Population Counter

The Population Counter is an automation sensor that tracks the number of beavers (or Bots) in a district or globally, sending a signal when the count crosses a configurable threshold. Players can monitor specific population categories such as total adults, kits, unemployed beavers, contaminated beavers, or active Bots. At 200 Science Points, the Population Counter enables demographic-aware automation that responds dynamically to population changes.

The Population Counter's output connects to the standard automation signal network, allowing it to drive building controls, logic gates, Relays, and output devices. A practical application is activating additional housing construction queues when population approaches maximum capacity, or shutting down excess food production when population declines. Monitoring unemployed beavers is particularly useful: connecting a Population Counter (set to 'unemployed greater than 5') to an Indicator or Speaker alerts you when labor is being wasted, prompting you to build more workplaces.

For contamination management, set a Population Counter to track contaminated beavers and connect it to systems that boost Antidote or medical production when contamination spreads through your population. Another powerful circuit monitors Bot count: when active Bots drop below a threshold (indicating Bots have run out of fuel), it can trigger alerts or activate Biofuel/Grease production. The Population Counter pairs well with Resource Counters and Weather Stations to create comprehensive colony management circuits. At 200 Science Points, it is one of the most affordable ways to gain automated insight into your colony's demographic health.