Three questions for you pros

[Atrocities]

Well spoken Slynky. Very well thought out.

[spoon]

Slynky said:(2) Don't underestimate the value of Natural Merchant. I'm not saying I take it every game. What I AM saying is that it deserves consideration...even at 1,000 points.

If for some reason you had 1000 points to spare, like you were in a 5000 point game, you'd still probably be better off taking another 5 pts or Maint Reduction or 10 pts of Mining aptitude.

[Atrocities]

See this kind of information is the kind of information new players NEED to know.

[Grandpa Kim]

bbq, Slynky's right, the others are wrong. Natural Merchants is second only to Advanced Storage but only if you make a habit of capturing rather than destroying enemy planets.

If all goes well, I can "consolidate" and enemy system in three turns (sometimes less!) and have every planet producing for me immediately on the turn of capture. In conjunction with not having to worry about losing your spaceport, this trait is a must!

[Fyron]

Grandpa Kim said:
bbq, Slynky's right, the others are wrong. Natural Merchants is second only to Advanced Storage but only if you make a habit of capturing rather than destroying enemy planets.

If all goes well, I can "consolidate" and enemy system in three turns (sometimes less!) and have every planet producing for me immediately on the turn of capture. In conjunction with not having to worry about losing your spaceport, this trait is a must!

Again, spending those 1000 points in resource bonuses will provide much, much more benefit to your empire overall than saving 3 turns building a space port in a captured enemy system...

[Alneyan]

BBQ was speaking of Climate Control facilities, and not Value Improvements. Climate Control only changes conditions, and is virtually worthless; if you want a lot of population, the Organic trait will be much better any time of the day, and so much quicker. Conditions only affect reproduction rates (up to +10% or so from Deadly to Optimal), and are very slow to change.

From your post Slynky I gather you spoke of Value Improvements, since these are the ones increasing your resource values, and thus your production.

[bbq]

Yes, thanks for mentioning that. My question was pertaining to Climate Control, not Value Improvement facility.

[Arkcon]

In SE4 Gold, rocket pods aren't allowed on troops, so many of us are out of practice with them. However, when you compare damage/size the ground cannon wins out over tiny DUC, anti proton, etc. Troops and milita can't have phased shields so tiny polaron beams are no big help.

But, don't ignore the organic race weapons. They provide more damage/size, and you can build twice as many per turn.

[Slynky]

Alneyan said:
BBQ was speaking of Climate Control facilities, and not Value Improvements. Climate Control only changes conditions, and is virtually worthless; if you want a lot of population, the Organic trait will be much better any time of the day, and so much quicker. Conditions only affect reproduction rates (up to +10% or so from Deadly to Optimal), and are very slow to change.

From your post Slynky I gather you spoke of Value Improvements, since these are the ones increasing your resource values, and thus your production.

Actually, dummy me was typing too late in the morning and had just finished a game where I built the fac that changes the atmosphere to breathable in 20 turns, so I had THAT thought on my mind.

[Gandalf Parker]

Hmmm on the spaceport thing... I dont think I saw anyone mention it but not only is there the cost and time of building a spaceport, there is the fact that you can be spending less to build 3 mining facilities in that same time frame and getting product from it. Especially if the highest mineral planet in the system is a tiny or small or not your environment so I dont have to snag some less worthy rock first to stick a spaceport on. In the early game I think thats a notable boost.