As the topic name said, what's your favorite faction? (If this has already been discussed before, sorry.)

If I had to choose, I'd say... the Peacekeepers.

It's a toss-up between Morgan and The University. I usually play Morgan because I like the extra energy. I combine that with a couple of good energy-producing landmarks and tiles, and Morgan can get tech advances and cash at a pretty good rate. I play a Green style Morgan, so I don't mess up the ecology too bad.

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"Shake the world beneath your feet up"
--Johnny Clegg

Easy. It's in my sig http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif

Though I like to play Lady Deirdre too.

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"Go to the place that should not be named with your beliefs, Miriam Godwinson! All your New Jerusalem are belong to US!!"

Academician Provost Zakharov - "For I Have Tasted the Fruit"

THE HIVE!!!! For no real reason, seeing as they have terrible economy, research, and unhappiness problems, I just like their Borginess, and if they start on a large continent and are played right the hive is unstoppable. Their high growth and production is great.

I prefer to play the Univ.

They have an advantage in research and research is the key to victory.

I usually win by transcendence so Univ is the most effective

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U can't beat US
If We win We win
If We fall We had the fun fighting
and if We run we can always come back another day.
Warhammer 40k poetry

Only the Mad can pass the gates to trancendence

Gotto be the PeaceKeepers...I love enforcing the peace with my U.N troopers http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif

Their lack of a major disadvantage is also appreciated greatly...and the extra talent allows be to expand without too much infrastructure.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif

I am the nutball who likes the Believers. Oddly enough I am not an agressive player eitherhttp://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif That +25% attack rating can kill though.

Started a game atop Mt. Planet - on a small map, with every other faction excluding the Gaians and Morganites (as "Transcend", with "Aggressive Rivalry" activated). I was the Believers, and with a single scout patrol I was able to eliminate the Hive. I proceeded to build two recon rovers, and with them conquered all University and Peacekeeper territory. Alas, I needed a pact with Col. Santiago to move my units through; so I betrayed her, and walked right into Sparta Command.

The mountain provided good energy with solar collectors - enough for me to buy the Command Nexus and Maritime Ctrl. Center early on. I "sank" all Gaian isles of the deep with missile cruisers, and landed four elite "X" (nerve gas) missile marines right into Gaia's Landing (defended by synthmetal garrisons). Fortunately for me, the Gaians had already killed Morgan, so I won at the end of the 23rd century.

That +25% bonus really "kills".

One word BELIVERS


the spy has spoken

The Univs, of course. Like in Civ I prefer to walk the path of superior science and city sprawling. And the univs have proven to be the best for that strategy. Chosing another strategy is possible, but why? http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif
BTW I love planet busters. I hope there is something similar in Civ3, because when you are fed up with an enemy it is quite a nice satisfaction to eliminate him from the planet. Hehehe

Morgan. It can be rough going in the beginning, because Free Market lets the mindworms kick your @$$, but once I've got my sensors up, my energy banks in place, and my vast forests abound it's over. Those welfare armies of the Hive show up? I buy the whole thing and shove it in Yang's face. Towards the end of the game Morgan can buy each and every new Secrect Project without suffering any significant hit in the pocketbook. The extra energy also lets you dominate the science race.

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<IMG SRC="http://www.virtuallandmedia.com/img2/flags-4/canada/CANADA.GIF" border=0> ***** <IMG SRC="http://www.virtuallandmedia.com/img2/flags-4/europe/IRE.GIF" border=0>

The Cyborgs for me in smax.

Gaians or University in smac.

For SMAC, the Gaians and their worm hordes.

From all 14, my favourite are the Manifold Caretakers. All bonuses, no penalties, no Social Engineering restrictions, and having the Progenitor Victory I don't need to Trascend. I also like the story and philosophy behind the faction. http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/rocketq3.gif

The Spartans. Yes I like being the regengade that everyone else tries to gather support to fight then I crush them all!! I try to get a lot bigger then crush them. Very fun to have the "U.N. of foes" try to come after you then squash em in an epic battle. I use developmental conquest to win most of the time.

Tough question really seeing as how I deep inside like all the factions and their personalities. From a gamer perspective of course, I couldn't really abide any of those philosophies fully IRL. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

I would have to say that Morgan most likely is the one who sees the LEAST play from my side of the fence. I really can't abide the early hab-complex demands, they always annoy me so severily even *IF* I can often buy them. And aside, if you use Free Market ( and who does not when playing Morgan? ) the policiar issue arises, as drones abound, especially if one uses Missiles and Aircraft for the occasional offensive.

<br /> * ponders * Otherwise I really don't know. I like 'em all! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> Perhaps Deirdre a little less, but only a very little.

Could be because I enjoy messing up Planet's ecology as much as I do. Thermal Boreholes for everyone..! <img src="graemlins/jesus.gif" border="0" alt="[Jesus]" />

Morganites should not use free market!!!. If you go Wealth, you get the +1 energy per square. If you are playin gon higher levels of difficulty, the bobus to trade is not much of anything. If you are morgan, for democracy, green, and wealth to be a bad mother. You economey will do better becasue of the +4 effeicency.

It's still a great question, isn't it? I like to play across the board: philosophically, I'm aligned to Gaians/Caretakers/Peacekeepers. Every-so-often, I like to play the bad guy and try out the nuke effects and commit some atrocities. It's a tribute to the game that I always feel bad when I do, so I return to the favourites listed above.

Pirates are great fun when I want a long game with a big world map and plenty of time to establish my colony.

Manifold usurpers,
+morale
+growth
-planet

but the minus planet thin doesnt bother me that much cuz i almost always, when playing usurpers get the manifold nexus.
And i always use green economics:p

Sukenis, you are absolutely right about how to play Morgan. I do Green/Democracy/Wealth, or if I'm already filthy rich, Green/Democracy/Knowlege. I actually created a faction that combines the best of Morgan, the University, the Gaians, and the Spartans. They struggle at first, but by midgame, they're unstoppable, but the computer doesn't know how to play them very well.

Morgan baby! He can do it all. Want to rack up the energy you can. You want to go to war do it. If you want to go and play the tech game you can.

Remember that MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND! :D

BTW Dem/Green/Wealth is the way to go.

I just got the game 2 weeks ago, but I have played each faction several times and have settled on the Univ. with Democracy/Green/Knowledge/Cybernetic as a defensive (but deadly when attacked) expansionist (damn drones, but expansionism works in AC) and in the mid to late game get that proj. that eliminates Cybernetic penalties. :grad:

1) University - Zakharov looks mad cool, and everyone loves tech

2) Gaians - cus they are the easiest to take care of those pesky natural life forms

3) Peacekeepers - for UN Bonus mostly

I've only played Crossfire a few times, but I remember liking the datajacks and the pirates looked cool but sucked

The Free Drones!

University all the way. When I play it, I become an economic powerhouse, have the infrustucture of paradise, and by mid-game am capable of fielding 60 mindworm units and 30 Isles of the deep. In fact, I usually start mindworm production faster than the gaians. My last game on mid difficulty, I had more than that number of units(mind,deep and norm trops) and had 68 bases under my controle after concoring one facvtion that had about 6 bases. It was funny!:D

(I go fo concoring the planet with the option of wining that way turned off. :lol: ;) )

Morganites with Freemarket/Democratic/Wealth
Boreholes everywhere mixed with condensored and mirrored solar+farms.
Even though you get tons of drones and lousy support, just pay of some allies to shield you and then corner the market or just bribe your way to the diplomatic victory.

I hate fungus:mad: , why does my fungus grow so fast, blowing up my boreholes.

When will you people learn that forest is the only thing you need. It gives nutrients, production, and energy and gives you only enough to grow where you need to be. The low growth in the beginning is needed so that drones do not become a problem (on transend that is). Right about the time you get tree farms is when you have the drone controlling facilities in place. It causes less eco-damage as well. Forget boreholes. All you need are forest.

The University is my favourite faction for the research bonus, which works well as long as you can get a fairly uninturrupted start to the game. Alternatively I play the Hive, which means tons of growth and production, and if you get it right you can get plenty of research going there as well.

And the above poster is totally correct - forests are the only way to go! Initially its forests for all special squares, and once you've got Tree Farms you can start foresting other squares. By the time you get Hybrid Forests you should start making sure every square has forests for massive production with minimal pollution. Only fungus at the end of the game is better!

Originally posted by chainsawkiller
Morganites with Freemarket/Democratic/Wealth
Boreholes everywhere mixed with condensored and mirrored solar+farms.
Even though you get tons of drones and lousy support, just pay of some allies to shield you and then corner the market or just bribe your way to the diplomatic victory.

I hate fungus:mad: , why does my fungus grow so fast, blowing up my boreholes.

The fungus keeps growing over your precious boreholes because you are destroying Planet's environment. Your Free market economics cause wanton planetary damage. Furthermore, boreholes worsen the situation (as do Condensers and Echelon Mirrors).

By the way, best faction in SMAC is either University, Peacekeepers or Morganites. Here's why...

1.) The University research so fast that they can quickly build up their infrastructure and be an economic powerhouse. Forget the low probe rating since you can build the Hunter Seeker Algorithm later on.

2.) The Peacekeepers gain extra votes in Planetary Council and have one extra talent for every 4 citizens in each base. This makes Golden Ages for your bases easier and it also makes Diplomatic victory easier. Bribe a 2 thirds majority of factions for Supreme Leader election and you'll have it in a bag. Your Planetary Governor elections make for a landslide your way, making other factions more lucrative when it comes to commerce as well as providing infiltrator info about other factions.

3.) The Morgans can also be an economic powerhouse (obviously) as they have an economic bonus. By combining Democracy, Green, Wealth, you can accumulate large sums of cash quickly (or you can change Wealth to Knowledge and possibly surpass the University or change to power in order to wage war). Their early hab complex demand can be overcome in time...

The worst faction in existence...

The Believers...

Forget the extra morale bonus, as it can be replicated by the Power social engineering choice (which is made more attractive an option when you build the secret project that eliminates its penalties). Forget the extra Probe rating as you can build the Hunter Seeker Algorithm later on. The main thing that makes these people suck is the fact that their research is pitiful and they cannot select Knowledge in Social Engineering to counter this. Their research is so crap that they cannot even begin it for the first few turns. They also start with -1 planet rating, so mind worms will be up their backsides constantly.

Lord Azreal Said

"The worst faction in existence...

The Believers... "

What are you talking about? If you go for the believers you can stop trying for any tech (just steal is) and thus have a better economy and military than any other faction. Go as believers (fundi or not) and then put a punishment sphere in every city. Go free market and you have tons of cash and NO drone problems. Assult the manifold nexus and use cyberethic and you can have a even plant ratinglaterin the game when planet declares war on everyone.
Have this set-up in social engineering:
democratic
free market
power
cyberethic

and you have everything you need. If you enimies might buy units and cities from you then go fundi until the situation is resolved. Sine you have punishment spheres and power going you can have a huge army with no support and no drones. Put all energy into economy and then steal tech from whoever (if you can get a faction to submit use them to get tech).

With this set-up no faction can stand in you way. If a faction gets hunter-seeker then smash them with you +25% army. Nothing will stand in your way.

(This was written from a transend player prospective. On lower difficulty this may not be the best method as drones are much easy to handle)

Sorry about what I said about the Believers earlier. I played as them the other day and pounded right through the Hive and the Spartans (using inferior technology by the way). The lack of research can also be eliminated by peaceful trading with the University (or probe them, their networks are easy to penetrate). The idea of using punishment spheres also helps in shield production as it makes genejack factories a much more viable option, especially on the harder levels where drones are a constant problem without having genejacks take all their jobs (thank you Yang for your "gift to industry").

As the believers, I've found that Democratic, Green and Power are good for the attack (when things are a bit quieter though, Power can be changed to Wealth). I don't know which future society is best for the Believers (though I'd pick Thought Control after building the secret project which eliminates the negatives of it).

So therefore, I remove the believers from the title of Worst Faction. Thanks for opening my eyes and mind to them sukenis. Though I hate their agenda (forcing their bent philisophical and religious beliefs on everyone else) they can make for an interesting faction. There is no worst faction. Every faction has its own strategy, an art to mastery.

Originally posted by Sukenis
When will you people learn that forest is the only thing you need. It gives nutrients, production, and energy and gives you only enough to grow where you need to be. The low growth in the beginning is needed so that drones do not become a problem (on transend that is). Right about the time you get tree farms is when you have the drone controlling facilities in place. It causes less eco-damage as well. Forget boreholes. All you need are forest.

Suk,

Have to disagree. Forests in the beginning are fine. But IMHO, repave those forest in the mid game to make Condensor/farms and ultimately condensor/soil enrichers sprinkle a few boreholes in to yield mins and energy and you've got a much more productive empire.

It's all about specializing. Take the Hybrid forest example

3 nuts
2 mins
2 energy

Total factors of production = 7

Whats more is that if you work the squares for every two squares worked youcan specialize one pop point. Say you specialize to an engineer.

Total factors of production are then (for 2 squares):

Total allowable pop = 3
O excess nuts
4 mins
4 energy + 5 energy from the engineer

Total FOP = 13 (15 if you are at +2 econ)

Contrast to 2 condensor/farm/soil enricher squares

6 pop points (2 as workers 4 as engineers)

0 excess nuts
20 energy from the engineer

Total FOP = 20

Now if you add boreholes to the equation 1 condesor farm soil enricher/1 borehole

Total pop points = 3

0 excess nuts
6 mins
6 energy + 5 energy

Total FOP = 17 (18 if you are +2 econ)

The disparity becomes very visible at discovery of fusion (engineers) and even moreso once you can get transcendi.

Whats more you look to crawler back to base the single high nutrient FOP and only work the boreholes. This then allows specialization of another worker for an addition of 5 equivalent energy(assuming engineer)/crawler employed.

The downside is it akes a LOT of formers (offset by Weather Paradigm and superformers) preferably of the clean variety. But IMHO its worth it.

As for eco damage. Baah. You are looking to pave over at mid game. By that time you should have forced a fungal pop or two. have facilties inplay to eliminate/reduce eco damage. It really is a matter of timing and shouldn't really have a major effect.

Og

As for fav faction:

1) UoP
2) Morgan, Santi & Hive Tied

SMAX
1) Drones
2)Cyborgs

The aliens are just too powerful for my tastes.

Originally posted by Sukenis
Morganites should not use free market!!!. If you go Wealth, you get the +1 energy per square. If you are playin gon higher levels of difficulty, the bobus to trade is not much of anything. If you are morgan, for democracy, green, and wealth to be a bad mother. You economey will do better becasue of the +4 effeicency.

Sorry to pick on you again Suk,

But..... I have to disagree again with this comment. If you qualify Morgan shold not use FM in the midgame and later I tend to agree.

But... In order to expedite a beeline to Industrial Auto assuming you play with directed research. FM is a god send. Read my advice here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17309&pagenumber=2) on the early game for Morgan. I always play transcend so drone management can be very easily manageble by judicous doctoring until such time as you can buy psych facilities.

As for planet issues in the early game, make a synth infantry probe team with trance and you've got a nice little base garrison free of support. "course you make a standard infantry PT and upgrade it with all your energy from FM/wealth.

Only after you make your way through the IA beeline you may want to beeline for green. Demo/green/wealth is a very popular way to go but is not the only way to go.

Og

By the by you are right on the money with the Believers.