View source for The First Turn

'''Notice''': This tutorial does not apply to ''Giant Melee'' games as they give you more planets and more ships. Your first will also not necessarily be turn 1, either.

=== The freighter ===
To start colonizing planets, you transfer cargo to your starting freighter (which has a '''Transwarp Drive'''). Transfer about 160 [[clans]] and 40 [[supplies]], invert it if you are [[The Cyborg]]. Carry about 300 to 500 [[megacredits]], to be dropped to a very important planet to facilitate maximum growth.

Move it to adjacent planets. Make every attempt to avoid going into deep space (or [[Disguising Ship Movement|disguise movement]] if unavoidable). Your freighter can move up to 81.54 ly each turn, although a '''warp well''' can allow you to go further.

=== The planet ===
With respect to the home planet, it is a good idea to build some mines (about 75 more, double the increase if you are playing [[The Solar Federation|Feds]]) and factories (about 150 more).

There are two different approaches to [[taxation]] practices that you can use to raise [[megacredits]]. While it is imperative that you learn to ''growth tax'' later, especially if you are playing as [[The Lizard Alliance]], you'll need to stick with ''safe taxing'' for now until you feel more comfortable with the taxation system.

Safe taxing employs a constant tax each turn, without an adverse change in happiness. Although this results in a slower overall growth, your population's growth is not important in this tutorial.

=== The starbase ===
[[Starbase]]s are key [[Space Objects]] that orbit a [[planet]]. ''Always'' raise the [[Engines|Engine]] [[tech level]] to 10 so that you can build the most efficient engine, the '''Transwarp Drive'''.

The first build is a key choice to make, and ultimately depends on the race you are playing and what you would like to do.

==== Fed ====
Because of the taxation bonus, the Feds benefit greatly from the construction of a tech 6 [[Large Deep Space Freighter|Large Freighter]], possessing one of the largest [[cargo]] holds in the game with a whopping 1200kT hold. This allows you to easily carry clans to the outer worlds so that you can collect maximum taxes from the various [[native]]s.

This also means that the ''Large Freighter'' is a [[Neutronium]] fuel guzzler, so manage its fuel wisely. When you have it next turn, make sure you put enough to allow multiple turns, but don't necessarily fill it up all the way.

Good alternatives include the [[Nebula Class Cruiser|Nebula]]'s decent cargo hold, and the [[Brynhild Class Escort|Brynhild]]'s [[bioscanner]].

==== Lizard ====
The [[Lizard Class Cruiser]] (tech 4) is an excellent ship with a 290kT [[cargo]] hold and cloaking capability. Be aware that it requires 8 kT [[Neutronium]] to cloak. With torpedo tubes, it is also a great mine layer.

Furthermore, this ship is an excellent ship to capture opposing planets with, as the [[The Lizard Alliance|Lizards]] attack at a whopping 30:1 ratio.

==== Bird Man ====
Although the [[Resolute Class Battlecruiser|Resolute Battlecruiser]] is a bit pricy (tech 7) design, you'll love its [[Advanced Cloak]]ing. Unlike normal cloakers, these ships are unaffected by [[ion storm]]s, and they do not burn [[Neutronium]] to cloak. It also has a great [[cargo]] hold. 280kT is certainly no small change.

==== Fascist ====
The tech 5 [[Ill Wind Class Battlecruiser|Ill Wind Battlecruiser]] is a great hybrid design, being able to sweep [[mines]] and kill [[fighter]]s (10 [[beams]]), carry cargo and lay lots of [[torpedo]]es into [[mines]] (260kT hold).

==== Privateer ====
The [[Meteor Class Blockade Runner|Meteor Blockade Runner]] (tech 5) is one of the most powerful ships [[the Privateer Bands]] can employ. It is equipped with a [[Gravitonic Accelerator]], allowing it to move twice the normal speed (162.54).

It is also potent for exploiting the '''Rob''' mission (steals [[Neutronium]] and other cargo from hostile ships), and can lay decent minefields as well with its torpedo tubes. Of course it [[cloak]]s, too.

==== Cyborg ====
Don't let the [[B200 Class Probe|B200 Probe]]'s small cargo hold fool you. As a tech 1 design, you can easily get away with dropping only a single clan on each [[planet]] (assuming they have non-[[Amorphous]] [[native]]s).

A common suggestion is 5 [[clans]], 10 [[supplies]], but 7 clans and 8 supplies might be more desirable. It can also [[hyperdrive]] about 350 ly at the expense of 50kT of [[Neutronium]].

==== Crystalline ====
The [[Ruby Class Light Cruiser|Ruby Light Cruiser]] (tech 3) is one of the most commonly built ships in [[the Crystal Confederation]]'s arsenal. It's [[cargo]] hold is a whopping 370kT, allowing it to serve as a freighter and/or minelayer.

It can lay devastating ''web mines'' that not only are much harder to sweep, but drain the [[neutronium]] fuel of any opposing ships that try to move through it. Once these ships runs out of fuel, the Ruby (or any other ship with two or more [[engines]]) can board it or tow it to a [[starbase]].

==== Empire ====
The [[Pl21 Probe]] (tech 1) is another [[hyperdrive]] ship, extremely potent for its uses, as it can detect enemy presence with its '''Dark Sense''' mission.

Given the [[Evil Empire]]'s weaknesses, intel may be one of their best friends. They can give intel in exchange or peace and/or the elimination of one of their neighbors.

==== Robotic ====
The [[Cat's Paw Class Destroyer|Cat's Paw Destroyer]] is [[the Robotic Imperium]]'s only mine layer, but it is extremely powerful for a tech 2 hull. It's 300kT [[cargo]] hold allows it to easily carry enough [[clans]] and [[supplies]] to colonize planets and when the time comes to lay minefields, it will use the robotic '''racial ability''' and lay quadruple the normal amount of mines for the same grade of [[torpedo]]es.

==== Rebel ====
The [[Tranquility Class Cruiser|Tranquility Cruiser]] (tech 6), like the [[The Robotic Imperium|robotic]] [[Cat's Paw Class Destroyer|Cat's Paw]], is an excellent mine layer and cargo transport. Capable of ferrying 380kT of [[cargo]], it is just as versatile Cat.

==== Colonial ====
The [[Cobol Class Research Cruiser|Cobol Research Cruiser]] is another good tech 4 hybrid ship. It's 250kT [[cargo]] hold allows it a lot of flexibility in colonization. It also serves as a good support minelayer.

It possess the powerful [[Ram scoop]] ability, allowing it to generate 2kT of [[neutronium]] fuel per light year traveled after it has moved on its own. It is also equipped with a [[Bioscanner]], allowing it to detect [[native]] life on about 20% of the planets each turn within the sensor sweep range (default is 200 ly).

=== Finalizing the first build ===
First, make sure your engine tech level is maxed (tech 10) so that you can build '''Transwarp Drive''' [[engines]].

Once you've decided on your first build, then raise the hull tech to the tech appropriate with your hull and if what you plan on building supports torpedoes, then raise the [[torpedo]] tech to level 5 ('''Mark IV Photon''' [[torpedo]] tubes) as well before you enter the space dock. '''X-Ray Laser''' [[beams]] require tech level 1, which is always free.

The space dock is where you construct the various ship parts and assemble them to form a new ship.

[[Category:Tutorials]]