Disclaimer:
Yes, I'm sure I'll be accused of taking a snapshot of a situation; but, I cannot see where the flaw in my logic is. I'm hoping someone points it out.

========================================================================================================

Question:
At what point is it possible for a farmer with max tech to outproduce a techer with equal land? Answer: Under extreme market prices.

Conclusion:
Even with max agri tech, farmers MUST have at least apprx 31% more land than the techer. (To make techer @ $1800/per tech & food @ 38 to be approx. even)

========================================================================================================

Two formulas:

TechPerTurn=Round(0.17*Labs*(1+Labs/Land)+3,0)
Food Production=(Farms * 5.3) + (Unused Acres*0.4) * GovFoodBonus * AgriTech

Terms used:

TPT (TechPerTurn)

================================================================================================================

Scenario 1:
Land Size: 5250A
Govt: M
Strategy: Techer
Labs: 5000

Land Size: 5250A
Govt: M
Strategy: Farmer
Farms: 5000

==========================================================================================================

Calculations:
TechPerTurn=Round(0.17*Labs*(1+Labs/Land)+3,0)
TPT = Round(0.17*5000*(1+5000/5250)+3)
TPT = 1663

Food Production=(Farms * 5.3) + (Unused Acres*0.4) * GovFoodBonus * AgriTech
Food Production = (5000 * 5.3) + (0*0.4) * 1 * 2.3
Food Production = 60,950

================================================================================================================

Note: 6% Market Commission omitted on both.

Variables:
Market prices -

TPT = 1663
Tech @ 1800 * 1663 = 2993400
Tech @ 2000 * 1663 = 3326000
Tech @ 2200 * 1663 = 3658600
Tech @ 2400 * 1663 = 3991200
Tech @ 2600 * 1663 = 4323800
Tech @ 2800 * 1663 = 4656400
Tech @ 3000 * 1663 = 4989000

Food Production = 60,950
Food @ 38 * 60,950 = 2316100
Food @ 40 * 60,950 = 2438000
Food @ 42 * 60,950 = 2559900
Food @ 44 * 60,950 = 2681800
Food @ 46 * 60,950 = 2803700
Food @ 48 * 60,950 = 2925600
Food @ 50 * 60,950 = 3047500

============================================================================================================

Observation:

Using same amount of land, a techer is making considerably more of an income per turn.
With tech market prices @ 1800 and food prices @ 50 the techer makes a greater income per turn.

============================================================================================================

Other considerations:
May only place 1/4th of tech on market.

Turn 1:
TPT = 1663
1663 / 4 = 415.75
415 can only go on market; however, consider the following.

Calculation:
1663(TPT) - 415(market) = 1248(kept)

==================
415 market | 1248 kept
==================

Turn 2:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 1248 = 2911 (kept amount + teched amount)
2911 / 4 = 727 market
2911 - 727 = 2184 (Remaining tech)

Turn 3:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 2184 = 3847
3847 / 4 = 961 (On market)
3847 - 961 = 2886 (Remaining tech)

Turn 4:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 2886 = 4549
4549 / 4 = 1137 (On market)
4549 - 1137 = 3412 (Remaining tech)

Turn 5:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 3412 = 5075
5075 / 4 = 1268 (On market)
5075 - 1268 = 3807 (Remaining tech)

Turn 6:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 3807 = 5470
5470 / 4 = 1367 (On market)
5470 - 1367 = 4103 (Remaining tech)

Turn 7:
TPT = 1663
1663 + 4103 = 5766
5766 / 4 = 1442 (On market)
5766 - 1442 = 4324 (Remaining tech)

Observation:
As turns accumulate the '1/4 penalty' grows smaller.

===========================================================================================================

One extra note on F Govt
Food Production=(Farms * 5.3) + (Unused Acres*0.4) * GovFoodBonus * AgriTech
Food Production = (5000 * 5.3) + 0 * 1.15 * 2.3
FP = 70,092
Food @ 50: 70,092 * 50 = 3504600

Compared to:
Tech @ 2000 * 1663 = 3326000
Tech @ 2200 * 1663 = 3658600

===============================================================================================================

Let the bashing begin............

Techers need to tech, Farmers don't need to farm. Farmers produce, regardless of how they spend their turns, thus they can spend more turns actually growing. For a techer to keep up in land, they have to spend less time teching.

Also, Express really isn't a good test bed for netting. It's far too different from other servers.

Techer is highly set situational. At least as a farmer you can dump food for $35 in a pinch. You can’t for techer.


A techer has to be teching for income, and is too market dependent imo. Not to mention a farmer can sell ALL of his production in one fell swoop, so it is easier to liquidate a farmers stock. A farmer can be doing anything. It can be attacking, growing, or cashing. Production tradeoff for flexibility. But personally, I’m too lazy to run techers on a server as fast paced and a market as fluffed up as express. Techer has a higher ceiling, but techer also has a lower floor. Farmer is just consistently mediocre, and sometimes it will have an all-star set.

I also didn’t read your post; I just made assumptions based on your past posts. You seem to be focused on instantaneous production in every one of these situations, and not the other parts like turning that production into cash or long term stocking goals. It is much easier to stock as a farmer, and not as market dependent. Especially if you are stocking food. As a farmer you can run turns when food is $50. Maybe I’ll read and make a real response tonight.

TLDR: there is no right answer. techer will have more good sets than farmer, but is more work. farmer is consistent with less upside, but easier and every now and then has a good set.

im a little mad at the fact tella beat me to the post by 31 seconds with the same general concept.

@Mrford
I didn't consider the liquidation concept; however, I don't see when liquidation would be of urgency on the Express server. On other servers, I would have to agree that the ability to liquidate and wall against special attacks would be very useful. Also, on the Express server, I rarely see RES/BUS/IND under $2400; whereas it seems food fluctuates far more between 32-50 depending on how many D play. Dont you think farmers are more dependent on market than techers?

@Tella
So then my conclusion is correct when I say a farmer must have at least 31% more land than any techer to compete.

did you account for the fact that farmers spend 30% at least more turns producing income (making food) than techers do? (as every turn spent spying, attacking, and building produces 0 income for a techer)

that's what tella raised. which, if you didn't factor it in, would make your conclusion incorrect unless you're talking about the stocking phase only (at which point tech prices fall...)

A good techer will spend 66% of his turns teching while grabbing. Possibly less. And the ability of a farmer to get instant cash can be crucial if attempting to make someones Retal bounce.If yyou see the ops failing...identified times time to beef up the defense.

You talk too much. Tela said the same thing with 1/5th the words.

I would rather be known as the person who talks too much, trying to explain a concept to someone notorious for missing points

than to be known as the bitter fluff who complains with every post they make


To each their own. Thanks for the help once again butt hurt king!

Mod abuse!

It's interesting though, because my biggest problem at work is that I talk too damn much and tend to over-explain myself in order to make things clear. But when I wrote this, I was on my phone :P

When food is at 250 (like it is right now) you don't need to throw any fancy numbers or formulas my way.

Farmer > Techer. Plain and Simple. The end.

Amen

Well, I was quoting ford's line about the timing until I saw Crest's. Good stuff, guys. Funny fluff from both of you!

he probally was late because his truck broke down