Energy infrastructure in Beyond All Reason involves a real choice between normal and advanced fusion reactors. The decision changes how fast you scale.
Normal fusion reactors generate roughly 750 energy each and build very quickly. A pair goes down fast and starts returning income almost immediately. Advanced fusion reactors cost about 3200 metal apiece but produce substantially more energy in a smaller footprint.
On raw efficiency, advanced reactors win both on metal cost per unit of energy and on space. Three normal reactors produce less energy than a single advanced converter setup demands. The catch is build time. An advanced reactor takes much longer to construct than a normal one, which means delayed payoff.
Early to mid game is where normal reactors shine. You need energy fast to keep advanced constructors fed. Building three normal reactors at 750 energy each gives you 2250 energy in the time it takes to start one advanced unit. While the normal reactors are already pumping power, the advanced reactor is still under construction.
Use normal reactors when your energy is in the red right now and you cannot wait. They bridge the gap until you reach the income level where advanced infrastructure becomes the better investment.
Once your economy stabilizes and you are planning for tech-2 production, advanced reactors become the clear choice. They produce the consistent energy needed to power advanced converters without the sprawl of a dozen normal units. The metal cost of 3200 sounds steep, but a single turret also costs around that amount. The question is whether you need energy output or a defensive position.
A practical setup: pair each advanced reactor with an advanced converter running at 600 energy consumption. The remaining excess goes into unit production. That kind of clean energy budgeting becomes impossible when you have scattered normal reactors everywhere.
A concrete comparison helps. Running one normal reactor at 1000 energy paired with an advanced converter at 600 net leaves you 400 energy surplus. Run three normal reactors at 3000 energy and you can barely feed a single turret at 3200. The math shows why advanced reactors are the consistent winner once you reach the scale where converters are online.
Start with normal reactors during your initial push. Replace them with advanced units when your constructor count hits three or four and your metal income supports the 3200 metal investment without starving your frontline.
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