Ground Construction as Construction Factories

[spazomatic (OP)]

I thought I would share this because it was driving me bonkers and haven't seen anyone else mention it.

I was noodling around with using the ground based construction forces as a way to build on planets inhospitable to colonization.

I had a large force of construction trucks on planet but they refused to do anything.   I finally figured out that I had to go to the ground forces menu and turn the formation to active.   As soon as I did this, they got to work.

[Froggiest1982]

I thought I would share this because it was driving me bonkers and haven't seen anyone else mention it.

I was noodling around with using the ground based construction forces as a way to build on planets inhospitable to colonization.

I had a large force of construction trucks on planet but they refused to do anything.   I finally figured out that I had to go to the ground forces menu and turn the formation to active.   As soon as I did this, they got to work.

I will try this and eventually put it in the FAQs, I wonder if it's the same with Xenos...

[Steve Walmsley]

I thought I would share this because it was driving me bonkers and haven't seen anyone else mention it.

I was noodling around with using the ground based construction forces as a way to build on planets inhospitable to colonization.

I had a large force of construction trucks on planet but they refused to do anything.   I finally figured out that I had to go to the ground forces menu and turn the formation to active.   As soon as I did this, they got to work.

Active is for the sensors on STOs. It doesn't affect construction. There is no 'on-switch' for construction units.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I have used construction units allot and they start working if there are minerals necessary and they have a proper HQ in the formation.

[spazomatic (OP)]

maybe the HQ unit is the key.   I tried my trick on a second planet so (obviously) Steve is correct about the Active button having nothing to do with it.   Didn't have those units organized under an HQ

I guess having an HQ unit be required to do work makes sense, since my "HQ" unit isn't watching over me and I am looking through Aurora forums instead of working myself 

I think I had ground constructors on the planet, then added a HQ, but they still didn't start building.   I can't remember if I had the minerals in place before or after I tried to start the building (probably after I started the building, I probably kicked off the construction first to see how many minerals I would need), but I did move minerals to the site.

I was noodling around in the Ground Units tab to see if there was anything else I could try, I thought the Active button was the magic bullet (made sense to me) but maybe I just shook something loose.

Either way, turns out they worked for about 12 months and stopped and I can't get them to start again. . .  must be on strike for better working conditions.

[Froggiest1982]

I thought I would share this because it was driving me bonkers and haven't seen anyone else mention it.

I was noodling around with using the ground based construction forces as a way to build on planets inhospitable to colonization.

I had a large force of construction trucks on planet but they refused to do anything.   I finally figured out that I had to go to the ground forces menu and turn the formation to active.   As soon as I did this, they got to work.

Active is for the sensors on STOs. It doesn't affect construction. There is no 'on-switch' for construction units.

I thought so, after testing everything was working fine as intended which explains also why I havent come across this during my games and I havent put it in the FAQ as well.

[Migi]

I think they have to finish fortifying everything they are attached to before they start providing construction points, so if they are moved or if a new unit is built or delivered this can turn them off for a while.