Eco

[Navras]

Hi guys,

I guess technically I'm not a newbie any more (ranked 1200) but I still feel very much like one

I'm confused about upgrading extractors and what the most efficient/best way to do it is. Upgrade all to t2 then build mass storage and then go to t3? Or upgrade one straight to t3 with mass storage? I've seen people doing both in replays.

I also see people pausing all their extractors and then upgrade them one at a time with an engie. I don't understand the thinking behind this as you cut off all your mass income....

[BRNKoINSANITY]

The correct and most efficient order in normal circumstances is capture all the t1 mex you can, then go t1 -> all t2 -> cap all t2 with storage -> t3.

Usually when a player goes straight to a t3 mex if you look at their income they have a MASSIVE amount of reclaim income and storage is full. That way you use up a lot of mass (-25 without assist) and then you have all the income from a t3 mex afterwards to upgrade the rest of your mex through the phases.

Always upgrade t1->t2 with at least 4 engies assisting whenever possible. You pay off your mex faster that way after the upgrade.

As to the pausing... You are only pausing the building cycle, NOT your mass income. All your mex are still +2 income. If you look at the number when mousing over your unit it is deceptive. Your mex is not making -8. It is making (+2-10) which equals -8. If you select all mex, upgrade, then as soon as you see your mass dip pause them all, you can send around a group of engies to upgrade them as if they were in a queue. You can click and forget, and when the mex are done upgrading they will unpause themselves. That way you don't forget about upgrading your eco while you are doing other things.

Hope this helps!

[ColonelSheppard]

what he said and:
try to force yourself to upgrade one mex after each other

[Navras]

Thanks guys, that clears up all the confusion I had

[Kurbain]

Have a look at chapter 1 of this guide: http://supcomfaguide.uw.hu/
It explores in detail which way of upgrading the fastest is.

T1 > T2 > Mass Storage > T3 is definitely the most efficient way, but whether getting all T1 extractors to T2 first before building mass storages is better than building mass storages around a T2 mex before upgrading another T1 mex to T2 depends on your situation.

Generally, upgrading another T1 mex to T2 is better than building mass storages around an existing T2 mex since a T2 mex gives you +4 mass for 900 mass and 5400 energy while 4 mass storages around a T2 mex give you +3 mass for 800 mass and 6000 energy.
That's 225 mass/1350 energy per mass for a T2 mex and 266 mass/2000 energy per mass for 4 mass storages + engies will have to get into position to build the mass storage.

However, since T1 mexes are always under risk of getting destroyed, it can be a better idea to put 4 mass storages around the mexes in your base rather than upgrading all T1 mexes to T2 first since the difference is not that large.

If you want to eco-whore like a baws, try to upgrade all your T1 mexes to T2 before building any mass storages, though.

[rootbeer23]

That's 225 mass and 1350 energy per mass for a T2 mex and 266 mass and 2000 energy per mass for 4 mass storages.

incidently thats the reason i build mass storages early on setons, because i know i will have energy surplus at a certain point in time.
to sum it up: mass storages and t1->t2 are the same, what you choose to do depends on the location of your engis and the location of the mexes.

[Lionhardt]

Have a look at chapter 1 of this guide: http://supcomfaguide.uw.hu/
It explores in detail which way of upgrading the fastest is.

[...]

Is that guide in its entirety still up to date? It looks like it has last been edited in 2008 telling from the blog posts... is that true? If yes, it probably is largely outdated, right?

[ColonelSheppard]

the values might not be fully correct anymore but it's not outdated in terms of not true/viable anymore