BAR economy basics: metal and solar placement
Early game economy in Beyond All Reason comes down to metal extractor placement and solar coverage. Getting this wrong costs you the game before the mid game even starts. Here is how to set up efficiently.
Tags: BAR economy, metal extractors, solar placement, build order, resource overflow
Metal extractor placement
Every map has metal spots of varying value. Build metal extractors on the highest-value spots first. Do not spread builders thin across low-value spots while ignoring rich ones. Priority matters more than quantity in the first five minutes.
Walk your builder from the far metal extractor toward the cluster of nearby spots. Place one solar panel near each metal extractor to prevent energy overflow during metal production. This keeps your builders actively constructing instead of idling.
Energy management
Do not overbuild solar panels. Overflowing energy wastes builder time. One solar per metal extractor covers baseline production. Add more solar only when you reach a point where metal income exceeds current energy generation consistently.
Wind generators complement solar panels, especially on Otago and other windy maps. Mix both power sources for reliable energy across weather conditions.
When to transition to T2
Once your initial metal extractor cluster is built and defended, start transitioning to T2 economy. Do not wait until you have maximum T1 coverage. T2 extractors produce far more metal per unit of energy invested. The earlier you build T2, the faster your snowball.
Common mistakes
Building solar panels on every single metal extractor before T1 combat units is a mistake. You need an army to defend your economy. An undefended economy is a gift for your opponent. Balance builders between economy and military from minute one.
Creed of champions
Creed of Champions runs economy training sessions where experienced players guide newcomers through optimal build orders. Learning economy in a supportive environment beats losing twenty games to figure it out alone.
[Crd] Crd is the first really comfortable community I have been a part of. Everyone is nice and kind, the atmosphere is relaxed, and I am not getting yelled at for not being optimal.