Captured base drones

[Ned]

I just ran a couple tests on captured base drones. What I see a somewhat complicated. The number of "captured base" drones depends on base size. For bases of size six or less, there is a single captured-base drone. An additional captured-base grown appears at base size seven. Another one appears at base size 11, and so on until, there are no pacified citizens left. Continuing to increase the base size does not add super drones or subtract from the ability of facilities, police and special product projects to pacify citizens.

I also noticed that some factions, for example Aki, have an extra pacified citizens to begin with, similar to the Drone faction. With such a faction, add one to the above limits. If, for example, Aki starts with four pacified citizens, a captured base will reduce to the number pacified citizens to three if the base size is seven or less. When the base size goes to eight, an additional captured-base drone appears. If the base size goes to 12 , a third captured-base drone appears. A fourth appears at base size 16. At this point all Aki's citizens are drones. There are no pacified citizens.

I suspect that the number of drones does not reduce over time until the base changes to one's own faction at turn +50.

[RGBVideo]

I'll guess that it would be best to post this to here, then, instead of the Morgan-thread:

I suspect that the number of drones does not reduce over time until the base changes to one's own faction at turn +50.

Interesting. I suppose that if the base size grows under your command, the drone amount doesn't increase according to captured base -mathematics?

...and... I have a newbie question, right here: What do you mean by "pacified citizen"? A normal citizen (not a talent, not a drone)?

[Ned]

What I mean is a pacified citizen is an ordinary, non red citizen. Drones are red. Superdrones are bright red.

As your base size grows, it will experience additional captured-base drones as it passes the limits I described above.

[Hydro]

Ned - if you look at the Captured Drone formula you'll see pretty much what you describe. I'll run some numbers this evening and report.

[Ned]

Hydro, I really do not understand the formula you gave. First is talks about ordinary drones in terms of base size. Base size has nothing to do with b-drones, although it appears to have some effect on captured base drones.

I also checked the captured-base drones on two difficulty levels. There was no difference.

[Ned]

I just double-checked b-drones. In a base with a b-drone, I was able to increase the base size at will without adding a second b-drone. This confirms to me that b-drones are independent of base size.

[Googlie]

As an aside, I've noticed in games that phantom drones more often appear in captured bases than in original bases

(ie, drones appearing in the base population graphics that are not drones when you check the F2 screen or click on the base Psych button)

G.

[Hydro]

Ned,

I think we have a terminology problem. I was speaking of total drones, not just b-drones. According to the Prima Guide,

Total Drones = Drones + B-Drones + C-Drones

Drones = (Pop + Diff – 6)

With that in mind, here is how the Conquest Drones play out. The formulas are in the Morgan thread. I’ve attached a spreadsheet with the C-drone calcs.

Turn = turns until full assimilation (50-turns since conquest, when 0 the base is yours)

Scenario 1: Transcend level, pop 14 base

Turn C-Drones
50 4
40 4
30 3
20 3
10 2
5 1

Scenario 2: Transcend, pop 8 base

Turn C-Drones
50 3
40 3
30 3
20 3
10 2
5 1

Scenario 3: Transcend, pop 3 base

Turn C-Drones
50 2
40 2
30 2
20 2
10 2
5 1

[Ned]

Originally posted by Hydro
Ned,

I think we have a terminology problem. I was speaking of total drones, not just b-drones. According to the Prima Guide,

Total Drones = Drones + B-Drones + C-Drones

Drones = (Pop + Diff – 6)

With that in mind, here is how the Conquest Drones play out. The formulas are in the Morgan thread. I’ve attached a spreadsheet with the C-drone calcs.

Turn = turns until full assimilation (50-turns since conquest, when 0 the base is yours)

Scenario 1: Transcend level, pop 14 base

Turn C-Drones
50 4
40 4
30 3
20 3
10 2
5 1

Scenario 2: Transcend, pop 8 base

Turn C-Drones
50 3
40 3
30 3
20 3
10 2
5 1

Scenario 3: Transcend, pop 3 base

Turn C-Drones
50 2
40 2
30 2
20 2
10 2
5 1

I think if you do not round up, but just discard the fraction, your formula might be correct. I know a base size three on transcend has only one, not two, c-drones. I did an experiment with the Drone faction. It got its second c-drone at base 5, just as predicted!

However, c-drones never add to become super drones. So, once all citizens have become drones, the additonal c-drones appear to be discarded.

All this shows you is that building punishment spheres in conquered bases is the way to go.

[Tau Ceti]

Originally posted by Googlie
As an aside, I've noticed in games that phantom drones more often appear in captured bases than in original bases

(ie, drones appearing in the base population graphics that are not drones when you check the F2 screen or click on the base Psych button)

The phantom drone problem appears when there are super drones in the base (unmodified by drone reducing facilities, psych, police, nerve stapling and punishment spheres). Super drones are always displayed as drones in the main base screen in SMACX, and you need to check the psych tab or the F4 screen to see the actual situation.

Unbelievable that Firaxis missed that bug...