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Author Topic:   Macroman Goes Micro!!!!!!!!

Resource Consumer posted 06-25-99 07:20 AM ET
OK. A confession.
Last night, I played a game operating all formers manually and.....
I loved it and ran a much better empire.
I am converted.
So, to all those put there who said I was wrong and lazy. You were right on the first count but, paradoxically, are now less so on the second. I stand corrected and am now a micromanager.
Resource Consumer
- eating humble pie but preparing bid for pie shop franchise -

Series II posted 06-25-99 08:34 AM ET
I alwasy set 2 formers to automatically remove fungus and 2 to automatically build sensors. IMHO the computer does this pretty well.
Resource Consumer posted 06-25-99 08:43 AM ET
Yes. I agree.
It's a bit like civ2 where you had the automated settlers at the end of the game ready to stamp on pollution. Very useful.
A question arises - if you set 2 formers on the one job does it take half the time (a la Civ 2). My impression here is that you don't gain anything in SMAC.
Series II posted 06-25-99 08:56 AM ET
Most of the time the formers will be working different squares. SO time is normal. ONce most of the fungus is gone or most of the sensors are up that the formers tend to pair/gang up and terraform time IS halfed.
I have also seen my automatic formers 'pair up' after one has started an action. I.E. former 1 is 2 turns into removing fungus and former 2 comes along and helps out. Total former time is 3 turns (WP secret project).
While on that subject you do not have to start formers on an action at the same time. You can start a borehole (16 turns) and add formers to reduce the time while the first is working ont it.
Resource Consumer posted 06-25-99 09:00 AM ET
I stand corrected.
Great. 24 turns for a borehole (excl WP) is too long. This really cheers me up.
Resource Consumer
- off to manage his micros -
Plato90s posted 06-25-99 09:59 AM ET
The micromanagement of formers gets really fun when you are into the end-game stage. This is when you've got over 50 superformers in your empire and have them grouped into team of 6-8 each. With that many formers, you can twist Planet like a pretzel.
Want to raise terrain and add a river? Put a dozen formers on it and it's done in a single turn.
New base? Construct an extension of your mag-rail network to the new city in a single turn.
Fungus just ate one of you squares? Clear the funugs, put soil enricher and solar collector back into the square in a single turn.
Need more energy? Drill a borehole in a single turn by putting 6 superformers on the job.
Micromanaging superformers are what takes up most of my time in the end-game stage. Optimize productivity of the land.
Provost Harrison posted 06-25-99 10:09 AM ET
50 Formers? I have HUGE numbers of fungicidal super formers, on speeder chassis. Very effective. usually around 200. You can get huge amounts of work done very fast. It was one of my major civ strategies applied to SMAC.
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Author	Topic: Macroman Goes Micro!!!!!!!!
Resource Consumer	posted 06-25-99 07:20 AM ET OK. A confession. Last night, I played a game operating all formers manually and..... I loved it and ran a much better empire. I am converted. So, to all those put there who said I was wrong and lazy. You were right on the first count but, paradoxically, are now less so on the second. I stand corrected and am now a micromanager. Resource Consumer - eating humble pie but preparing bid for pie shop franchise -
Series II	posted 06-25-99 08:34 AM ET I alwasy set 2 formers to automatically remove fungus and 2 to automatically build sensors. IMHO the computer does this pretty well.
Resource Consumer	posted 06-25-99 08:43 AM ET Yes. I agree. It's a bit like civ2 where you had the automated settlers at the end of the game ready to stamp on pollution. Very useful. A question arises - if you set 2 formers on the one job does it take half the time (a la Civ 2). My impression here is that you don't gain anything in SMAC.
Series II	posted 06-25-99 08:56 AM ET Most of the time the formers will be working different squares. SO time is normal. ONce most of the fungus is gone or most of the sensors are up that the formers tend to pair/gang up and terraform time IS halfed. I have also seen my automatic formers 'pair up' after one has started an action. I.E. former 1 is 2 turns into removing fungus and former 2 comes along and helps out. Total former time is 3 turns (WP secret project). While on that subject you do not have to start formers on an action at the same time. You can start a borehole (16 turns) and add formers to reduce the time while the first is working ont it.
Resource Consumer	posted 06-25-99 09:00 AM ET I stand corrected. Great. 24 turns for a borehole (excl WP) is too long. This really cheers me up. Resource Consumer - off to manage his micros -
Plato90s	posted 06-25-99 09:59 AM ET The micromanagement of formers gets really fun when you are into the end-game stage. This is when you've got over 50 superformers in your empire and have them grouped into team of 6-8 each. With that many formers, you can twist Planet like a pretzel. Want to raise terrain and add a river? Put a dozen formers on it and it's done in a single turn. New base? Construct an extension of your mag-rail network to the new city in a single turn. Fungus just ate one of you squares? Clear the funugs, put soil enricher and solar collector back into the square in a single turn. Need more energy? Drill a borehole in a single turn by putting 6 superformers on the job. Micromanaging superformers are what takes up most of my time in the end-game stage. Optimize productivity of the land.
Provost Harrison	posted 06-25-99 10:09 AM ET 50 Formers? I have HUGE numbers of fungicidal super formers, on speeder chassis. Very effective. usually around 200. You can get huge amounts of work done very fast. It was one of my major civ strategies applied to SMAC.