Monday, July 26, 2010

Hello Kingdoms At War

Kingdoms at War (or just KAW) is a game that has occupied me for the past few months and simply put, its addictive! Watch this space for more information about it on how to play and about the clans I am in. Read more...

Friday, April 17, 2009

Marauder Missions and Rewards in Unification Wars

This is a quick Unification Wars reference guide for newly minted Marauders or players intending to switch to Marauder and will form the basis of future articles based around Marauder missions.
(Incomplete - only listed up till Act 3. Act 4 and 5 will be completed at a later date)

Act 2:
Mission 1
Required: 100k credits in upkeep
Reward: 5m Terran Metal

Mission 2
Required: 150m food
Reward: +80 loyalty

Mission 3
Required: Total pr of 5m
Reward: 5m credits

Mission 4
Required: 5m Red Crystal
Reward: +1 to industry infrastructure

Mission 5
Required: 1m commerce income per turn
Reward: 5.5b credits


Act 3:
Mission 1
Required: 20b credits
Reward: 10k planets to innermost system

Mission 2
Required: 5m food
Reward: none

Mission 3
Required: 50m Rutile
Reward: +200 loyalty to all systems

Mission 4
Required: 75m Strafez Organism
Reward: 2 minor suerte

Mission 5
Required: 3.5m credits in ship upkeep
Reward: 15m Terran Metal

Mission 6
Required: 50m Terran Metal
Reward: 3 big time capsules

Mission 7
Required: Total pr of 60m
Reward: 50m Terran Metal

Mission 8
Required: 50b raw material
Reward: 5b food

Mission 9
Required: 100m Strafez Organism
Reward: 2 historia

Mission 10
Required: 7m in ship upkeep
Reward: 10m consumer goods

Mission 11
Required: 150m Red Crystal
Reward: none

Mission 12
Required: 9.5m in ship upkeep
Reward: 100k systems to innermost system

Mission 13
Required: 11.5m in ship upkeep
Reward: a Dark system with 10k planets

Mission 14
Required: System Defence V researched
Reward: 2m Terran Metal

Mission 15
Required: Total pr of 140m
Reward: 10k planets to innermost system

Mission 16
Required: 125m Red Crystal
Reward: +200 loyalty to all systems

Read more...

Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Firefox Advantage in Unification Wars

Not all browsers are created equal as evidenced from the results of the browser wars. However, for Unification Wars, the browser you use makes a big difference to your playing success. A survey of the browser reveals several options:
  1. Internet Explorer
  2. Mozilla Firefox
  3. Opera
  4. Apple Safari
  5. Google Chrome
So what are we looking for in a browser to give us that added advantage? Firstly, we need the browser to be fast to operate. Secondly, it needs to have the option of opening multiple tabs. Finally, it needs to be able to auto-refresh web pages at specified time intervals. Matched against these criteria, all the above browsers are able to meet the first two requirements. However, the third requirement, auto refreshing of web pages, is only offered by Firefox, Opera and Chrome. However, Firefox requires you to install the ReloadEvery add-on, while this feature is standard on both Opera and Chrome. However, my own experience with Opera is that while it is fast, it suffers from some incompatibility issues with Unification Wars. When you click on events, the military events display always gets messed up and this happens on both the Linux (I use Ubuntu) and the Windows XP/Vista versions. Some of the critical messages such as reinforcements and battle results are missing.

Opera browser display error in Unification Wars

So the choice is between Firefox and Chrome. Chrome has the advantage of speed although I do remember when Chrome was first launched, there were small problems like the back button triggering a page refresh along with unintended results, such as building ships again. However, I do know that these problems appear to be fixed since many players in Unification Wars play using Chrome with no problems. My choice of Firefox is mainly out of habit.

The key to using Firefox is ample use of tabs and the ReloadEvery add-on. I have the following tabs open whenever I am online for speed and convenience.
  1. Fed members page with ReloadEvery set at 1 minute refresh rate. This gives me regular updates on the Fed's op status.
  2. Military records filtering Federation members with ReloadEvery set at 5 seconds refresh rate. This keeps me up to date on hits on myself or on fed mates and reminds me to check whether I need to refresh my fleet or outpost.
  3. Military fleet for quick access to current fleet status.
  4. Military shipyard for quick access to rebuild. When out attacking, I also have several of the shipyard tabs open with values preset to build outers and main fleet. This speeds up response time to attacks.
  5. While out of damage protection, I also have events set to military events with ReloadEvery set at 5 second refresh rate so that if I were hit, I would be able to judge whether there was a chance of a quick retaliation to score planets.
In more extreme cases, or if you have a large enough monitor and/or good eyesight, you could set up a dashboard style screen like this below.

Using Firefox for Unification Wars

In any war game, real or virtual, information is key. And this gives you information presented in a very timely manner that allows you to play the Unification Wars game to the fullest. Enjoy!
Read more...

Monday, March 2, 2009

Viral Missions and Rewards in Unification Wars

This is a simple Unification Wars reference for newly minted Virals or players intending to switch viral and will form the basis of future articles based around Viral missions.


Act 2
Mission 1
Objective: Research Cyril Class Ships
Reward: +5k Strafez Organism.

Mission 2
Objective: 200k Red Crystal
Reward: +100 to loyalty on all systems

Mission 3
Objective: 500k Rutile
Reward: 30 c.Cancer added to fleet

Mission 4
Objective: Research Ministers Training Facility
Reward: +100 to loyalty on all systems

Mission 5
Objective: 1m pr
Reward: an Orion system with 10k planets

Mission 6
Objective: 10m credits
Reward: 100k Red Crystal!

Mission 7
Objective: 200k in ship upkeep
Reward: 5k planets to innermost system

Mission 8
Objective: 10m credits
Reward: Nothing

Mission 9
Objective: 5m Terran Metal
Reward: 250k Terran Metals!

Mission 10
Objective: 50m Composite
Reward: 20k Strafez Organism

Mission 11
Objective: 5m Pr
Reward: 5k planets to innermost system

Mission 12
Objective: 2m White Crystal
Reward: 3 Planetary Core Capsules

Mission 13
Objective: 10b credits
Reward: 5 housing infrastructure levels

Mission 14
Objective: 6m pr
Reward: 1m credits

Mission 15
Objective: 50m food
Reward: +200 loyalty

Mission 16
Objective: 200k population
Reward: 1m consumer goods

Mission 17
Objective: 2b credits
Reward: 20 v.Borrelly

Mission 18
Objective: 1m in ship upkeep
Reward: 10k Rutile and Composite

Mission 19
Objective: 15m Pr
Reward: a Titan system with 10k planets and 10 d.Pike


Act 3
Mission 1
Objective: 5b credits
Reward: 500k White Crystal

Mission 2
Objective: 30,000,000 Pr
Reward: +200 to loyalty and 10b credits

Mission 3
Objective: 5b food
Reward: 500k Terran Metal

Mission 4
Objective: Attain empire level 10
Reward: 5 big time capsules

Mission 5
Objective: 50m composite
Reward: Nothing

Mission 6
Objective: 500m Red Crystal.
Reward: Nothing

Mission 7
Objective: Achieve 400k planets.
Reward: 50m food and 100m consumer goods

Mission 8
Objective: Attain 20m population
Reward: 2 commercial infrastructure levels

Mission 9
Objective: Attain 75m Pr
Reward: 25m composite

Mission 10
Objective: 200m in ship upkeep
Reward: 5 Regalos

Mission 11
Objective: 1b consumer goods
Reward: +500 to loyalty

Mission 12
Objective: 200m White Crystal
Reward: 50 t.Empereur ships

Mission 13
Objective: 10b credits
Reward: 100 v.Borrelly ships

Mission 14
Objective: 100m Pr
Reward: 200k Strafez Organism and 50k Terran Metal

Mission 15
Objective: Achieve 30m population
Reward: 20,000 planets to the innermost system

Mission 16
Objective: 400m in ship upkeep
Reward: 50b credits

Mission 17
Objective: 50b credits
Reward: 20 Bronze Dinero

Mission 18
Objective: 10b food
Reward: +200 to loyalty

Mission 19
Objective: 750m White Crystal.
Reward: Nothing


Act 4
Mission 1
Objective: Attain 600,000 planets
Reward: 50b credits and 500m consumer goods

Mission 2
Objective: 15b food
Reward: You lose 100k Strafez Organism

Mission 3
Objective: Research Spy Recon project
Reward: 10 Small Time Capsule

Mission 4
Objective: Attain 100m in commercial income
Reward: 100m Red Crystals

Mission 5
Objective
Have a total ship upkeep of 600,000,000
Reward: 100 v.Borrelly ships

Mission 6
Objective: 9b raw materials
Reward: Nothing

Mission 7
Objective: Nothing
Reward: 5 k.Wai-Li ships

Mission 8
Objective: Attain 500m Pr
Reward: 50m rutile and 150m white crystal

Mission 9
Objective: 90b credits
Reward: 3 big time capsules

Mission 10
Objective: 500m raw material
Reward: 400m food

Mission 11
Objective: 700m in ship upkeep
Reward: 50 v.Chiron ships and 10 Major Barrera

Mission 12
Objective: 25b food
Reward: -1200 loyalty in all systems (punishment to be precise)

Mission 13
Objective: 900m in ship upkeep
Reward: 500 p.Thor ships and 10 k.Wei-Li ships

Mission 14
Objective: 50b credits
Reward: Nothing

Mission 15
Objective: 1b Terran Metal
Reward: Nothing

Mission 16
Objective: 750m Rutile
Reward: 500m White Crystal
You receive +500,000,000 White Crystals!

Mission 17
Objective: 700m Strafez Organism
Reward: 20 Minor Afortunado

Mission 18
Objective: 25b food
Reward: +50 loyalty in all systems

Mission 19
Objective: 2b consumer goods
Reward: 100k planets to innermost system


Act 5
Mission 1
Objective: 10m in ship upkeep
Reward: 55k planets to innermost system

Mission 2
Objective: Attain 5b pr
Reward: 5m credits and 600m raw materials

Mission 3
Objective: 80b credits
Reward: 2m consumer goods

Mission 4
Objective: 10b credits
Reward: 13 Moccasin Orb

Mission 5
Objective: 7b Pr
Reward: +70 loyalty to all Systems

Mission 6
Objective
Have a PR of 9 Billion
Reward: 1b consumer goods and 1b food

Mission 7
Objective: 10m in ship upkeep
Reward: 50k planets to innermost system

Mission 8
Objective: 1b Terran Metal
Reward: 4 Kal-Zul ships

Mission 9
Objective: 100b credits
Reward: Kal-Zul ships

Mission 10
Objective: 25b credits
Reward: 3 housing infrastructure levels

This mission list was taken from a number of strategy guides available out there and may contain errors.
Read more...

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Maximum Defence with Minimum Donation Points on Unification Wars

The empire building continues on your Unification Wars empire. So you have done your restarts, be it Collective or Marauder, and now armed with a fist full of artifacts, you have made the trades needed to get a handful of donation points. These are hard-earned points and you want to spend them wisely.

Generally, most would either opt to get the pair of extractors so that they help generate more artifacts for you to trade for more donation points, or get paid status and swap to a paid account race such as Marauder (if you were doing Collective restarts), Guardian or Viral. Suppose you do not want to do that and what you really want is to get a strong system structure with a good main system and 9 darks protecting it.

First step you do is to restart as Collective. As Collective, you start off with a titan and you are able to make 7 dark systems for a total of 8 systems. That done, obtain paid status if you have not already done so, purchase the DNA Restructure I project and change to Marauder. At this point, it would be extremely useful to have well off friends or a wealthy lord as you will need some help to finish the missions to obtain the second dark systems. After the first dark system is obtained, you will receive a titan system. This needs to be destroyed immediately before proceeding further or you will risk not getting the second dark system. Once done, you are all set to move on. You may choose to remain a Marauder which is a fine race to play offering strong offensive capabilities as well as the fastest build rate in the game. Alternatively, you may purchase a second DNA Restructure I project and switch to whatever race you choose to be.

If you have the luxury of time, as Collective, it would be advisable to complete all the missions for the rewards and to level all the dark systems but not the titan system. Collectives have, in my opinion, the best artifact rewards of all the races and I think it would be a shame not to get them all. Why not level the titan, you may ask. The main reason is that both Collective and subsequently Marauder missions will give plenty of planets on the innermost system, namely your titan. If you have leveled the titan, you would not be able to get rid of the planets, you would have wasted all those turns and time getting the titan leveled in the first place, and it would also affect your efficiency in leveling your remaining systems if you choose to explore.

Total cost of this if you stay as Marauder:
DNA Restructure I (9.95 donation points) + 7 days paid account (2.98 donation points) = 12.93 donation points

If you choose to change to another race:
2 x DNA Restructure I (9.95 donation points x 2) + 7 days paid account (2.98 donation points) = 22.88 donation points

Note: This is a revised post from my original post in Tinker's Sojourn.
Read more...

Artifact Farming - Marauder Restarts Walkthrough for Unification Wars

On Unification Wars, other than Collective restarts for artifact farming, the other popular form of artifact farming is Marauder restarts. Marauder restarts are quick and easy and yield only big time capsules. Big time capsules are in popular demand as currency to trade for donation points as top empires need them to trigger off the Overmind project which is the ultimate project in the game.

This is a guide for how to get Marauder restarts done in the most efficient way possible. Before you begin, you need to ensure that you are on real time normal turns and have a lord or friends that will be willing to support you with tributes each time you restart. The major only hurdle to cross is that Marauder require you to have paid status as the big time capsules only show up in Act 3 which is only open to players who currently have paid status.

  1. Restart as Marauder and assign all infrastructure levels on commerce.
  2. Get your lord or friend to send you about 400b credits.
  3. Skip act 1.
  4. Research Class 3 Marauder Hull.
  5. Purchase 155m food, 5m red crystal, 50m rutile and 75m strafez organism from the market. Do not be afraid to purchase from the black market if none is available.
  6. Build 81600 units of e.rays.
  7. Explore till you have 20k planets.
  8. Assign all planets to commerce and check if you have 1 million income from commerce. Continue exploring until you attain 1 million in commerce income per turn. Note how fast this is achieved is purely dependent on how high your total infrastructure level is since all of it is assigned to commerce.
  9. Stop at Act 3 Mission 6 when you receive 3 big time capsules.
  10. Restart and repeat. Do note that artifacts cap at 255. You may go over 255 up to a maximum of 9999 but each time you restart, the total per artifact gets reduced down to 255.
Your total artifact haul for each restart is:
  • 3 big time capsules
  • 2 minor suerte
Note that if you proceed an additional 3 more missions, you can gain an additional 2 historia which could come in handy. The 3 mission requirements are low.
  1. Purchase an additional 100m strafez organism and 50b raw material at the start.
  2. Build up additional e.rays to the required 60m pr level at Act 3 Mission 7.
  3. Stop at Act 3 Mission 9 when you receive the 2 historia.
Note: This is a revised post from my original article in Tinker's Sojourn.
Read more...