Difference between revisions of "Base Management"
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[[Base Defense]] is a primary consideration when choosing what to place where and when to build what. The higher the difficulty the more important a defensible base is, and your placement strategy also needs to account for at least 4 different [[Known_Bugs#Base Construction Bugs|known bugs]]. | [[Base Defense]] is a primary consideration when choosing what to place where and when to build what. The higher the difficulty the more important a defensible base is, and your placement strategy also needs to account for at least 4 different [[Known_Bugs#Base Construction Bugs|known bugs]]. | ||
| − | The secondary consideration is the amount of time modules take to build. | + | The secondary consideration is the amount of time modules take to build. Apart from decoy bases and listening posts, all bases need [[General Stores]] and they are a fast module to build. Even if not needed yet,they can speed the construction of other modules by quickly opening up extra construction slots. Consider placing them first when you have to choose between them and something like a large radar that takes more than twice as long to complete. |
For a structure to be useful it often needs to be matched with another. For example building 2 [[Laboratory|Laboratories]] and 2 [[Workshop]]s but only 2 [[Living Quarters]] means you have approximately 375+ technical jobs to fill but only enough room to house 200 staff. | For a structure to be useful it often needs to be matched with another. For example building 2 [[Laboratory|Laboratories]] and 2 [[Workshop]]s but only 2 [[Living Quarters]] means you have approximately 375+ technical jobs to fill but only enough room to house 200 staff. | ||
| − | [[Economics|Money]] is the final arbiter of what you should build. Monthly income and expenses are not particularly relevant but you need to remember purchases that you have earmarked for later. Be sure you save enough money to staff your new structures or manufacture the goods you need. You may have $3 million spare now and spend it on new workshops but in 3 days the lab you started way back when becomes operational and you needed that money to staff it with scientists. You may be sitting on a pile of money now, but what happens when there are no UFO's to shoot down for a week or two? All that lab space and time you could have been researching will go idle. | + | [[Economics|Money]] is the final arbiter of what you should build. Monthly income and expenses are not particularly relevant but you need to remember purchases that you have earmarked for later. Be sure you save enough money to staff your new structures or manufacture the goods you need. You may have $3 million spare now and spend it on new workshops but in 3 days the lab you started way back when becomes operational and you needed that money to staff it with scientists. You may be sitting on a pile of money now, but what happens when there are no UFO's to shoot down for a week or two? All that lab space and time you could have been researching will go idle. |
| + | All things considered, unused facilities are much cheaper (monthly) than unused staff or (rented) aircraft. The up front cost of facilities is usually cheaper than the cost of staff/craft to fill them. And facilities have a much longer lead time, by x8 - x10. So if you are unsure of future cash flow or your future plans, facilities are the safer bet. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
Revision as of 14:11, 16 August 2009
Base management is the art of placing, maintaining, and defending the bases X-COM needs to counter the alien threat. This includes placing bases in a way that maximizes your chances of detecting and intercepting UFOs, building new base modules to supply necessary services, and arranging those modules in a way that gives the garrison an advantage over invaders.
Managing coverages around the globe
There are three types of coverage you need to provide to areas of the globe. Detection (radar/hyperwave) coverage is the first and one you will need to consider most carefully when placing bases. Interception coverage is the second, and is still important particularly if you are using Firestorms. Recovery and Assault team coverage is the last, and usually least important consideration. There are also several utility bases that don't provide any of the above.
Detection
Detection bases have at least one radar installation, some people also call them listening posts.
A listening post is base with an [[Access Lift], a radar (of any type) and little else. The low cost of the base and lack of valuable assets stored in the base means a cheaper bill for replacements if any are lost to retaliations.
A listening outpost provides a decent chance of detecting ufos operating in the area to an extent. If a passing UFO flys past the scan area in between a scan interval it will be missed. More bases mean a better chance to detect the fly-by UFOs, as they move between coverage areas. Once you lock on to a ufo, you won't lose tracking as long as it is within any of your radar tracking ranges. This range is quite large; a base in the Northern USA can keep a lock on a UFO to the northern coast of South America for example. You can detect most of the UFOs you need to with several well positioned detection bases in key areas.
Due to the paying for dirt bug there is little point selling off your old radars unless you reclaim the space with another facility.
For more information on radars in general, refer to UFO Detection.
Interception
Interception bases are extensions of radar bases with the addition of at least one hanger dedicated to aircraft that shoot down UFOs. A base garrison may be added to protect the aircraft and its supplies.
How you have the intercept outposts deal with UFOs will depend on what types of ships you have stationed at each base. In any case, a good network of intercept outposts scattered around the globe can let you snare any UFOs that enter the atmosphere. In general, for slower or shorter ranged intercept craft, it's best to wait for the UFOs to reach their destinations/area of operations before launching an attack.
Recovery/Assault
An assault base has at least one hangar that houses one of any of the three troop transporters. Skyrangers and Avengers have terrific range. The Lightning on the other hand has shorter range but can double as an interceptor.
You can launch an assault or recovery from anywhere on earth, however if you take too long the downed or landed UFO may have taken off by then. Most UFOs either land twice or not at all. Those that do land will remain in their theater of operations for about six to ten hours. Just set a waypoint for your Skyranger and see how far it gets within eight hours: that's about the maximum effective range. You should be able to get there in time more often than not, but may be forced to fight at night – an assault craft that had been based closer could have picked the time of the battle.
If you find a base with weak aliens, you may want to set up an assault base nearby to raid the Supply Ships on a regular basis.
Utility Bases
Utility bases are ones that fill a specialized need. Supply depots, R&D centers, factories and psi training centers are all common base types. Used in small numbers, they are often mixed in other bases to provide additional functionality to them.
Empty bases can also be constructed near existing bases to function as decoys for alien retaliation teams. The more bases there are in the same location, the better the odds that the retaliation team might just pick the wrong one. Due to their temporary nature and the limited amount of space you have for bases, they can be quickly decommissioned to make room .
Base Placement
Keep in mind that as you shoot down UFOs you will piss off the aliens. When they go searching for your strike base, they may stumble upon your factory. There is very little penalty to spreading out your bases. Building bases at the poles is probably not fun for the personnel there, but makes a good isolated spot for non-strike bases.
Facility Placement
Base Defense is a primary consideration when choosing what to place where and when to build what. The higher the difficulty the more important a defensible base is, and your placement strategy also needs to account for at least 4 different known bugs.
The secondary consideration is the amount of time modules take to build. Apart from decoy bases and listening posts, all bases need General Stores and they are a fast module to build. Even if not needed yet,they can speed the construction of other modules by quickly opening up extra construction slots. Consider placing them first when you have to choose between them and something like a large radar that takes more than twice as long to complete.
For a structure to be useful it often needs to be matched with another. For example building 2 Laboratories and 2 Workshops but only 2 Living Quarters means you have approximately 375+ technical jobs to fill but only enough room to house 200 staff.
Money is the final arbiter of what you should build. Monthly income and expenses are not particularly relevant but you need to remember purchases that you have earmarked for later. Be sure you save enough money to staff your new structures or manufacture the goods you need. You may have $3 million spare now and spend it on new workshops but in 3 days the lab you started way back when becomes operational and you needed that money to staff it with scientists. You may be sitting on a pile of money now, but what happens when there are no UFO's to shoot down for a week or two? All that lab space and time you could have been researching will go idle.
All things considered, unused facilities are much cheaper (monthly) than unused staff or (rented) aircraft. The up front cost of facilities is usually cheaper than the cost of staff/craft to fill them. And facilities have a much longer lead time, by x8 - x10. So if you are unsure of future cash flow or your future plans, facilities are the safer bet.