26-01-2001 13:28									#1
	Psi gates: use them much? Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Never even built one, though in CIV II I built 'airports'. It's not that I wouldn't use them if I had them, just never had the chance to build them.

	26-01-2001 14:09									#2
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I also never build them, because they are nearly useless (as same as airports in Civ).
It is the sense of psi gate to transport troops. And where would You need this troops, and so, the psi gates?
Of course in endangered bases. But in this bases, there are things certainly more urgent to build: Garrisons, defense perimeter, command center, tachyon field. And when You have build all this, the base is safe. You don't need the psi gate any more.

	26-01-2001 15:33									#3
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Never bother with 'em. Each gate can be used only once per turn, so it'll take years to move a decent force using gates. Drop pods, transports, almost anything will work better.

	26-01-2001 15:40									#4
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Hmm, should clarify that. A Psi Gate is one per customer outgoing per turn, unlimited incoming.

I still won't build 'em though

	26-01-2001 16:38									#5
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They come too late to be of any use anyway. But strictly from a theoretical standpoint, you might use it to bring in reinforcements for your army *after* the beachhead has been secured.

	26-01-2001 19:11									#8
	Got spare money?

I have used Psi gates in the end game to send units such as formers or crawlers to the base where ascent to transcedence is to be built.

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Gaius Mucius Scaevola Sinistra
Pontificator Pendanticus
older richer & wiser than you

	26-01-2001 21:25									#9
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I have only used PSI gates once, and that was to transport a PB to and enemy base I had taken over. I already had a gate in my home base that had the PB, so I just rushed one at the base I had taken over so I could get the PB there on the next turn.

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"Are you good men and true?" Much Ado About Nothing, Act III, Scene III

	26-01-2001 21:34									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I fell across a great little strategy used in LAN games once (I think it was Fitz who said it) and that is to build a drop pod, put it next to an opponent's territory, rush a psi-gate and transport god knows how many troops through it the next turn. It sounds like a killer, as the units in question don't need drop pods - not entirely sure how long the base would last, though.

	27-01-2001 02:32									#12
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It worked fantastically in the game I saw it happen in. When your core empire has 40+ bases with Psi gates, and drops are being interdicted every which way, a sudden infusion of 40 best weapon hovertanks onto your enemies territory is a godsend.

and mark, I think it was a colonypod needle jet, but I can't remember for sure.

	27-01-2001 08:29									#13
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I imagine the value of Psi Gates depends on how you play.

Aggressive conquerer types probably don't see a use for them. Whereas defensive builder types usually think in terms the whole of their bases rather than one at a time.

Psi gates have only two disadvantages.
1. You have to build one per base.
2. Each gate can only be used once per turn.

Advantages.
1. Using a psi gates does not cost movement points.
2. A unit going through a psi gate does not incur an attack penality for their next attack on that turn.

Further benefits apply particularly to sea bases. Supposing some outerlying bases are threatened but they have a psi gates, units from the other 40+ bases can gate in defensive units.

Or even if you need ships on the other side of a continent, the other side of the planet or even near a base too far away to get there in one turn. Ships can't use tubes or drop pods, but they can use psi gates.

There are so many more examples of uses for psi gates, but if you imediately see them as useless, you will never see their true value.

	27-01-2001 12:03									#14
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I guess one would be in error for thinking that Psi gates are intended to replace conventional travel and transport. Definately useful, but use wisely.

Thanx for the replies; good input.

	30-01-2001 02:04									#15
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What about Psi gate a transport full of units? not sure if the game allows that...

-LordLMP

	30-01-2001 03:21									#16
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I'm pretty sure that doesn't work LordLMP, but my testing of PSI Gates isn't enough for me to be sure.

Here's an idea: give all factions a free PSI Gate whenever they build a new base, and set the upkeep to 0. I imagine that that would effect play quite a bit!

	30-01-2001 17:48									#18
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That's what I figured, but what if we went a step further and gave ALL factions PSI Gates? Do the computer opponents use them if possible?