Supply Chain Management - where is it?

[Svobi111]

Sounds easy Svobi111, but the reality is not quite as simple. Shuttles are horribly time and logistically inefficient and the transporter can move 45 units at a very slow surface speed. Not really a problem if a dome or infrastructure is nearby but if it is a tunnel length or more away you are screwed.
I guess if you poured money into building many multiple shuttle bays and micromanaged many multiple transporters then you may have something, but then the game becomes a load/unload the truck simulator.

The trick is to use shuttles only for supply mining bases. Your main base should be build around main stockpile (domes and main stockpile inside one drone hub. Three drone hubs can be build around main stockpile).

 

[Snarky]

How to you set shuttles to only supply mining bases?

Your main base should be build around main stockpile

Right, but that doesn't address the movement of items and people outside the main hub. That's where things grind to a halt in my experience.

 

[Achiles]

How do I order the shuttles in my hub to move around resources?

NVM, I figured it out. Apparently I had to first move my Rover within range of the universal depot in order to "activate" it and then the shuttles started automatically supplying it.

 

[Zinegata]

Now, you might argue, "Just use Flying Transports!" This, however, is an even more inefficient option. For starters, the Flying Transports consume fuel. RC Transports do not. Already we've introduced an extra cost. Additionally, the hubs have their own maintenance. Yet another problem is that the Flying Transports can only carry 3 resources. Yes, it is possible to uncover a tech which doubles that. However, it is still an incredibly expensive option compared to good, old-fashioned, ground-based trucking routes (which is essentially the role an RC Transport should fulfill). Flying Transports are good for moving passengers, and can help supplement a resource supply chain. They shouldn't be relied on to be the backbone, however.

Eh, not really. Fuel becomes incredibly easy to come by the time you're able to research shuttles. Moisture Farms and Fuel Refineries are not that expensive to build and maintain. They're relatively expensive compared to the maintenance cost of RC Transports, but those basically cost nothing to maintain other than the occasional recharge top-up, so it's really a false equivalency.

RC Transports are really ideal for just bulk transfers - like say sending metals from a mining Dome to a factory Dome; or for setting up a new Dome that needs a ton of concrete. Everything else - like spare parts and food for mining Domes - can be handled by the shuttles and it's honestly a lot less stress and effort if you let the shuttles handle this for you.

Really, I can't think of a situation where a Dome would really need regular shipments of food big enough to require an RC transport to begin with, because only really huge Domes with dense populations would actually consume more than a couple of food per day. And in those cases you're better off building a small agri dome beside the big dome - agriculture isn't really terribly location-dependent beside water but that can be sidestepped with Moisture Farms.

 

[DominusNovus]

Transport routes it is called and even an oldy like Anno 1602 from 1998 got it right straight from the beginning. No community feedback required, no DLCs. Nobody can tell me that this hassle with supply chains didn't annoy any playtesters or even the devs prior to the games launch.

Pretty sure Settlers from 1993 has a better supply chain system.

 

[Tyrberg]

- setup of two-way routes (at a minimum)
- setup of multi-point routes (A > B > C > A) with pickup and dropoff at each (ideally)
- define how many resources to pickup (not just all-or-nothing)
- ability to set minimum stock levels at resource storage points (Farm Dome still needs to feed its farmers...)

These simple transport rules would I like to be patched into the game. It´s something that is needed to make good bases that ain´t relying on being set up close to each other.
It´s also way to basic to be part of a payed DLC. For other transportation options an dlc would be ok, but to to this function

 

[BarbeQ]

Pretty sure Settlers from 1993 has a better supply chain system.

Transport in The Settlers worked different. It was all completely automated between warehouses, buildings and construction sites. No manual transport routes. All you could set were storage rules and transport priorities. Though I have to admit that a similar system using designated tranport drones would be neat in SM too.

 

[Holce]

I never think about using the rover to make routes when I have the flying drones. Mainly because of the problem with the rover battery. 30 fully upgraded drones makes a pretty good job. The tech that recharge drone at distance can recharge rover to. Building a recharge station close to each depot may help with the rover.

 

[cbtendo]

Actually, they don't - not technically, anyway. They recharge if they're sitting on a cable with nothing else to do, but while actively loading or unloading, they don't recharge.

RC transports do recharge on automatic route but only if you set the unload position (the transport shadow) above a cable. RC transport first will move to loading position, then move to unloading position (which is above a cable), recharge until full, then move into nearby depots, and then back to loading area again. Try it

 

[Studoku]

Transport routes it is called and even an oldy like Anno 1602 from 1998 got it right straight from the beginning. No community feedback required, no DLCs. Nobody can tell me that this hassle with supply chains didn't annoy any playtesters or even the devs prior to the games launch.

It's published by Paradox, who consider playtesting beneath them.

 

[jfjohnny5]

RC transports do recharge on automatic route but only if you set the unload position (the transport shadow) above a cable. RC transport first will move to loading position, then move to unloading position (which is above a cable), recharge until full, then move into nearby depots, and then back to loading area again. Try it

You're right! That's a great tip!

Hopefully we'll get some updates on the devs take on supply chain automation in today's stream...

 

[Lyrandon]

And i was right, they said in their stream that transportation would be great for a DLC.