After the DLC, I've tried to play several games on Hard difficulty as Tinkers on Huge maps. Their drawbacks are just too large in the early game.

The need to build population eats too much metal and doing it does not compensate for the lack of natural pop growth. Trying to research sprint to the Cloning tech takes too long. Game is already lost by then.

The 0.5 money and 0.25 science per Tinker pop is also very detrimental in the early game. The mobile stations perk is somewhat helpful in exploring. However, it's not nearly as good as some of the other race's perks.

I haven't had any problems playing as Tinkers... if anything, they may be too strong. They don't have to build farms or transport food, and all their population get at least +1 labor.

Has anyone else had problems playing as Tinkers?

If anything I find them overpowered also, the lack of a need for food is huge. And then there are asteroid carriers... And science station mobile bases.

Didn't have any issues on large map with Tinkers, though I always take away the research bonus to the enemy AIs

That being said, even with 200% resource yield, they could be rolled over due to the already mentioned advantage of food ignorance
Figuring out to use Mobile bases as carriers also helped a lot against AI carrier spam though that was before Bombers got nerfed

I did find two thing that could be imported upon:
1. Make Carriers a more viable option then Mobile Bases - The first just doesn't make sense to be produced and the later looks funky in numbers
2. Allow Yoral to retain at least part of their Research advantage after Harmonization - This would make it sensible to harmonize them while still keeping other disadvantages for reproduction rate and food production (later is still needed for non-harmonized pop within the Tinker empire) + maybe some research loss of like -0.5

Humans are more of a downtrodden race as far as I can tell: Additional food stock at the start of them game would give them more starting options and the AI better chances to survive till the mid-game

Are you all playing on hard difficulty? Huge map, 99 stars, box shape, all of the races.

Usually I get very few colonizable planets nearby. Populate those. Progress some but then the AI attacks with much better ships.

nathanebht wrote:Are you all playing on hard difficulty? Huge map, 99 stars, box shape, all of the races.

Usually I get very few colonizable planets nearby. Populate those. Progress some but then the AI attacks with much better ships.

As mentioned, I am always playing without Research handicaps to the AI (also goes for all games - so can compare the AI in all games pretty well)

If you are playing on vanilla Hard, the AI should have a considerable discount on its research. Tinkers also have a disadvantage as far as the research yield of their pops go when compared to other races, so that would explain why you are having difficulty keeping up with the AI in this department.
You do not need to do that however as long as you keep building combat ships and stay on the good side of the AI till mid-game when the advantage of the AI equals out - admittedly the first half of the game does become quite stale with this hence the reason I keep away from Research handicaps in these games (when it all comes down, research is basically the only resource necessary to win and you cannot put up a fight without it unless we default to exploits)

Colonizable planets do not come by easy in the beginning that is true, though here Tinkers have racial trait that can help you out enormously: Mobile bases with Amplifiers can further your scout and Colony ships right off the bat so you can snatch the best real-estates in your region

Hmm, I could try focusing on ships. Very easy to go into negative income with Tinkers. So I'd have to build that up and mines for metal.

Find the other races much easier to win with on Hard difficulty.

nathanebht wrote:Hmm, I could try focusing on ships. Very easy to go into negative income with Tinkers. So I'd have to build that up and mines for metal.

Find the other races much easier to win with on Hard difficulty.

The effective power of your fleet does not need to be bigger as when you are playing with other races and the production boost from Tinker pop helps you in rolling out ships quickly (they do not need to be high-tech just numerous - I think the enemy only considers your fleet size)

You do need to watch out for metal in all cases that is true so planets with high metal yield are prime targets - even Medium ones are important (I usually have mining dedicated planets). Worst case: you can trade with the AI for Metal though this is borderline exploit

Fleet size threat is definitely effected by armor grade, shields, and firepower of ships. Most noticeable when playing humans, and doing a fast upgrade of your starter heavy cruiser turns and opponent from neutral to your fleet is most impressive. For tinkers, asteroid carriers are a best buy. A single hanger (with 7 interceptors) is low cost and high threat to the computer players due to its heavy armor and hull. And they require no upkeep. Downside is they can only be produced at the homeworld, but if that's ALL the homeworld needs to produce, does it matter?

Asteroid carriers! Don't usually play with carriers, didn't realize you could build those with Tinkers. No upkeep cost will also be advantageous.

Its not a dedicated ship class, its the asteroid outpost mounting a hangar bay instead of a refuel depot.