Lots of Pods - Techs or SPs?

[EternalSpark]

I had a little situation in my game last night, that I wasn't 100% sure what to do.

I had gotten extremely lucky on pod-popping, and I had around 6 or 7 alien artifacts comming into my base. I was researching Pre-sentient algorithms, and I strongly felt I needed the HSA. My custom faction I'm toying with was running -3 probe after Knowledge, and I wanted it. Santiago was actually building, and attemptiong to use, probe teams, so I was worried.

Oh, and did I mention that I was worried that Zaky was researching it too? He was too far away to make a probe team and slow him down, for the record.

So, back to the alien artifacts. Is it wiser, typically, to use alien artifacts to get the Technology You Need To Get That SP, or wait for the SP itself, and speed its construction time?

[Flubber]

You are pretty far advanced so my advice

1. use crawlers to build the HSA
2. steal or trade for every tech that anyone has that you do not
3. Then cash all your AAs for tech and ride your tech lead to victory

[Natalinasmpf]

I usually prefer to divert them to secret projects. The thing is, usually I manage to already have the techs for the secret projects I would want..and often cashing them in for technology is a dissapointment. I usually like to get them to going somewhere sturdy which I can direct.

[Chaunk]

At HSA stage, a tech is far important than 50min. 6 AAs could build the HSA, but you've got a shot at fusion with 6 AA's. Use crawlers to build the projects and as Flubber says "cash all your AAs for tech and ride your tech lead to victory"

Sure you might get a few duff techs (Projenator Psych anyone?) but it's a tech you didn't need to research and the increased tech cost will be nothing compared to the tech saved by not having to research the tech.

[Natalinasmpf]

If one's research rate is already quite good, I'd still prefer to cash in for minerals. Techs are nothing if one cannot apply them immediately. Also I think he's describing something considerably before the HSA.

If of course, the project is already started by someone else, I would go the tech route to make sure I at least get some chance to finish HSA before that player does.

(AS Svensgaard, Progenitor Psych is important to me )

300 minerals all at once is significant, because I can free up those 10-20 turns at my best minerals base to get on to the next project. Or to produce reinforcements ASAP to a weakening frontline.

[redazncommieDXP]

or do as i do- have military units in pairs constantly rooting around for probe teams where you think she's gonna hit, and blow them to hell as soon as you spot them. then worry about the tech and build the hsa with supply.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf

300 minerals all at once is significant, because I can free up those 10-20 turns at my best minerals base to get on to the next project. Or to produce reinforcements ASAP to a weakening frontline.

Is it a self- handicap that you just don't build 3 crawlers-- ( 1 turn each at your best mineral base I hope) and then upgrade them

[Snowflake]

If he's far from HSA then he should have enough time to build all the crawlers to cash in for the tech. Definitely use the 6 AAs to get the tech he needs for the SP.

[Natalinasmpf]

Or perhaps we can go the "steady release" option....we unleash the pods at critical moments for tech...so we really don't overescalate the tech cost.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by redazncommieDXP
or do as i do- have military units in pairs constantly rooting around for probe teams where you think she's gonna hit, and blow them to hell as soon as you spot them. then worry about the tech and build the hsa with supply.

Ai probes should be little threat if you have a minimum of probe defenses up-- The HSA is a nice bonus and allows you to unstack units more often but it hardly seems like a key acquisition when only facing AI opposition

[Natalinasmpf]

Have you ever played against Morgan?

Just when you think you've broken the backbone of resistance and held the most strategic city yet....

Probe team enters city, duels with other probe team. Loses. (Wealth kind of sucks this way, doesn't it ;-) ) Second probe team comes in, finishes off the probe team garrison. Third probe team brings down children's creche. Fourth brings down hologram theatre. Fifth incites riot. Riot starts. (This seems to reduce the conversion cost by a lot) Sixth MIND CONTROLS THE CITY.

Thats six probe teams, by the AI, on one city, in one turn. And I lost a significant foothold. Eek!

[EternalSpark]

Update - In the time it took to get the AAs from my borders to my bases, I had finished researching Algorisms. Started the HSA, used some spare crawlers I had around that I built before, and rushed the rest of it.

After realizing I didnt have Nodes in a lot of bases, I built them up and used the AAs to get to a couple things after Fusion. Silksteel, I think, is my last finished tech.

Not sure how I want to play this game. Behind Sparta lies Gaian territory, and behind them Lal sits on a little island. Yang is on a postage stamp of an island, but is making water bases along the coast of the giant landmass that Zak has used about 5% of.

Oddly enough, Santiago seems willing to send probe units over and attempt to take over my units near our border. Either she's trying to take em over, or the AI is simply trying to get to my bases, and the pathfinding considers my unit space to be a key one.

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf
If one's research rate is already quite good, I'd still prefer to cash in for minerals.

I get techs, around, 10 a turn, which is the best out of all 7 right now. It'll go higher when my "energy park" thing is more done. FIrst time I'm trying it.

Also I think he's describing something considerably before the HSA.

Nope, HSA-era. But the tech-versus-SP thing is a general, non-specific question.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf
Have you ever played against Morgan?

I have been around this game a loooong time-- I have played everybody

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf


Just when you think you've broken the backbone of resistance and held the most strategic city yet....

Probe team enters city, duels with other probe team. Loses. (Wealth kind of sucks this way, doesn't it ;-) ) Second probe team comes in, finishes off the probe team garrison. Third probe team brings down children's creche. Fourth brings down hologram theatre. Fifth incites riot. Riot starts. (This seems to reduce the conversion cost by a lot) Sixth MIND CONTROLS THE CITY.

Thats six probe teams, by the AI, on one city, in one turn. And I lost a significant foothold. Eek!

My question would be why the heck you allowed an enemy to have 6 probe teams in range of your base??

If you have your enemy infiltrated (and IMHO you better if you are attacking them), you knew that there were 6 probe teams somewhere. I would have hunted and hunted them to ensure they were blocked or killed. I often forgo capturing a base for a turn or two if there is a probe risk until I can secure the area

[Natalinasmpf]

Rhetorical question.

My question would be why the heck you allowed an enemy to have 6 probe teams in range of your base??

Because they came from the other side of the continent.

1. My troops were recovering from a fight.

2. My air force was recovering as well.

3. The probe teams came from the others side of the continent.

4. The last thing...mag tubes!!!!

I later got sick of it and tried to demolish all mag tubes in sight.

[smacksim]

It sounds like you are having a fun game. That's all that matters. Here are some proposals to keep it fun.

Proposal: Go back and let someone else build the HSA, then invade and take it Can be a lot of fun when you can't probe them.

Proposal: Save all AA's till the end of the game for future techs, right before transcending. This give the AI some chance, and gives you a nice proud 'And I didn't even use 'em' score bonus.

Proposal: Let the AI keep on the same tech level as you, so they fight each other while you amass a gargantuan empire. Then switch to research and fly past 'em, or subject them and use them as tech slaves.

Proposal: Don't use the crawler-upgrade-cash-in trick. Ever. The AI doesn't, so it's minor-league cheating in my book. For that matter, try a game without crawlers at all. Fun Fun.

Proposal: Do whatever keeps the game challenging and fun, rather than what might be the best strategy.