4x strategy games are sometimes the most difficult games to master. They require a lot of time and patience and a certain measure of strategic skill to deal with all the different layers of the game. With that said, there is a series of walkthrough starter guides available for gamers just getting accustomed to Stardock Entertainment’s Galactic Civilization III.

One such series comes courtesy of YouTuber Macsen Gaming. He has a few videos dealing with some of the games basic and more complex systems and how beginners can make use of the early options in the game so they’ll know exactly how to advance in the right ways and make a strong galactic civilization. Check out the videos below.

As he notes early in the video, there are three key areas you’ll want to focus on early in the game: research for ship movement and range, production so you can produce ships quickly through manufacturing, and scouting so you can get around the map and discover new planets with ease. Research goes a long ways because researching new technologies will help increase ship capabilities for faster travel and easier colonization.

Macsen mentions that players should treat colonization in the game as a race against the AI since the Ai will be aiming to colonize and control the galaxy as quickly as possible.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the amount of opponents you select and the amount of planets in the map determine how many planets in total and how quickly you might be able to colonize planets. The more opponents you have on a smaller map the more limited your ability will be to colonize quickly.

At the start of the game you will have a few ships at your disposal. It’s suggested to use all three of them to expand the overall map range within the sector as quickly as possible, so each ship should be designated to scouting a location and finding a new planet to colonize.

On the research side of things, early in the game Macsen modifies the focus of the planet’s efforts almost entirely on research, moving the slider all the way to 100%. With positive approval ratings you’ll also receive a bonus for the research.

Moving ship yards too far away from a planet you’ve colonized – about six tiles away – will initiate small amounts of decay. If you’re playing as humans you’ll receive a bonus to lessen the rate of decay, but it’s something to consider, since where you place your ship yard will determine where your ships come out. And since the game is turned based, ship positioning can be vital in how you organize and mobilize your fleet for colonization purposes.

Early on, Macsen uses Mars solely for production and then as the turns advance, he begins adding more production to Earth as well, turning both planets into resources solely to help get ship production up.

Macsen uses the research skills to improve Interstellar Travel and specifically ion drive advancement.

The main idea is to get colony ships out as fast and as quickly as possible on each turn. Macsen offers some help on how to achieve this at the start of the game so that you can get well on your way without being overwhelmed or bombarded with making all the wrong choices right at the start. A healthy start will go a long way in competing against the AI opponents as you attempt to conquer the galaxy, either with an air of benevolence or under the unwavering hammer of oppression.

Galactic Civilizations III is available right now for PC and you can pick up a digital copy from participating digital distributors, including the Humble Store and Steam. You can also learn more about the game by visiting the official website.