Time Crunch !!!! AAARRRRRR!!

[Dark5cience]

Im having so much trouble trying to complete this level! I consider myself experienced in these games, and none of the campaign has caused an issue so far but this level is tough. I just cant complete the research in time by 9:45. I am usually building the Orchid at this time or just starting the research for the dirty ordinance - which seems to take for ever. I have been building wind turbines, speeding up the build to save time - pausing the game whilst doing this to save more time! Deploying as few guns as possible to save on energy and ore, but still I cant complete in time.

Does anyone have any expert tips on this? Its getting annoying now, I just want to continue!

[Dark5cience]

Ha just beat this level - didn't need to speed build the turbines, which saved more money!

[rasterman]

Here is the in game help you can access via the ? button (only available with the English language setting)

This mission teaches you how to reach Tech 2 very quickly, an important skill in skirmish matches. IMPORTANT: You must not waste any resources and be quick to place new units when you have enough credits to do so. Infantry Training Centers are factories, you need to build one to research Tech 2. This will ensure you reach Tech 2 quickly and are able to build an Orchid lab and research the required technologies by the time limit. You can pause the game while placing buildings to save precious seconds. In this mission you will learn about accelerating the building of units. Accelerating costs you double the credits, but decreases the time by half. The only thing you need to accelerate is the Orchid lab, which is available after you have Tech 2. To do this select the lab after it is placed on the ground and select the Build Fast command from the Orders menu. To save credits and strengthen your defensive turrets you can place power cells as if they were walls.

[BenTheVaporeon]

is the Infantry Training Center really a better choice then the land factory, its cheap, but takes 4 wind turbines of power(best power to cost in tech 1) so its overall cost is 700 + 1600 = 2300 and the land factory takes 2 wind turbines so 1200 + 800 = 2000
even the air factory is better because it can be made with one power cell so its cost is 2000 + 250 = 2250

i don't think its relvent, but the sea factories best is also 2 wind turbines so its 1500 + 800 = 2300(same as Infantry Training Center's)

so in a way its the worst choice if cost is the only factor(i have not played the story yet

[Xii-Nyth]

Originally posted by BenTheVaporeon:

is the Infantry Training Center really a better choice then the land factory, its cheap, but takes 4 wind turbines of power(best power to cost in tech 1) so its overall cost is 700 + 1600 = 2300 and the land factory takes 2 wind turbines so 1200 + 800 = 2000
even the air factory is better because it can be made with one power cell so its cost is 2000 + 250 = 2250

i don't think its relvent, but the sea factories best is also 2 wind turbines so its 1500 + 800 = 2300(same as Infantry Training Center's)

so in a way its the worst choice if cost is the only factor(i have not played the story yet

well if you assume energy is equal to 1/2 ore then all the factories add up to 2100, but yes everything has an efficiency over 2 so the training center is the best. also I cant remember if its on that mission but its a good idea to use scouts to pick up ore deposits nearby