I usually play as Vasari Rebels, so I build multiple orkuluses as fleets after my expansion is complete. With starbase mobilization, they are superior to almost any fleet when fully upgraded and researched. Regarding your first question, I build my second capital after 5-10 minutes, and my titan comes out 20-30 minutes after that.
I use a fully upgraded starbase as a supporting fleet.
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While frigates do supply fore firepower and perhaps have a niche early game, against titans they are just experiance fodder. The kultorask's nano leech can devastate any amount of frigates, the more the merrier. Once titans are out, frigates just become obselete, and a fleet without them starves your enemy's titan and capital ships of experience.
The primary objective of this strategy is quite simple: economy. Instead of building extravagant fleets early in the game comprised of small frigates, build only two capitals and a titan. Fleet supply serves to cripple an economy and defensive structures require none. I have employed this strategy against vicious and cruel AI, and providing the map doesn’t have the enemy homeworld a couple phasejumps from mine, I almost always prevail. Step
