Also it depends on the size of the game/evolutions that you are facing. If the Kharra are all skulk fanatics, electrify. If it's a small game & oni are everywhere, don't bother.
When i comm, i try and determine the skill of the aliens and the marines. To do this, i just expand really fast and not electify the rts. If the marines are doing a fair job and not dieing i wont electify. If the aliens are eating the nodes as i drop them ill electrify them. when you dont electify that 30 res could be used for upgrades.
Turret factories can be used to protect other buildings. When I command, I usually place one immediately and place the rest of my buildings around it, and hten electrify it immediately. By the way, be careful not to place the buildings so that they block your marines when you do this. Anyway, in this way a TF can be useful even without the turrets. After all, the electrify upgrade is like three turrets' cost, but hte electrify protect your buildings better than turrets would.
As for resource towers, this is a different matter. In the opening stages, you can't really afford it, as you need the resources to purchase other stuff (like turrets, phase gates etc.) They're more of a middle\end game tactic. They also can't be used by themselves; they make life harder for aliens but they do not stop your stuff from being destroyed. Use them with turret factories.
Another note about TFs - when constructing a siege base I often electify the TF before upgrading to siege. This stops skulks, newly spawned from the hive you're attacking, from destroying your siege factory.
Electrifying is expensive, and you need to assign marines to guard whatever it is to ensure that your investment isn't wasted before the upgrade is finished. So, don't go nuts with it. It doesn't work by itself, but it complements other equipment well.
ShockehIf a packet drops on the web and nobody's near to see it...Join Date: 2002-11-19Member: 9336NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
I try to think of it this way. Decide which is more likely, 1 Electrified RT for 15 minutes, or 3 Unelectried ones for 5 minutes? Because you get just as much rez for the same cost.
It depends on the way you play really. If you want to make sure that every RT you put up is going to stay up, then you should go for the safer electrified rt, but if you want to risk it and go for the rt collection spree, then you should grab as many as you can as soon as you can.
I like it when the comm builds at marine start with a tf just ovelapping two ips and later on electrifies it - then other buildings branch off in a really ergonomic way.
- Your marines are all loyal and all listen to orders without questions asked, yuo don't need to since you can tell them which node.
- If your whole team is full of people who beg for shotguns,HMGs,HA and rambo off dying with the expensive equipment....you're better off electrifying
- If your team is a mix of the both....well, just check the ratio between the 2 and decide wether you have to (ie 60% loyal and 40% rambo, don't electrify)
But however it is the inevitable that Fades and Onii will arrive, which means you might be better off not electrigying those RTs and save up for some important equipment and buildings like a spareArms Lab or a new bundle of HAs for your next assault.
Don't forget that its also possible that eventually someone with enough rez will go gorge and just put up an OC which will take out your RT wether or not its electrified. Personally I'm a big fan of doing this as gorge...
<!--QuoteBegin--Muttonchops+Dec 15 2003, 02:33 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Muttonchops @ Dec 15 2003, 02:33 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Don't forget that its also possible that eventually someone with enough rez will go gorge and just put up an OC which will take out your RT wether or not its electrified. Personally I'm a big fan of doing this as gorge... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> .......which can be countered by a couple of marines assisted by medpacks killing you, and a little while later your oc <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
i always try to electrify most of my rt (unless they're in some remote location the aliens'll never come by) sure it costs a bit....but when you have 5-6 electrified RT in the first 5 minutes, i assure you, you can fill up a warehouse with res and get upgrades real fast...and fades bleh, i just tell my best 3-4 marines to go back to base for sg and tell em to go fade hunting <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
As for resource towers, this is a different matter. In the opening stages, you can't really afford it, as you need the resources to purchase other stuff (like turrets, phase gates etc.) They're more of a middle\end game tactic. They also can't be used by themselves; they make life harder for aliens but they do not stop your stuff from being destroyed. Use them with turret factories.
Another note about TFs - when constructing a siege base I often electify the TF before upgrading to siege. This stops skulks, newly spawned from the hive you're attacking, from destroying your siege factory.
Electrifying is expensive, and you need to assign marines to guard whatever it is to ensure that your investment isn't wasted before the upgrade is finished. So, don't go nuts with it. It doesn't work by itself, but it complements other equipment well.
The fact you have those other 2 RT's means <b>they don't</b>. Which means slower alien res which means more time for you to prepare for Fades & Oni.
If....
- Your marines are all loyal and all listen to orders without questions asked, yuo don't need to since you can tell them which node.
- If your whole team is full of people who beg for shotguns,HMGs,HA and rambo off dying with the expensive equipment....you're better off electrifying
- If your team is a mix of the both....well, just check the ratio between the 2 and decide wether you have to (ie 60% loyal and 40% rambo, don't electrify)
But however it is the inevitable that Fades and Onii will arrive, which means you might be better off not electrigying those RTs and save up for some important equipment and buildings like a spareArms Lab or a new bundle of HAs for your next assault.
.......which can be countered by a couple of marines assisted by medpacks killing you, and a little while later your oc <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
i always try to electrify most of my rt (unless they're in some remote location the aliens'll never come by)
sure it costs a bit....but when you have 5-6 electrified RT in the first 5 minutes, i assure you, you can fill up a warehouse with res and get upgrades real fast...and fades bleh, i just tell my best 3-4 marines to go back to base for sg and tell em to go fade hunting <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->