This is my way to start base on class M planet. It's alternative to standard building order. Please excuse my language, I am not native english speaker.

When I started to plan my base, I realized that Metal and Spares self-sustainability comes with major requirements. You need to build Mine, Processing plant with Metal Processor. You need 3 workers for mine, another one for Plant. For Spares you need Factory with Spares Workshop and Engineer.

But Workers in Mine can get hurt and until they are treated, they are useless. So you need Sick Bay, Medics, Lab, Medicinal Pad in Bio-dome etc. So I tried different approach and managed to completely bypass this requirements.

This base start is slower, you depend much on traders.

I also like fact I can buy patents very early, so my second solar panel and bio-dome can be of largest size right away.

Pros:
+ Less buildings needed (smaller target for asteroids)
+ No need of Sick bay (malnutrition is prevented)
+ Control Center before first Solar Flare (for yellow alert)
+ Good income from trading
+ Patents can be bought before expanding
+ Base can be later used as foundation (power, water and food production) for base specialized on another aspect of income (tourism, production of advanced goods)

Cons:
- Slower grow
- Much depends on traders
- Colonist can be lost when solar flare catch him outside because of lack of treatment
- Asteroids can cripple your base easily

First thing first - look at your starting location if it is flat enough and plan your base accordingly.

Be aware - build order is crucial. You need those buildings as soon as possible. Watch your engineer so you can control what he builds (Engineer should prefer building that structure over carrying materials to another).


You need both of those building right now, so Panel can generate enough power for incoming night. For me I prefer building largest available Panel immediately (I dislike rebuilding base later because of loss of resources), same with Collector.

Metal costs: 7 (Panel) + 4 (Collector) + 1 (Connection) = 12 Metal

Tip: Only Panels and Turbines need constant repairs - try to build them close to base as possible. Water Extractor, Water Tank and Power Collector should be far from base. That will make maintainance more easy.


As I mentioned earlier, my Water Extractor is as far from base as possible. When building Airlock, keep in mind you want space in front for Landing Pad.

Metal costs: 1 (Airlock) + 1 (Oxygen Generator) + 2 (Water Extractor) + 2 (Connections) = 6
Bioplastic costs: 1 (Airlock) + 1 (Oxygen Generator) + 1 (Connection) = 3

Give your colonists some time to enter base and replenish their O2 before another construction.


Colonist are getting thirsty, time to build Canteen and Water Fountain in it.

Metal costs: 2 (Canteen) + 1 (Connection) = 3
Bioplastic costs: 2 (Canteen) + 1 (Connection) + 1 (Water Fountain) = 4





Next thing is to build Dorm. Don't connect it with Canteen (to reduce traffic) but to O2 Generator. Then add 3 Bunks for now (fourth will come later).

Metal costs: 2 (Dorm) + 4 (Landing Pad) + 2 (Connections) = 8
Bioplastic costs: 2 (Dorm) + 3 Bunks + 1 (Video Screen) + 1 (Connection) = 7


Soon as Engineer finishes first Bunk, he will go to sleep. Thats why i added Landing Pad, but my Engi prirotized building that over finishing Connection to Dorm. Damn silly fool!

Its good idea to build Video Screen in Canteen to raise up morale. And don't forget to turn off Colonist acceptance in Landing Permissions (F5 key) - we don't need new faces yet.

I've built even another Fountain to speed up drinking.

If trading ship comes, trade 1 or 2 Medical Supplies for Metal/Ore. You don't need them for now.


Build Bio-dome next to O2 Generator - you need second size (5 Metal, 5 Bioplastic). Since you've just run out of Metal, recycle Colony Ship now. Plant 3 Wheat Pads to start food and starch production.

Then start with building of Control Center and Processing Plant (wait for Wheat Pads to be build - I didn't). After they are finished, place Metal and Bioplastic Processors (Buying and manufacturing Ore is cheaper then buying Metal and you have bored Workers without jobs) in Plant and turn off Control Center to conserve power (alerts can be still issued).

Metal costs: 5 (Bio-dome) + 2 (Control Center) + 2 (Processing Plant) + 1 (Metal Processor) + 1 (Bioplastic Processor) + 3 (Connections) = 14
Bioplastic costs: 5 (Bio-dome) + 2 (Control Center) + 2 (Processing Plant) + 3 (3x Wheat Pad) + 3 (Connection) = 15

Large Solar Panel and Power Collector we build are still able to maintain your base.

Build large Table and Meal Maker in Canteen, thats another 2 (Table) + 1 (Meal Maker) = 3 Bioplastic. Good idea is to build Pine Tree and Oak Tree in Bio-dome for morale.

Tip: Every colonist has cooldown on morale improving things - he won't use Video Screen twice in row. By adding another means of improving morale you speed up that process.
Tip: Trees produce Oxygen at day (for 2 Colonists) but consumes it at night (same as 1 Colonists) - take that in count.

Watch your food production - you should be ok now. Let worker at Bioplastic Processor do some work and turn on accepting Colonists in base - set Biologist to 100%, you want 4 of them for your current farm.

Soon as they arrive build another pads. I prefer Mushroom ones (Mushroom + Wheat = Pasta, which prevents malnutrition from happening) - they are producing slowly, but don't need that much maintanance). Build 3 of them and another 3 Pads of Wheat. You will soon start producing enough vegetables and starch for export. Don't fill last place for pad in Bio-dome - your Water Extractor won`t be enough.

Buy Ore/Metal from traders, don't forget to buy Spares to maintain your Solar Panel. You can even start buying Carrier bots and Coins. Sell your excess vegetables, starch, bioplastic.

Keep in mind resources from recycled colony ships are degrading and plan to build at least small storage soon, your Solar Panel will take it.

Next goals are up to you... Just few more tips:

• Asteroids can be really pain in a... base - try to take precautions like building complemental routes to your rooms, building another Power Collector or O2 Generator, inviting another Engineer to your base (Meteor impact on O2 Generator where Engineer dies can kill your base in few seconds).
  
• Try to sell some of your wares to every trader, even for coins - large portion of processes in base come to stop while your colonists are hauling wares to traders ship. Coins are "hauled" instantly.
  
• Different traders have different comission (35%-65%) - trade especially with those with low comission.
  
• Think a little about Cabins - they take a lot of space, true (larger one can accomodate 7 beds - every bed is owned by one specific Colonist), but they really improve morale. They can have place in small base.
  
• Watch out for prestige - at certain level of prestige, invaders start attacking your base (they come from Colonist/Visitor ships, never saw anyone from Trading ship).

Please, if you have more tips, don't hesitate to share.