Blueprints Improvement, Build Orders

[Maddhawk]

I would like to suggest that when making a blueprint, we should be able to set a build order for what components get built first. Most of the time, this doesn't matter too much. However, when building walls and other combat related structures, this can be crucial at times, particularly when creeping upon a biter nest.

I would just like to be able to say something like:
1) Build belts first
2) Build power poles next
3) Build Walls third
4) Build turrets fourth

[ssilk]

There is already something like a build-order. The electric and roboports first, then the rest. Do you mean that you can edit this build-order for each blue-print or - as currently implemented - in general?

[Maddhawk]

I'd like to be able to edit/assign a build order in the print itself when making a blueprint. This way, bots build it exactly the same way everytime in the exact same order.

Mostly, I'd like this of building defensive walls with turrets and power and belt fed ammunition. I can't count the number of times I have had bots and turrets destroyed cause they put down turrets too soon and triggered a biter attack cause of the extra aggro range military structures has.

Oh, and if no build order is assigned, then the game would default to normal build behaviors.

[Tooster]

I might point you to mods that could solve your issues:
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/bp100
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/blueprint-stages

I think you can achieve "ordering" even in vanilla game - if you want order under siege, then you probably want separate blueprints for walls with turrets, then belts with ammo, then the rest etc. It can be even done in vanilla by using a blueprint book with blueprints and quickly selecting with SHIFT+WHEEL an active blueprint.

[bodobram]

If the building site has its own logistic network (far away mines for example) you can also achieve this in vanilla with a circuit network (albeit it is rather complicated):

1. Let something (e.g. a train) bring all your items.
2. Put it in a normal chest and instruct an inserter to put all items that should be built first (e.g. walls/turrets) in a passive provider chest as long as all robots are idling again (or the roboport does not request these items anymore).
3. Then switch to the next state and continue with the second batch of items.

This requires some kind of state machine built with the circuit network (possible but complicated).
So for me +1 for a builtin solution