How viable is long tech era gameplay in the latest version? (Mainly re spoilers)

[Ekaton (OP)]

So, I’ve just started a new campaign in the latest version and, as usual, I’m playing with longer research (30%). With the new spoilers, should I simply turn them off? I’d love to play with them on, but I’m worried that they won’t scale well and I’ll just get squashed at some point. What should I do to keep the game balanced with longer research? Is there anything else in general that I need to be aware of in the latest version to keep such game balanced?

[db48x]

It is too early to tell. Get in there and find out!

[Deoloth]

Before the new version, I played a 15% research game and didn't encounter the raiders for 104 years.  I was able to fend them off, without losing any worlds, but mostly because my standard patrol craft using particle guns was just barely faster than their own craft.

I would suggest designing craft to accompany cargo fleets, something with a similar range and a long deployment time, and note that the raiders are usually lightly armored and will often avoid engaging larger military ships.  I use 3-4 missile destroyers in a cargo fleet with 2mil km range missiles and a good agility component, just make sure to have sensors and fire controls with a resolution set for very small targets for defense.  For hunter-killers of pirates, I typically use energy weapons and fast ships to intercept with instead to save on missiles instead.

[Destragon]

If you're playing on the very latest 2.1.1, then it might be fine, since the raiders will only start generating ships once you've discovered enough systems to trigger them. Meaning they generally won't have as many ships as they used to have in the previous versions. Who knows what it will look like much later in the game though.

[Jorgen_CAB]

In my current campaign I have five Earth factions at 25% research speed... I just decided to increase the required number of systems before they appear... I think I basically doubled it.

[nuclearslurpee]

For playing a reduced research game, I would note that as a very rough guideline, the new spoilers as with most spoiler races can be dealt with reasonably well once your race(s) reaches Ion Drive tech level - so this can be one way to balance things, just turn them on once you reach that level. If you plan to stay at NPE tech all game, spoiler races are probably not for you anyways.

[gpt3]

For playing a reduced research game, I would note that as a very rough guideline, the new spoilers as with most spoiler races can be dealt with reasonably well once your race(s) reaches Ion Drive tech level - so this can be one way to balance things, just turn them on once you reach that level. If you plan to stay at NPE tech all game, spoiler races are probably not for you anyways.

As a tangent, I think that a fun concept might be a game where one's technology is intentionally imbalanced between fields.

For example, a player race that has MaxTech in one field but a 1% racial research rate for everything else. Perhaps you're a caveman tribe that stumbled upon an abandoned Precursor automated factory.