  • -20 Ship Defense(+2)
  • Low-Gravity Homeworld(+5)
  • Poor Homeworld(+1)
  
  
  Explanation of picks
  
  This race has awesome colonists. They grow fast, produce more food & production, and are better researchers.
  
  How to use this race
  
  You should use this race to colonize lots of planets. Building up domestically will be very helpful for this race.
  
  Modifications
  
  Try taking off -20 ship defense & -10 ground combat and put on -.5 BC instead.

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  Race #3-Sakkras
  
  Uses picks(Bonuses)
  
  
  • Creative(-6)
  • Subterranean(-6)
  • Large Homeworld(-1)
  • +50 Ship Attack(-4)
  • +50% Pop. Growth(-3)
    
    Gives picks(Penalties)
    
    
  • -20 Ship Defense(+2)
  • -10 Ground Combat(+2)
  • Low-Gravity Homeworld(+5)
  • Poor Homeworld(+1)
  
  
  Explanation of picks
  
  The subterranean trait increases the maximum population by +2 for Tiny, +4 for Small, all the way up to +10 to Huge, which is why I got +50% growth rate. It also gives +10% ground combat bonus on defense only, which is why I chose -10 Ground Combat.
  +50 Ship Attack is useful.
  
  
  How to use this race
  
  This is another domestic race. If you capture a planet, you should either annihilate the colonists or export them, and then import your own colonists to get the Subterranean bonus. On technology, work on developments that give colonists bonuses, since you have more than other races. Since they have high population, and you've gotten the Sakkras out of the game, you can get more votes for the High Council, you have a better chance of being elected.
  
  Modifications
  
  Replace -20 Ship Defense and -10 Ground Combat with -0.5 BC.

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  Race #4-Silicoids
  
  Uses picks(Bonuses)
  
  
  • Creative(-6)
  • Lithovore(-10)
  • +1 Industry(-3)
    
    Gives picks(Penalties)
    
    
  • -20 Ship Defense(+2)
  • -10 Ground Combat(+2)
  • Low-Gravity Homeworld(+5)
  
  
  Explanation of picks
  
  Lithovore is incredibly useful(which is why it's 10 picks!!!). It means the race requires no food. I also got +1 industry with this, because I would have more people on industry, since I need no farmers! Creative as usual.
  
  How to use this race
  
  This is an all-purpose race. On technology, obviously avoid developments that increase food, unless you desperately need extra money! Aim for industry & research developments.
  
  Modifications
  
  Replace -20 Ship Defense and -10 Ground Combat with -0.5 BC.

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  Race #5-?????
  
  Uses picks(Bonuses)
  
  
  • Creative(-6)
  • Telepathic(-6)
  • +20 Ship Defense(-3)
    
    Gives picks(Penalties)
    
    
  • Low-Gravity Homeworld(+5)
  
  
  Explanation of picks
  
  I made this race because I was sick of having my ships be bad on defense, or losing money, etc. After staying away from telepathic races, I finally gave in. Telepathic is just SO useful. +20 Ship Defense is useful.
  
  How to use this race
  
  This is a race for capturing planets!(w/ Mind Control) If you notice a colony without any defenses or ships, GO THERE!
  
  Modifications
  
  Replace +20 Ship Defense with Rich & Large HW.

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  Race #6-Klackons
  
  Uses Picks(Bonuses)
  
  
  • Unification(-6)
  • Telepathic(-6)
  • Creative(-6)
    
    Gives Picks(Penalties)
    
    
  • -1/2 Food(+3)
  • -.5 BC(+4)
  • Poor Home World(+1)
    
    Explanation of Picks
    
    This race is hyper-productive. You just get TONS of production. Also, any colonists you conquer get the unification bonus! +50% food & production bonus!!! At advanced unification you get +100% food & production bonus! Any colony you conquer you assimilate instantly because your telepathic. This way you don't have to worry about taking 20 turns to assimilate 1 unit of pop. With Unification you can easily handle the -1/2 food production. Avoid Low-G homewold at all costs. This is a industrial race! Low-G would destroy its purpose!
    
    How to use this Race
    
    Build up your industry, obviously! Pump out ships and take over the galaxy. You'll have plenty of people left over from farming because of your farming bonus from Unification. However, DO NOT forget research. Just because you can pump out 5 ships to their 1, they can easily destroy you if you fall behind in tech...
    
    Modifications
    
    Instead of -.5 BC & Poor Home World try -10 ground combat & -20 ship defense.
    
    Now that you've picked a race, pick your color. The color doesn't affect the game in any way except it gives you different pictures for your ships depending on what color you are.

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    Strategies
    Pre-Warp Tech
    Average Tech
    Advanced Tech

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    Pre-Warp Tech
    
    This setting lets you set your own path of development from the very beginning. One suggestion, though...DO NOT play this hotseat. I suggest you get the nuclear drive first, so you can move outside your own solar system. At the beginning there isn't much to do but wait. If there are any good planets in your solar system try building a colony base with your extra time. This way you will have two planets to start getting tech. After you get the drive(it shouldn't take long), get Astro Biology, Chemistry, and then Physics. Try to colonize planets FAST. The more you can get before you meet another race, the better. The more planets you have the more research, production, and power you control! Once you get the mass driver and the electronic computer, design a ship of destroyer size. Put a few missles and mostly mass drivers on. Then build a few for defense(or offense). Make trade & research treaties with the races you want to be friends with. Don't make too many at once or you'll run out of money. While at first they're not profitable, wait about 5 turns and they'll start helping A LOT!

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    Average Tech
    
    Average Tech takes somewhat less time to get started and into the action. On this level you start out with some basic tech, 2 scout ships with minor weaponary, and a defenselss colony ship. Send your scout ships out to preferably yellow stars. Unless of course you see a BROWN star(not orange). These things RARELY have planets, but if they do they can be better than ORION! Watch out for space monsters that guard great planets. Try to colonize a planet quickly. DO NOT colonize a planet in your home system unless it is easily the best planet around. It is much easier to do this later on with a colony base. Try to colonize many planets quickly. Research is very important. Once you get the nuetron blaster design a ship. Put them on and add a few missles too. Probably you should make it Destroyer size.

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    Advanced Tech
    
    This is my favorite setting. No tedious building up, you just get right into it. You start out with several colonies, a fleet of warships with your best tech, and 2 Leaders to buy. The first thing you need to do is to go to 1 or 2 of the races you know and make trade & research treaties with them(not all of the races or you might go in to debt). DO NOT MAKE NON-AGRESSION PACTS WITH THEM THIS TURN! There is annoying bug and it will cancel them next turn. You'll have to wait a few turns before you can. Next click on colonies. For some weird reason the computer puts them mostly on research. Move most of them to workers. If you have a colony with only one person move him to a worker too. Then go down the list and start building buildings. This is what you should build. If you don't have the option of building some of these things you have them already built there or it is not available at that colony.
    1. Hydroponic Farm
    2. Automated Factory
    3. Soil Enrichment
    4. Research Lab
    5. Robo Miner Plant
    6. Cloning Center
       If you're worried about defense make a missle base somewhere in between. In the beginnig of the game I'm much more scared of missle bases than a Star Base or a Battle Station!
    
    
    After you've done this go take a look at your heroes. If you see anyone that's "famous" or "Mega-Wealth" hire them now! You do not have to worry about building a fleet for awhile. The one you have will do okay. You also dont need to colonize much. Work on building up your planets and getting more tech. You might want to take down a weak race. If you're gonna attack someone go after someone whose colonists do something good. Like they have +1 production, research, or food.

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    Designing Ships
    
    This is complicated and with all the available tech I can't be specific. But here are a few pointers...
    
    
    • Battle Pods are MUSTS! Always put them on
    • Missles aren't so great. DO NOT follow the computers example of putting on lots.
    • Don't use bombs as much more than filling up unused space.
    • ALWAYS keep the best armor, shields, computer, and drive on.
    • If you put a few missles on, using the newest one is always the best idea. You might want to use an older one that has the MIRV modification.
    • Gyro Destabilizers are nice to have at the beginning of the game.
    • Once you get ion cannons, graviton beams, and neutron blasters, put ALL 3 on the ship. Make them heavy mount. Then use mass drivers as Point Defense.
    • Once you get Titans only use them. Do not go back down to battleships.(Same with Doom Stars)
    • Later on Plasma cannons are awesome. In one of my games 10 Heavy Mount plasma cannons on 1 titan could destroy a Battle Station with one volley!
    • Once you get phasors always use them for point defense. Also stop using blasters. You will want an extra weapon besides the heavy mount phasors so use a Heavy mount Graviton beam or Ion cannon.
    • A "Capture" Ship is what I like to make. Put 4-6 tractor beams, 4-6 assault shuttles, a warp dissipator, troop pods, and if you have the tech...transporters. These fun ships can capture enemy ships like crazy. You can scrap these captured ships for money and new tech...or just keep em.
    • Automated repair units are a MUST after you get them.
    • Multi-Phased Shields are good! Until then try either the Inertial Stabilizer or the ECM Jammer depending if you're more worried about beam weapons or missles.
    
    
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    Diplomacy
    
    Depending on who you are, you may think diplomacy is unimportant and you can just kill everyone even if they're all against you---WRONG! Two-front wars can be DEADLY! Try to take one opponent at a time. Make friends with the other races and maybe even ask one or two of them to help you fight this person. Also, if you ignore diplomacy, you will not benefit from trade or research treaties which will add to your research and money each turn. Some people will be more friendly than others. The humans are always friendly to start out with. Races that are repulsive you will not have any other options other than Peace Treaty, Declare War, or Surrender. If you like to destroy races I suggest you start with the repulsive ones first(if there are any in your game). Also, no one else will like the repulsive ones either. When you go to make research and trade treaties with an empire, ALWAYS ask for a research first. For some reason a lot of empires wont make a trade treaty until they have a research one. Sometimes it is the other way around. Sometimes they won't do either, but they will do a Non-Agression Pact. Very rarely they won't do anything. Here is a list of what the different pacts do.
    1. Research Treaty-Basically gives extra research points(RP) to each empire. It takes about 5 turns before you stop losing money(BC), and start gaining RP. As long as this treaty is in effect, your relations improve.
    2. Trade Treaty-Gives extra BC to each empire. It takes about 5 turns before you start losing money and start gaining it. As long as this treaty is in effect, your relations improve.
    3. Peace Treaty-Ends a war between empires. You are still on thin ice though with this race!
    4. Non-Agression Pact-This pact says you will not attack one another. Thats all! As long as you have this pact, it helps relations more than a trade or research treaty. Usually, you can make this treaty if your relation is "relaxed".
    5. Alliance-This is the strongest treaty possible. If it is broken, that race will not forgive you soon. This REALLY helps relations as long as it is in effect. Ships may use each other's colonies as bases for refueling! Very helpful! Usually you can make this treaty if the relation is "calm"
       
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       Spying
       
       Spying is fun. You can steal technology or sabotage buildings on planets. Sometimes when you sabotage you even frame another race. However most of the time they catch you. So unless you're already at war, or don't mind going to war...don't do this to that race. There is no point in using espionage against a race if you have all their tech.
       
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       Cheats
       
       While I personally don't enjoy using a lot of cheats(I think it ruins the game), here they are for all you cheaters out there! Note: If you use any of these, the game won't let you enter into the Hall of Fame, even if you have a good enough score!
       

       Hold down Alt while typing these.
       

       • Einstein = All Research
       • Moola = 1,000 BC
       • Menlo = Another Research cheat
       • Crunch = Completes current colony production item
       • Canbonly1 = All races declare war on you
       • Iseeall = Show All Planets & Players
       • Allai = Makes AI harder
       • Score = Gives you the score of your game
       • Ldr = Don't Know
       • Snd = Don't know

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         Files
         
         raced.zip(120 KB)-RacEd V 1.3, Very exstensive Race Editor - Windows
         moo2ed14.zip(33 KB)-Version 1.4, saved game ship editor - DOS
         m2cheat.zip(3 KB)-Saved game Money & Tech Editor - DOS
         moobux.zip(97 KB)-Saved game Money editor - Windows
         moohero.zip(135 KB)-List of all MOO2 heros!
         moo2v12.exe(1,644 KB)-MOO2 update (Win 95 & DOS) to V 1.2
         

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         Links
         
         Greg's Bridge Page

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         LAST EDITED 6/8/97