But it's not really rock - paper - scissors as you play through the game.



As far as I can tell (on limited playthroughs) is that it starts kinetic / reflective armor. Then it's missiles. Only very late game do I see the AI go to beams. Late game I'm stacking 4000 beam, 1000 flak and 1000 shield, because no one is using kinetics. When I'm facing the 8000+ missile, the only solution is 2000+ flak and a level 18 hero with a sabotage card for good measure. It's unbalanced and forcing me into a totally reactive playstyle, since I must mitigate missile damage or lose ships, even if I can annihilate the enemy in the first 1-2 volleys.



The game design seems to be punishing you for choosing a balanced attack / defense playstyle. Almost every other galaxy sim like this plays armor, anti-missile and shield as pure damage mitigation / prevention.



I'm not looking for an explanation of the cards, just the increased effect of winning the round. If I counter sabotage with engineering, what is my healing bonus now?



Ships don't have unlimited range until you unlock Casmir Effect and Warp Drive. The game is designed to silo you into a small area until you develop these techs, which make them a must have. If you don't, the AI can get to you and you can't fight back.



Being new to the game, the tech tree does not explain enough. I'm learning it as I go, but to a beginner it is not intuitive. Casmir and Warp should be red with a big -HERE FIRST- sign. Just like Supermarkets, Colonial Rights and the other happiness modifiers.



I'd like a hero tree, just like a tech tree. Show me how to get to Dust Warheads or Dirty Tricks without making me remember it's 2 defense, this mod and that mod first.

That was a long post, so i'll digest just some of the list part:

- It's unclear how fleet attack and defense work. Game seems to favor loading one attack / guess at one defense (Usually missile). Not intuitive to any other game that simply has shields / armor.



It's rock-paper-scissors pretty much. Game wants you to learn what enemy has, and counter it. But in the meantime, enemy makes new ship designs based on what you have. So, in the end you'll end up using at least 2 different kinds of weapons and defences.



- Enjoying the battle card system, wish I knew what the increased effects were.



Hover mouse over their name to see some text on the effects again, even after you have already chosen the cards, even enemy cards.

(And there is also a button to show the cards in starmap view for study.)



- Ship ranges need to be shown on the map (it's super annoying when they can get to you and you can't get to them).



Ships have unlimited range. You cannot travel into already visited enemy star system, unless you are in war with him. If he has extended influence circle in your space, then he can travel in and invade you.



- If a tech makes all the difference in gameplay, then it should be a common connection point (wormhole and warp travel, happiness improvements).

- Heroes need a visible tech tree (stop making me guess).



I do not understand those 2 issues. Techtree explains alot, and heroes don't hide anything.