LF: NSA builds (rising tide)

[SabotageTheAce]

im looking for some good builds for duncan hughes/North sea alliance that includes setup and affinitys that work well.

 

[s0nny80y]

Its basically a race to tech one affinity to the max in order to have the most advanced warships. After I discover computing and tacjets and most if not all of the first ring of tech, I focus research on one affinity, usually prioritizing the quickest tech that yields the most affinity points.

I like NSA because with proper upgrades, Deepcastle will be impenetrable and instead of a ring of cities around the capital, the capital can defend itself in an outer ring of cities.

 

[vorlon_mi]

Agree with @s0nny80y I'm not usually a warmonger, meaning conquest victory, so I tend to pursue Harmony or Supremacy victory conditions. Since NSA can found Deepcastle as an aquatic city, that could mean some complications for pursuing Supremacy. I found out the hard way that if you build the gate on a water hex, all the land units you want to send through to conquer Earth are *embarked* when they go through. That means much less combat strength than their land versions and you have to send a lot more of them. Make sure that Deepcastle (or another strong production city) is located near enough to land, so that the gate can be built on land, to send through full-strength units.

It helps to look at your available resources, too. If you have Firaxite nearby, then going for Robotics to mine it will also earn Supremacy affinity points. If you have Xenomass nearby, then you may want to consider going for Harmony. I always research each of the techs to build improvements on Geothermal, Firaxite, Xenomass, and Floatstone. That tends to get me a few affinity levels in each of them. As I explore the map, I decide which victory condition would work best. The affinity quests and Progenitor Ruins help accelerate leveling up affinities.

I have not tried Purity with NSA. I believe that the Earth colonists have to end in settlements on land, rather than aquatic, which might be a challenge if I've built a bunch of aquatic cities to establish my colony.

Note that the tech tree has nodes and leaves. The node tech gives some affinity points, but the leaf tech under it gives *more* affinity points. Consider your tech order to build up those points, trying to get to level 15 as you learn the last tech to enable building the gate or Mind Flower.

 

[Tiberiu]

Agree with @s0nny80y I found out the hard way that if you build the gate on a water hex, all the land units you want to send through to conquer Earth are *embarked* when they go through. That means much less combat strength than their land versions and you have to send a lot more of them. Make sure that Deepcastle (or another strong production city) is located near enough to land, so that the gate can be built on land, to send through full-strength units.

Another option is to use the naval units.

Its basically a race to tech one affinity to the max in order to have the most advanced warships. After I discover computing and tacjets and most if not all of the first ring of tech, I focus research on one affinity, usually prioritizing the quickest tech that yields the most affinity points.

I think it's worth pointing out that sometimes 7/7 comes faster than 12. Even if not by much, it can make a big difference if the enemy has lesser units at that time. I think it depends on how much science and affinity the explorers manage to obtain for the colony. Surely though, the benefit of going for 12 is that you are just one step from 13 where you also get the levitating combat rover unit. How useful this can be depends on the planet type and settings.

 

[vorlon_mi]

I think it's worth pointing out that sometimes 7/7 comes faster than 12. Even if not by much, it can make a big difference if the enemy has lesser units at that time. I think it depends on how much science and affinity the explorers manage to obtain for the colony. Surely though, the benefit of going for 12 is that you are just one step from 13 where you also get the levitating combat rover unit. How useful this can be depends on the planet type and settings.

Yes, that's very insightful. I have gone for dual affinities in my last couple games, with the current one being Harmony/Supremacy. I got to level 3 for my melee ships and soldiers, but not for the aircraft yet. I really need the levitating tanks to attack one AI who is building the Beacon. She's located in the north: polar ice blocking access from the north, west, and east and a sizeable strip of land around the south. I've sent some subs under the pack ice, but they won't be enough. Hover tanks and air strikes should be enough to delay her until I can finish my victory wonder.

Is there a list of when affinity upgrades kick in for the various unit types? I haven't found one on this site, but maybe on https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Civilization_Games_Wiki ?

 

[Tiberiu]

Is there a list of when affinity upgrades kick in for the various unit types? I haven't found one on this site, but maybe on https://civilization.fandom.com/wiki/Civilization_Games_Wiki ?

Hey. Aircraft doesn't have hybrid upgrades, unfortunately. You can check what requirements all the others have, directly into the game by clicking on the "Units" icon in the UI and then you can click all the possible upgrade paths. This is helpful to see what bonus abilities units receive so that you are not left with a unit that lacks the ability that you want. For example, below, if I want a Combat Rover unit that can move after attacking, I need to avoid getting Purity/Supremacy to 8 before first getting Harmony to 8 because my Rovers will upgrade into Maestro, the only one who lacks this ability. Once a unit has upgraded to its final form, we are not able to change it for the rest of the game, and this is a good thing, because it makes our decisions important.

 

[vorlon_mi]

Thanks for the pointer. I'm a spreadsheet kind of guy, so this looks a project for me to make one.

I tend to "play the map", choosing which affinity to pursue based on the victory I want and the available land and resources. It would be helpful (to me, anyway) to know whether the upgrades I want for a particular situation are in the Supremacy or Purity tree. If I'm planning which affinity -- or affinities -- to pursue, I work better when I have an end goal in mind. Doesn't mean I won't *change* that goal, if circumstances change, but I work better when I have a goal.