Habitability v Size

[PaulMClem]

Still fairly new to all of this and I'm slightly unsure how to deal with planets which are not of my species type. For example my species prefers Alpine worlds. A quick look around the nearest planets for colonisation shows amongst others:

• Alpine-85% Hab-Size 10
• Arctic-65% Hab-Size 19
• Arctic-65% Hab-Size 18
• Tundra-60% Hab-Size 25

Natural instinct is to go for the Alpine world. However, it's so much smaller than the others.

My question is should you go for your own preferred planet type first, or take the bigger planets, as long as the Hab is something manageable i.e. 60%+. Another way of asking the same question is how much of a hit is it to have 60% Hab compared to 85%?

 

[jpd]

I only colonise by own type. I try to get as many of the other planets within my borders, wait until I get terraforming, and then terraform them to my type before colonising.

 

[Bagfisch]

As long as habitability is over 60% just go for it. The only penalty is the happiness maximum that shouldn't be much of a problem since 60% is still happy.

 

[AndragonLea]

Go for anything you can reasonably colonise. You'll get strategic resources and repeatable social tech to improve it soon enough.

 

[Tha Pink Guy]

Like Bagfisch said above 60% is good but ultimately it comes down to playstyle. I used to play extreme adaptability (20% habitability)and colonize everywhere knowing I can get everything to 60-70% late game but sector AI changed my playstyle so now I only take 18+ home type planet and terraform the rest and remain under core system limit.

 

[Alblaka]

As long as habitability is over 60% just go for it. The only penalty is the happiness maximum that shouldn't be much of a problem since 60% is still happy.

Habitability missing to 100% is directly applies as growth malus, too (i.e. -40% growth at 60% habitability).

With 1.5, there was however a big change in what planets to priorize:
All planets provide production in terms of minerals and energy, and the possibility of increasing naval limits with a spacedock.
Additionally, some planets may provide valuable ressources, both strategic and natural, from the territory & systems they will cover. This is technically independent of the planet's size, albeit large and high-populated planets get a sligthly larger border range.
Large planets provide an edge to science, as you the biggest cost increase to science is the number of planets, but you can build many more labs on a larger planet (+- other infrastructure).
Small planets provide an edge to Unity, as you ideally only need a very small amount of pops to staff all unity-producing buildings, and any pop growing past that only increases Unity costs, without the ability to have them produce Unity (exception to this being Agrar Idyll Civic).

Thus, if you want to i.e. go for a maximum Unity focus, grabbing planets with only 5-8 (non-blocker) tiles is the 'most efficient' approach.

Albeit, especially since Unity grows on trees and you will cap out Traditions sooner then later anyways, it's safer to go for larger planets to ensure your Science and Mineral production stay on par with your enemies.

 

[PaulMClem]

I only colonise by own type. I try to get as many of the other planets within my borders, wait until I get terraforming, and then terraform them to my type before colonising.

Think I'll take a leaf out of this book, not all, just a leaf i.e. wait to get Terrestrial Sculpting and then terraform the 25 size Tundra. In the meantime colonise the Alpine and then the Arctics, unless more Alpine are found.

 

[Serenity84]

An alternative to terraforming is gene modding. Especially in your own planet class. Settle the planet and then modify the pops there, which is really cheap with few pops. More planets can then be colonized from there.
With some habitability techs and/or traits that can even work for planets in different classes (cold when you're wet for example).

 

[PaulMClem]

An alternative to terraforming is gene modding.

Ok, I'll check that out. Looks like i'd need:

Genome Mapping then Epigenetic Triggers then Gene Tailoring

I have the first tech, I'll keep my eyes peeled for the other two.

 

[jpd]

Terraforming has the neat positive side effect of removing any and all tile blockers instantly, and it gets rid of any primitive population as well

 

[krios41]

Colonize everything with 18 tiles or more at start, (screw habitability)
WHen you're starting to use sectors just colonize what you can

 

[Serenity84]

Until then don't hesitate to colonize nice planets. Either because they're very large or in strategic locations. 60-65% habitability is ok for now.

 

[Siven80]

I colonize anything with 16 or more tiles, and 60%+ habitability.

With all the habitability techs you can research those 60% can easily increase.

I also try to grab some size 18+ 20% habitability planets through frontier outposts and natural border expansion from other planets for future teraforming.