Stellaris

[OJsDad]

Unfortunately, I'm not going to be home for a couple of days, and I've not started a game on my laptop yet, so I cannot confirm the sector question. 

One other thing with sectors though, if you have plenty of minerals, give as much as you can to the sectors, especially those with young colonies.  I've seen sectors build space stations.  I've also gone to those space stations and added solar panels.  I don't know if the AI removed them later, but I was able to add them.  But I would think that if the AI is good, it would recognize an energy shortage and add solar panels if there are enough credits.

[Huw the Poo]

You definitely cannot directly control building on planets in sectors, you can't even move pops around or anything - there's a specific message about it if you try.  However the solar panels suggestion is a good one, I'd forgotten about that.  I think it brings in 3 more energy.

What I do with sectors is this: I colonise a world and, for a time, accept the inefficiency hit while I plan it out.  I queue up all the buildings that I think the planet needs for a good start.  By this time a second pop is usually growing and I move it to a food-producing tile if necessary.  Only then do I hand it over to the sector.  It seems to be a good strategy.  I don't think the sector AI is quite as braindead as some people do, but giving it this little kickstart with a new world probably helps.

[Huw the Poo]

By the way, can't remember if I said it before, but my new custom-designed species use wormhole technology, and it's absolutely insane.  I only have about a dozen wormhole stations, and after buffing them with a couple of techs, I can literally traverse about a quarter of the galaxy - in hardly any time, too.  I'm never going back to warp drive!

[OJsDad]

Huw, I'm currently using wormholes also.  In fact, I set the game so all races have to use wormholes.  I like them a lot.

Jarhead, one more thought.  I you have no more use for your builder or science ships, you may want to decommission them.  Even when in orbit, they'll still use energy, and if you don't need them, then why pay the upkeep on them.  I wouldn't destroy all, just some.  If you need them again at a later date, they don't cost a lot to build. 

[Tuna]

No, I don't think you are kept from building on planets that are part of a sector.  Also, there is an option to allow your sectors to redevelop a tile, so you may want to pick that option.  Finally, make sure you have solar panels on your space stations.  They will produce 3 energy each.

I'm pretty confident that you cannot directly develop tiles once a planet is on a sector. I think Huw is correct in that you can only influence development at that point.

Yes, adding solar panels onto stations is a priority.

Yep Solar Panels is the number one thing to build!

[Jarhead0331]

Thanks for the energy advice, guys. The problem was my sector management. I simply wasn't doing it. All 9 of my sectors were geared towards a mineral production focus. I was earning over 100 mineral units were period, while being maxed out on mineral storage. I changed every sector to focus on energy production and also changed the setting to permit the AI to modify the surface tiles...within the span of a year or so, I had the most significant energy production ever. Its no longer a concern and I am operating real fleets with energy to spare.

Thanks also for the invasion tips. I dedicated my orbital fleet to ground support and launched a more prepared invasion with each assault army containing attachments. We took the planet relatively quickly and the alien sued for peace agreeing to become my vassal.

A productive evening...

[mikeck]

You guys keep talking about building power plants and power buildings on planet surfaces, but aren't you restricted from doing this once a planet is added to a sector?

Your waaaaay beyond where I am but just like Oj'sDad
I have a ton of power. I did research a new type of power plant that used a different resource but that's not what really helped. I built "solar panels modules" on my space ports which do nothing but generate energy. Also helped to clear planet tiles and build power plants, shift a pop over from mineral since i can get plenty of those in space. I have only 4 planets right now so I'm not far in but I have a +18 power income on about a 600 storage

[Nefaro]

I'll get to your other points after work Jarhead, but Tuna is right; always, always reduce planetary defenses to zero before invading, otherwise the defenders get an absurd buff.

As they should, I suppose. I didn't bombard because I was trying to be nice about it. LoL. They are a friendly race and I felt guilty for attacking in the first place. Are there any negative effects of planetary bombardment? Any hit on relationships with other races?

IIRC, your own Pops may get angry with you, if going all out bombardment.  Depending on your Gov't type.  Happiness drop?

I think the full-on Peacenik type will even get mad if you do the moderate bombardment. 

May be similar relations hits with alien races, also depending upon their society types.

[Huw the Poo]

Thanks for the energy advice, guys. The problem was my sector management. I simply wasn't doing it. All 9 of my sectors were geared towards a mineral production focus. I was earning over 100 mineral units were period, while being maxed out on mineral storage. I changed every sector to focus on energy production and also changed the setting to permit the AI to modify the surface tiles...within the span of a year or so, I had the most significant energy production ever. Its no longer a concern and I am operating real fleets with energy to spare.

Thanks also for the invasion tips. I dedicated my orbital fleet to ground support and launched a more prepared invasion with each assault army containing attachments. We took the planet relatively quickly and the alien sued for peace agreeing to become my vassal.

A productive evening...

Ah, well done mate! O0

[Jarhead0331]

I'd like to see the diplomatic side of warfare improved. For instance, some government types and racial traits should permit war goals to either be ignored outright, or altered through the expenditure of influence.

I don't like how a war will end automatically, once all war goals are met. There should be circumstances where player input is necessary to end a war that is being won.

[Huw the Poo]

What do you mean by a war ending automatically?  All mine have either ended because I forced my enemy to surrender, or because they have offered to surrender and I accepted - there's an option to refuse too.

[Jarhead0331]

I didn't get any option. In my war, I set the war goal as vassalization. I got a message that the enemy agreed to my terms unconditionally and the war just ended. I did not get an option to continue hostilities. Maybe it does have to do with government type?

[Huw the Poo]

Oh, I don't know then.  I've always been able to accept or decline a surrender.

[Pete Dero]

My war also ended automatically (got my war goals) but in this case I was the defender and I was winning.  Maybe it depends on whether you attack or defend ?

[Jarhead0331]

I was the aggressor.