What is a good strategy as the pilgrims? How do I effectively use the evacuate thing? Also, I am great in the beginning, usually in first for first 60 turns. Then I fall behind slowly, and my military takes forever to build (even with the first three industry things researched on the right tech tree bottom.). What victory should I go for? Thanks so much!

The only use i made for the evacuate ship is when, at the beginning of the game, I colonize a system with only one or two planets (juste because i only have this) and finds a better system with more planets and/or better quality after (generally, when i can cross the wormhole). Or when a small system is full of population. Instead of just colonize the new discovered system, I evacuate the little one. With this, the new system, bigger, better, will have all the buildings and a big population immediatly and with its better quality, it's ready to make ships and control the center of the galaxy.



With Pilgrim, you have the chance to make trade routes in cold war and to have a 50% bonus on trade routes (and others bonus with technologies), so you need to scout all the galaxy in hurry. Even if you discover a far empty system, it will be colonize by someone else and a trade route will be automatically add. So, early in the game, you can have a lot of dust and science with trade route, if you can handle all of them. In addition of that, try to have a Negotiator Hero to boost the trade route.

But on the late game, the wasted space malus is a real pain : consider your ships are 20% weaker than a normal one and races with bonus on ships (Cravers, Hissho, Sheredyn, Automaton) are your worst nightmares. Try to be friend with them (Pilgrims get +10% damage to weapons per ally), or prepare a defensive battle. Don't expand too much, so they will less likely attack you. But if you think your ships takes forever to build, maybe you don't have the good planets for that (jungle, toundra, lava and methane) or the industry planetory exploitation.



With the big bonus of dust and science with trade routes and 2 negotiators with all the trade route skills, you will gain a lot of dust and science. So, I usually go for the economic or science victory.

Dunno if you're still around but I like the Pilgrims. (This is Disharmony tho which makes Pilgrim alot more viable)

Opening :

1- Start by colonizing all worlds sitting on wormhole. (So they become colonies the fastest and nobody can access your system without having border treaties or being at war)

2- Colonize the most promising systems (pop wise, ressource-wise etc.) Don't try to get worlds that are above second tier (Desert, Arctic and above). Try to avoid losing approval in the beginning. Also try not to colonize system that are too far away (specially system on the other side of wormholes)

3- Maintain your system approval green (Fervent I think). The idea is to get a research bonus and also have a Growth (and ind) bonuses on each system you own

4- Get all of the start tech minus the terraforming ones (unless you intend on colonizing Arid worlds) before you research the wormhole tech

5- Choose the best system that is not your starting colony and start building everything you can on it... This will be your seed system from which you will use your 'evacuate' colonize ability on the fringe system from the next deployment phase



Expand :

6- Get the wormhole tech through Artic terraforming tech

7- Build LOTS of scout ships

8 - As soon as you can send scout ships everywhere and try to get as much of the map scouted. However don't force scouts where you know the enemy is lurking (once a scout gets destroyed don't send another one on the exact same path)

9- Search the exchange tech (social) as soon as you can

10- Stay in cold War unless you are SURE that you can go all the way to Alliance...

11- If you sign an open border treaty OR go to War then send scouts to the system that species has influence on (However rule #8 still stands)

12- NEVER sign any treaty that you could get something in return for. (You'll be surprise what some species are willing to let go to befriend you!!)



Conquer :

13- Research the Hero upgrades (social tree) and start building an offensive fleet

14- Try to conquer the most interesting (and nearest) systems. Even tho 'wasted space' is indeed a pain, your Hero level difference should make up for it.

15- Don't go at war with more than 2 species at a time if you can avoid it.

16- Once you conquer or colonize territory near enemy's influence it is time to use your seed system (#5). Use your 'evacuate' ability to boost those newly conquered or colonised worlds. This will make them instant powerhouse the enemy will have headache dealing with

17- Try to get the trade route techs if you can



Extend :

18 - Go get the Gas giant terraforming tech and immediately go for the tech that gives you +20 approval on Gas Giant. This essentially turns Gas Giant into Level 0 worlds (ocean, Terran and Jungle). It is now time to get those high level planets (Lava, Barren and Gas Giants). Terraform all Lava and Barren into Gas Giants



Best victory option (as the description says) should be either military or science. However, Diplo is also viable...