Metal, where are you?

[Nico165b165]

First game: no metal deposit found in my starting zone.

Second game: again no metal deposit in sight. At least a friendly empire is sending me credits, so I can buy enough metals... For now.

I have an economic council, I did send some units to explore the surroundings and found some water in both games. Is it just bad luck? Or am I missing something?

[RickyFourEyes]

Do you have a private Recycling Centre in your capital? Nationalising and then upgrading that will give you a metal supply.

Otherwise you'll need to wait and see if any deposits get uncovered by prospecting.

[Nico165b165]

Ah yes, I saw this nationalising thing but I did not have enough credits. I guess it is a better long term idea to invest into nationalising this private recycling center rather than trading the metal. Thanks!

[RickyFourEyes]

No problem. I neglected upgrading it and struggled with metal income when I tried to build anything else.

[Culthrasa]

Some planets have (by design) a lack of, or and abundance of a resource. Desert planets don't have water, young planets don't have oil etc... So the challenge of the game is to work around that, either by certain techs (metal from the lithosphere, fuel from food etc), by buying to tie you over, or scavenging etc.. Every planet is unique!

[the1sean]

Make sure you assign your economic advisor to spend a large amount of his BP doing prospecting. I think having the governor have the prospecting skill helps, too. If there is metal to be found they will find it.

If you are on some metal-less world, then set up as many high tier Salvage operations as possible. You can build them in ruins hexes.

[KingHalford]

ORIGINAL: the1sean

Make sure you assign your economic advisor to spend a large amount of his BP doing prospecting. I think having the governor have the prospecting skill helps, too. If there is metal to be found they will find it.

If you are on some metal-less world, then set up as many high tier Salvage operations as possible. You can build them in ruins hexes.

If you're going to do this, then keep an eye on the Prospecting Report, because once you've exhausted all chance of finding resources in your zones, you'll want to re-direct the BP to research or trade Stratagems.