Construct a City Mine for Free leader ability (Harry LeClerc)

[Hoodoo]

How do you actually use this ability? I've tried using it on the planet map on spaces that have resources, no resources, etc. and I've tried to place it inside cities. I am using lava tubes on this run so maybe that is the problem? I tried to erase a city building in my first 'above ground' starting city and then build a mine in the empty space and that didn't work either. No clue and there's no instructions. Any help?

[gussmed]

You can only build city mines on in-city deposits. It doesn't work on deposits on the planetary map, only on deposits inside cities.

City mineral deposits are uncommon and visually distinctive. You can click on city-sites without building a city, and you'll see the layout, including any in-city mineral deposits. Try looking over a bunch of city sites and you might find one. If you hover over a mineral deposit, it will tell you what you kind of mine you can build there.

You can't build city mines on ordinary open spaces. Mineral deposits can appear on any kind of city map. They're extremely common inside the moon city sites.

If you don't have LeClerc, you can build a city-mine just by clicking on it. This always costs 4 titanium and 4 power. LeClerc's ability lets you build the mine without paying the cost.

[Hoodoo]

Originally posted by gussmed:

You can only build city mines on in-city deposits. It doesn't work on deposits on the planetary map, only on deposits inside cities.

My misunderstanding. I'm familiar with the city deposits, I was thinking he made deposit + mine appear rather than playing a free mine on a pre-existing city deposit! Hadn't played in a while lol

Thanks!

[Hadrax]

Is it me or is his ability pretty useless? His other ability also has limited application.

At best he saves you 8 of something specific. Lots of other leaders give you +5 or extra policy choices.

[gussmed]

Saving 4 power and 4 titanium is specific, but so is generating 5 science or 5 power, which are other common leader abilities. It's situational, so you only get to use it 1-2 times before he retires most of the time, but it's still quite good.

His secondary ability is basically "gain a free colony level" if used correctly. A colony level is worth 10 resources. You need roughly 7-12 trade routes before it's worthwhile to use, but a leader action worth 10 resources is generally pretty good.

Like the city-mine ability, it has prerequisites. You need enough trade routes to gain the level in 1 turn, you need enough trade routes, and you need enough surplus of the correct resource so you can trade 7-12 of it in a single turn. Having enough trade routes is often hit-or-miss, but it's often doable. A Space start almost guarantees it since you have 3 trade routes to start and the Orbital Ring project.

Example case: Mercury wants you to sell 50 food. LeClerc drops that to 30. You have 6 trade routes, and you trade 6 food for 6 power and activate his ability, so it counts like trading 30. Poof, free colony upgrade for Mercury.

The limits are not having the trade routes, or being really chronically short of all the relevant resources. I.e. you're only generating +4 power right now and struggling, and Ceres wants Power.

[Hadrax]

You have good points and worthless was harsh of me. I just chose him over someone else so he has benefits.

I still think others are generally better but he would be perfect tor the space trading victory path.