Exakter...you can blockade the star lane by making sure that you set the intercept function for your ship/ships that are occupying the system entering your territory...I have to remind myself of this little chore frequently as I watch in dismay as other factions zoom merrily by unchallenged...semper terrorisimus!!

Duk wrote:
I had the Horatio declare war on me once my home planet's influence enveloped one of their colonies. It could have been coincidence, but it happened twice, so I'm inclined to think it's not. Perhaps influence allows you to gradually take over a colony?

From my understanding a colony won't "switch sides" if in your territory. They likely declared war because the only way to access their system was either through war or through an open boarders treaty with you since their colony had fallen behind your boarders and couldn't travel to and from there anymore.

No, you can't conquer a colony via influence area. I've had an enemy system entirely enveloped for many turns

Heh. Either way, it ended rather badly for them. Maybe the fact that I had ten dreadnoughts posted in the systems around my borders should have dissuaded them.

MT4K wrote:
My full understanding of the territory (influence) boarder system:



Once you colonise a new system. you have to wait until your new system which starts as an outpost to become a full fledged colony (usually takes about 30 turns. You can check this on the top left when you click on the system). Once it becomes a colony it creates a circle of your territory which become your boarders. You can increase the size of your boarders through research (i believe they are on the left tech tree) to unlock new improvements to build for said effect.



Sometimes when your boarders grow they will cover parts of other systems that nobody controls. So when your territory touches an unclaimed system it essentially becomes "inside your boarders". An empire that wishes to travel to that system or even just through it would not be allowed to. Basically. nobody can travel through anybodies territory unless they are in a state of war, Or are at peace and have signed an "open boarders" treaty. It can be a great way to basically cut off entire areas to other empires if you plan it right.



Any system you have that isn't a colony yet and just an outpost is fair game while in a state of "cold war" and can be fought over without delcaring war. So be sure to guard any systems that don't have a territory circle around them.

Thank you!

If you want to pretty much own the map, set up a custom race and expend 10 points on Stellar Guardian and choose Amoeba affinity. You'll get to see the entire map from the outset and then send some colony ships to a choke point. Set up a colony and 30 turns later you'll own a significant chunk of space, normally enveloping other star systems, preventing the other players from swanning in and doing the same. It's also a sure fire way to go to war as the other players can only expand by conquering your new territory. Within 80 turns, it's possible to have your influence cover at least 50% of the map.

IndianaFlynn wrote:
If you want to pretty much own the map, set up a custom race and expend 10 points on Stellar Guardian and choose Amoeba affinity. You'll get to see the entire map from the outset and then send some colony ships to a choke point. Set up a colony and 30 turns later you'll own a significant chunk of space, normally enveloping other star systems, preventing the other players from swanning in and doing the same. It's also a sure fire way to go to war as the other players can only expand by conquering your new territory. Within 80 turns, it's possible to have your influence cover at least 50% of the map.

Won't that leave you with really remote and isolated, as well as difficult to defend, outposts? In your scenario a colony coming under attack and being besieged would be difficult to defend/hold...



I'll try that out though, I like challenges...

n18991c wrote:
Won't that leave you with really remote and isolated, as well as difficult to defend, outposts? In your scenario a colony coming under attack and being besieged would be difficult to defend/hold...

If you own the choke point(s), no enemy ships can reach your outposts. Its a pretty good strategy, but once the choke point(s) are overrun, you're basically screwed.

adder wrote:
If you own the choke point(s), no enemy ships can reach your outposts. Its a pretty good strategy, but once the choke point(s) are overrun, you're basically screwed.

That's exactly what I was thinking. So unless you have good/strong fleets defending those outposts you can probably forget it...

I had the Horatio declare war on me once my home planet's influence enveloped one of their colonies. It could have been coincidence, but it happened twice, so I'm inclined to think it's not. Perhaps influence allows you to gradually take over a colony?

I actually clicked the wrong button recently and, rather than guard the system (and intercept other incoming fleets) the fleet I had selected suddenly went to roam/explore the galaxy and moved to the nearest system, where the AI with dozens of fleets and in cold war state proceeded to destroy my fleet... I was appalled. Shows what happens when you click the wrong button...

Enemies can't colonize if a planet is in or touching your borders, so to can use stellar guardians (gives a large area bonus) to effectively deny them the "good" systems and use them for yourself later in the game.

It's a good strategy, taking over choke point. But the main problem with this, it's systems you will colonize will cost you approval (and won't be necessary good systems). You could instead put fleet at choke points and then use the blocus option to prevent expansion from other players.

Keep in mind that your ennemies won't let you take over the map, they will try to invade the choke points, and you can be really quick overwhelmed in early-game, plus the fact that other faction will have negatives feelings towards you.

As for the original question, influence increases the Dust you get from planets inside your own influence area to 100%, decreases Allied and Neutral star systems to 50% Dust and lowers enemy Dust to 25% Dust. It's not all peachy, however, as influence increases the Happiness penalty you get from Expansion Disapproval. As people have stated, you can also use influence as a "roadblock" of sorts, as well as lower opponent's Happiness through the Ownership penalty. Last-up, there are a number of ship bonuses that only apply if you're in friendly territory, so it can be used to boost your ship's power.

Nice, I have never known the run down of its effects.

That's right, the detailed discussion here has been rather helpful I find in understanding influence etc...

It's actually a pretty cool and complex system, I have to say. Although, truth be told, I wish influence had a positive effect on expansion effects, not a negative. If you were a colonist, what would make you more unhappy: Being part of a massive, galaxy-spanning empire that could protect you from any possible threats? Or being sent out to colonize somewhere then left alone, cut-off from the galaxy? lol

Pretty simple really, what are its actual effects? Sure I love more of the galaxy map being painted my color but how should I prioritize it and what can I count on happening as a result? Thanks wonderful people.

BlueTemplar wrote:
But does the Camouflage Radiator speed up the conversion from Outpost to Colony?



I'd like to be able to stop Cold War ships from crossing my systems without a fight, they will stop if they arrive at a planet inside my borders, right?

As far as i know it doesn't. Just increases the size of the visual range around the outpost and the size of the territory around the system when it becomes a colony, but to be totally honest i've not watched it to check for 100% sure answer.

But does the Camouflage Radiator speed up the conversion from Outpost to Colony?



I'd like to be able to stop Cold War ships from crossing my systems without a fight, they will stop if they arrive at a planet inside my borders, right?