Hey everyone, I just found this game again after about a 10+ year hiatus, good to see it's still around! I just played an express game using a commie/indy strat as I used to, but I want to try out a casher strategy, and I'm looking for some advice.

I think mostly I will play the express game but I might dabble in some of the longer games.

1) Republic or Democracy? I don't think I land grab as much as I should, so what's the best government for a casher who doesn't focus on attacks?

2) Is it better to go full out casher from the beginning, or try a switch:

A) Commie -> tech -> casher
B) tech -> casher

3) Any tips on a good starting strategy, say first 100-200 turns to get me rolling as a casher?

Thanks for any help you can give!

1) Demo

2) B. Not A. Full out casher from beginning also works, but you have to keep buying tech early.

3) If you're going B as in tech->cash, you basically build 200-250 farms/indies, use these to generate enough units/food to sell to build to 1900 acres, remainder all labs on about 40 BPT. Tech for a bit, then convert all to res/bus buildings.

Thanks for the input. Just to clarify for myself the general game strategy:

1) build up farms/indy to 200-250 along with necessary CS
2) explore/build to about 2000 acres with the other buildings all labs
3) start teching and once tech is up, convert buildings to res/bus
4) all new buildings from here on out res/bus and simply buy army, food, and tech for the rest of game

anything important missing out of those 4 steps? is 40 BPT the optimal number for the rest of the game?

2. stay around 1915 acres cause then explore rate stays 40.

3. only few days (2-3) teching

4. yea except 200 indies producing spies, don't forget to buy military.

higher acreage you have íts better to have higher bpt (I get 80 bpt before 1st batch explore) so less turns spent on building.

No. You'll want about 60 BPT, depending on your land goal. A 20k land goal (by 1100-1200 turns spent) will ideally need about 70 BPT to minimize turns spent (if you use differentiation), but because you will be building the BPT along the way as you grab, the ideal BPT drops as you grow.

If you're aiming for top 10, you'll pretty much have to PS every 2 hours for 10 hours everyday, for about 60+ total PSes on Express (to 18-20k land).

If you're only exploring and mostly not grabbing, then it is unlikely to be top 10, and you'll need slightly less BPT, 50-60 is fine.

I got 7th place last express set as a rep casher all explore and this was my first set in 10+ years and first express set. Seemed pretty easy... But... i was on vacation so i had lot of spare time to play. Im learnnig this set that constant activity is really important.. Its so easy to fall behind and not catch up. Im running the same strategy this set and not doing as well :-) i am also noticing that the market sucks at the times i play after work... Makes sense... More people online, more demand, higher prices or no supply.

Question on casher... Does anybody buy res/bus tech at the end? If i have say 5 or 10 turns left in a set, if i wanted to dump tech to buy military, would anybody buy it?

some buy (if income per turns used rises enuf vs turns used w/o buying techs) and if mil market is bought out then those with money burning in their pockets buy techs.

Nobody will buy it. Express server specifically has a minimum tech price of 1000 (selling it at 999 will cause the server itself to buy it, no player actually gets to buy it). So you are advised to dump at 999 unless you're certain there are a few last minute buyers who might be bulking 300 turns.

Thanks for the info.

Does this look right?
1 tech point = 2 nw
1 tech x 999 x .94 = $939 (-6% rep losses)

Assuming my private mkt jet price is $164

939/164x0.6nw = 3.4 nw

3.4 nw > 2 nw :-) wish i knew this last set...

it autobuys at 1000.. worth knowing if you're dumping hundreds of thousands of tech points. as it takes a max of 45mins for goods to reach market you can have one or two tech dumps at 11:15 or 10.30 gametime (to be sure it sells before the set ends).

Well, I just wasn't certain if it's 999 or 1000, so I always go with 999 lol!