Sensor Strageties

[Barinthus]

How do you usually use sensors? I do understand that they help keep natives away and increase defensive benefits to friendly units, that's just about it ha.

If I recall correctly, the coverage of a sensor is two squares away so does it means it's something like this... S being Sensor and C being coverage... I'm assuming the sensor's square is also covered.

CCC
CSC
CCC

Also are the defensive benefits cumulative? Suppose a unit is within range of two sensors, would it receive the cumulated benefits of two sensors or just one?

And under standard rules, sensors cannot be placed into sea squares, correct? If I'm right, does a sensor's defensive benefits cover a sea square if it's situated on a coastal square?

Thanks in advance!

[Blake]

The sensors 2 square radius means it covers a total area of 5x5 - like a base radius without the corners cut out.

Some people prepare base sites by building a sensor array there first, then build the base on the sensor. This makes the sensor indestructable to bombardment/pillaging. It is particullary good with "5 on the die" base placement because the middle base gives sensor coverage to the 4 around it. (so you don't need to prep every base site with a sensor)

[Lazerus]

no the bonuses are not cumulative

[Flubber]

I place sensors undeer some bases although I often do not bother with a base far inland that I can already tell will be deep in my core. I do try to sensor basesites otherwise and will also place sensors along my coast or in the direction of an opponent for an early warning system. Note however that sensors know no allegience and if your opponent plants a base, a sensor that is now in his territory will start giving the benefits to him

[Petek]

Originally posted by DataAeolus
And under standard rules, sensors cannot be placed into sea squares, correct? If I'm right, does a sensor's defensive benefits cover a sea square if it's situated on a coastal square?

Thanks in advance!

A Sea Former will build sensors if you press Ctrl + Shift + O, the same hotkey command as for Land Formers (but it's not shown on the menus except as noted below). However, sensors (land or sea) confer no defensive bonus to sea units (whether or not in a base) or land units in a sea base. Also, you have no control over where the sensors are placed when you automate the Sea Former this way.

Since you refer to "standard rules", you're probably familiar with the Alpha(x).txt modification that allows Sea Formers to construct Sea Sensors. If that modification is made, then the menus display the "Automatic Sensors" option (or whatever it's called) for Sea Formers.

Here's the link for modifying Alpha(x).txt:

http://www.civgaming.net/smac/alphaxguide_v1_0.html

(kudos to Darsnan and Rubin)

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Petek


A Sea Former will build sensors if you press Ctrl + Shift + O, the same hotkey command as for Land Formers (but it's not shown on the menus except as noted below). However, sensors (land or sea) confer no defensive bonus to sea units (whether or not in a base) or land units in a sea base.

A question . . . will these sea sensors provide you with a view around them. My understanding was athat a sensor only worked for you if it was in your "territory" and we all know that the territorial claims on the sea are pretty darn small

[Darsnan]

And kudos to Petek for pointing out this error that I missed (I simply assumed that if I could build a Sea Sensor, it would then confer the same defensive bonus as a land sensor)!

Sometime along I am going to research this function in the Alphax.txt, as I am currently thinking that it may simply be if you name the sea version the same as the land version of the Sensor, that it may work. However, as my honeydo list is as long as my SMACtodo list, it may be a while before I get to conduct experiments on this.....


D

[Sarxis]

I've seen sea sensors remain after the land they were on was lowered by a former.