It's probably not too bad a strategy, so long as you're planning on leveraging your production to build your colony ships as apposed to buying them. I would personally advocate building a few factories first. And I'd only say this for larger galaxies.

For me, I use production bonuses so it isn't as important. Another thing to remember is that it may be worthwhile using the long payment plan.

I think the AI still tends to quick buy a few colony ships, which is good on smaller maps, but definately not the way to go on large galaxies. (large galaxies are all about efficency, which is using your production to build them)

This may be a sign that the AI is using a different colonization strategy.

The payment plans cost a lot more in the long run, and it is easy to overextend your budget - just like overspending with a credit card.

That small payment each week does not seem like much, but they add up quickly. Pretty soon you have no income and can't afford to buy anything even on credit.

It is a great way to stay broke for a long time.

Are you playing a scenario?

Manufacturing capitals are not amongst the improvements one gets with starting techs.

The super project notifacations happens as soon as they're built. They're not announced at the end of a turn but at the very moment they're fast built (including if you fast build one).

The Manufacturing Capital requires Xeno Industrial Theory. I don't know if the starting techs have been changed in DA, but in DL the Drath, Thalan, Yor, Torian and Iconians start out with this tech and so could conceivably rush buy the manufacturing capital on the first turn.

I’ve never personally done this but I think this costs on the order of 6000 bc, so I’d expect that the AI would have to do this on credit unless the 200% bonus includes starting cash as well.

I personally go for my manufacturing capital on my home planet as soon as I can, I think it’s a big benefit during the colony rush. What I usually do is to buy a factory on my home planet and build the manufacturing capital next. If I’m a race that doesn’t start with Xeno Industrial Theory, I’ll temporize by building another factory while researching Planetary Improvements then Xeno Industrial Theory. By the time my 2nd factory is complete I’m usually ready to build the manufacturing capital.

BTW the 1st factory on my home planet is the only building I’ll buy in at least the first two years of the game. Also, I *never* buy anything on interest. Perhaps, in the last year of the game it makes sense to buy ships on interest, but even then I can’t bring myself to do it. Even though it’s only a game, I was brought up to believe that paying interest is a mortal sin. If you can’t write a check for it, you shouldn’t be buying it. This particularly includes cars and houses.

Are you playing a scenario?

No this happens at the start of a normal sandbox game. Not all the time though & i guess it would depend on which races you selected. I play on random 2 so it only happens 50% or so of the time to me. I can send in a savegame from T1 if you require it?

I also saw a Man Cap binge from several AIs (4?) at the start of my first sandbox Beta 2 game. I saw nothing like that in my current game. Both games against 9 AIs.

I've also seen this a number of times; I was just assuming that they started with the mancap and the notification was a bit flakey.

Frogboy re your post 13 Dec 01.13hrs above

So there is no confusion - it is happening at the very start of the game. For example press cntrl-n and as each new startup map/settings is created, immediately after that process is complete the announcement of a Galatic Achievement "....... manufacturing Capital has been created" is shown. It happens about every two or three startups / new starts. At least one Race, but usually more than one race, gets the annoncement box appearing.

This is right at the very start before you have a chance of starting your initial config of planet / first ship move / research tech etc. Still happens in Beta 2A.

Regards
Zy

Sorry double post - forgot to emphasise its announced as a "Galactic Achievement" in the popup boxes, but its actually a Super Project. So either thats an isolated Text Label error, or is part of the 'bug' symptoms.

Sandbox games not scenarios.

Regards
Zy

Drath, Thalan, Yor, Torian and Iconians start out with this tech

These are the races that have purchased the manufacturing capital in my game on the first turn, sometimes all four.

Sorry double post - forgot to emphasise its announced as a "Galactic Achievement" in the popup boxes, but its actually a Super Project. So either thats an isolated Text Label error, or is part of the 'bug' symptoms.

All the super projects are announced as a Galactic Achievement. Personally, I wish they wouldn't announce Super Projects when they are built. Galactic Achievements, yes, but not something everyone can build, but only one of. (Of course, I'd also like to be able to move Super Projects to different planets, but that's another story.)