FLU Questions

[Severus Snape]

Would someone please help me understand how FLU's work in the game? From reading other threads (such as Economics 101, an incredible thread that I learned a great deal from), I understand that FLU's will be created from not only captured populations (as the empire options screen indicates) but from an empire's native population as well. What I'd like to know is what are the benefits / drawbacks of using FLU's (besides the obvious unrest increase).

[Babylon4]

Another drawback is that they decrease population.

The fabulous thing about Flu's though is that they really add to the productivity of a DEA a great deal and a DEA with 2 FLU's working it will be awesome. Another plus is that if you change DEA's you still keep the FLU's that were on the previous DEA.

[Longspur]

Okay,

To break it down for simple people like me, is it better to turn FLU's off on turn 1, or to keep the ?

I've been just setting them as low as suggested, and then not giving it another thought for the entire rest of the game.

Am I missing something, eithern way ? -- Longspur

[DavidByron]

Despite many attempts FLUs remain mostly a mystery.

Their effect is to increase the capacity of their DEA by 0.1 x FLU level. So if you have FLU level of 10 a single FLU will double the output of a basic DEA with no capacity add-on buildings. A more typical FLU level would give a bonus of +30% or +40%. As the game goes on of course technology will give you capacity add-on buildings which tend to reduce the relative importance of FLUs.

There is a chance each turn of losing a FLU from over-work. It is probably equal to about 3% x the FLU level.

It is not known how FLUs are produced. They are NOT produced by the forced labour special that some planet's have. (Instead this special has a fixed multiplier to DEA production which is about +30% or +40% -- this bonus is given to any DEA in the region without a FLU being produced)

FLU production seems to be far higher in empires that have multiple races within them, but the FLUs don't get produced at planets with mixed races any more than others.

FLUs can give an income to the empire of the order of 4000 AU even at a time when this is equivalent to several % tax rate. Sometimes the FLUs seem to give no income.

FLU production does NOT appear to cost population points and neither does disbanding FLUs create population (despite numbers in the tech tables suggesting they might).

The cost of an increased FLU level in terms of unrest points produced is not much - perhaps 3 per level? Actually I can't remember this one... I think it's in the unrest 101 thread.

[JosEPh]

I personally turn 'em off. Even if they are just "bugs" can't bring myself to workin' 'em to death!:weird: :p

[haniblecter]

Crank'em has high as they go. Dont let those freeloders do anything without a lashing!


Who cares, crank the ****. Even while playing humans and having it cranked i never really had a problem wiht unrest.