Campaign - Siege (4th mission) tips
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It seems to some people have problems with Dread Lords Campaign, especially with 4th mission (without any retirements it's Siege). Here's some tips how I made it (first try, normal difficulty).
1. Pick usefull abilities. My choice:
+2 speed (8 pts - you need to be very fast), +25% courage (1) , +25% luck (1)
- another good pick is some research bonus
2. Set your taxes to 0%. You have cash you need people/troops.
Set your spendings to 100% research and 100% capacity used.
3. You have 30000 in cash (same have your allies) - thats incredible amount. Use it on very fast start and ultra fast research.
4. Buy 2-3 colony ships including at least one ultra fast with as many engines as you can put in it, with some life support to get the farthest free planet (Whesterfield?). Before you can get there you have to colonize at least one planet on the way or make a starbase (for example mining one on military source in the way).
5. On the colonized planets rush buy a lot of labs. You don't need any factories, but you may need a starports build on your starting planets (to have colony ships all bought and ready at turn 3).
6. First focus your research on research techniques (Xeno labs, research centers) to buy better research facilities. Then focus on planetary invasion and other techniques in that path. Maybe some tech like planetary improvements woudn't hurt too because of that +10% bonus to research.
7. Every turn sell your inventions to allies. First it will be about 200-500 bc/turn but for some more advanced techs (planetary invasion) you will get more than 1000 from every ally. If you can get that inventions fast you can have a LOT of money.
8. Use your survey ship to watch for anomalies. Some +2500bc would also help
9. On Whesterfield (?? planet closest to Yor) buy an armed small starship with many engines. Search for Yor colony ships/constructors.
10. While you have on Whesterfield (??) more than 1000 people (that would be very fast with 0% taxes) and planetary invasion invention buy a transport ship for 1000 troops with life support and as many engines you can put in it. You may try to buy it on some of your starting planets but that's really long way...
11. Before you can get to your target planet try to invent planetary bombardement.
12. With your small armed ship destroy any constructors/colony ships of Dresign Empire - they souldn't have any defenders by now (if you hurried). In the same turn invade the planet.
That's all I made that mission in some more than an hour but it might be done even faster When invaded the target world have less than 5000 people, and with mass drivers it was a piece of cake. But i did a lot of useless reserches (also sold to allies for cash) so you may face less than 3000 if you really hurry 
1. Pick usefull abilities. My choice:
+2 speed (8 pts - you need to be very fast), +25% courage (1) , +25% luck (1)
- another good pick is some research bonus
2. Set your taxes to 0%. You have cash you need people/troops.
Set your spendings to 100% research and 100% capacity used.
3. You have 30000 in cash (same have your allies) - thats incredible amount. Use it on very fast start and ultra fast research.
4. Buy 2-3 colony ships including at least one ultra fast with as many engines as you can put in it, with some life support to get the farthest free planet (Whesterfield?). Before you can get there you have to colonize at least one planet on the way or make a starbase (for example mining one on military source in the way).
5. On the colonized planets rush buy a lot of labs. You don't need any factories, but you may need a starports build on your starting planets (to have colony ships all bought and ready at turn 3).
6. First focus your research on research techniques (Xeno labs, research centers) to buy better research facilities. Then focus on planetary invasion and other techniques in that path. Maybe some tech like planetary improvements woudn't hurt too because of that +10% bonus to research.
7. Every turn sell your inventions to allies. First it will be about 200-500 bc/turn but for some more advanced techs (planetary invasion) you will get more than 1000 from every ally. If you can get that inventions fast you can have a LOT of money.
8. Use your survey ship to watch for anomalies. Some +2500bc would also help
9. On Whesterfield (?? planet closest to Yor) buy an armed small starship with many engines. Search for Yor colony ships/constructors.
10. While you have on Whesterfield (??) more than 1000 people (that would be very fast with 0% taxes) and planetary invasion invention buy a transport ship for 1000 troops with life support and as many engines you can put in it. You may try to buy it on some of your starting planets but that's really long way...
11. Before you can get to your target planet try to invent planetary bombardement.
12. With your small armed ship destroy any constructors/colony ships of Dresign Empire - they souldn't have any defenders by now (if you hurried). In the same turn invade the planet.
That's all
I made that mission in some more than an hour but it might be done even faster When invaded the target world have less than 5000 people, and with mass drivers it was a piece of cake. But i did a lot of useless reserches (also sold to allies for cash) so you may face less than 3000 if you really hurry