I'm having real trouble with Pandora and was hoping to track down a manual or FAQ or something that can explain the nuances of the game itself. I keep getting crushed on Very Easy, and usually I'm pretty decent at TBS 4X games.
The biggest gripe I have is I'm not sure what's using up my minerals and how to balance that or counteract that short of establishing new cities... which I can't defend. I'm sure I'm doing it wrong, I'm trying to play like Civ and failing left and right.
HALP!
Need help - is there a manual?
Moderators: Pandora Moderators, Slitherine Core
Re: Need help - is there a manual?
Production is using minerals. For each point of production you need 1 point of minerals to actually construct something. Think of it as the material your workers need to put something useful together. 
First when you land have a look on your starting land which ressources you have and which you don't. You need food and minerals as base for your economy. If one of the two is lacking you need to plan an expansion which gets you what was missing. Also start with researching the economy building that provides that missing resource (refinery or agricultural). Colony ship dismantling gives you a nice resource boost too for a smooth start.
As city defense against aliens flamethrowers are very useful. Also infantery gets a small bonus when defending a city. If your defense is established try to get tanks for an assault on the nearby hives. Take them out one by one and you will soon have less problems with aliens.
Also a good thing to know is when the alien aggression starts. Medium at normal speed starts around turn 35-40 and around turn 70-80 the bigger aliens will start attacking. High speed halves the turn number. Xenology can set the starting round a little later and also lowers the overall aggression of the aliens (they will wander around instead of attacking right away or more likely attack someone else).
First when you land have a look on your starting land which ressources you have and which you don't. You need food and minerals as base for your economy. If one of the two is lacking you need to plan an expansion which gets you what was missing. Also start with researching the economy building that provides that missing resource (refinery or agricultural). Colony ship dismantling gives you a nice resource boost too for a smooth start.
As city defense against aliens flamethrowers are very useful. Also infantery gets a small bonus when defending a city. If your defense is established try to get tanks for an assault on the nearby hives. Take them out one by one and you will soon have less problems with aliens.
Also a good thing to know is when the alien aggression starts. Medium at normal speed starts around turn 35-40 and around turn 70-80 the bigger aliens will start attacking. High speed halves the turn number. Xenology can set the starting round a little later and also lowers the overall aggression of the aliens (they will wander around instead of attacking right away or more likely attack someone else).
Re: Need help - is there a manual?
Thank you for the response. Very helpful! So if something requires 35 production that also requires 35 minerals? And that's what's being spent as the building or unit is in production (i.e. the negative number of the "earning" to the right of the status bar up top)? Do buildings and units also require minerals as part of upkeep or is that solely credits?
Also, regarding Xenology, if I don't build that pre-aggression, is that wasted?
Thank you again!
Also, regarding Xenology, if I don't build that pre-aggression, is that wasted?
Thank you again!
Re: Need help - is there a manual?
Yes, 35 production means you also need 35 minerals to finish a project.
Negative earning means you're using more minerals or food than you produce. This is only a problem when you don't have anymore of it stockpiled in the global resource pool. If you have 1 mineral less than needed for your production capacity the game will automatically give you a production penalty to adjust.
Building and unit upkeep is paid only with credits.
Xenology has influence even after the AA started. Firstly the aliens will attack you less aggressively and secondly the bigger aliens will attack you later.
Negative earning means you're using more minerals or food than you produce. This is only a problem when you don't have anymore of it stockpiled in the global resource pool. If you have 1 mineral less than needed for your production capacity the game will automatically give you a production penalty to adjust.
Building and unit upkeep is paid only with credits.
Xenology has influence even after the AA started. Firstly the aliens will attack you less aggressively and secondly the bigger aliens will attack you later.