Here's my situation:
I'm making between 500M and 1B credits a day, allowing for repairs etc.
My last scan run used Mk3 Hyperfluxes
I had 532 scans after my last run. I've purged that down to 424 now.
I currently have 18B in the bank (after a lot of +12 upgrades)
My scan has increased by 500 from other sources.

My question: With my current finances, do I use continuum analysers (Mk 1, 2 or 3), or Use Mk 3 hyperfluxes.
I have 1 Hyperflux permanently installed (so I can see Caelon) and another inferior scanner. Do I ditch those 2 and run a permanent Continuum analyser Mk3 instead?

They are more space efficient- and not too expensive compared to some of the other top tech modules

They are 250 mill maintenance- or half for a builder- minus whatever you currently pay for your hyperflux

True... but are they worth the 12B ish cost of having a scan run with them? Or should I purge more planets? Or keep using hyperfluxes?

Definitely you'll want to purge more before you scan again, if possible. Save your purgers at this point and use them all at once right before you do your scan run. Gotta keep some garbage for crit hacks.

Now, whether to use CAs or HFs is in a way going to depend on your artifact production. With the CAs you're going to scan a lot more planets than with HF. You'll have a better chance at scanning cloaked planets as well. BUT... You'll need a lot more purgers for the NEXT scan. If you're not getting very many purgers, I would stick with the HF3s for this go around and colonize/invade as many good artifact planets as possible.

For your "permanent" scanner, most likely you would be better off with one CA than with a HF plus a lesser scanner. You would also have to consider the upkeep, though. To decide which is the most efficient: Upkeep / (Scan/Deck) A lower answer to that formula is better.

Thanks darth.

The reason that I purge as I go is because I can't contribute to the base yet, so it's a way to burn energy. i usually get between 2 and 5 purgers a day.

I'm planning to not have another scan run for a while, so I'll probably use CAs. And I'll probably upgrade my permanent scanner too.

More scan = break the cloak on better planets- but definitely lose as many planets as you can before you crack and scan

I run three scanners now- so only have to buy two- but still purge at least 300 planets between scan runs