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I can't find metal; I already conquered 1 city + a lot of empty territory, my regime is not small

I have 3276 points on prospecting; recycling is at level 3, which barely keeps the basic needs. There are a few ruins, but far, far away, and pass mountains

Questions; should I:

- zero out prospecting? am I wasting points?
- build a small army of buggies and recon all the map
- get a new planet

Under REP. then OVERVIEWS, there's a Prospecting Overview report that tells you if there are deposits left to be discovered in each zone under your control, if any.
If this report says there are none, then it's no use spending BPs on it.

Controlling more terrain could help, since it could change the estimate in the Prospecting Report should you take control of a deposit, but depending on the planet, there might no be many metals to be found.

Unfortunately I can never remember which planet age is better for metal abundance, younger or older.

Older should have more metal.

Upgrading a metal producer (inlcuding Scavenging) is in general a bad idea. You still get the same amount of material to dig out overall, you will just run out faster that way and you jsut wasted a ton of Metal to get the upgrades.

Deposits for all stuff is ge3nerated during planet creation. Prospecting will only find stuff that is already there, not roll new stuff.

You can only try to minimize the consumption. Gas Powered Small Arms are about the best guns in Ammo Consumption and not to far behind Automatic rifles. While Polymer armor allows oyu to use rare metals instead of metals on vehicles.
Longterm goal would be stuff like Soil Metal Filtration

thanks a lot, time to restart [:(]

what happens to the 3,200 points? are they going to make it easier to find a mine once I expand territory?

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

thanks a lot, time to restart [:(]

what happens to the 3,200 points? are they going to make it easier to find a mine once I expand territory?

Those stored points are not lost. The turn you got a hex with a mine spot, it will be found. You should still propably reduce prospecting investment. Better focus on technology to get access to the unlimited sources.

I play on a metal scarce setting atm too. I am conserving metal and just wait for the Soil metal filtration to be discovered.

ORIGINAL: zgrssd

Upgrading a metal producer (inlcuding Scavenging) is in general a bad idea. You still get the same amount of material to dig out overall, you will just run out faster that way and you jsut wasted a ton of Metal to get the upgrades...

And this is good game design? Good gosh, after 35 years, I've become a troll. Welcome to the pain that is Shadow Empires. [;)]

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Came for Uncommon Valor, may leave after buying Astra Exodus

While Polymer armor allows oyu to use rare metals instead of metals on vehicles.

I had no idea about that, that's really useful!

ORIGINAL: Rosseau

ORIGINAL: zgrssd

Upgrading a metal producer (inlcuding Scavenging) is in general a bad idea. You still get the same amount of material to dig out overall, you will just run out faster that way and you jsut wasted a ton of Metal to get the upgrades...

And this is good game design? Good gosh, after 35 years, I've become a troll. Welcome to the pain that is Shadow Empires. [;)]

Well.. I don't upgrade them either usually, but there's something to be said for booming. Sure, you'll run out faster, but in the meantime you have a huge advantage over enemies who are more focused on the long run and by the time you run out you've already won (or you've conquered a new zone with more metal)!

Just check the amount of metal in the ground (30k for example), divide by the current extraction rate (500?) -> 60 turns. If you go to 750: 40 turns. And then see what you think is better.