Automated Formers

[Ecthy]

I never knew resource convoys can harvest energy?

Could you elaborate a little deeper into that one? I'm afraid most concepts used there are unknown to me, I'm not too regular a player of SMAC

[Mead]

Originally posted by Ecthelion
I never knew resource convoys can harvest energy?

Could you elaborate a little deeper into that one? I'm afraid most concepts used there are unknown to me, I'm not too regular a player of SMAC

Crawlers can harvest nutrients, minerals, or energy.

A decent sized energy park will have dozens of crawlers working the solar cells and echelon mirrors. Often the home city of these crawlers will be the Super Science Center.

You can also use trawlers (crawlers on a sea chassis) to work tidal energy, but I usually do not want my SSC to be near the coast because it is safer in the interior. Additionally, solar cells at high elevation adjacent to an echelon mirror can produce a lot more energy.

Because of the crawlers ability to harvest minerals and energy most people consider the crawler to be one of the most important units in the game.

If I am playing a game where I am not purposely handicapping myself to test a theory I will always use crawlers extensively.

I consider the following units to be among the most powerful or essential units of SMAC:

Colony Pods
Formers
Crawlers
Probe Units
Choppers - once you can make them
'Drop Units' - once you can make them

There are other units are quite useful, such as a few Locusts or occasional sea based units to take care of the sea bases, but the big six above are the ones that really count.


Mead

[HeymlicH]

Originally posted by Mead
Because of the crawlers ability to harvest minerals and energy most people consider the crawler to be one of the most important units in the game.

... and since the AI doesn't use crawlers right some people consider it a cheat

You will probably have more fun playing completely without crawlers (on an easier level, if necessary). However, if you never used crawlers you should at least try it before banning them ...

[Mead]

Originally posted by HeymlicH



... and since the AI doesn't use crawlers right some people consider it a cheat

Yes, it takes longer to win the game if you do not use crawlers.

What else is considered a cheat?

There are several other things I do and know others do that the AI does not.

Are probe foils allowed?

Is rushing a SP (even using units that are not crawlers) a cheat?

Does using the 'drop' feature of your drop units for general mobility verses just an attack a cheat?

How about drop probes, needlejet CPs, and drop CPs (I do not use them because I am afraid that they cause the Terran.exe to occur on my machine); anything 'drop' other than an infantry unit?

How about rushing prototypes (even with units other than crawlers)?

There are some things that I realize are almost certainly cheats, like the SE flip/flop, but I'm not sure of the complete list.

I tend to think that using the crawlers, as they were designed to be used, is not a cheat. Please note that before I learned about crawlers in the forums here, I ignored them and still did well against the AI (the games did take longer to finish). Crawlers are not essential, but are very, very useful.

I will occasionally play without using crawlers as a self-challenge. But, then, often find myself challenged as a result of actions that I have taken and the decisions I have made.


Mead