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dantzig Game profile

Member
528

Sep 15th 2010, 18:29:53

I would like to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different start-up techniques with the final goal of playing a techer. I would like advice on which is best mathematically. The ones I'm aware of:
*Cash
*Indy
*Food

__Cash__
Pros: Allows you to keep expenses low and play your turns mostly independent of the market (you will probably still want to buy bushels vs building farms unless there is an issue with food on the public market). Good start for Express where you can store up a bunch of turns and play through your starting phase with little or no defense as long as you play quickly. Cash also does not decay like food and does not consume resource like military. It's also very easy to play: just build ent/res, CS, and don't run out of food. Several teching gov't also have bonuses that increase the effectiveness of this strat.
Cons: You could be vulnerable during this phase since you have to buy your military from the market. High market prices or low supply could leave you with little defense. Although ideally you would have a low amount of land so you would not be an attractive target anyway. Maximum effectiveness of this start requires changing the tech rate nearly every turn.

__Indy__
Pros: Gives you a strong military right out of the gate. Could allow to you take advantage of early LGs that will save you turns exploring.
Cons: Units consume resources--money and food. You're dependent on the market for cash to play your turns. If your goods don't sell, you're screwed pretty bad. Unit prices on the public market can be low at the beginning of the game if supply > demand. You can't just store up a bunch of turns and power through them like with the cash start because you have to stop to sell unit occasionally. Also, selling units uses turns. This start takes more skill than a cash start. Teching gov'ts do not have bonuses for industrial production.

__Food__
Pros: Food can be sold on the private market by gov't types other than theo for nearly the same price as the public market so it can be played independently of the public market. High public market food prices can increase the effectiveness of this strat. You also never have to worry about running out of food :)
Cons: Food decays so you should sell bushels after every turn for max effectiveness which is a PITA. Selling food on the public market uses turns. Teching gov'ts do not have bonuses for food production.

My suspicions of which start-ups are best:
H tech: H cash start
R tech: R cash start
D tech: D ??? start
T tech: M ??? start
C tech: C indy start (does anyone actually run a C tech?!?)
FoG

Detmer Game profile

Member
4239

Sep 15th 2010, 18:43:04

An important factor to consider is what server you are on --> how much defense you need before you start making $$$.

Marshal Game profile

Member
32,589

Sep 15th 2010, 18:58:28

at alliances allowed server need it alot depending size of alliance.
Patience: Yep, I'm with ELK and Marshal.

ELKronos: Patty is more hairy.

Gallery: K at least I am to my expectations now.

LadyGrizz boobies is fine

NOW3P: Morwen is a much harsher mistress than boredom....

dantzig Game profile

Member
528

Sep 15th 2010, 19:09:01

I'm currently a solo player so my questions and thinking are solely from that perspective. So on Primary, Tourney, and Express, I think cash starts are best for H and R techers. I don't know which starts are best for D or T techers and would appreciate advice from the experts.
FoG

Detmer Game profile

Member
4239

Sep 15th 2010, 19:30:35

In solo servers I would be inclined to go indy from the aspect of not falling behind. I have found tech starts to be effective in solo servers (at least as a demo).

dantzig Game profile

Member
528

Sep 15th 2010, 19:37:21

When you say a tech start, do you mean building only CS and labs right off the bat? Can you explain more?

I always just do something like:
1) Build ent/res, farms, or ICs and CS until desired BPT is reached. Total acres should be around 2k.
2) Mass explore to about 3k acres.
3) Build labs on empty acres until land is full.
4) Tear down existing buildings and convert to labs one turn at a time.
5) Start teching when conversion to all labs (+a few ICs for spies) is complete.
FoG

Detmer Game profile

Member
4239

Sep 15th 2010, 19:40:00

As in I will make like 150-250 farms total and be building labs by the time I am out of protection.

Detmer Game profile

Member
4239

Sep 15th 2010, 19:41:13


Originally posted by dantzig:
I always just do something like:
1) Build ent/res, farms, or ICs and CS until desired BPT is reached. Total acres should be around 2k.
2) Mass explore to about 3k acres.
3) Build labs on empty acres until land is full.
4) Tear down existing buildings and convert to labs one turn at a time.
5) Start teching when conversion to all labs (+a few ICs for spies) is complete.


That is something I might do in a team server where I don't need to worry about strong defense as much as I do in solo.

NOW3P Game profile

Member
6503

Sep 18th 2010, 22:49:04

Rep/Techer -> Tyr/Farmer = great war build for later wars. Sucks if you get hit earlier than you expect though.

Mono/techer is pretty viable as well, although for what you'll lose in bonuses you might as well just go Theo, stay small, and convert later. Mono just saves you the conversion losses

ZIP Game profile

Member
3222

Sep 26th 2010, 12:13:51

with the new tech points, it may be better to do a "mini" tech phase for a farmer or casher.

fluff your 300 Spartans fool - i have 32 of the biggest fluffed mother fluffers made of titanium !!
A brigade from Blackstreetboyz (#91) has invaded your lands! Your defenses held against the invaders and forced them away! Your military lost:1 Troops

NOW3P Game profile

Member
6503

Sep 27th 2010, 2:28:23

I'm gonna find out this set :-)

dantzig Game profile

Member
528

Sep 27th 2010, 4:09:43

What exactly do you mean by "mini" tech phase? How many acres/points? Which game type are we talking about?
FoG

Rob Game profile

Member
1105

Oct 5th 2010, 17:27:55

I have played a techer for quite some time and have done quite well in Express, Tourney (many years back with many players) & also in the old Standard.

I have tried many different starts, and am convinced that an Indy start is the best for a Theo/Demo techer. The reasons are:

1) As a techer, efficiency is key. Having a strong military at the start enable nice juicy landgrabs with minimum amount of jets as there will be many landfat low defence countries around.

2) You need a good spy count to be able to identify good landgrab opportunities.

3) You won't get landgrabbed early on as you will be quite solid defensively early on.

4) At every point in the set, you will have a good networth to land ratio.

DarkKnightPH Game profile

New Member
9

Mar 7th 2011, 2:09:53

successful teching relies on a few perspectives

namely:

What's your teching objective? is it for optimizing your chosen current set strat?

strat as a farmer > scale up your BUSINESS, POPULATION and AGRI tech levels

strat as an oiler > scale up your BUSINESS, INDY tech levels

strat for warring > scale up your WARFARE, WEAPONS, SPY, MILITARY and MEDICAL tech levels

Rockman Game profile

Member
3388

Mar 7th 2011, 23:25:00

Originally posted by DarkKnightPH:
successful teching relies on a few perspectives

namely:

What's your teching objective? is it for optimizing your chosen current set strat?

strat as a farmer > scale up your BUSINESS, POPULATION and AGRI tech levels

strat as an oiler > scale up your BUSINESS, INDY tech levels

strat for warring > scale up your WARFARE, WEAPONS, SPY, MILITARY and MEDICAL tech levels


What the heck are you talking about?

Marshal Game profile

Member
32,589

Mar 8th 2011, 21:41:30

warring needs agritech too since w/o it player won't get money that quickly and maybe busi and resi too.
Patience: Yep, I'm with ELK and Marshal.

ELKronos: Patty is more hairy.

Gallery: K at least I am to my expectations now.

LadyGrizz boobies is fine

NOW3P: Morwen is a much harsher mistress than boredom....

mazooka Game profile

Member
454

Mar 14th 2011, 23:05:04

A tech start example
40 cs
300 farm
60 cs
Explore/build labs
@1600 acres tech agri
tech 40k agri tech
Converted to farmer before turn 400
*numbers are not right but thats the basic idea



koonfasa

Member
124

Apr 4th 2011, 11:01:38

I like demo-techer. Somethings amiss with your pro's and cons. I just can't quite...

Edited By: koonfasa on Apr 4th 2011, 11:27:00. Reason: put my finger on it.
See Original Post

koonfasa

Member
124

Apr 4th 2011, 11:45:01

Originally posted by koonfasa:
D tech: R land start

That's usually what I play.

Edited By: koonfasa on Apr 4th 2011, 11:49:30. Reason: ...All I play.
See Original Post

zekel Game profile

New Member
5

Apr 11th 2011, 11:48:53

haven't played this game in 10 years ;)

driv Game profile

Member
27

May 4th 2011, 16:26:15

thanx