Q on Comparative Turn Advantage

[Maniac]

I thought this was the name Velocyrix gave to his tactic of rush-buying formers (and later base facilities) after you founded a base. And this works quite well in the early game. But after a while you get Drones from the first citizen on. How then are you supposed to keep up this rush-buying? To me it seems this tactic is quite useless unless you:
a) are the UoP with the Virtual World
b) you're the PKs or Drones
c) you have the Hum Gen Project
d) you aren't Free Market and send a garrison with the Colony Pod => goodbye to thin expansion

Any tips how to make this tactic worthwhile in more cases than those mentioned above? In SP it's quite easy to fulfill at least one of the above conditions, but in MP you have to be lucky to eg. get the HumGenProject.

M@ni@c
[This message has been edited by M@ni@c (edited February 04, 2001).]

[Maniac]

Yeah, but that comes available when you are already busy for a long time with expanding. Not so good as the others.

[Blake]

Nerve stapling.

Does amazing things for early growth, just remember to stablise the drone problem after the first two staplings, because drones build up immunity.. Also don't staple a captured base, old owner no like.

Sure you lose the trade income, so don't do it if you intend to have pactmates and be running FM+Wealth later in the game.

It is unlikely you'll have trade income for the first 20-40 years, so feel free to staple a couple of key bases regardless of strategy, being able to work an extra tile of forest for 10 years should bring a fairly hefty turn advantage in the early game.

[Sikander]

I don't expand after I receive the 1st warning until I do one or more of the following:

1) Build the HGP
2) Increase my efficiency through SE choices
3) Can afford to send a garrison with every colony pod

Normally I build up to the 1st warning, then build up my infrastructure a good deal before I resume expansion. You can actually have the game well in hand by only building this many bases (if you doubt that look at how many people have won the one city challenge).

The Human Genome Project may well be the most important SP at Transcend level. It allows you to effectively double the population of your 1st wave of bases (assuming no garrisons or other psych). Another boon is that it makes achieving Golden Ages a lot simpler (or possible). So consider taking a break in your expansion, build up the bases you already have a bit, and grab the HGP if possible.

[WhiteElephants]

I'm kind of confused by your question, but I'll try to give it a crack.

If drones are your problem just rush build a scout first to quell the drone or you could always rush build a rec commons. Another option you have is to change to Demo in order to raise you efficency, or Green for that matter, allowing you to build more bases before you hit your warning. I don't reccomend going too far over the bueracracy warning early in the game. Wait till later when you have more drone quelling options available.

[Sindai]

You forgot the Planetary Transit System....

[Lord Maxwell]

Well, if you have drone problems under FM then you are probably big enough to rush build a rec commons. Do not run Demo while you thin expand, you really, really need those initial ten minerals.

And with the drone control wonders you should easily be able to get to about 50 bases on a huge map without too much hassle. (If you got the cash and VW rush build res labs. Otherwise rec commons.)

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

M@ni@c,

Let me see if I understand the crux of your question. You wish to continue thin expansion by rush builds of either a facility such as rec tanks or a former at times past efficiency warning.

This means:
A) free 10 mins is critical for thin expansion so normally no Demo to improve efficiency (except for Miriam with +2 support)
b) Wasting the free 10 mins on a unit for police or a rec commons defeats the purpose of thin expansion
c) In order to afford the significant energy for rush buys a high econ is normally needed such as FM but at the expense of ability to use a police unit.
d) Other SE choices such as planned or police make energy output less and efficiency that much worse hence early drone issues.
e) Use of green stimies base growth.

What to do what to do.

Normally I never run Demo until I want to pop boom. In fact a switch to Demo normally marks the end of my horizontal expansion era throughbase founding. Perahsp a few odd bases but not to the extent pre Demo.

I'll typically run FM if left alone and live with poor drone issues if no HGP then first citizen often time is a doctor and rush the rec tank. Next is rec commons that can be rushed after 4-5 turns or if worms are about a trance unit. Then allow the base to grow normally. After rec commons either a former or crawler and then crawlers (either at that base or from neighboring bases) until at least 10 min output.

Certain factions are better suited for horizontal growth sans any facilities or SPs or police.

Dee -+2 eff
Lal - Extra talent
Domai - Minus one drone
Miriam - Switch to Demo and still have 0 support rating whilst gaining benefit of +2 growth and +2 eff.
Aki - +2 eff OTOH negative growth makes pods ready normally before base hits size 2.

Realistically I think Firaxis did a pretty good job of finding a means to curtail the ICS through agressive drone issues. Were it not for the imposed game restrictions the game would be severely unbalanced in favor of ICSers vs. traditional builders.

[Maniac]

Thanks for the tips! They were very helpful, especially the last one. I'll try them in my next Velocyrix-inspired game.