Question about the placement of coal thumpers - shrinking involved

[stardazzled]

I've been using the incredible layouts by u/throwawaysmy (Reddit user, probably also Crystal Dazz on Youtube) for some time now but there is a thing that gives me serious headaches. I'm pretty sure some of you saw those layouts and maybe you can help me there.

For the love of God, I haven't been able to place the Coal Thumpers as the layout suggets. I only know the basics about shrinking and so far I have been able to place three Coal Thumpers and one Gathering Post in one row, with some space left. The Posts on the left and right side start one row behind. Meaning, the remaining gap on the left and right on the starting row is slightly too small for the Posts in my layout.

So how do you do this? I watched several of Crystal's video but either the Coal Thumpers were already demolished or not built as in the layout. That's why a direction at the correct video already could help. Maybe you've come across one in the past. Oh, and please avoid terms like half-stepping - I lack higher education Frostpunk-wise. Thank you very much.

[Bobywan]

I never use shrinking... there is plenty of space on every level.
Do you really need 3 coal thumpers ? 2 steam coal thumper + automaton use is enough.

[amordron]

You shoudl really by posting the source vs saying im sure other have seen it.


The way shrinking works has been changed quite a number of times over the life of the game so if looking at a old vid your reason is right there. Otherwise if we seen the vid could better answer it as shrinking to do in a exact way vary much depends on the ENTIRE base setup to that point. A building 20 buildings away can and will change how your building shrinks even if nothing between them.

Placing thumpers near each other is often not the best placement unless your putting them with short sides touching coal piles out as than can put posts so they only hit one thumper not the other while hitting all with a steam hub. But than thats doable without shrinking without using any additional steam hubs to cover without shrinking so not needing the need. If a post hits the piles from two thumpers the effective gathering speed per thumper goes down as that post is spilt, requiring all to hit both which is hard to do the best way is to only hit one than you no they all are working at max rate per thumper wise vs spilting between two thumpers that can screw up your ratio of thumper to posts.

[stardazzled]

original reddit thread:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Frostpunk/comments/96tsto/my_order_layout/

layout used: https://i.imgur.com/Qs1WRyq.png

And before someone 'asks', I don't have an account on reddit, else I'd ask there. But I found it a high possibility that someone over here uses this layout as well.

[General Idea]

If you go to Crystal Dazz YT video 'Frostpunk - Regular ol' New Home Playthrough, with Live Chat!'.
Specifically at 1:56:14 is from where he marks out the positions for Coal Thumpers and the adjacent Gathering posts.

[stardazzled]

Originally posted by General Idea:

If you go to Crystal Dazz YT video 'Frostpunk - Regular ol' New Home Playthrough, with Live Chat!'.
Specifically at 1:56:14 is from where he marks out the positions for Coal Thumpers and the adjacent Gathering posts.

OMG! Thank you sooo much. I quit watching that video at about 1:30:00 because I was getting dizzy (he moves around really fast). Impatient me.