Plz Help! is this dumb city placement?

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Author Topic:   Plz Help! is this dumb city placement?

Inix posted 07-15-99 08:08 PM ET
When i build cities in this game i generally go for the high ground because i want them to have an advantage in an artillery war and because it makes artillery more potent in any case. Of course it also gives more energy to the solor collectors, but that is a secondary consideration to me. Is placing the highest priority on high ground a bad idea? I am not a civ veteran (i did not play civ at all) and am still trying to win on the talent level, but it seems to me, with the supply crawlers that you can get later on, its not such a big deal to ignore terrain specials and rainfall. However, i would also state that i am not doing extremely well so am begining to wonder if this is a bad idea. It seems like high ground would help alot in wartime, but during the arms race it is something of a hinderance untill you get crawlers. Also, i use the Flexible Starting Locations option. Any general guidlines on how long it is safe too look for a good squat? I like to have a small number of idealy located cities over a teaming mass of homogenous crap, but i realize that thier is a point, especially with that first colony pod (or sometimes 2) that you sorta need to make a base quickly. Advice as to how long it is safe to look would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, for those that would care to reply to it, i have a question about this game in general. Is the effective method of play based around getting as many cities as possible to produce as much as possible i.e. "more is better" or is it also possible to play a smaller elite type empire with fewer but more developed cities i.e. quality over quantity. I generally prefer the later method but if it is an ineffective or much less effective way to play the game, then i will start playing differently. If the quality over quantity method is a viable approch to the game (at even the trancend level) any tips on the factions most suited and least suited to this approch would also be appreciated. Thanx for reading this lengthly post!
Krushala posted 07-15-99 09:21 PM ET
Definately nothing wrong with building on high ground. Energy should always be your #1 consideration. But you should have some cities on the coasts to make naval vessals and it's always nice to buid foil and cruiser probe teams there. But I wouldn't scout around for more than 5 years looking for a spot for your first city. I always build my first city right away. Other people scout a few years.
For starting out numerous cities are fine. Whatever suits your style. But when you get a handle on city micromanagement you can do more with less. Between 15 to 20 cities is fine. Some can do fine with less than 10. The peacekeepers are the best faction for this. They can population boom to a higher limit than anyone else. Size 9 cites while morgan is stuck at 4 until hab complex is built. With ascetic virtues they can have size 11 cities without a hab complex. So they can have more population with less bases.
I find that believers and hive do fine with a large number of bases. Morganites too since their hab limit is bad I usually buid between 20-30 bases.
laurens posted 07-15-99 10:00 PM ET
I like nutrient sources to be the consideration here...
You see - I like immigrants
Koshko posted 07-16-99 12:06 AM ET
The more bases, the better. Place them whereever you want. Just don't overlap too much. Also watch for inefficiency.
I think you should build by the 2nd or 3rd turn. I played one game where the Hive didn't buld thier first base until about 25 turns in.
Sector7G posted 07-16-99 01:41 AM ET
The high elevations are all right but you have to look out for the barren landscape on the east side..you could plant trees but takes a while to get a high pop,to get tree farm, and also planting trees takes away from your energy farm on the high elevation in the first place.
Secondly the only thing you have to worry about with bases is the population, the bigger the pop the more workers you have the better you tech is and so on. So if you like to have a high pop in few bases or low pop in lots of bases whatever. Or even better high pop in lots of bases.
Remember you cant start reserching tech until you get that first base down. look for maybee 5 turn at the most. I only deviate from my landing spot if I can build on a river or on a special.

Vinny posted 07-16-99 09:01 PM ET
Well if i use look first i almost always just build on my starting square. After a quick garrison is built in each city, i just churn out colony pods placing them whereever (well just a little terrain consideration) just so that they're build with only a little overlap until I run out of room. I don't really care too much picking super optimum spots for each city because of crawlers and tree farms are usually available by the time my expansion madness is over.
I only use land artillery to get rid of spartan foils destroying all my farms and sensors. >
(as you might have assumed i never have much of a navy)
Oh also the gaps between cities where you can dig boreholes can have crawlers getting energy out with no eco-damage.
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Author	Topic: Plz Help! is this dumb city placement?
Inix	posted 07-15-99 08:08 PM ET When i build cities in this game i generally go for the high ground because i want them to have an advantage in an artillery war and because it makes artillery more potent in any case. Of course it also gives more energy to the solor collectors, but that is a secondary consideration to me. Is placing the highest priority on high ground a bad idea? I am not a civ veteran (i did not play civ at all) and am still trying to win on the talent level, but it seems to me, with the supply crawlers that you can get later on, its not such a big deal to ignore terrain specials and rainfall. However, i would also state that i am not doing extremely well so am begining to wonder if this is a bad idea. It seems like high ground would help alot in wartime, but during the arms race it is something of a hinderance untill you get crawlers. Also, i use the Flexible Starting Locations option. Any general guidlines on how long it is safe too look for a good squat? I like to have a small number of idealy located cities over a teaming mass of homogenous crap, but i realize that thier is a point, especially with that first colony pod (or sometimes 2) that you sorta need to make a base quickly. Advice as to how long it is safe to look would be greatly appreciated. Finally, for those that would care to reply to it, i have a question about this game in general. Is the effective method of play based around getting as many cities as possible to produce as much as possible i.e. "more is better" or is it also possible to play a smaller elite type empire with fewer but more developed cities i.e. quality over quantity. I generally prefer the later method but if it is an ineffective or much less effective way to play the game, then i will start playing differently. If the quality over quantity method is a viable approch to the game (at even the trancend level) any tips on the factions most suited and least suited to this approch would also be appreciated. Thanx for reading this lengthly post!
Krushala	posted 07-15-99 09:21 PM ET Definately nothing wrong with building on high ground. Energy should always be your #1 consideration. But you should have some cities on the coasts to make naval vessals and it's always nice to buid foil and cruiser probe teams there. But I wouldn't scout around for more than 5 years looking for a spot for your first city. I always build my first city right away. Other people scout a few years. For starting out numerous cities are fine. Whatever suits your style. But when you get a handle on city micromanagement you can do more with less. Between 15 to 20 cities is fine. Some can do fine with less than 10. The peacekeepers are the best faction for this. They can population boom to a higher limit than anyone else. Size 9 cites while morgan is stuck at 4 until hab complex is built. With ascetic virtues they can have size 11 cities without a hab complex. So they can have more population with less bases. I find that believers and hive do fine with a large number of bases. Morganites too since their hab limit is bad I usually buid between 20-30 bases.
laurens	posted 07-15-99 10:00 PM ET I like nutrient sources to be the consideration here... You see - I like immigrants
Koshko	posted 07-16-99 12:06 AM ET The more bases, the better. Place them whereever you want. Just don't overlap too much. Also watch for inefficiency. I think you should build by the 2nd or 3rd turn. I played one game where the Hive didn't buld thier first base until about 25 turns in.
Sector7G	posted 07-16-99 01:41 AM ET The high elevations are all right but you have to look out for the barren landscape on the east side..you could plant trees but takes a while to get a high pop,to get tree farm, and also planting trees takes away from your energy farm on the high elevation in the first place. Secondly the only thing you have to worry about with bases is the population, the bigger the pop the more workers you have the better you tech is and so on. So if you like to have a high pop in few bases or low pop in lots of bases whatever. Or even better high pop in lots of bases. Remember you cant start reserching tech until you get that first base down. look for maybee 5 turn at the most. I only deviate from my landing spot if I can build on a river or on a special.
Vinny	posted 07-16-99 09:01 PM ET Well if i use look first i almost always just build on my starting square. After a quick garrison is built in each city, i just churn out colony pods placing them whereever (well just a little terrain consideration) just so that they're build with only a little overlap until I run out of room. I don't really care too much picking super optimum spots for each city because of crawlers and tree farms are usually available by the time my expansion madness is over. I only use land artillery to get rid of spartan foils destroying all my farms and sensors. > (as you might have assumed i never have much of a navy) Oh also the gaps between cities where you can dig boreholes can have crawlers getting energy out with no eco-damage.