optimal number of sensor towers?

[VA gamer]

Anyone fiddled with the ranges of sensor towers - curious about layout/number are optimal for relatively fast scan without wasting electronics

[Emmote]

Depends if you're going for active or passive sensing.

If you intend on building them all at your base, 10 is the most you can have as the passive bonus is capped at 100% (10% each).

If you're going for active, then 9 is optimal, spaced out into a 3x3 grid with the ones at the edges roughly 1-2 tiles in. You could go for 4x4, but that changes the number of sensors from 9 to 16, which is nearly double and probably won't speed up the scanning much.

[Mansen]

I put them in every three tiles or so. Close to domes if possible, to get disaster warnings.

[Emmote]

Originally posted by Mansen:

Close to domes if possible, to get disaster warnings.

Is that even a thing? The last game I played without sensors completely and got disaster warnings as normal.

[VA gamer]

I think you get more warning time in areas with more sensors. I saw meteor impact points and got over three days warning when I built four in cardinal directions from my first base.

[Zam!]

Originally posted by Emmote:

Originally posted by Mansen:

Close to domes if possible, to get disaster warnings.

Is that even a thing? The last game I played without sensors completely and got disaster warnings as normal.

Warnings come sooner with more sensors, giving you more time to prepare.

[Emmote]

Hm, ok. So maybe a 4x4 grid is better after all.

[Mora]

You guys are doing it wrong, once you get the autonomous sensor research you can place them every 3 to 4 tiles and scans speed can go to over 400% they will need no power or maintanance. All you need is to load the materials into a truck and RC drone rover build them all over the map, you can speed up the findings of anomalies and deep scans veins resources for late game.

[Emmote]

Well aware of that GDZN. They still cost electronics to build and you need both a transport and rover in order to build them so far out. Not all sponsors start out with both vehicles, and often it's better not to.

[Lantantan]

I'm completely with GDZN here, Scanning is so hugely important you kinda never want to scan below 350%. Always get all 3 vehicles and build a new sensor post and solar panal soon as you clear your previous 400% tiles. This way you dont need to maintain the old towers and one small power panel is all they need.

The reason it's so very important is that on harder maps, you really need to be able to make an informed decision for your first dome, and resources are so very far and few between. You want to have at least a quarter of the map scanned before you place your dome at sol 5.

[Emmote]

As long as you build your first dome near rare metals, everything is fine, you can worry about scanning later.
In fact, as I said, in my last game I played without sensors. My first tech was cheaper probes that could deep-scan, so I just bought 100 of them. Had the entire map deep-scanned before sol 10.
That way you REALLY know where is best to build.

[Lantantan]

Fine, you got the one super niche exception to the rule. In that one case, sure skip sensor towers. Otherwise, you're still going be hunting for that rare metal deposit, in addition to the breakthroughs that have such a profound effect on your colony direction.

[VA gamer]

Interesting point about probes - especially considering the improved probes are virtually always part of the first five techs.

Couple that with commander profile that gives deep scanning for a nice synergy.