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From: chuck@dartvax.UUCP (Chuck Simmons)
Newsgroups: net.games.emp
Subject: Re:  Empire Tutorial
Message-ID: <2410@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 22-Sep-84 05:31:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.2410
Posted: Sat Sep 22 05:31:46 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 05:09:09 EDT
Organization: Dartmouth College
Lines: 50



Thanks on the tips for playing empire.  I hope my comments on your
tips won't be too obnoxious.

>1.  use the  command to set realm 1 to -20:20,-10:10.
>    Then, after every update, say "realm 0 #1" 
>    This will let you see what is surrounding you.

Don't use the 'update' command.  Set realm 0 so that it encompasses
everything you are interested in seeing in a map.  (My realm 0 is set to
-50:20,-45:20.)  Set up realm 1 to encompass the area that you update
every day.  Then instead of updating, use the 'census #1' command.
The 'census' command doesn't use up btu's, nor does it change your
realm 0.  And if you use ve(6), you'll be giving 'census' commands
every day anyway.

>5.  You don't need more than 1 urban center.  Its hard enough scrounging up 
>    enough iron ore for it and all the "j" (light manufacturing) and "k"
>    (heavy manufacturing).

I have 5 urban centers.  I am producing more iron than my u/j/k sectors
can use, and am looking for more.  (Those 3 mines with min=100 help alot.)
Some reasons for having lots of urban centers are:
    1)  The more urban sectors you have the greater your "surface area"
is.  Having a large "surface area" helps a lot in getting civilians moved
out of the way.
    2)  You can still produce a lot of people, but you don't have to 
worry quite as much about the plague problems associated with populous
urban sectors.

>11. Use warehouses.  They make it much easier to move products.

Also, build good 100% highways.  A good highway is surrounded on both
sides by sectors that produce and consume goods.  (Libraries and parks
should be far away from highways, but adjacent to light manufacturing.
Radar and weather stations (and forts?) need not be near a highway.)
Note that the total mobility cost of moving iron (for example) from a 
mine, to a warehouse and then to an urban center is greater than the
mobility cost of moving iron from a mine, to a 100% highway, moving
along the highway for a while, and then moving to an urban center.
     But warehouses definitely have their uses.  In particular, iron
tends to be found in mountains and there may not be room for a road.
A nearby warehouse, however, can help get the iron out of the mountains
into the lowlands.

If I've been blithering, please tell me quickly.  The livelihood
of my nation depends on it!

Chuck