so when do you stop exploring/attacking for land?

you explore out to 1800 and then batch explore to 3600. Then start attacking unless you want to run all explore strat.

this is same across all servers.

I assume that this is irregardless of strat, right?

Pretty much. Because after 1800 the explore rate goes down so you do batches to double each time.

Should actually be 1924 acres, not 1800. Explore rates go down after that.

Confirmed! I meant to say 1900 and 3800. Don't know why I put 1800/3600. Probably was looking at my bottle of 1800

thanks.. yup I actually knew about the batch explore, although I rarely do it as I tend to go to a war-ready strat most of the time.. I was thinking of trying to go for top 10 next set (or at least top 20)..

so back to my original question.. when do you stop exploring/attacking and start stockpiling (especially in express)?

Depends, techer will usually stop growing earlier than most other strats. Other strats... Maybe with around 500 turns left in the set? Just throwing that number out there, I haven't paid attn to the exact number before.

hmmmmm maybe I really am doing it wrong.. I stopped with 36 hours left and still fell way too short of any decent nw.. :( or maybe I really am just a slow starter? I finished stockpiling and got only 700+ M.. which I think was worth only 3-4 M nw.. :(

I am a fascist farmer by the way.. wanted to be a rep casher but I got attacked too many times two sets ago..

when playing rep casher, wait until you run your turns. play to turn 99, save up 360 (300) and buy as much cheap tech as you can.

then you can buy jets and retal anybody who has attacked you within the last twenty four hours with a retal message (so long as they are in gdi and want to netgain!)

also, if six people attack you for 80-100 acres, you are in dr and can add pretty much as much land as you want and people will only get fluffty returns.

i finish top ten with a rep casher very often, you should be able to do well with it, too.

cashers/farmers need a tech start up most of the time to catch up. Unless tech prices start out at 1800 or you are a leecher. It is hard to keep up as a rep casher.

I think the only strats that doesn't need a tech start up are commie indy and fasicst oiler. I would still do a tech start as an oiler to boost mil strat, weapons, warefare and military. You want to bump the private market value of oil in case public market is selling below $80.