No need for a fourth miner on a moon.

posted on March 29th, 2010, 7:53 pm

I've been seeing people having 4 miners at their mining stations lately, and was really curious about it, since I was positive that 4th miner wasn't doing anything.  I did some testing, and this turns out to be the case.  There's basically no increase by having that 4th miner.  You can see from just looking at 3 miners, and how there's always a beam on the moon, which is what really matters.  A fourth miner does not change this.

So just wanted to mention that to anyone who cares.  And if I'm in a game and you're on the opposing team, feel free to have as many miners on your moons as you like!

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:11 pm

Personally I prefer no miners - I just let dilithium and tritanium be conjured out of vacuum

Save the manimals!

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:13 pm

lol

the only reason i can think of having a fourth miner is as a backup, if you have a lot of resources to throw around, maybe you would keep a fourth miner to replace any that get destroyed.

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:16 pm

 Mal, I think the fourth miner is there just in case the mining station gets raided. It takes time and attention to replace the mining ships that gets destroyed, so I think it's easy to have extra one there, just in case. It's not like it costs too much...

Ninjaed by mylesworfers

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:17 pm

So what, having four miners is going to make me want to kill less miners? Hm... if I could pick between a target that has three or four... which would I pick? 

Main gunner... FIRE!

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:24 pm

i meant having four miners at all points, that way no matter which one you attack, if you can be stopped after destroying the first miner, resource income will remain the same. i personally wouldnt do it. i would build more ships. but maybe it works if you arent too protective of your minings

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:25 pm

Yeah, it's just that the miners are easy to destroy.  I'm not saying that anyone is dumb if they do this, of course.  But unless you have a nearby defense you'll lose 4 miners instead of 3 as dom mentioned.  I just wanted to point out that as far as mining is concerned, it doesn't benefit.  I usually leave "backup miners" in a nebula or somewhere no one goes so that if I do lose some to harassment, they can quickly replace the lost ones and not be targets themselves.

oooo I got ninja'd again!

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:25 pm

yh mal i think your method of miners in a nearby hidden place is better. still get a fast replacement, but dont give the enemy the chance to destroy all your miners. anyone reading this, thats where mal's last unit is

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:27 pm

SSSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!!  Quiet, you! >:(

posted on March 29th, 2010, 8:59 pm

It's barely worth getting more than 2 miners for any moon, the gain is only around 50 more of whichever resource over a minute cycle.

Getting 4 is poor investment, even if you're keeping them as spares, anything you're not spending on either gathering more resources, teching or killing is wasted.

posted on March 29th, 2010, 9:05 pm

I scrounged around and found the post where I list the mining rates.

//www.fleetops.net/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,3/topic,6642.0/

It's good to have 3, but the 3rd is basically not as efficient as the first two.  It also depends on placement of the mining station and other things, of course.

posted on March 29th, 2010, 10:21 pm

So what, having four miners is going to make me want to kill less miners? Hm... if I could pick between a target that has three or four... which would I pick? 

Main gunner... FIRE!

Easy!  just fire on the moon and blow it up, the moon fragments should destroy the mining ships  AND critically damage, if not destroy the station! 

posted on March 30th, 2010, 2:58 am

So what, having four miners is going to make me want to kill less miners? Hm... if I could pick between a target that has three or four... which would I pick? 

Main gunner... FIRE!

"The juicier targets make for better... ambush?!  Nooo!!!"

In fact, I won't give you credit, but to that person who had their little romulan strike force tailing that vulnerable-looking construction ship a few days ago... I don't like you.

posted on March 30th, 2010, 2:16 pm

I look at 4 miners as extra rankups for my ships.  Nothing better than speeding the K'vort toward veteran status.

posted on March 30th, 2010, 10:13 pm

First rule playing against klingons: dont give them any extra supplies.