Recent content by Codpiece

I think the University is better-represented as a Democracy. They are likely to want to preserve the peer-review process adopted by most scientists on Old Earth, and the knowledge-sharing necessary for this implies the use of elected panels, rather than an absolute dictator. Plus, I don't...

I like taking the laboratory. Aside from what's already been said, there's a Trade Depot quest which gives you extra energy or production, which make all the difference in the first few turns. I usually take the latter, especially if I'm trying for a few early wonders.

I think I go with the consensus (i.e. Slavs and ARC), but ARC always declares war on *me*, whereas the Slavs generally attack someone else. The Slavs don't seem to like Stations very much, and have provoked me once or twice by trying to destroy the ones I like. Only the African Union has...

I reckon quite a lot of people would side with Lal. Yes, he's a bit boring and sides with the old order, but it is a U.N. ship, after all. Quite a few people would be loyal to the mission, as reflected in the base capacity- and Talent bonuses in-game. Although I'd never side with Yang, I...

Based on the first quote from the poster above, I think it's also reasonable to assume that Morgan had a stab at an economic victory at some point. I see two possible ways in which this could have happened, given the assumed storyline thus far: 1. Morgan tries pressing the big...

Russians, for the sheer variety of unique units, especially those rocket launchers, and THE FROSTY CHILL OF YOUR DOOM!

Has to be the Krynn, for their unorthodox approach to cultural takeover, and generally accessible tech tree with nice faction bonuses. Terrans are good, but too familiar. The Thalan are interesting, but with default settings look a bit too tie-dyed for my tastes. I don't understand the love...

If I'm playing as the University (and I like playing as the University, oh my, yes), and I'm playing SMAC (because it took me years to finally buy the add-on, which I still haven't played very much), then I have to recommend the following projects: 1) Hunter-Seeker Algorithm - negates one of...

I've been ganged up on a few times, but the most recent one as China (Qin) was the most annoying, especially as it wasn't really a group thing to start with. Monty attacked (as he does - gawd bless 'im). Once I'd taken one of his cities and told him to shut up, Alexander smells blood and...

I once made a very opportunistic swipe at an undefended Carthage (spawned ridiculously close) and took it with a single warrior, eliminating him instantly. I've never managed to repeat this, nor do I try very often. The only other successful war before rifles I've ever had was a recent war...

I do, to get the victory listed on my Hall of Fame list, to see if I'm getting any better. As most of my victories are cultural or spaceship, I like to see if I've got higher scores if I'd had to fight a few wars, or whether I get them through maintaining peace at all costs.

Voted England because of the number of successes I've had as Elizabeth. I don't tend to plan my games, and she seems to me to be one of the more versatile options; Philosophical is a relatively good peaceful trait, but Redcoats are good for maximising a tech advantage over musketmen. I'm also...

I've been surprised with diplomatic victories once or twice (UN-era), and I've been pipped at the Time post when I was a noob. However, I'm like a couple of others on this thread, in that I tend to give up on games where the situation is hopeless, with one notable exception, which I suppose...

Not an amazing one, I know, but I got a 1911 culture win with Gandhi on a Normal speed map. It was a fractal map, but was effectively a Pangaea, where I lived on a fertile 'bulb' isolated by a narrow desert peninsula. My trouble is that I'm always scared of weening myself off the tech...

From a purely irrational perspective, I wish Suryavaman a swift death. I just played a game as France where he declared non-stop war for 2 millennia trying to take the Jewish holy city of Orleans. Elephant after elephant perished at the city gates - enough to make me realise the futility of...