Build a Rover Former or Colony Pod 1st?

[lbores]

I realize that you want to build up your base inventory but building a former (or rover former) 1st gives you the opportunity to start a sensor before the colony pod hits the square. I gather building on a sensor is good.

What is the opinion of the 'crusty old SMAC vets' out there?

[Sarxis]

Yes, in most early game situations, the former is much better, for the reasons stated by cbn.

[Rift]

Former first, no contest. It gives you what Vel calls a terraforming turn advantage...while your opponent is building their pod, you start terraforming, and by the time their former is finished and your pod is finished, your piece of land would be much richer than his

[Lefty Scaevola]

Former

[lbores]

quote: Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola on 02-18-2001 06:01 PM Former

Even in the begining of the game or colony pods 1st then?

[The Mad Monk]

Recycling Tanks

[Misotu]

Former, recycling tanks, then colony pod.

Probably.

Depending on whether I get some energy from a pod pop. If I do, then I can rush the tanks, which are already building fast because I've terraformed a square ...

[cbn]

Former first for a number of reasons

1. it is built more quickly --often can be immediately rush built
2. it can road the way toward a new base site
3. your explorers are out getting a better sense of the land and future base sites
4. If in an arid area you may need to terraform additional nuts so that the base gets to size 2 before the pod is complete

[Lord Maxwell]

In single play: Former first in all bases. (Except playing as Morgan on fungus heavy map, then it generally gets recycling tanks and garrison.)

In multi play: Former first in all bases but the first. The first base builds enough pods to drop to size one. Then it builds former/garrsion. (With two rush buys (three in case of gaia, one in case of morgan.) I can generally have four cities by 2106.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Normally former (infantry former not rover former as infantry chassis is much cheaper)

Exceptions - When I have a lot of energy at the start
i.e. Morgan or pop the secondary reactor at Unity crash site.

In that case

Then rec tanks first
former
Pod
garrison
Pod.....