pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:48 PM

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This is my first playthrough, I reached a point where I can farm the first 4 sciences and rush through the research, but nothing else.
It's getting a bit messy and too intertwined. I do not know what to do, I'd like to at least have things a bit more organized.

Things that Ik I'd like to do:

Make a better bus: currently there's just a 2 lane iron and copper plate, maybe do a bus with 1 iron plate 1 copper plate 1 green circuits 1 red circuits, 1 iron beans, 1 stone??? (idk what to put on a bus, all I know it's that the 1 iron plate and 1 copper plate "bus" has been insanely useful and I'd like to put that strategy more in practice)
Properly Secure a safe Area: a bit of a hard time finding the right limits and armament for it
Big Solar Pannel for electricy: I'm barely able to farm some batteries off this mess
Switch to eletric furnaces maybe: Saving on coal ig
Play with robots: I can't even start to explain how hard it is for me to start making the stuff for the robots
With all of these things in mind maybe 1 iron patch isnt enough and I'd have to look into trains and a bigger iron production.

I do not know what other things, before starting the next science.

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Maybe starting to understand how builder bots work and to really really try to make a small setup to build just a few to help me reconstruct and move stuff would be amazing.

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:51 PM

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Sorry I de railed quick questions :p

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Lemme see if I can help

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:51 PM

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Oh this might be important to this thread

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:51 PM

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My suggestion would be to improve your economy so biters are less of a stress, without needing lots of offense or defense.

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efficiency_module

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These guys will reduce pollution -80% AND energy -80%

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:52 PM

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so far it says... -20% then -30%

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:52 PM

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Yeah, with 3 module slots, there is a maximum of -80% or 20% energy usage

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:52 PM

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Oh I'd like to have setup a green and red circuit maker module.
Ok wait, I can put 3?

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:52 PM

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That directly impacts pollution (even on solar power)

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Yeah

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Since your pollution cloud is empty rn, this is what I would suggest to start

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:53 PM

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Well Guess first order of the day is making sure I make a green and circuit maker to make a good amount of these

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:53 PM

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Should let you comfortably increase production while ignoring offense or defense

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Then with more production(without extra evolution) , both of those are easier

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And you’ll be able to afford robots and all that fun stuff

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:54 PM

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is there any research I shoud look into asap?

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:54 PM

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Electric furnaces after everything has efficiency_module

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Prod 1 in your lab before that

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Then nuclear power

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This sets your economy into full gear

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Then can do whatever you want tbh lol

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:54 PM

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narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:55 PM

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Military from blue science is good

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:55 PM

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I have everything that uses green red and military

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:55 PM

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Poison capsules crush enemy turret worms

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Robots are excellent

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:55 PM

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I just can't seem to craft them yet

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:55 PM

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But I’d kinda suggest some efficiency_module then nuclear first because they’re power intensive.

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And take a while to build and resources to craft so yeah.

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:56 PM

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The bots are power intensive? Even if I just use a few sometimes to help construct and deconstruct (move) things arround?

frank warren Jan 17, 2024, 1:57 PM

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pearl valve This is my first playthrough, I reached a point where I can farm the first 4 sci...

Make a better bus: - bus is generally not necessary, but if you really want it - more iron is always nice, i would plan for 4 lanes of iron
Properly Secure a safe Area: - walls on a chock point with flamers between lakes will help
Big Solar Pannel for electricy: - coal is fine for a long time, then solid fuel is nice replacement
Play with robots: - they are amazing, good to focus asap
With all of these things in mind maybe 1 iron patch isnt enough: - 2 patches is generally nice to launch a rocket

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:57 PM

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pearl valve The bots are power intensive? Even if I just use a few sometimes to help constru...

It depends on how many you use ofc, but I find that to use them best, you want to use a fairly large amount

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Or it almost doesn’t justify getting them if that makes sense

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To me at least

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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I feel like 4 lanes of iron I couldnt satisfy properly right now, I don't really have a lot of safe patches of iron around my base

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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A roboport can charge 4 robots using 4 MW

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It has a 110x110 construction range and 50x50 logistic range

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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the big square is construction?

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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So you can do a low power usage roboport / robot style but yeah it’s not my thing, usually.

frank warren Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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pearl valve I feel like 4 lanes of iron I couldnt satisfy properly right now, I don't really...

you can just leave some space for them for now and do only 2 lanes

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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I only built the roboport, nothing else

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 1:58 PM

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Yeah

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It can repair or move built things or build things

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Or adjust stuff

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But yeah I’d kinda suggest make an eff module factory, and while it’s working, make robots.

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 1:59 PM

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That would be very helpful now that I kind awanna move things away from the uhm super small bus

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I built things right next to it to the right and now I regret it

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:00 PM

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Yeah give it a shot

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Factorio really does have 2 phases which is before and after construction bots

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They change things a lot, no longer limited by engineers ability to build things at a certain hand placing speed

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:01 PM

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Alright, green and red circuit makers above my copper furnaces so I can later scale it and incorporate them into a bus

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:01 PM

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Oh yeah that’s the other thing is roboports cost 45 red chips

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So making more red chips… you can always spend them :D.

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:01 PM

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Yeah I noticed how everything require a lot of chips so not having a belt with them is a bit sad

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:02 PM

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Yeah I like to do a half belt of red chips and spaghetti it around the base

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Seems to work fairly well for me

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:02 PM

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maybe I could do half a belt red half a belt green and see where it'll lead me

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:02 PM

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That will be good until you need to make more dedicated circuits for new sciences.

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Purple and yellow science will just guzzle them

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But it’s good to kinda slow down at this blue science stage and make use of the things you’ve unlocked

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:03 PM

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I think at that point I'll have a chokepoint on the iron/copper

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:03 PM

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As Mimo was saying the new sciences are gonna want more ore patches

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:03 PM

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yeah so essentially I wanna slow down now that I have all of these things, organize my base a bit better

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:04 PM

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Letting robots construct new patches and electric furnaces can be rather nice. But requires some improved production just for making factory parts.

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:04 PM

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pearl valve yeah so essentially I wanna slow down now that I have all of these things, organ...

Yep, hence my initial suggestion of making efficiency_module

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Gives literal breathing room :D.

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Installing in miners alone would roughly halve pollution output

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Or, double production, if you grow the output at same time!

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:05 PM

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Until I figure out defensive measures yeah, I kinda cleared any major threats around my polution

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not expecting visitors any time soon

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:05 PM

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Yeah, between efficiency and the breathing Room you already cleared, I think you are safe to throw down more iron drills, smelt more

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More gears (red belts) more steel (roboports and furnaces)

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More copper (more circuits!!!)

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Yeah should be in good shape frankly

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:06 PM

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I dont think I can do half a belt of greens

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:06 PM

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I feel bad about starting the yellow ammo discussion around your game lol

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Cause really you’re in great shape

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:06 PM

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oh no worries I'm just learning

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:07 PM

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pearl valve I dont think I can do half a belt of greens

It can run at not full speed to start, while you attach some more ore

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:07 PM

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I might have to make far less to begin with and start working on more ores

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:07 PM

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Hehe exactly

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How many iron drills do you have right now? Left

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:08 PM

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wow it's impressive how much copper this is eating

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kinda already committing a mistake here

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:11 PM

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Seems fine enough

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Got a little more room for more drills but yeah

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Do you have an assembling machine making mining drills?

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Ah your mini base is pure science

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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heh no I've been making them by hand

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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+faq mall

cursive quailBOT Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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Mall

A mall is a place where you can get all the things you need to build more things.

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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Try making a belt of iron plate and half / half green chip / gears

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You can make many things from these including drills

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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I got a uhhhhh red ammo and battery makers

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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Oh

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Almost pure science ** :D.

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:12 PM

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but that's all

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yeah xD

slim glacier Jan 17, 2024, 2:14 PM

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pearl valve heh no I've been making them by hand

If you ever feel like starting fresh, I suggest going for the "lazy bastard" achievment.
This was the run where I finished the game for the first time. Because once you automate more stuff, and don't need to craft by hand, you can focus on growing your factory. And before you know it, you have arrived at the end of the game.

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Even if you stay on your current save, I would strongly suggest automating most thing that you are gonna produce more than a handful of.
This will let you ripe the full benefits of bots once you have them deployed

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:18 PM

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I see, I had to go look at the achievement. I didnt really automate everything because I was scared of starving my 1 lane of iron and 1 lane of copper

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I guess I don't have a mall at all

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I have the left side which is science, right side which is production for the science and that's it

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and with the bus being so big I'm a bit scared to craft in the middle now

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buuuuut it should be ok I really need more copper

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:20 PM

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pearl valve I see, I had to go look at the achievement. I didnt really automate everything b...

It only temporarily starves because the trick is to lower the storage of the chest to only a stack of items

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Or a couple stacks

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:20 PM

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I did leave space for the bus in the middle, I just suddenly started crafting in the way idk

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:20 PM

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narrow oxide It only temporarily starves because the trick is to lower the storage of the che...

ohhhh

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I didnt know you could do that

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:21 PM

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Yeah the red X in the chest

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Or circuit wire

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:21 PM

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I see

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:22 PM

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To use robots effectively you’ll also need the mall for them to take from

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:22 PM

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what size is usually the mall for the robots?

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:22 PM

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Anyway I think you have some good ideas about progression now

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:22 PM

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110x110 or was that the construction range

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:23 PM

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pearl valve what size is usually the mall for the robots?

1 assembler per recipe

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:23 PM

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I mean like how far can they reach out

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:23 PM

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Robot port connects range when near each other

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:23 PM

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OH? so the mall can be very far away as long as it's connected to the.. network?

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:23 PM

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Yep

slim glacier Jan 17, 2024, 2:24 PM

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pearl valve OH? so the mall can be very far away as long as it's connected to the.. network?

yes, but you will start to see delays because the robots need to travel back and forth

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:24 PM

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Eventually you’ll find that one huge roboport network is maybe not ideal but it’s definitely where you should start

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Yeah as mirag is saying

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But it’s fine

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:24 PM

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Alright, I have a good idea of what to do now!
Get green and red circuits going for efficiency modules
Get extra copper cause it's gonna be needed
Get some bots asap
Get extra iron cause it's gonna be needed

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When do I switch to electrical furnaces?

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Or steel furnaces

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:25 PM

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After everything else has efficiency_module already

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After bots too imo

slim glacier Jan 17, 2024, 2:26 PM

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And one you have robots, familiarise yourself with the copy/cut/paste features, and blueprints, and you can go wild with remodeling your factory to get the bus going properly

pearl valve Jan 17, 2024, 2:26 PM

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Alright! Thanks a lot. I assume I can close this threat and maybe re-open in the future after this is all done, which will take a good amount of time.

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:27 PM

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narrow oxide After bots too imo

Notable exception; prod in labs

narrow oxide Jan 17, 2024, 2:29 PM

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pearl valve Or steel furnaces

Steel furnaces prob should have been already using but at this point just skip

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They’re twice as fast for same fuel consumption and only 75 green science. So I always get them really early

#I'm so overwhelmed and things are getting messy. Come guide (a bit) a 1st Playthrough!

Things that Ik I'd like to do: