Base tiles

[johndmuller]

The terrain does have an effect on the amount of movement points expended by units entering the base without benefit of a road or river; not a big deal, but if (and I think it is at least possible) the underlying terrain becomes fungus, it could stop an infantry unit from getting in.

The underlying terrain can also become 'rocky' sometimes via having its level raised/lowered due to sea level changes or cascading elevation changes from adjacent tiles. I don't know if there are any defensive implications.

Sensors under construction will definitely not complete if a base is placed on the site before they finish (the formers activate, I believe).

Resource specials convey their usual +2 to the base production. Often it is better to develop the special outside the base, but sometimes it seems better to incorporate a special into the base tile (particularly if it is not too developable, like a sea min special or if you are in a hurry to crank up the base, even at the expense of ultimate productivity).

[Flubber]

Originally posted by johndmuller
Sensors under construction will definitely not complete if a base is placed on the site before they finish (the formers activate, I believe).

Thats what I thought although the sensor will appear if it is completed in the same turn the base is planted IIRC. IF this was not the case, you could just press w ("wait") on the colony to ensure the sensor was completed before planting the base

[Starfarer]

I can confirm that Forests grow under nearly any conditions. Those are some darn strong trees. They'll even grow over a Thermal Borehole. Won't affect the output one whit, but it's kind of a nice aesthetic touch. It'll also, if I've got my mind in order, grow under Condensors and Mirrors. It will bgrow under bases, and it will 100% certain grow under Collectors and even Mines sometimes. I have yet to see one ever grow under a farm.

Which would be a very, very good thing for Crawlers defending in that particular square, no? They wouldn't stand up to a sustained assault, but it'd prevent someone with Impact Choppers from slaughtering your whole energy park.

In addition, I do not believe Forests confer any bonuses to base defense. And considering my prolific use of Forests nowadays, I'd notice.

Bunkers probably would not for the same reason... as I understand it, base defense does not add to terrain, it overrides it. Sensors still work because that gives a bonus to the base itself, instead of random units in a given square.

In addition, if I have ever seen a base get rocky terrain under it due to terraforming, I have never noticed or paid attention, as it seemed to have zero effect on the base itself. Though I must admit, the advantages of a Forested or Rocky base square with an unkillable Sensor are not lost on me... I merely believe they don't count in. At least... they never have in any of my games.

[The Mad Monk]

IIRC, forests do eliminate the production of solar collectors when they grow under them. It's why it's always a good idea to build farms under all collectors, even if you're crawling them.

[Mr. Harley]

I have had a forest grow under a condensor while terraforming the farm and then get +1 nutrients from the forest. I've also tried to emulate that with the scenario editor and failed. I suspect version number, maybe SMAC vs. SMAX are involved. It also could have been the game being it's usual glitchy self.

[Vev]

Forest just refuses to grow into rocky. Rocky squares are a pain, except when combined with min bonus. Also watch out for the 'hidden' rocky sea squares. You know you found one because you realise that it takes 6-8 turns to build a tidal harness instead of 3-4 turn. Otherwise they cannot be detected.

Another fun thing to do is build a Echelon mirror on your future base site.

[Skanky Burns]

I only recently discovered that you could terraform rocky squares into flatter terrain using the _ command. Nifty, to say the least.

[Jamski]

NO! You fools! You can never get new rocky squares! Simply bang a mine+road on them and crawl 4 useful minerals back home. Leveling them takes so many turns...

Mirrors and Condesors add +1 energy or +1 nut to the base square IIRC.

They come too late unless you get the WP though.

-Jam

[Santiago_Claus]

Observations I've made on forests:

Forests are 100% compatible with bunkers and sensors.

Forest will overgrow fungus.

There are terrain features compatible with forest but not the planting of forest: Condensers, E. Mirrors, Boreholes, & Monoliths. When forest grows onto these the results are varied: Forest on Condenser gives the Condenser's bonus to the forest's food output; forest on E. Mirror gives forest value + energy to adjacent solars, and forest on Borehole or Monolith does nothing (except possibly offset eco damage).

Forest will never grow onto rock, water, mines, farms, solars. I don't think it will grow onto bases or volcanoes.

Bases created on forest leave the forest intact and receive a 50% defensive bonus, but I don't believe it is cumulative with Perimeter Def.

Forest can continue to grow on rocky terrain if it was there before the terrain became rocky. I don't know the effects of a volcanic eruption.

Forest is destroyed by submersion, by sea level change "terrain wipe", and by fungus growth. Building any of the following destroys forest with a return of 5 minerals to the home base of the terraformer: Farm, Condenser, Solar, E. Mirror, Mine, Borehole, Fungus. "Destroy Enhancement" unfortunately does not return any minerals.

The only possible "problem" with forests are in the late-game they replace fungus. Forest on E. Mirror is usually desirable, but if not you can always add a farm.

[Vev]

You can get new rocky squares. There is a random chance new rocky squares will appear when the terrain height is changed.

[Method]

the only time I'd ever level something is if it's got a nutrient resource on it. otherwise it's a waste of 4 potential minerals.

[Skanky Burns]

Originally posted by Jamski
NO! You fools! You can never get new rocky squares! Simply bang a mine+road on them and crawl 4 useful minerals back home. Leveling them takes so many turns...

Thats what I do early-game, but mid to end game I like making borehole parks. 1 in every 4 squares unless there is an energy bonus - it will go on that bonus. Then all that energy is crawled back to my base. Energy pwns.
I'll have to test that compared to mass energy-parks though.

These rocky squares I level are away from my bases and crawled for energy - the mineral potential isn't even used.

[Jamski]

Borehole parks are too slow. Slap down solar collectors and mirrors - sure the per-tile-ecs are lower, but the per-turn of terraforming is at least 200% more. B-hole parks are a false economy. Use cheaper specialised terraforming for maximum effiecnecy if you're going to crawl it. Why spend all those extra former-turns to make the tile produce 6 minerals too, if you're not going to use them?

-Jam

[Skanky Burns]

I'm just testing different strategies at the moment. Plus I like the look of a screen completely filled with boreholes.

Besides, terraforming efficency is rather moot in my current game. Each base I own had 4 clean superformers to its name (hover-chassis, psi-8 armour and costs heaps to build) and I have a massive number of bases. I have filled near half the map and I'm playing on the extra-large map size.

I gotta move up in skill level sometime.

[Jamski]

I think so, Skanky That's a ridiculous number of highpowered formers. It must take forever to do your turns

-Jam