huge bases

[SwiftSpear]

This is less of a strategy then it is a tip for effectively expanding. Much like it's necessary to always reclaim metal on the ground, a great way of expanding is to clear out no mans land with a few offensive forces and then follow it directly with builder to mex up the empty spots. Since you're going to be taking ground a busting up your opponents crap anyways, you might as well follow up and make some serious metal from the whole process at the same time.

[Fat Zombie]

These are interesting points. I always tend to go overboard within about 10-15 minutes, and run out of either power or metal.

Usually, right when I start up I tell the commander to build a Kbot factory, then any close-by mexes, then a grid of solars. Whilst he's doing that, I start building a few construction bots, and queue up tasks for them to do.

What should I change? Should I concentrate on something else?

[DemO]

Make a solar before you make kbot lab :) And get one of your first builders to start making blocks of solars then adv solars after (or wind on a good wind map) unless you're doing it manually with your commander as you need it.

Dont waste resources on pointless things (like a hlt next to your kbot lab where it will never be used) and dont try go t2 with +12 metal and none to spare.

Reclaim where you can, dont build guardians generally (they leech 2k of your metal that could go into other things and do much better) and certainly dont build more than 1. If a guardian is built and finishes destroying everything in its range, reclaim it, for it is no longer of much use. Then you get 1.7k to invest in whatever you want.

[Fat Zombie]

Make a solar before you make kbot lab :) And get one of your first builders to start making blocks of solars then adv solars after (or wind on a good wind map) unless you're doing it manually with your commander as you need it.

Dont waste resources on pointless things (like a hlt next to your kbot lab where it will never be used) and dont try go t2 with +12 metal and none to spare.

Reclaim where you can, dont build guardians generally (they leech 2k of your metal that could go into other things and do much better) and certainly dont build more than 1. If a guardian is built and finishes destroying everything in its range, reclaim it, for it is no longer of much use. Then you get 1.7k to invest in whatever you want.

Sorry, a guardian? Not sure what that is, so I won't worry about that. So I should build a bank of solars before my lab? Interesting.

[BigSteve]

Dont bother with storage, if its comm ends theres not much point anyway, try to keep your e and m bars as low as possible without completely stalling, having a bot or two building lines of solars or wind the whole time, this way you don't need storage, use metal makers here and there to soak up spare e.
When you get to l2 get a bot starting on a line of advanced solars, then move to fusion. build metal makers as needed.

While youre expanding your eco like this dont forget to expand your frontlines, build troops and raid your opponent. Tada! one big, very productive base!

[RogerN]

Sorry, a guardian? Not sure what that is, so I won't worry about that. So I should build a bank of solars before my lab? Interesting.

Most players build 2 solars (or the equivalent wind generators) before building a lab. You need plenty of energy if your lab is going to be producing units at the same time that your commander is building mexes, light laser towers, etc...

For example, to build peewees continously, your kbot lab would need about +60 energy (I think). Two solars and a commander yield +65 energy, which is just enough. However, that doesn't leave you any energy left over for your commander to build other stuff, so you definitely don't want to stop at two solars.

Re: guardians
Guardians (ARM) and Punishers (CORE) are medium-range plasma cannons (MRPC): static artillery defense. They are frequently built near the front line of the battle in order to outrange an opponent's laser towers. However, they are quite expensive.

Guardians can either work wonderfully or fail miserably, depending on several factors. Frequently two opponents will both be trying to build a guardian on the front line; whoever finishes theirs first wins, and the other guy loses a HUGE investment of metal.

[Fat Zombie]

Okay. I always find that it takes a long time to make any substantially-sized force in a small time. Should I be building multiple labs?

[tombom]

Okay. I always find that it takes a long time to make any substantially-sized force in a small time. Should I be building multiple labs?

Guard your labs with conbots/nanotowers. In EE you build more than one.

[RogerN]

Should I be building multiple labs?

I know several players (including myself) who like to build multiple labs. Preferably you'll also have one or two construction units assisting at each lab.

You can increase the output of a single lab by having construction units assist it, but this only works up to a certain point. The "downtime" between units (when the unit you just built is exiting the lab) becomes a bigger factor as you assist the lab with more construction units, so it becomes more efficient to just build another lab.

This is especially true if you're trying to pump out masses of aircraft. I'll sometimes build a bank of 4 aircraft plants, with 4 nanotowers assisting each one, in order to mass-produce bombers or fighters. That kind of setup is a LOT more efficient than having a single aircraft plant guarded by 16 nanotowers.

[AF]

the minimum speed for unti construction is 32 frames, and a second is 30 frames. Once you reach this point, no matter how many conbots you add itll never go faster and youll be wasting resources(hmm spring bug).

[Fat Zombie]

I see your point with aircraft; I usually don't bother with them much, as it takes ages to produce even a single bomber. So I should build multiple ones, eh?

I'm not too good with the micro-managing, see. I usually tend to make my L1 Kbot lab(s) produce peewees and rockos on repeat, and just grab big groups of them to shove into battle.

(Last night, I tried out your suggestions, but whilst I was concentrating on economy, I wasn't producing any actual combat units. Except Tremors. I like Tremors.)

[manored]

How do the more experienced players get those enormous bases without going into a nanostall? Ive never been able to do that.

Avoid doing unecessary stuff, tech up as soon as you have a chance, reclaim a lot, have at least basic defense agaisnt all attack forms (units are good at this since they can move around the base), never stop expanding your economy and never produce less than you can afford (but dont produce more either).

Storages arent really necessary, but they reduce waste and give you more time to react to a future energy/metal stall. Some tech2 buildings give you extra storage of what they produce.

Guardians or similar units should always be largely protected since the enemy will charge against it almost imediatly after it begins to shot.

Aircrafts are very devastating and worth making if your enemy doesnt have enough defense against em but if he does dont attack since you will just waste em.