bulk import line

  • a new type of transfer line that can only be connected to a stockpile and an import slot (not to individual machines).

  • items are only delivered in a batch of 8 items at a time, for delivery to a stockpile.

  • this does not connect to any existing line

  • i picture this as ‘above’ the current factory layout, so doesn’t interact in any way, other than connecting at the ends

  • this would add to the routing and planning complexity, but allow skilled people to better manage some of the logistics issues of a large factory.
    -It would also make the location of stockpiles more meaningful, so you could have primary stockpiles for recieving bulk goods, then further secondary stockpiles for things you need large amounts of (paint/wheels).

  • if you are manufacturing components yourself, you could connect 2 stockpiles on different sides of your factory with bulk transfer line

  • it would add more visual complexity to the factory, to have a few chunky (green?) lines snaking through a large factory

  • provides another lever for game balance, as it means that you could decrease the current import rates without making it impossible to run a large factory, and at some stage have to re-engineer your logistics, rather than simply adding more of the same over and over as your factory scales

  • if costed appropriately in terms of resources to create, and maintain could provide another endgame logistics trade-off (high electricity use per pylon in existence and item transferred)