Newbie questions about early game expansion.

[Bonapirelli]

How quickly should one be producing new bases in the early game? E.g. by what year/turn should you have created your first base? I know the answer would be a.s.a.p., but what I mean is... what is reasonable? And what would be too slow? How many turns does it take a good player to get their first new base up?

Should we care about the population of bases early on, or is the best goal just to crank out colony pods a.s.a.p.?

Are there any other specific targets that are reasonable e.g. X number of bases by turn N?

 

[attackfighter]

There are two basic ways to start the game:

1) time your first colony pod so that it's produced the moment your base reaches population two.

2) build a former and then switch over to colony pod immediately after

The exact date at which you're able to implement these strategies and build the colony pod is dependant on how many nutrients and minerals you have access to.

Also you should focus exclusively on colony pods and formers for the first 50 turns. Maybe get some scouts too, for scouting and mind worm defence. If a base reaches population 3 it should immediately start building a colony pod. Don't let your bases go above population 3 - it's inefficient.

This is for a build oriented strategy. Obviously if you intend on rushing someone you'd play differently.

 

[Bonapirelli]

That pretty much describes what I'd found to be efficient naturally, but it seems like everybody else is so quick! E.g. I read that somebody achieved 20 bases by the 60th turn! Even in the best of circumstances that seems beyond me so I feel like I'm missing something.

And I just downloaded a save game of one of these "infinite city sprawl" methods.... mind-boggling stuff.

BTW, is there an active multiplayer community for this game?

 

[Petek]

Here's my early expansion strategy: First tech researched is Centauri Ecology (unless I start with it) to build formers. Then, each new base builds a former (rushed if possible), then a garrison and then Colony Pods. First job for the former is to create, if necessary, a tile that produces two or more nutrients (to allow the base to grow quickly to size two). Next, plant a forest to create a tile that produces two minerals (plus one nut and one energy). When your base grows to size two have it work the forest for maximum production. The former then builds roads to help the Colony Pods reach their destinations more quickly.

If you don't start with Centauri Ecology, then your first bases may have problems building Colony Pods unless one of the base tiles produces at least two nuts. Try to found the first two bases near either rainy tiles or nutrient specials.

The site WePlayCiv.com has an active SMACX multiplayer community (although the forum is offline right now). Also see the Command Nexus forum on Alpha Centauri 2.

 

[Bonapirelli]

Have you ever managed to get a live IP game up and running? How does that work?

 

[Herfelt]

Have you ever managed to get a live IP game up and running? How does that work?

I play with a couple of friends. When we are not having an actual LAN we use Tunngle for creating a virtual LAN. We always use simultaneous moves. The games crashes rarely, but it happens.