Factorio Forums

it's getting kinda hard to head out now, too many biters make it tedious. i looked for i mod that might give other options but a bit too OP for my taste.
how do you all do it? what methods do you use when the map is red?

Artillerie range, send some shells in the unknown areas.

Put radars in the outer reaches and wait until the map has been explored. There are nice tiny self contained radar station blueprints from the forum for this:

Copy blueprint

Copy blueprint

This is the way I generally go about it. Your mileage may vary.

Pre rocket launch, I just push out with the tank or spidertron and use it to clear the area when I want to claim something.

Post rocket launch -
I like to have a certain level of artillery range upgrades. 6 or so. I'll mark on the map where my current artillery coverage and coverage from a new military outpost will just overlap. Then, I'll drive out there with spidertron and clear a path to this point that's just wide enough for bi-directional rail and a power line. I tend to use nukes on the really big nests. The M.I.R.V.s mod specifically. Once I have secured this point, I build a firebase there. Once the firebase is built, military trains with artillery wagons start coming out and laying waste to everything. Rinse and repeat. Once the threat is clear, I'll use a little solar+radar blueprint to get anywhere where there is some black squares.