Efficiency is floored at zero?

[Strategist83]

I read some discussion on this somewhere at Apolyton but there wasn't really a clear outcome to it so I decided to ask here: Is it true that any value of efficiency below zero gets calculated as if it was zero when it comes to determining the number of bureaucracy drones? Meaning, you can never have less than 0 efficiency rating when it comes to deciding the number of bases you are allowed?

I realize this is true for Yang (although this is documented in neither manual nor datalinks) but it was suggested that it is in fact the case for every faction (in case of which it also isn't a Yang specialty). It would also mean that Police State and Planned economies are much more attractive options than otherwise, particularly early on.

Can somebody provide a definitive answer?

 

[Tatran]

The patch smacp4e gave Yang immunity to negative efficiency penalties which made the Hive overpowered.
So, after trying immunity versus impunity for the negative efficiency penalties of Police State + Planned Economics,
the most balanced option was impunity only for Police State.
The negative efficiency penalty for Planned Economics counts now for all factions.

 

[civac]

IIs it true that any value of efficiency below zero gets calculated as if it was zero when it comes to determining the number of bureaucracy drones? Meaning, you can never have less than 0 efficiency rating when it comes to deciding the number of bases you are allowed?

Yes, this is correct.

Planned/Police ist still a bad idea. Having neither income nor research except in the capital hurts a lot. Moreover, Police State isn't really very strong early game. Going for Frontier/Planned is often a good early game choice.

 

[Petek]

Yes, second what civac wrote. An easy way to test this is to start a game with Lal. Even with his -1 efficiency, his bureaucracy limits are the same as factions with 0 efficiency.

 

[Strategist83]

I see. Thanks for clearing that up for me.