Tackling a new turn , around mid to late game

[SativaX]

I am wondering how veteran players tackle a new turn once things are getting overwhelming.


Is there a common order to do stuff in order to minimize stuff you could forget or do you guys just go by the feeling of what needs to be done first ?

i usually try to fix what is obvious ( growth problems and riots ) then i move on to customizing and terraforming and at last i move all the military stuff, unless some pressing issues require military attention at the beginning of turn.

A good format on how to proceed would be welcome however , as my technique tends to get very poor when i have 30+ bases.

[The Mad Monk]

Make sure you take full advatage of the build queues -- just be sure to look at queue you're loading, since when you're really cooking they can go obsolete pretty damn fast.

I usually just move units as the computer hands them to me, since it's usually pretty good at not randomly jumping around the map when I'm doing former work.

Automate formers, but take care when determining what you will and will not let them do. Often I'll let the spares off on their own to remove as much fungus and plant as much forest as they like -- and nothing else.

[The Mad Monk]

Letting them raise/ lower terrain can be a recipe for disaster.

[SativaX]

Ok , i rarely use build queues, i prefer hand picking what i need to be built , unless its a conquered base then i queue the usual stuff in them

r-tanks, creche, drone stuff


as far as formers go, i hate how weak they are on auto

only time i automate them is once i get mag tubes, since i made roads myself they usually are smart enough to put tubes on them rather than create their own. After reading here about how bad the AI is at tforming i figured letting my formers on auto would produce nothing better.

I guess i need a couple tips on how combat works also , like is it worht it to workshop stuff with best armor AND weapon at once on the same chassis or do you like put best weapon on offensive based units and best armor on garrisons ect ?

Also what are your toughts on auto workshop, the AI seems to prune stuff i would still find useful and auto upgrades in a funky way , he often misses good parts on possible units , especially when it comes to special slots 1 and 2.

other questions on the workshop, im not sure but once i render something obsolote or delete , it seems to take off all those i have on my map that are already built also , i find this rather annoying considering i tought it was only delete or obsolete in the sense that they cannot be built anymore in the workshop.

Also upgrading , im not sure how this works, the choices i have once i choose upgrade , they rarely are what i need, for them to be there do i need like to produce at least one of such units with workshop ect ? and upgrade seems to cost a whole lot more before prototyping right ?

i know lots of questions at once but im on a boost I wish to tackle librarian/thinker level on my next game and i plan to do so with a good advance

Just messed the AI big time on talent level so i guess im ready thanks to all of you

[Enigma_Nova]

Better use the design workshop yourself.

You can design pretty much anything.
There's a preference that causes the CPU to design units.
Don't use it.
Automatically upgrading is fine, though.
In the design workshop, make something them click apply.
You can also select a design and click the upgrade button, if you feel you have something to upgrade (and a prototype is built).

Pressing 'obsolete' takes that unit out of the build window but the units still mill about the map somewhere.
Pressing 'retire' makes all units disappear. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

[The Mad Monk]

I've be wondering...until what circumstances did the designers think that 'retire' would be a good idea?

[Flubber]

If I am seriously playing I micromanage everything-- This means that at least every 5 years ( and probably every second year) I will visit EVERY base I have and look at everything. If I am playing diligently I will never face drone riots as I will either figure the drone situation out after some imminent growth or I will just make a few more folks specialists for a turn or two

The reality though is that I sometimes get lazy and am not as diligent as I should be---

Formers-- I NEVER NEVER NEVER automate them. Even if they did reasonable things, they would not be doing the things necessary for my plans. If I am thinking to condensor/farm a few tiles at each base to crawl and then boom my bases from size 7 to size 14, former usage will be a HUGE part of that.

[Barinthus]

Agreed, Flubber. I never automate anything - formers, governers, settlers, cities, whatever. Only one time I actually automated anything would be this Super Nintendo game Romance of Three Kingdoms III way back then.

I pretty much visit a base whenever they create something. It's a bit lazy I know. Not automating does slow down my game - I probably do 10 game turns in a hour of real time during mid-game.

[Bella Hella]

i don't usually automate formers either, except to build mag tubes and sensors (i always forget sensors). i never thought of setting them up to only plant forest, but i think that's a good idea.

this is really, really basic, but i like to hit F4 to get a view of all my bases, their garrisons and what they're building. then i sort them by garrison to see if i need to make more defensive units; by mineral production to see who would be best at making secret projects or mineral intensive stuff; by infrastructure to see who needs more facilities, etc.

i'm mixed when it comes to the build queue. it's a good tool and i DO use it, but sometimes i find bases producing obsolete units, or working on a facility they don't need right away, when they could be making something more useful. sometimes a crawler, former or defensive unit will get destroyed and i'll forget to make another one. and then i'll see worms coming to attack a base that's only defended by a lousy probe team. whoops. it's totally my error, but i'm only human!

i like setting the game to zoom-to-base whenever the base builds ANYTHING. then i can take a look at it directly to see what they should do next.

[Sarxis]

Sometimes I just don't worry too much about every base later in the game. Yes, its not a perfectionist way to play, but vs. the AI its not that important that everything is working optimally.

[Enigma_Nova]

Yeah, I just won a Transcend game without a SINGLE former or crawler.

You can bet I laughed a lot after finishing that game.