Supply Crawlers - Alpha Centauri Forums

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  The Game
  Supply Crawlers

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   Supply Crawlers

pcgamez posted 02-15-99 10:44 AM ET
Can someone explane what exactly Supply Crawlers do?
RobKid posted 02-15-99 10:50 AM ET
Essentially they move resources around. If you build one and send it to an unworked sqare on the map and hit "O" (I think), it transfers the resources from that square back to its base. If you take it to another base, it transfers resources, but I can't remember offhand which way. Check the datalinks or the manual.
Dick Knisely posted 02-15-99 10:57 AM ET
Supply crawlers are a very handy way to break out of the limits of the base's 'foot print'. Build a couple and turn them loose to pump up food or minerals or energy beyond that which the base can otherwise produce. Especially handy way to make use of a special resource square that popped up during the game that happens to be in a square not covered by a base.
Cyberduck posted 02-15-99 05:39 PM ET
Supply crawlers are GREAT! I got myself out of quite few jams by deploying the crawlers.
Also, Supply Crawlers work like caravans in Civ II. You can use them to speed up production of a Secret Project. But you only get something like 25-30 points per crawler. That might change with higher powered reactors, I haven't checked yet.
Audrey Two posted 02-15-99 05:46 PM ET
I believe the supply crawler contributes its full resource cost to the secret project. Want to contribute more? Build another supply crawler.
I haven't tested it, but I suppose this means you could build a needlejet supply ship to send more resources-- that would mean the supply ship got to the secret project site that much faster.
--A2
Sarkyn posted 02-15-99 06:32 PM ET
Woah! Hang on, has anyone tested this theory about supply crawlers? I use them very effectively to "rush" Secret Projects. In your best established area, one city builds the project, and the others ALL build Supply Crawlers and you can reduce the time taken to build a project by more than half!
If its true that they contribute their ENTIRE building cost, then Armoured Supply Pods with Expensive (redundant) special abilities would contribute 10 times as much as your generic "roll em out" Supply crawler.
They would take longer to build each, but if the Secret Project had just begun or if you stashed some spare "Project Worker" units around which were very expensive, you could get a Project from scratch to complete in a turn or two!
Can someone confirm what exactly supply crawlers contribute to a project?
Kedryn posted 02-15-99 07:00 PM ET
I just make Rover Supply Crawlers for projects. They build in an almost reasonable time, get there faster and contribute more.
Antiam posted 02-15-99 11:56 PM ET
Besides, it doesn't really matter how much each crawler supplies. If it takes 10 turns to build a 50 resource unit gravship supply ship or 10 to build two 25 unit basic crawlers you don't get any advantage. And if you build the small one you won't lose a lot of minerals if you suddenly have to pump out another air superiority needlejet.
Antiam
PersonaNonGrata posted 02-16-99 12:12 AM ET
Ahem..
Supply Crawlers. They work by sending one resource from one city (home city, or supported city) to another OR they go into another resource square and grab that resource for that home/supported city.
The resources are calculated in terms of what the resource square offers. If it's a river that normally gives 2 energy credits, expect the same for your crawler. I do believe it keeps getting resources til infinity (or the game ends)
You can't make needlejet supply crawler. It doesn't seem to work. Nor can you make needlejet colony pods or needlejet probe teams. I haven't tried gravship supply crawler (sounds like a huge waste of money)
One of the ways I use them is to help cities which suffer shortfalls tide them through by pulling in resources from elsewhere. Another way is to help new cities grow by getting resorces while I can only work one square with one citizen.
Xentropy posted 02-16-99 12:16 AM ET
a seconary effect of supply crawlers, though, is they contribute full cost to a secret project when disbanded, instead of the usual half regained from a disbanded unit...
Andrew Kasantsev posted 02-16-99 12:20 AM ET
PersonaNonGrata:
Hmm, I HAD maked needlejet colony pods (and drop colony/formsers) alot, and gravship suppliers at last stages of game. It is really possible and sometime is neccesary. Suppliers were used for secret project only though, so I cannot tell, would they gather resources from land...
PrinceBimz posted 02-16-99 04:34 AM ET
I build a fleet of 3 supply ships and sent them to an area of kelps in the ocean far away from their base. Once there, I had them convoy the nutrients back to the base which was 9 additional a year and kept the base from starving any further. But these ships were unescorted and were attacked sunk by aircraft only after a few turns of getting the nutrients to the base. Placing a few combat ships near them on "alert" will help keep them out of trouble and your convoyed resources coming in.
Ender4000 posted 02-16-99 07:54 AM ET
supply crawlers are great for taking out enemy islands as well. Take 1 base on the enemy island, load it up with supply crawlers from your main island. Transfer minerals from all your cities, produce military units a lot faster than you could normall. Use these units to take the other cities on the island. They are also great for making new cities grow faster by sending lots of extra food to them.
CumuloNimbus posted 02-16-99 09:06 AM ET
I have a question. What tech do you need to get crawlers in the first place?
Aub posted 02-16-99 03:03 PM ET
Has anyone tried to supply ALL food and production to a city via crawlers and turn all citizens into thinkers?
Seems like a fun strategy for me. Imagine UoP with ONLY ONE huge city, totally devoted to research, and a guarded army of crawlers supplying tons to resources to them. Is't it the researcher's paradise?
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


Hop to:

Contact Us | Alpha Centauri Home

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.18
© Madrona Park, Inc., 1998.

Author	Topic: Supply Crawlers
pcgamez	posted 02-15-99 10:44 AM ET Can someone explane what exactly Supply Crawlers do?
RobKid	posted 02-15-99 10:50 AM ET Essentially they move resources around. If you build one and send it to an unworked sqare on the map and hit "O" (I think), it transfers the resources from that square back to its base. If you take it to another base, it transfers resources, but I can't remember offhand which way. Check the datalinks or the manual.
Dick Knisely	posted 02-15-99 10:57 AM ET Supply crawlers are a very handy way to break out of the limits of the base's 'foot print'. Build a couple and turn them loose to pump up food or minerals or energy beyond that which the base can otherwise produce. Especially handy way to make use of a special resource square that popped up during the game that happens to be in a square not covered by a base.
Cyberduck	posted 02-15-99 05:39 PM ET Supply crawlers are GREAT! I got myself out of quite few jams by deploying the crawlers. Also, Supply Crawlers work like caravans in Civ II. You can use them to speed up production of a Secret Project. But you only get something like 25-30 points per crawler. That might change with higher powered reactors, I haven't checked yet.
Audrey Two	posted 02-15-99 05:46 PM ET I believe the supply crawler contributes its full resource cost to the secret project. Want to contribute more? Build another supply crawler. I haven't tested it, but I suppose this means you could build a needlejet supply ship to send more resources-- that would mean the supply ship got to the secret project site that much faster. --A2
Sarkyn	posted 02-15-99 06:32 PM ET Woah! Hang on, has anyone tested this theory about supply crawlers? I use them very effectively to "rush" Secret Projects. In your best established area, one city builds the project, and the others ALL build Supply Crawlers and you can reduce the time taken to build a project by more than half! If its true that they contribute their ENTIRE building cost, then Armoured Supply Pods with Expensive (redundant) special abilities would contribute 10 times as much as your generic "roll em out" Supply crawler. They would take longer to build each, but if the Secret Project had just begun or if you stashed some spare "Project Worker" units around which were very expensive, you could get a Project from scratch to complete in a turn or two! Can someone confirm what exactly supply crawlers contribute to a project?
Kedryn	posted 02-15-99 07:00 PM ET I just make Rover Supply Crawlers for projects. They build in an almost reasonable time, get there faster and contribute more.
Antiam	posted 02-15-99 11:56 PM ET Besides, it doesn't really matter how much each crawler supplies. If it takes 10 turns to build a 50 resource unit gravship supply ship or 10 to build two 25 unit basic crawlers you don't get any advantage. And if you build the small one you won't lose a lot of minerals if you suddenly have to pump out another air superiority needlejet. Antiam
PersonaNonGrata	posted 02-16-99 12:12 AM ET Ahem.. Supply Crawlers. They work by sending one resource from one city (home city, or supported city) to another OR they go into another resource square and grab that resource for that home/supported city. The resources are calculated in terms of what the resource square offers. If it's a river that normally gives 2 energy credits, expect the same for your crawler. I do believe it keeps getting resources til infinity (or the game ends) You can't make needlejet supply crawler. It doesn't seem to work. Nor can you make needlejet colony pods or needlejet probe teams. I haven't tried gravship supply crawler (sounds like a huge waste of money) One of the ways I use them is to help cities which suffer shortfalls tide them through by pulling in resources from elsewhere. Another way is to help new cities grow by getting resorces while I can only work one square with one citizen.
Xentropy	posted 02-16-99 12:16 AM ET a seconary effect of supply crawlers, though, is they contribute full cost to a secret project when disbanded, instead of the usual half regained from a disbanded unit...
Andrew Kasantsev	posted 02-16-99 12:20 AM ET PersonaNonGrata: Hmm, I HAD maked needlejet colony pods (and drop colony/formsers) alot, and gravship suppliers at last stages of game. It is really possible and sometime is neccesary. Suppliers were used for secret project only though, so I cannot tell, would they gather resources from land...
PrinceBimz	posted 02-16-99 04:34 AM ET I build a fleet of 3 supply ships and sent them to an area of kelps in the ocean far away from their base. Once there, I had them convoy the nutrients back to the base which was 9 additional a year and kept the base from starving any further. But these ships were unescorted and were attacked sunk by aircraft only after a few turns of getting the nutrients to the base. Placing a few combat ships near them on "alert" will help keep them out of trouble and your convoyed resources coming in.
Ender4000	posted 02-16-99 07:54 AM ET supply crawlers are great for taking out enemy islands as well. Take 1 base on the enemy island, load it up with supply crawlers from your main island. Transfer minerals from all your cities, produce military units a lot faster than you could normall. Use these units to take the other cities on the island. They are also great for making new cities grow faster by sending lots of extra food to them.
CumuloNimbus	posted 02-16-99 09:06 AM ET I have a question. What tech do you need to get crawlers in the first place?
Aub	posted 02-16-99 03:03 PM ET Has anyone tried to supply ALL food and production to a city via crawlers and turn all citizens into thinkers? Seems like a fun strategy for me. Imagine UoP with ONLY ONE huge city, totally devoted to research, and a guarded army of crawlers supplying tons to resources to them. Is't it the researcher's paradise?