What do you think - how many utilities do you really need to gain an advantage over your opponents? Three? Five? Six?
 
 
 

In fact the number is [link to answer], if you use a professional client software like VPA...
 
 
 

What's VPA? First, VPA stands for VGA-Planets Assistant and was developed by Alex V. Ivlev as an alternative to the standard DOS client. But VPA is much more than a simple substitute for traditional DOS users. Some of its really cool features:
 

• accurate built-in battle simulator that allows even mutiple ship engagements
• easy-to-use and powerful message editor
• all informations about a specific planet, ship or base at one glance/from all turns
• builds an automatic database that allows you to watch all previous turns step-by-step!
• keeps and displays all known infos about own/neutral/enemy planets, ships, minefields etc.
• enhanced turn statistic and powergraph
• minefield/HYP calculator
• minefield circles are drawn directly on the galaxy map
• warp-well calculator: saves valuable ship fuel on inter-planetary routes
• reliable, compatible and lightning fast

Read the whole feature list here and imagine what VPA can do for you - it's freeware after all!

Of course there are some drawbacks:
 

• less multimedia gizzmos than WinPlan (sounds/graphics)
• due to its many features you will need some turns to learn the whoole interface
• you will win more games with ease - could be boring after a while... ;-)

 

And what is the utility you may need beside VPA? FLEETS.EXE, of course. I wonder why Alex Ivlev hasn't incorporated such a feature in VPA already. Fleets will keep track of all ships that you encounter during the game. It lists them by ID and allows you to store individual messages for each entry. It's also a DOS utility but should work from Win95/98 as well.
Download the description (8 kb / RTF format) or the zipped program file (32 kb)
 

The following collection may be of use for specific purposes:
 

• nobeep.zip (58 kb) and killbeep.zip (22 kb) will modify your planets.exe and disable the PC speaker sound if you still use the original DOS client software
• oneplay.zip (183 kb) allows you to set up a simple training game if you want to play against a CP
• dominate.zip (60 kb) is the best computerplayer (CP) available (IMO) - best used in conjunction with oneplay.exe
• sweep.bat (1 kb) will keep your VGAP data directory clean of old temp-files. If you are still using a DOS based client software you prevent errors like "data hallucination" that may occur otherwise.

If you are still searching for other utilities, take a look at Halfling's site!