Bonus tiles question

I don't know about you guys, but it seems like you all seem to find a lot of bonus tiles on your planets? I rarely seem to find any, and I really can't put to use some of the strategies you talk about (aka finding a 300 or 700% production tile, I think I've found three tiles in the 10 games I've played so far).

Granted, I only play on medium and large maps, but I always have abundant stars and planets, so I figure I should have some chance of finding them? I mean, I usually end up with around 20 or so planets (highest maybe 30 ish or more if I attack some planets) by the end of the game, but there aren't that many bonus tiles other than influence (which I see a lot of). Am I doing something wrong?

Also, someone mentioned something about knowing about bonus tiles before colonizing? Is that possible? I don't see anywhere where I can access info about the planet before I actually colonize the thing (unless I'm stealing it from my enemies, heehee).
6,824 views 10 replies
Reply #1 Top
The bonus tiles are totally random, so if you'r enot seeing very many, it can probably be chalked up to a string of really bad luck.

Also, someone mentioned something about knowing about bonus tiles before colonizing? Is that possible?


Nope. What you saw is probably a recent post which asked if such a thing could be added, but there is not currently such an ability in the game now.
Reply #2 Top
Speaking for my experience. In huge, everything abundant, random stars galaxy (around 280 planets), I expect there to be about two 700% manufacturing bonus tiles and two 700% research tiles. Not sure how many 300% tiles, they are more common. I would guess about one each (research and manufacturing) in twenty planets.
Reply #3 Top
The bonus tiles are totally random, so if you'r enot seeing very many, it can probably be chalked up to a string of really bad luck.


Heh, I have amazingly bad luck, so that would probably do it. Did you know I start absolutely every game in a corner? My friend will sit at the computer and press ctrl-n a few times and start in the middle of some star system near a wall or around the middle of the map. And then I'll sit down and ctrl-n maybe ten times in a row and always be in a corner surrounded by other civs, heh.

Luck is not one of my strong points.
Reply #5 Top
That doesn't seem to have any effect? Unless I'm missing something. I don't see any added tiles or win any more battles or anything.
Reply #6 Top
Whenever i play on a galaxy with planest Common or Abundant i get hardly any 700% bonus's, maybe one manufacturing and one research on the whole map if its medium, and more if its large huge or gigantic, it all depends on how many planets you have on how large a map. Atleast thats what I've found anyway
Reply #7 Top
From what I've seen, it does appear that 300% and 700% bonus tiles are more prevelant the larger the map size.

Currently I'm playing a gigantic map with everything abundant:
I have 28 planets
7 have 300% manufactoring bonus tiles
3 have 300% research bonus tiles

Even for a gigantic map that is a lot of 300% bonus tiles.

Maybe you've read one of my strategy posts where I say I do not buy factories on new colonies unless they have 300% or 700% bonus tiles.

All strategies are really just guidelines meant to be broken.
For instance, in my current game I've been unable to afford to buy starports as I colonize so I've had to use focus to build the starports. Had to do the same to get factories on the 300% bonus tiles -- just did not have the extra cash.

At first I thought they must have nerfed the 2500bc anomalies -- I only got 2 1000bc anomalies for quite a bit. However after a bit longer I did find some 2500bc anomalies -- 3 of em I think. Since then I've been able to do some partial buys at least but sort of hard to put out a lot of cash now that my deficits are around 400bc/turn.

Also because my bank was so low -- I've had to keep my tax rate as high as I can with my low morale planets at 44 morale.

I was sort of expecting this might happen with update 1.3; the initial colony maintenance was upped to 14bc/turn from 10bc. And I've seen a 10% reduction in tax income from the start of my update 1.3 game -- with the 1.3beta3X the tax income started at full but I saw a 14% reduction when my Population was around 3B/planet.

I almost always have to adjust my startegies as my games evolve. feel plays a big part for me.

Well hopefully your luck will change and you'll get some better planets early and then it'll feel easy for you after all your bad luck.
Reply #8 Top
I tend to find bonus tiles more on planets below size 10. Big planets will often have none while size 7-9 planets will usualy have one and often have lots.

You wouldn't be able to see the added benifits with the Luck attribute without a statistical analysis, so its anybodys guess whether its worth the point or not. I figure a point in morale or research is probably more usefull since you get the bonus every turn, but you only get events (good or bad) once and a while.
Reply #9 Top
Well, I've just developed evil, evil strategies to compensate for my luck. Aka building crappy attack ships with decent speed early game and shooting down all of their colony ships while I build colonies past them  

I'm not sure what the chat filter is here but the ship I made is called the "Proto-Cockblocker" and has a similar description.

I doubt this will work on harder difficulties but it's pretty fun at the moment. Even if the luck is crappy make use of it by thinking outside of the box right?   

Thanks for all the replies guys
Reply #10 Top
I got really lucky in my last game. Small galaxy, 2 opponenents, easy diffuculty. I had a 300% and a 700% research bonus tiles on my home planet and a 100% approval bonus on the first planet I colonized.