Leaders

[starrynite120]

So I'm not seeing much reason to not pick a leader almost every time I get a citizen. A 6% bonus everywhere just seems better than the localized bonuses, and they're flexible. Any reason I am wrong?

[Syrris]

Leaders are more powerful in large empires while specialists on a planet will produce a better overall result in small ones, particularly if the planet focuses on the same field as the leader. Likewise, if you're only conducting a particular activity on a single planet then a specialist there will help more than a leader will.

[EleventhStar]

6% bonus sounds nice but it's nicer in some areas then others.

e.g. social or ship production? it's great that will benefit a large percentage of your worlds. But research or money will only really affect worlds specialized for those things. Especially with research I ussualy have 1 or 2 big worlds that provide the bulk of my research, I think it's better to settle down a scientist then to invest 5 leaders for the same effect.
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That said their ability to be re-allocated makes them worth a looooot even if their % was lower.

My thought process ussualy goes like this:
1. Do i need admin points in the next 10 turns?
2. Is there a big specialized world that I want to buff?
3. Do I urgently need a offensive spy/commander/general/other specific need?
4. Choose leader. (most of my picks end up being leader)

[starrynite120]

Originally posted by Syrris:

Leaders are more powerful in large empires while specialists on a planet will produce a better overall result in small ones, particularly if the planet focuses on the same field as the leader. Likewise, if you're only conducting a particular activity on a single planet then a specialist there will help more than a leader will.

I know that's the idea but I'm not sure it actually plays out like that. I can see how a 30% bonus when you only have 2-3 planets is strong, but you get any more than 6 really and that 6% bonus everywhere just seems flat out better, especially considering how flexible it is too.

Also, since most buildings only give percentage boosts anyway, a 30% bonus isn't actually that strong. Its just adding to a small base.

[Red Earth]

Well the 6% is adding to a small base too and in the current patch leaders don't give +1 raw production anymore.
Also, you're assuming every planet is the same. Using things like the central bank or computer core, or the mines or the elevator with adjacency bonuses increase base outputs, sometimes a lot. Plus cities. Not every planet is suited for increased population. If one already has bonuses then you'll likely try and bring up the base. And if you bring up the base then there's more reason to put bonuses there. A colony being one of six doesn't mean it's 1/6th of your empire.
Lastly, you can't get six colonies in the first ten turns, nor can you get access to leaders in ten turns.

[qualified turtle ship]

I've played up to medium maps on Crusade so far and so far the best choice has always been to ignore the empire bonuses and plant the citizen on one of the uber-planets which produces a 1/3rd of empires science/wealth. The same has been true for production too, but I can see on larger maps that probably wouldn't be true anymore.

Note to some extent it depends on your civ type. My Dregans have much less an uber home word than non-slaving races did.
Also note uber home worlds are easy to create if you direct your entire-empire's asteroid production to one planet and go down the neutral builders line just a little, before switching to evil production :D

[CyPunk]

Originally posted by tearfang:

Also note uber home worlds are easy to create if you direct your entire-empire's asteroid production to one planet and go down the neutral builders line just a little, before switching to evil production :D

Sad, I am still getting astroid decay, despite the Engineer trait and the decay reduction from the Builder line (no shipyard decay, so that part working). Will have to look into that ....

[CyPunk]

As EleventhStar said: certain core planets can reall benefit from the 30% buff of a specialized citizen. If in doubt, you can always do the math!

Personally I agree leaders are great, but I think there is a sweet spot for their midgame use, after which you should get some specialists in case you need them for a war or something (e.g. spy and general). Should not wait until the war has begun before before recruiting these (naturally we can usually see a war coming).

Not sure the sweet spot though.... 3 or 4 maybe? So that when war orr crisiis comes you can quickly give 18-24 % boost... seems enough.

So my logic for what I do with citizens over time follows the 4X name (generally): administrations; development specialists (e.g. scientists); leaders; conflict specialists (e.g. generals).

[Galactic Origins]

some citizens are better than leaders for some worlds

I use Celebrities and especially Engineers
of course I also use Leaders but there are only 10 slots in each area.

[Astasia]

It's 30% at level 0, as soon as you assign them to a planet they hit level 1 and it becomes a 31% bonus, and that bonus grows over time, 1% per level I believe. I don't know what the level cap is.

There is a cap I believe for the unassigned citizens, after you have like 10 you have to start assigning some to planets before you can get more of that citizen type. You can also stack citizens on planets, I'm not sure if multiple of the same type work (Edit: They do). I haven't played much yet so I'm just going off what I've heard other people talk about. So you'll want a mix of citizen types regardless, especially with how fast they are generated.

[starrynite120]

Ok I'm seeing the value of non-leaders now. Many thanks!