I'll simply lay down the facts.

• Each resource tower (RT) gives you 15 res per minute.
  - One res per tick.
  - A tick is 4 seconds, every 4 seconds from the start of the game.
  - Consequently, all resource towers update at the same.
• A recycled RT gives you 7 res.
• Recycling takes 20 seconds to complete.
• It takes a skulk approximately 37-38 seconds to kill a RT (my average was 37.8 seconds but the difference is me looking at the watch and pushing stop).
• It takes a skulk with adrenaline 33-34 seconds to kill a RT.
• It takes a skulk with focus 41-42 seconds to kill a RT.
• After 14 seconds biting the rt was at two-thirds minus 1 bar, roughly
• After 18 seconds of biting the RT was at half minus 1 bar life.

Assuming a commander recycles a RT at half life (or 2/3rds against a skulk with adrenaline), it would have lived for about 20 more seconds. 20 seconds is worth .33 of 15 or 5 res (considering that a dead tower doesn't contribute the additional .33). Recycling (over letting it die) gains you 2 res at this time.

Assuming a commander recycles a RT at full life, right after it gets attacked for the first time, it would have lived for another 38 seconds. 38 seconds is worth .633 of 15 or 9 res. Recycling (over letting it die) loses you 2 res at this time.


These arguments ignore the hidden costs or benefits that come with manpower. Many competitive players will tell you not to recycle that res because it keeps the skulk occupied for 2/3rds of a minute. Often times you can get a marine to save it. As far as I'm concerned, if recycling causes you (as a commander) to divert your attention from your marines for too long, it's not worth it. Two res is a number that can be made up in at most 12 seconds, especially if you're giving your marines support and racking up the rfk.

according to the changelog, you recieve 1 res every 4 seconds; so woudn't that mean in one minute, you'd get 15 res?

unless they changed it in b4a, in which case i stand corrected.

otherwise, useful information. Thanks for taking the time to test it.

I would like to add on that a focus or adrenaline skulk will kill the rt faster since they won't run out of adrenaline.

bleep

Tick is 4s, 1 RT makes 15 res/minute..

And skulk needs a bit longer time (in my practical test), regaining energy is time costly + in real world skulk usually parasites RT first..

While yes, 2 skulks can kill RT in 17 seconds..

bleep

Well and what you think was my post about? These were practical number I obtained :-)

Time needed to kill RT by 1 skulk was averaged around 57s (it included parasite and energy regaining to about 1/2)

2 skulks killed RT in 17 secs.

1 RT made 15 res/minute (tick = 4s)

Does it worht to recycle an rt? i never recycle them =/

so according to you it isnt worth recycling an RT if it is attacked...
thx for the stats.

It would be interesting so see how long Fade/Onos takes to destroy the RT.

But i'm to lazy to check it

Perhaps you are playing an old verison of Natural Selection? Your stats don't coincide with other peoples' stats, most notably, a "playtester's" stats.

Yes, of course I relaize it, but this is how I'm killing RT's. Reasons are simple

- parasited RT on pub can attract nearby skulk and increase probability we kill it
- waiting for energy regain is to allow me to parasite/kill marine that comes to save RT (most RT raids include such marine/marines, so it's worth to at least parasite him).

His number of secs needed to kill RT (38+) is correct (I never said otherwise), it makes complete sense!

So both data are correct.. but i don't have reason to believe his data about RT res input.

Anyway it's NOT WORTH to recycle RT.. Unless it's unbuilt RT..

To make a summary:
- 1 RT makes 15 res/minute
- RT can be killed by 1 skulk in 38 secs (no parasite, no waiting for energy)
- in my real world example, time is much higher - 57secs with parasite + energy wait
- 2 skulks kill RT under 17 secs

AWESOME work (e)kent! this is so going in my index thread

Information updated.

OMG Kent. :/ I've been looking for x5 forever so I could use his server and make a big thread-o-numbers with the number of hits / time it takes to kill whatever, how long it recycles, HP, etc.

You beat me to it.

I am a sad little man now when a broken headphone jack. ..must find PC repair shop.

victory is mine.

The big point I always thought about recycling RTs was simly that they made more than/roughly equal to 7.5 res in the same time as they recyled - but a recyling RT gathers no res. Therefore, under no circumstaces was it efficcent to recycle RTs