Marza Dreadnaught's raze planet ability causes a lot of damage and can chew through a fully upgraded planet fairly quickly. I beat impossible AI using a stupid tactic - just build marza dreadnaughst with minimal fleet, main "Raze planet" skill. Recon the AI's home planet position, go straight to their home planet and win.
To min-max it, the tactic develops economy, rush 8 civ research points asap. We need 8 civilian research points to get red exotics to get tons of Marza, which can be achieved by 4 research stations + 2 civilian university slots on home planet. You probably don't need any more than 1 miliary research point to get some basic attack and armor upgrades.
- Choose TEC loyalist, build 3 light ship and 1 colonization ship and Marza Dreadnaught. Get full commerce upgrade on home planet, do not get mining upgrade on home planet.
- Early game, colonize asteriods and planets. Use garrison to clear neighboring asteriod. Get full mining upgrade on asteriods. Get commerce upgrade on every planet. Do not build additional ship too early or else it will put a resource strain the metal. Build 2 research stations on asteriod or non home planets, and 1 civ unversities on home planet.
- When you get 4 civ research points, get orbital commerce, build 4 orbital trade posts on home planet. Develop economy and keep colonizing while you can, build some additional light ships with excess metal. Get orbital mining to boost your metal and crystal income. You'll likely to have a lot of money at this moment.
- Build another civ universities on home planet and 2 more research stations to achieve 8 civ research points. Research and build 2 exotic factories.
- Keep building the red exotic 2 at a time, and amass Marza Dreadnaughts. Optimize the resources to avoid blocking construction. Learn Raid planet.
- When you have 3 Marza, rally them straight to enemy's home planet along with your minimal fleet. Remaining Marza should rally to opponent's home planet.
- They can't stop you, just can't. It is impossible to set up enough static defenses to kill Marzas quickly enough before planet is lost. Even if the home planets get full upgrade (4500 health), it is futile against 3+ Marzas.
Observations:
- Marza Dreadnaught is very difficult to shut down due to large health pool, even with full army + garrison + static defenses in the gravity well.
- They are very cost effective compared to a group of siege frigates, and do not need additional military researches.
- Planet security upgrade doesn't provide enough health pool. 4500 is the max and it is very little compared to Marza's damange output
- Because there is no capital ship cap in SoSE 2, massing Marza is easier and cheaper than before.
- Planetary shield appears too late in the game to be effective.
