[X3TC + XTC] Starting complexes... My first time!

[misioooo]

Hello!
I am playing X3TC with XTC mod. Got installed some traders script, FCC and few other scripts.
I am at a point where i have:
1 XL SPP in a sector with 300% sun (Naos Nihal)
1 L Silicon mine on a 70-yield roid (Naos Nihal)

My fleet (all salvaged and damaged, mostly not equiped):
3x M3
3x M3+
5x M4
2x M4+
7x M5
1x TM (Pleco)

Ready to fly/fight:
20x Baldric TS (as universe traders)
2x SUper Freighters as CAGs in my factories
1x Pirate Cutlass Vanguard (as my personal ship, exchangable with Angel)
1x Angel (TP+)
4x Kestrels (universe explorers)
1x Falchion Hauler (satelite deployment)

20mil in account.

And now for real question. I want to start a complex in Naos Nihal.
What to do next? I can get with almost all my credits an XL crystal fab. Targeting for terran one, because their food factories are nice "blocks" that should fit nicely in a complex). And later add some food factories (for now - importing from terrans, not enough creds to get all factories).

Or maybe get some nice Orca TL?

[Tabs]

Since you have XTC this could be untrue, but in vanilla TC Energy Cell complexes give relatively little profit for the amount of investment they take. My first complexes are always missile fabs (self-contained except energy) and they rake in cash by the boatload.

[misioooo]

My energy also grinds credits really slow. But i'v build it as a start for self-sustaining complex. For now energy one, then i can add whatever i want ;P

[Erik Bogblocker]

What I've found with complexes is.....

Make them self-sustaining. For this you need a sector with a good silicon asteroid (or several if possible). A good yield ore asteroid in the same sector could come in handy later on if you want to diversify your production. I only ever use large fabs. Medium ones aren't worth bothering with.

Plan your complex. To be self-contained it will need a power plant, which needs crystals. Crystal fabs need energy, silicon and food (eg cahoonas). Cahoonas need energy and Argnu Beef. When you have these factories in your complex it will just carry on producing on its own, and you can then add factories for the stuff you want to sell. I'd suggest microchips - missiles tend to sell at first but then you have to sell them manually when the nearby equipment docks fill up. There seems to be an insatiable need for microchips.

I think you need around 50 million
credits to start a complex. A TL ship with a jumpdrive is handy as well!

So... Start with a large silicon mine. add 2x cattle ranch (or equivalent) and a boatload of energy cells to kickstart production. Then add 2x Cahoona Bakery. Then 2x Crystal Fab. Then a SPP XL. You'll have to keep topping up the energy cells till the SPP comes online. Then you can start adding chip fabs to your heart's content. Keep an eye on silicon stock levels - you may have to make another mine in the same sector and drag it near enough to add into your complex. You'll also need to add food production as demand increases.

If you end up with 30 factories in your complex the sector can get messy. I always site the new additions exactly over the first silicon mine. It doesn't seem to matter if they are touching - they don't damage each other. Bear in mind that a complex has a maximum of 20 docking berths, so don't have too many different end products in any given complex.

[hisazul]

Hi.
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=239659

Never bothered with rehaul mods so not really sure how much can be applied but I would imagine basics are the same. Some things are hardcoded after all.

Use calculator to get an idea of how much it costs and how much it makes.