Resource links are nice, but only to a point. With the resources I have on some planets, even if 2 or 3 planets are linked the fleet I can build will outstrip the planets ability to manage upkeep. I much prefer to build more modest fleets (50-100 battleships with some blackbirds) from many planets then to centre my ship building on one planet. Resource links can also be a weakness, I have on a couple of occasions TO'd a central planet in a resource web, and then stolen the enemies resources from his planets.
The way the new player placement code works, one you colonise an area, new players are bound to show up there as well, so its hard to have no neighbours.
Except that there are no planets for him to spawn on.
I figure I'll probably send a colonization mission to one of the spiral's edges next week or in a few after that. If I can send 1 5-arc fleet and 15 1-arc fleets all at the same time, they'll pretty much all arrive at the same time allowing me to colonize that whole space. I can also send in a few military fleets to crush any newbie who starts nearby before the colonies can start producing themselves.
You argue on the use of the PDs, but I'll admit to not even knowing how they work. Could you explain to me how they work?
Also, how the hell do taxes work? I can't find anything anywhere which says the pros and cons of high taxes vs. low taxes.
Edit: as for density, the edge is actually 100000x more dense than where I started. I just checked.
