Alien Hives, how do they work?

[hlx]

hi all,

I have one fast game behind me and one of the not-so-clear mechanics in game is Alien Hive and how it works exactly

1. If I don't handle hives fast will aliens keep spawning or there is a cap on how many units are connected to one hive?
2. To destroy a hive do I only have to kill the units and move one of my units on the hive's hex?
3. It seems after a while hives respawned. Is there something to be done to prevent that?

 

[Lucius_]

1. Yes they just keep spawning.

2. Yes, same as barb camps.

3. Nests respawn on xenomass resources with miasma. Clear the miasma and the nest will stop coming back.

 

[joncnunn]

Also note that you can actually exploit it coming back. I recall one of the lets play video where a player with Purity 1 (and some other affinities) kept using a scout to keep clearing the same nests in a circle for science.

 

[milk steak]

If you have a nest in your territory, how do you go about getting the Xenomass resource under it? I have 2 in my current game within my capital's borders and I have the Xenowell unlocked but I don't seem to be getting the resources from the nests.

 

[Magma_Dragoon]

Also note that you can actually exploit it coming back. I recall one of the lets play video where a player with Purity 1 (and some other affinities) kept using a scout to keep clearing the same nests in a circle for science.

That was when field research gave 50 science per nest clear, not it gives 30 for each expedition completed.

 

[2000AD]

3. Nests respawn on xenomass resources with miasma. Clear the miasma and the nest will stop coming back.

Clearing miasma doesn't stop it. I had one spot that kept spawning nests no matter how many times I cleared the miasma, had to park a unit on top of it to stop them spawning. Will need to double check but I don't think there was xenomass on that spot either.

 

[Jacozilla]

Clearing miasma doesn't stop it. I had one spot that kept spawning nests no matter how many times I cleared the miasma, had to park a unit on top of it to stop them spawning. Will need to double check but I don't think there was xenomass on that spot either.

As additional info, parking a worker doesn't stop the respawn.

I will try the military unit to see if that always stop respawn. Thanks for the tip.

 

[2000AD]

Double checked and the spot has Xenomass on it, but park a soldier on it and it stops respawning, done it with multiple spots now though still testing to see if an explorer on teh spot works.

So does this mean that in theory you could totally wipe out the aliens? Destroy all nests and park soldiers on any Xenomass that you can't get the tile improvement on?

 

[joncnunn]

Double checked and the spot has Xenomass on it, but park a soldier on it and it stops respawning, done it with multiple spots now though still testing to see if an explorer on teh spot works.

So does this mean that in theory you could totally wipe out the aliens? Destroy all nests and park soldiers on any Xenomass that you can't get the tile improvement on?

The manual actually explicitly states you can wipe out all the aliens to where they won't respawn again. However that paragraph looks for a copy paste of the Civ V one with all references to barbarians changed to aliens.

 

[kingsbury]

Alien Hives, how do they work?

Like magnets.

 

[Halbbruder]

Also, unlike civ 5, even if you have line of sight over the miasma + xenomass tile, the alien nest will still respawn in clear view.

 

[Poopin Thelift]

Also, unlike civ 5, even if you have line of sight over the miasma + xenomass tile, the alien nest will still respawn in clear view.

Which is good, because you can plunder it again whith your purity 1 scout. On marathon it gives 180 science/ 75 energy, which makes it worth to spend 3 virtues into might. Haven't figured out how fast nests will respawn, can someone please give me a hint?

 

[Promethian]

If you have a nest in your territory, how do you go about getting the Xenomass resource under it? I have 2 in my current game within my capital's borders and I have the Xenowell unlocked but I don't seem to be getting the resources from the nests.

The game currently doesn't have a check to activate strategic resources on improved tiles you have before getting the appropriate tech. All you can do is clear the nest and build a well if you want the xenomass. When this happens to me I just make sure to get a city up near a nest after getting the tech then when the new nest is in my borders I clear out the old one. Keep my blue aliens and can access the xenomass on the new tile.

 

[weregamer]

That latter - respawning even while under observation - make nest farming much more lucrative (assuming you take the tier 1 might virtue that gives science for killing aliens and both science and energy for destroying nests). Park a strong ranged unit 2 hexes away with LOS on the nest site, and when one pops up one-shot whatever appears then take the nest. Rinse, repeat.

 

[Khaim]

You don't need the xenowell tech to get resources from a friendly nest. However, there is some weirdness on whether it counts or not. Best I can tell, you need to "acquire" the nest after aliens are blue. So either expand into the nest or have the nest spawn in your territory. Notably, the nest you use to become blue won't count. I suspect it would count if you clear it and let it respawn, but be careful because you take a big hit from clearing a nest and you can lose blue status.