Basic Strategy Guide

1) 7 Warbirds and 2 Battle Cruisers Can defeat almost anything in the game including a Borg cube. Just make sure you cloak them first so that they get there surprise attack. I found that even if the enemy can absorb the Intel attack they usually can only destroy the battle cruisers on the next barrage. 

2) You have to put your research for buildings very high so you can build factories which produce faster. Then it is easy to build a big fleet and conquer the nearest systems.——-Keep in mind if you have more than one world you can use one world for building,one for research,one for internal security,etc. 

3) It is always best to terra form every planet for maximum population. 

4) BEFORE TRYING TO ATTACK AN ANOTHER IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE AN ALLIES TO HELP YOU CONQUER YOUR ENEMY YOU WILL SE THAT IT IS BETTER THAN ONE. IN A BATTLE GROUP ON MY STRATEGY 4 MAIN SHIPS WITH 1 ESCORT EACH BECAUSE THE MAIN SHIPS ARE ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST MILITARY ASSET THEN HAVE FAST AND MANEUVERABLE ATTACK SHIPS DO THE ATTACK THE 4 MAIN SHIPS IS FOR SUPPORT INCASE SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND YOU SHOULD HAVE BACK UP SHIPS READY IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU RESERVE BATTLE GROUP READY INCASE THE ENEMY WOULD STRIKE BACK. 

5) I would disagree about the "Auto" step. If you set your colony to manual and then upgrade the fabricators to the max first, you will increase your credits. Keep only 2 or 3 of the other 4 areas (this makes it cheaper on the upgrades) – also only colonize 1 system at a time – makes for faster upgrades. 

6) To attack a planet and land troop transports you have to attack the planet with at least 6 ships for two turns then attack the planet with two troop transports and you will get the planet. The invasion will be a success. 

7) Always set up the game with "many" minor races when playing as the Cardassian's. They are built for conquering and controlling the weaker races. The Cardassian's have the BEST moral structures in the game and highly resilient ships for planetary assault. 

8) To mess with the Federation, offer them a peace treaty, break it. If they offer you a treaty, take it and then break it next turn. Also, always declare war on the Ferengi. That way they can't trade with you and make loads of money. 

9) When playing as the Federation try to meet as many minor races and get on their good side bye giving them gifts of credits when you ask them to be friends, affiliates,or member. If you give them the right amount of cash they will barely ever say no. Once you have them use their trade routes and gain more credits to use this strategy on other minor races. This works good because once they join you its like getting an already developed colony. 

10) When playing as the federation always Always include a science vessel in your fleet so you can tell what move your enemy is about to make. 

11) Well from what I've seen the Defiant is very hard to hit and is my favorite ship so far in the game. I have taken 1 defiant against the entire Ferengi fleet without losing the ship before they retreated after losing 14 ships in 4 turns(23 ships in the Ferengi fleet and I took out a cube with just 3 defiant's.) Just set them to evade and watch the fireworks. 

12) TRADE, TRADE, TRADE! Do not underestimate the power of your economic influence. The ability to attract minor races through trade as the Ferengi nearly equals the Federation's pure charisma. You must trade as much as possible when playing as the Ferengi. 

13) Choose a race you encounter in the beginning and start giving it some cash get it to affiliate with you while you terra forms his homeworld. When that race will encounter another race or is threatened by another event, its population will jump to its maximum…since you have terra formed all his system and he already is in alliance you pay him once or twice , get membership and you get a full developed world, ready to produce your brand new cruisers. 

14) Ferengi torpedo's are very powerful, and their beam weapons are weak. Use the Assault strategy as much as possible to capitalize on your strengths. In fleets with Light Raiders and heavier ships, the Light Raiders usually buy it because they start out in front and move into close range faster. Try setting some of your LR's on Evade. They're very good at dodging beams and they can cause the enemy to waste a lot of their firepower in the seconds before your torpedo's hit them. 

15) I just completed a game with Romulan's and though it wasn't a great score, I found that my ships got to legendary status after killing Borg cubes for the 7th. or 8th time – my strategy was to build two fleets of ships maximum of nine- cloaked of course, composed of Warbirds and others- also having these maybe be costly – but you can build colony ships really quickly i.e. 2- 3 days then scrap them for 3200 credits each time which will pay for their upkeep- also the other races easily get scared of your fleet as well – so you can demand tribute from them easily- every second or third turn- though this could be just luck! 

16) While you are going on the offensive a key thing to remember is not to get to stretched out. Making outposts and starbases to extend your range can hurt you or be used to your advantage. If you are over extended in range and your opponent knocks out one of your outposts or starbases, then you suddenly find yourself stranded. Now this theory works the same way if you need to stop a major invasion in your space. Another brutish method is to knock out worlds that are colonized by your opponent and are way to close. You are setting up a "neutral zone" so you have time to react. Use listening posts and science vessels as early warning systems. Small note, The Federation's mass population does not support the theory of bombing worlds till no life is present. 

17) Intercept?——-Intercept works real good. Playing from the federation view setting your destroyers and hopefully defiant class to intercept gives you a huge net. The worse thing to due is send a butt load of ships chasing down one scout. Set your ships or even fleet to intercept and watch the carnage. Your ships will intercept any intruding vessels in the surrounding area. This will help stop mass invasions on multiple fronts. 

18) Scouts——–You need to send out your scouts at all times. Fighting blind can hurt you. Always send your scouts into hostile territories in order to see how many ships and outposts you will be fighting. Also include your scouts in your fleets for the same reasons. 

19) Listening posts and scanners are a must. If you don't use scouts alot at least have scanners and listening posts built on your worlds, that way you can see that invasion fleet coming at you instead at the last minute——-more time to respond.