I picked up BotF, and keep getting massively outclassed by the computer – as in, my destroyer meets a fleet of nine ships (including some capitals), when I may have managed to build nine ships total up to that point.
Is there a "best practice" starting build chain?
Best Answer
It has been a long time since I played BotF but if I remember correctly diplomacy was a must in the early game. If you can't get a few people on your side quickly you'll become quickly overwhelmed.
BotF isn't like Master of Orion where you can win the game alone. You need allies to win a war, so try to keep everyone happy as long as possible to stay out of a war until you can handle one. There really wasn't a "best practice" build chain that I remember... just the early game diplomacy really stands out.
That said, there are some excellent FAQs that you can find on the Armada Fleet Command website. I'm sure many of those can give you a push in the right direction.