Pick a starting sector with the best elements for the inventions you wish to make this time round.
Note the components and sector of any Ergonomically Terrific designs. This is probably the best way to design that object and reduces design time by half. If you see another sector later in the game with the same elements available you'll know this design can be knocked out in next to no time.
Look out for sectors with a plentiful supply of gatherable elements. These are often the best places to quickly produce a Surprise Attack! During the later stages, especially in Epoch three, its advisable to find a sector with more sophisticated elements.
Eventually you should be able to pick the best seams to mine and know the ones to leave alone.
It's always best to check the design menu whenever a new seam is mined. A new design may have just become available.
What should you do if a seam or element is totally used up when designing an object? Bin the design on the blueprints menu and there's a chance you may be able to redesign it with the elements you have left.
Shields and building weapons can sometimes increase your tech level and reveal an element which could lead to the designs you require.
Inventions made from gatherable elements save valuable time and manpower. Always wait until the clocks have ticked down to zero before changing the factory to produce a new object.
Knowledge of the different elements in each sector can help you figure out what the computer opponents are likely to arm themselves with.
Try to keep your men balanced between tasks to maximise efficiency. Only throw all your men into a single task during an emergency.
If time is on your side, try to leave as many men as possible to reproduce in the tower. Men are your currency, bank wisely. There are no overdrafts in Mega-lo-Mania!
Designing shields from just gatherables can be a lifesaver if you're under fire but with some spare time.
Play sensibly. Don't send unarmed men to attack buildings as they will have no effect. Play sneaky. Send one or two lambs to the slaughter as a tester to see what sort of armies your opponents have hidden away. Use the map to see what your enemies are up to.
Remember a building weapon man is twice as strong as an armed man on the ground from the same area.
If an opponent is too close for comfort at the beginning of a game, try to ally with him before he starts attacking you.
What should you do if your back is against the wall and you're about to die? Try allying with your aggressor! You have nothing left to lose. Use as few men as possible. See how low you can go...
Rock, Wood and Bones:
Bow + Arrow
Catapult
Crossbow
Rock Weapon
Spear
Slate, Moonlite Planetarium:
Longbow
Musket
Pike
Giant Catapult
Spear
Stick Weapon
Bethlium, Solarium Araldite:
Boiling Oil
Cannon
Catapult
Crossbow
Longbow
Pike
Herbirite Yeridium:
Giant Catapult
Longbow
Valium Parasite:
Boiling Oil
Bow + Arrow
Musket
Aquarium Paladium:
Giant Catapult
SCARLET (Red):
Usually a good bet for a quick alliance but prone to infidelity. Tends to attack frequently and with unpredictable armies can be quite easily tempted into a battle in order to divert her men away from duties at home. Try to avoid picking a starting sector next to her or she could cause trouble. She likes designing army weapons.
OBERON (Yellow):
Likes to offer himself in alliance more than most and unsurprisingly veers towards the less reliable side of remaining faithful. Oberon is prone to erratic retaliation attacks but is a useful ally in battle. Puts his hand towards any weapon design.
CAESAR (Green):
Not so easy to persuade to ally, but worthwhile and fairly reliable. Seems to have the best balance between defence and attack. Prefers building weapons. You should attempt to limit his territory.
MEDCAP (Blue):
A real tough cookie to turn into an ally but faithful as the day is long. A careful tactician he rarely makes a false move. Hit Medcap early to put him off balance. He likes designing building shields. Tends to throw the occasional but devastating attacks.
At the start of each island, select as many men as you need to conquer the island. Now place your castle on the island in the normal way. Before the screen goes blank and you start the island, make the number of men lower than you had originally chosen. You should now start the island with the number of men you selected at first, but all the men you put back into the 'man pool' will be available for other islands in that Epoch.
The following cheat codes will give you lots of men per Epoch:
---- MADCAP --------- SCARLET --
1-"IVIAZXF1WMB" | 1-"OVIAYASIWMO" | 100 men
2-"ELEALUFOPNP" | 2-"KMEAKXROPNQ" | 200 men
3-"MOXALSLTFCZ" | 3-"SPXAKVXTFCA" | 300 men
4-"IFTAJNFPOVN" | 4-"DGTAIQRPDVO" | 400 men
5-"MCOALOIXVPR" | 5-"SDOAGLLIVPS" | 500 men
6-"NZHPVHLMLEN" | 6-"SAIBUKXMLEO" | 600 men
7-"QWCPHELHGLP" | 7-"WXCBGHXHGLQ" | 700 men
8-"MMYAFZEZXFD" | 8-"SOYAECRZXFE" | 800 men
9-"IQUBTYQSPAD" | 9-"ORUBOBESPAE" | 900 men
2-"BNYABDUNBHV" | 6-"WWKDXGPXDBZ"
3-"COVCPMJVEBL" | 7-"KUUCTOPLGHV"
4-"WKCCHIEUKNL" | 8-"PEHAJBPKZAQ"
5-"GATAVRXRONT" | 9-"GYJDJHPNFHN"
Mother Battle-"TJLBVSNNIGD"
NOTES: You can't actually take part in the final battle 'The Mother Of Battles' unless you have suspended some of your men from previous levels by freezing their towers.