Just bought this game on impulse, and I'm wondering...

Ive played just about every different strat game out there this game is a fun one its alot different but well worth the money if you like a game that is in depth and takes a while to complete. And has no real rsuhing factor other then the pirate issue.

How are the online components? That is where I love to play much more than the single player missions.

Well i'm guessing your in for a treat. Using your choice of games, i'd say Spaceward Ho! with an RTS twist. Not nearly as fast in terms of gameplay as War/StarCraft and C&C3, especially at the start. Its an RT4X, so a real time 4X game (i can only assume Spaceward Ho! is a 4X game, since i don't know it.)

I can recommend the tutorials, although the first one may need a restart of the game to get it to work. (slight bug with resolution/refresh changes)

Then start of on a small map, get to know the game a little. And then gradually work up. I'm still in the learning stages myself. Playing a medium scenario map at the moment with 50 planets and 5 stars.

You'll be happy to know that Ironclad Online has been packed since release

Hrm.. I would say don't expect to be able to finish a game in a blitz (the smallest can take about an hour). Don't expect to be able to beat the AI right away - unlike traditional RTS AI, this one doesn't just throw waves of ships at you predictably (that's not to say it's perfect just yet).

Do expect to have a lot of fun if you've always wondered what it would be like to conquer the galaxy in real time instead of turn based. It's a good mix of a bunch of turn-based elements and some good RTS elements, all blended (in a blender!) pretty seamlessly.

Check out the manual, feel free to ask questions and have fun!

I'm tired, or I'd write some more Sorry

Have you played Star Wars Empire At War? If so, I would say that it's most similar to the space game from that.

Or, Civilization in space...in realtime.

I'm a big fan of Spaceward Ho! myself, and wish they had an up-to-date Windows version. This is similar, although Ho! didn't have the detailed research that SOASE has. It would a fair assessment to call SOASE a real-time hybrid of Ho! and Civilization, and that's not intended to be a knock on it at all. Of course, this is based on just one night's worth of play, as I bought it on impulse last night myself.

I remember spaceward Ho!!!

I'm not so certain this will capture the same experience it is still a RTS... but it will occupy you allot longer than the other titles... expect a minimum of 3 hours for a decently sized game.

Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain....the game is very similar....

Ooh, i have that lying around here somewhere I remember playing it quite a bit too. ^^

A lot of people at one point was complaining on one of the forums here about the pirates. However, one of the great things about this game is that it is very configurable to your game play style. I have been avoiding all the commotion about the pirates in order to get a handle on things by creating my on map with just one player, myself. This has made it were I can take all the time I need to learn the interface. What the different research possibilities are and how to go about them. If you start a game in this fashion, when you start the game it will immediately say that your are victorious and ask you if you would like to continue the game. Say yes then take your time to learn the game without the pirate bounty screen coming up at all. In fact when I go to the pirate bounty screen, it shows a picture of the pirates picture behind glass all shoot up. And says they are dead. When you phase jump to another planet you will encounter pirates usually just two or three. But they are easily dispatched. In this way you can take you time and explore the game at you leisure.

If they could have worked out the MP bugs in that game...man...such a classic...although not close to the visual beauty of Sins...but easily as deep...

I used to skip school to play Spacward Ho! hehe