Problems on Transcend

[Fazdaar]

I'm having problems starting on transcend difficulty. I usually gun for Secrets, then go for Industrial Automation. Once I get access to FM, I switch right too it, since it usually lowers my tech research time by 4-5 turns. However, once I do that, my bases keep getting drone riots once they grow to size 2, which lenghtens the time to build colony pods by at least 1 turn. Is it just impossible to switch to FM that quickly, or is there something I can do to fix this?

Also, I have trouble getting the important secret projects before other factions. I try to build colony pods as long as possible, then switch my high mineral bases to SP's once the AI starts working on them. But once I do this, my cp production drops off and I can't seem to keep up population wise with the AI. I can't let the WP or HGP slip away, but I can never seem to get them built before the AI. How can I finish these SP's first?

[vitamin j]

I may be in the minority, but I try to stay out of free market early, especially when trying to build projects. Planned gives 10% off minerals, which is a nice chunk when your mineral production is low. It also speeds your growth. Add Wealth for another 10% off and you're more competitive with the AI at Transcend, which pays 30% less minerals than you before social engineering is considered. If I plan for a base to build a project I try to get rec tanks built asap, make sure the base isn't paying any minerals in support, and have enough forests for the workers. I might limit myself to one or even no colony pods made by that base. Both nutrient and mineral bonus squares are very useful for early project building. If you wait until crawlers to start your projects, you're probably waiting too long. Once crawlers arrive most if not all your bases should be making them if you're serious about snagging the project. I don't know about most people, but I can count on one hand the games where I got ALL the projects. I can usually get most of the ones I want in the early game. Sometimes, especially before crawlers, disbanding units in the project-building base is a must. Formers, probe teams, or whatever you have available will work. Also, alien artifacts are worth 50 minerals and can really give you the edge you need. Hope that helps.

[Static Universe]

You have to plan ahead on building SPs. You can't crank out only colony pods in FM then immediately switch to an SP in one of your bases and not expect to have problems. It sounds like you have no infrastruture. At least put a rec commons in the base to absorb the drones you'll get from the low police rating after the base grows.

I usually pick at least two bases and start building them up with at least a rec tanks and a rec commons. Then I start my SPs.

Don't wait until the AI starts building them either. That's probably too late.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Fazdar,

What faction are you normally playing?

Firstly , this is only my style and may not coincide with others... but, SotHB I feel is a bit of a trap. It is a decoy tech in as much as if you are really trying the builder route and not the green army approach it delays your ability to get to IA.

Depednign on the faction you choose, you can either decide to go Planned or FM. I personally prefer FM.

My tech beelines are almost always centauri ecology first and then beeline to IA. I decide to forgoe SotHB until after IA.

First SE change normally is to wealth, second SE change is to FM (this especially is true for Zak as he can gain IA by 2115ish. Normally Zak doesn't have the energy credits to immediately switch to FM by the time he discovers it and just gets enough credits by the time Wealth is available.)

OTOH Morgan plays completely different and follows a slightly different beeline as well as SE change order (FM first then wealth)

I'm assuming you are using the upgrade crawler gambit to gain SP's quickly and you still get beat in the rush to get WP or HGP on a consistant basis. Hmmmm..... I'ld work on speeding your aquistion of IA and first base placements prior to B-drone warning.

[spartak]

What is the upgrade crawler gambit?

[Clear Skies]

I've never used Free Market in my life, and I've managed Transcend wins before now...

[Fazdaar]

Ok, thanks for the advice everyone, I'm starting to get those SP's first now. That mineral bonus from planned really helps. BTW, I'm playing Zak.

[waab]

I must say as Clear Skies, FM is not my chaoice and I have no problem. at Transcend

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I truly am surprised at the amount of folks that don't use FM.

Crawler upgrade gambit for SP aquisition makes use of energy far superior IMHO than Planned's industry bonus and hence my affinity for FM.

Crawler upgrade is simply using the workshop to equip crawlers with armor and specials, upgrading the crawler and then cashing it in at the base for mucho mins.

The problem I have with prolonged periods of planned other than for pop booming purposes is the dreadful effect it has on energy and particularly research. Planned can be helpful in the early game to pump colony pods and or provide some assistance in getting rudimentary infrastructure (i.e. infrastructure with little to no maintenance costs) but you rapidly find yourself strapped for cash and lagging in research if in it too long (excluding pop booming of course).

OTOH if you are Dee, planned is great. Make your cash hunting worms and take advantage of the industry bonus for cheap rush costs.

[spartak]

Thankx - I must try that...

[Datajack Franit]

My, avoid Free Market as plague and focus on ecology if you don't want to be invaded by hordes of worms

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Ahhh yes the 8th faction.

FM is not so bad to run when facing planet. On defense against native planet rating is meaningless. So when defending a base an elite trance unit is just as effective whether your planet rating is +3 as it is when it is -3.

As for eco damage that occurs when running FM, heck you want it. You crave it. Force the early fungal pop so you can start building tree farms and the like to raise your eco damage free mineral count.

The biggest drawback I see 'gainst FM is the whopping -5 police. In the early game if you run FM this in effect means you have to turtle. Save independent units, you are very unlikely to go meet and greet other factions and/or play pod lotto unless you really relish drone riots.

OTOH if you play builder, FM is a great early gov. choice.

[Capt Dizle]

In my latest fast transcend I went FM asap and never left. In the beginning you are going to keep the bases very small and just build colony pods. Beeline to IA and build crawlers to rush HGP and PTS both of which help your drone problem. If playing Uni then get the VW. Use independent units and probes to get out and pop pods.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Yep.

Thats pretty much my recipe for fast starts as well, JT. The key is the decision if and when to break from colony pod pumping to building infrastructure.

Byron preferred strictly pumping pods. Boring if you ask me. OTOH rushing infrastructure too early is a no no as well.

Extremely potent when one considers SMAX and Planetary Energy Guild SP.

[CEO Aaron]

Faz, get FM earlier, not later, and pay better attention to your population growth. Ogie's right, Secrets aren't worth it. If you're rushing to IA, spending 3 techs to get 1 free tech is sacrificing turn advantage, plain and simple. Obviously your beeline will vary depending on which faction you play, but assuming you play Zak, and your tech rate is 3 turns, if you beeline straight to IA, you can get there in 5 techs, or 15 turns. If you take a side trip to grap SotHB, you're spending another 9 turns before you can start cranking out crawlers to boost your mineral production, MINIMUM.

If someone else really wants to grab Secrets before you, they may have the tech advantage for a few turns, but rest assured, they will not keep it. Your superior production capacity, thanks to crawlers and wealth, will allow you to steamroll by them, building more bases and more facilities.

[Xian]

I play transcend all the time now and never use FM - even if you WANT to be invaded by hordes of worms (for the clean mineral bonuses etc.) you can always build mines and trigger them on purpose