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Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:29 am
by Kelderek
This sure saves me a lot of running around! The best part is I was no where near this part of the map, I was way north of this area, but I can fire at anything in range of any artillery turret on the whole map. This also makes the artillery range infinite research fairly useful for more than just defense.
Image

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:11 am
by Vykromod
It was just a matter of time until someone puts that part of artillery mechanic to use.

Although those holes do make my OCD cry.

As useful as it may be, considering the abundance of resources even on normal settings, I'll stick to radars. By the time I need to expand, the area around my furthest outposts is already fully scanned.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:19 am
by sathill
But radar have low range compared to "unlimited" artillery.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:28 am
by Koub
Well, as every single shell embeds a radar, it's totally legit :).

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:45 am
by Kelderek
My image above actually shows a few radars that were able to run to max scan their range and that may be useful for comparison. I use RSO and enjoy being forced to build extensive rail networks, so this works great for me. I like this feature for finding out if a land mass is an island or if it's connected to a continent, helps me to know which areas will be easier to expand to or defend.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:25 pm
by Vxsote
I am guilty of doing exactly what is shown in the OP's picture. I feel like regular radar needs a range boost now, perhaps something that can be researched. Early game, the current radar is fine. But later, when I'm looking for that next big resource patch, or trying to figure out if building rails in a given direction is a good idea, not so much.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:06 pm
by HurkWurk
Vxsote wrote:I am guilty of doing exactly what is shown in the OP's picture. I feel like regular radar needs a range boost now, perhaps something that can be researched. Early game, the current radar is fine. But later, when I'm looking for that next big resource patch, or trying to figure out if building rails in a given direction is a good idea, not so much.
rather that, how about arty shells or even rocket payloads for scanning terrain.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:40 pm
by Cleany
Artillery is OP with range research, even though I love it! Ergo radar is now UP, I have researched 4 artillery range, the next one will take it beyond my radar range. It will really mess up my map!! ;-)

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:47 pm
by Kryptos
Vykromod wrote: Although those holes do make my OCD cry.
He's right OP, you need to shoot more shells faster and fill in the gaps!

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:03 pm
by Kelderek
Kryptos wrote:
Vykromod wrote: Although those holes do make my OCD cry.
He's right OP, you need to shoot more shells faster and fill in the gaps!
I was able to clean it up later, but when I took the screenshot I only had about 20 shells at each artillery cannon, so I initially had to use them somewhat sparingly. Once my trains resupplied the defense outposts I was able to clean it up. For the purpose of exploration it didn't need to be perfect, I just wanted to know where the land and water and ore were located.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:53 pm
by Kryptos
I exclusively use artillery trains...Reloading is much easier when you have three trains with 2-4 artillery wagons each that automatically go back and reload at a central point in your base when you're done. Plus, my rail system usually covers most of the outskirts of my base, and I usually expand by laying down tracks to call in supplies anyway.

I remember a few FFFs ago they mentioned the possibility of having a train make a temporary stop somewhere when called manually. I really want that. It would make life much easier, instead of having to drive out somewhere, drop a train stop, then call the next artillery train so you don't have a break in your barrage.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:59 pm
by Deadly-Bagel
HurkWurk wrote:rather that, how about arty shells or even rocket payloads for scanning terrain.
You know, just before reading this I was considering a "radar shell" that spawns a mini-radar on impact to scan the area. It would have probably the "always visible" range of the regular Radar, and would just scan the area and die.

Though I do wish there were some sort of Smart Radar that could detect and reveal ores, especially when playing railworlds or I imagine with the RSO mod.

Re: Using Artillery for exploration

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:11 am
by GlassDeviant
Late game I can imagine launching a survey satellite that would give you complete map reveal (or within a certain range on infinite maps), adding a further amount per additional satellite launch.