Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars/Walkthrough

A basic game setup:
Start a new game from the single player menu. You will see the pre-built races and the custom race. Let's make a new customized race by selecting the Custom Race button. In this menu, you will see a pull down menu to select from the pre-built races. Select which ever one you desire (like Human as an example)

Attributes
Select the following as a baseline:
 * Production from Population - +25
 * Research from Population - +25
 * Home World Size - Large
 * Home World Minerals - Rich

You can now select trade-offs: Repulsive for Technologist as an example.

Click on Next to set up the game parameters. Leave the galaxy settings as defaults. Click on Show Advanced Settings.

Suggested changes in the Advanced Settings menu
Population Growth - to Normal In Victory Conditions: If you selected Repulsive in the Attribute Settings, uncheck the Diplomatic victory Up the Score turns from 500 to 600 The rest of the Victory Conditions are up to you whether to use them or not.

Click on Start Game button to get the game rolling

Ship Design
Click on the Blueprints icon and pull up the only ship design which can be built. Click on Edit to enable changing the design.


 * Change the neutron blaster to a nuclear bomb - quantity of 1
 * Increase the nuclear missile by a count of 1
 * Increase the laser cannon by a count of 1

Then Save the design and then Done to exit the blueprint menu.

A ship upgrade menu will appear. Accept the upgrade and close the menu.

Sending out your fleet
Click on your fleet, select the frigate with a left button click. Move your mouse to the destination and right click to move the ship. Explore the unknown planet (or asteroids) in your system.

Select each scout with a left click and send them exploring with a right click on their destinations (warp points).

Select the colonization ship and set it to sleep.

Setting the default tax rate
Pull down the empire menu and set the tax rate from 3 to 4.

Research
Depending on what your attributes are during the game configuration, you will want to research in this order (skip any technology which you already have): Use the Done button when finished. With these areas researched, you will have a basic technology for colonizing.
 * Physics
 * Biology
 * Government
 * Engineering
 * Deep-Space Exploration

Home World Production
Click on the Show Queue selection Click the + button If you have the Automated Factory available, select it and click on Start Building. Select the Space Factory and click on Start Building.

Advancing the Game
Click on Next Turn. The frigate ship will need new orders. Select the ship and send it to a warp point. Then select the guard mode (shield icon). Depending on the galaxy configuration and some randomness during the start up, you could have between 1 to 4 warp points to select from. Pirates are abound. You will be using the frigate to block pirates from your home world system. If you should have more than 1 warp point, be prepared to move the frigate as necessary and re-select the guard mode.

Protecting your Home World system
Once the Space Factory is built, send it to a warp point and start building a Military Outpost. When the Space Factory finishes with the Military Outpost, send it to another warp point and repeat.

The Scout Ships
The scout ships will eventually arrive at the selected warp points. Select the ship and enable the automatic explore option (leftmost icon). Many times the scouts will encounter the pirates. The ensuing battle is a 100% loss of the scout. If this should happen, build a replacement scout ship at you home world.

Home World Production
As new technologies become available, set them up in the production queue. However, you will need to manufacturer ships for colonization and war.

Suggested technologies to build first

 * Automated Factory
 * Biospheres
 * Hydroponic Farm
 * Star Base
 * Marine Barracks
 * Government Support Facilities