Where do you put your "special" buildings? (Projects, Trade Goods, etc.)

I try to focus all of my planets on manufacturing, research or economy. Every tile on every planet is used to enhance that planet's specific focus, with the occasional exception of, say, a +100 research tile on an Econ world being used for a little bit of side research.

Because of this, I always have a difficult time deciding where to place the Super Projects, Galactic Achievements and Trade Goods. Some are obvious, of course: Hyperion Shipyard and Spin Control Centre both go on my main manufacturing world, and Omega Research Centre goes on my best tech planet.

But where should I put things like Galactic Privateer or Hyperion Shrinker? They do not benefit the planet on which they are built. Rather, they actually diminish that planet's focus -- that tile could have been an extra Stock Market, for example.

I suppose one could nominate one planet for building only "wonders", but that would make it especially vital to protect. Plus, I don't like the idea of a planet not being focused on one of the Holy trifecta above, as it takes away from the overall efficiency of my empire.

I'm curious to hear how other players deal with this dilemma.
6,528 views 12 replies
Reply #1 Top
Hi!
But where should I put things like Galactic Privateer or Hyperion Shrinker?

I usualy build them on a planet with a reasonably good production, so it's build in reasonable time. Most of my big planets have at the end of the game one or two of those "wonders". However I don't really specialize planets, so there's not much loss for me when 1 of 15 tiles goes to sth. else. It shouldn't be for you too: it's just price of doing bussines.

BR, Iztok
Reply #2 Top
Most of my p[lanets are balanced. And all of them have factories, need to get thiongs built. on a small PQ planet, when all the other tiles are built and updated as far as they'll go, ill convert the factory. Over time, as i get more planets i will start leaning towards one of the three.

I build my big stuff on factory planets, or just planets will a good amount of production. i like those things done asap. and they can take a while. i wouldnt want a plaet falling behind because it too 50 turns to get one thing made.
Reply #3 Top
I try to build all wonders/trade goods/super projects whose benefits are global on planets that are otherwise pretty useless, PQ3's and PQ4's mostly but in a pinch PQ5's as well. Since the amount of production on these types of planets is limited, I usually end up buying them. Note that all Trade Goods are global by definition.

Of course wonders/super projects that only affect the planet they're built on need to be built on the appropriate planet. Also, particularly early on in the game, you might not have the income to be able to buy these directly. In that case I put them on my normal "production" planets, but I try to spread them around so I don't kill more than one tile on any one planet.
Reply #4 Top
Usually I invade (or trade) quite a number of planets I don't have colonization techs for yet. These planets are ideal as economy planets. And if such a planet is in a relatively secure location, I rush-buy trade goods, wonders and such on them.
Reply #5 Top
I tend build everything deep in my territory and spread them out over a few planets, kinda don't put all your eggs in one basket. My homeworld always gets Eyes of the Universe (personal fav) and usually the seocnd or third colony (depending on production capability) will get the Resturant. The rest of the TGs, SPs and GAs I spread out amongst the rest the rest of the planets, and I don't build anything on "border" planets.
Reply #6 Top
On Suicidal, often times I don't have a choice: they go wherever the AI decides to build them.
Reply #7 Top
they go wherever the AI decides to build them


that is TOO funny. Something for me to look forward to.

Reply #8 Top
Well, trade goods effect your entire civilization, so they dont need a "special" place to be made on, and same with some wonders. Now the ones that are only planetwide, I would put them on a dedicated planet, to whatever the wonder enhances.
Reply #9 Top
I would add that I never put the SCC on a main manufacturing planet...Instead I put it on a different planet in the same solar system. That way my manufacturing planet can still build ships for it and I don't feel bad about building over the Starport on the SCC planet. This lets me use all ten slots for the SCC and the SCC planet just becomes an economic planet.
Reply #10 Top

I tend to specialize planets, like you do. On my production worlds, i'll leave one space open. When I research to that special i'll put it on one of my production worlds. That way, i lose a little prodution but nothing i can't live with. Of course, i haven't worked my way up to the harder difficulties yet, I'm still on painful. This strategy might have to change the tougher the Ai gets.
Reply #11 Top
I have no problem building a few very-high-priority wonders on my manufacturing world. The Manufacturing Capital is only giving a 33% bonus. I'm not going to miss that too much. I would rather have that MCC, or Terraformer, or Grav Accelerator up, and soon, and without plunking down 10000bc to rush buy. 10000bc--that's 5 spies!!

The Tech Capital, OTOH, that's a different story. Between that, the Research Coordination Center, and any ethical event bonuses--that planet needs to be full of labs.
Reply #12 Top
Here's how I do it. I'll have to start with how I manage my planets. Its diferrent than you but maybe it will give you some ideas.

Firstly, the only planets I usually specialize are my main planet and the ones with the Capitol buildings.

- Main planet becomes focused on production, and usually one research building so that I can get some techs reasonably early.

- The first larger planet i colonize (size 11-15) usually becomes focused on technology, and eventually the tech capitol.

- Then i pick a money planet to build up population and economy capitol on. Often this is the second planet in my home solar system. After soil enhancements it tends to be a good size to manage a big population with enough entertainment buildings.

- I save political capitol until i have a place where I need it to fight off (or impose on) an opponent's influence.

- The rest of my planets are generally "a bit of everything". They usually start with 2 factories and an economy building, and then I add things as I go and I need things. The ones that are located on the outskirts on my empire, usually wind up getting space port and are mostly focused on production....just out of nessecity or FEAR.

The ones that DO NOT become production houses, are the ones that end up with the special buildings. They usually have 3-5 factories, a few research buildings (a space port for secondary/defensive production) and a couple of special buildings.

The only real except to that, is sometimes I end up making the Hull-Plating building on my main planet. If I feel I need to insure I get that technology before someone else does, the home planet is the only one outfitted to build it quickly enough that early in the game.