The Ferrangi
The Ferrangi are computer generated players. They are enemies. As the game progresses, Ferrangi become more powerful. The first one you see might have forty fighters and be in some crap ship. Over time, they have more fighters and better ships.
A Ferrangi in an Assault Trader will will attack anything. It doesn't matter if you have 20k fighters or 200. They will attack. Hence making sure that you have maximum or near maximum shields Mid Game is vital. Shields are more important to purchase than fighters. Don't forget it.
When attacked by a Ferrangi, surrendering means they'll take your holds. In most cases even if the Ferrangi has 1k fighers and you have thirty, attack them with five, then run. However, considering that the Ferrangi are Machine Characters, and you are playing Against Human characters, spending you days fighting Ferrangi is a way to lose. In the first days, ignore them until you have gotten your planets up and want the Good Alignment so as to Transwarp directly to Earth.
Understand that every attack eats your shields. If you can capture the ship and sell it, sometimes you do make a profit... i.e. missile frigates often can be sold for like 100k so you can buy more shields and fighters than you lost. Other times, you'll get 30k for some crap ship after losing xyz fighters and shields and turns, so that you weaken yourself.
Human players, watching you go after every Ferrangi will attack you and might defeat you. Simply because you have weakened yourself. Exploring the Universe always holds the possibility of finding an unused port and getting 50 points.
This is the easiest way to get points. When the game first starts it is 1 pt for each discovered port. Over time, the points go up to 50. On old disused games it's possible to gain over a thousand points without even trying in one day.
During the game, from day one, explore. Type (C)omputer (K)nown Sectors and hit (U) for Unexplored. Go in whatever order suits you. You want to have explored the entire Galaxy. Some begin by taking little excursions off the "beaten" path.
Your path to Terra or the Space Station for example. Instead of moving directly single step. Stop and explore the "red" Sectors so that you've pretty much covered those areas.
You aren't wasting turns flying around aimlessly, you are trading, often getting points for being the First to trade at that port. Not that points really have much value, but seeing yourself as #1 does have a nice cache.
