I've been playing civ IV for over a year. Not once have I won a game at warlord level. So, I start a new game thinking that I will lose, but it'll be good practice. I get total control over my whole continent, and have a huge tech lead with a great economy. I decided to go for a space race win just to save time. So I build it with 2 thrusters, and launch it. I make minor military advancements on the other continent during its construction, but my soul was on the ship. I trade some techs to a guy on the other continent that I wasn't at war with, just to see how much gold he would give me. Once the ship gets there, it says "Mission fails. All progress DrPepper has made toward the space race has been lost." So, I get very PO'd. Then, the guy who was my 'friend' declares war and hits me with like 20 nukes. I had 4. So basically, I'm dead. This has to be fixed. At least on the warlord level...

You must build the maximum # of SS components to be assured of success.

Don't launch until you can withstand the AI invasion - they will come and dogpile you as soon as they figure out you have launched. :mad:

Just make sure you build all the SS Casings. Then it'll be a 100% gaurantee that you will get there. SS Thrusters and Engines change how long it will take to get there. Sometimes I'll neglect engines or thrusters, but never neglect SS Casings. Make them all. Then you have no excuse

My plan is 5 casings, 3 thrusters, and 1 engine, and the cockpit and life support obviously. Usually you get it in 30-40 turns range on Epic i believe. Casings are extremely important.

On my first try, i was extremely paranoid (5 casings, 5 thrusters, 2 engines, 1 LS, and one CP.

usually I have good enough production to just build everything around the same time, I've never lost though. i would never take that chance after idling away 5 or 6 hours on a game.

So you built a half-assed ship, and yet despite piddling around making nukes, you for some reason failed to make the SDI. O_o

And despite the game tells you your percentage chance of launching and getting their successfully on the game screens, you decided to launch your half assed ship anyway and ignore it. O_o

So what is it that needs to be fixed exactly?!