Right now, we have a lot of guides, but none of them really seem to get to the nitty-gritty of winning. Some come close, but just don't seem to make it. Similar to what many other gaming communities have, this one needs an established list of the most effective builds and strategies (especially those used in MP that transfer to single player). This would include affinity, traits, starting research goals, build goals, and victory goals.



While I know such builds would predominantly militaristic, but having examples of all viable playstyles would be appreciated.



An example might be:









Affinity: Pilgrims



Traits:

Crowded Planets I

Dust Archaeology II

Dust Impaired II

Fast Travelers II

Feeble Warriors II

Legendary Heroes II

N-way Fusion Plants

Optimistic II

Rebellion II

Rich Soil

Sloppy Sawbones II



Description:

This is a variation of the standard Errant Fleet spam strategy for Pilgrims. This particular version of it is built to be able to have a Civil Engineer, and begin building a Heavy Isotope Refinery, on turn one. It was built under the premise that getting your first few colonies up sooner was more valuable than waiting for some of the other traits to become worth their space in trait points.







This build, however, probably is not good enough for Endless difficulty play, or competitive MP play, thus wouldn't be featured in the sort of "victory guide" I desire. The guide would give the sort of thoughts that go through the minds of the better ES players, and advice on how to achieve your personal goals in this game.



Players reading this want the sort of upfront, no bullshit teaching a drill sergeant would give, rather than a teacher with the twelfth-place trophy winner mentality that goes, "Oh... is that what you think is good? Um... well... I'm sure it will be just fine. Good job!" You watch your tutee run in to the sunset, and know he is doomed. What would differentiate this from the guides already in place is, they try to explain what is good, and what isn't, without a firm, definite hand showing exactly what works and why.



I know that population is king. I know that Heavy Isotope Refineries and Magnetic Field Generators are the shit. I know that I want to maintain Fervent + Ecstatic constantly. I know that mass glass cannons are viable. I know, late game, dreadnaught omni-tanks or defense tanks remove the micro required for mass glass cannons, and put games away in single player. I know Amoeba are the best to exploit trading with, and that a properly played Hissho is near unstoppable. I know even more.



However, with all that knowledge, I'm no where near beating Endless, because I have no idea what to prioritize, what "works", and what doesn't. Experience could teach me, granted, but I wouldn't be a portion of the Civ' V player I am without reading countless guides, and observing players like MadDjinn (if you follow Civ' V, chances you know who he is), and I've still never won Deity.



I ask a peek in to your mind. Otherwise, we will forced to use lobotomy, and only one of us would enjoy that (you freak).

I usually only take Dust Archaeology I unless I happen to have 1 left over point to spend. After all, that's enough to immediately buy that first hero.



I never spend points on techs. That 10 points spent on a single tech could be spent on the first level of Scientists for a 10% bonus to science in every system throughout the game. I'd mush rather research the starting techs, because I'll usually have at least 1 of them done by the time I finish building the exploitation on the starting planet. Even if I finish the exploitation a turn or two before the tech is finished I can always build a scout to help prevent pirates from spawning in the other systems.



Yes, I watch MadDjinn's videos, in fact I just finished watching his latest video in the ITR scenario. Of course in his Endless Space videos I think he forgets that unlike Civ 5, you can trade techs here and even skip some of the military techs and still get the bigger guns & defenses via a different path.