A question...

[Midwinter]

I've been playing SMAC for a while now, but there's something I'm not sure about:

how do you get away with running FM on Transcend? I've never been able to find a good time to do this, because by the time all the drone-control facilities are in place, I'm usually at war. As Morgan, this isn't a problem (Wealth), but I'm having trouble getting the economic kick that FM would bring from the others.

Thanks.

 

[Heniu]

1. drone-control facilities aren't really important to run market. If you set psych to let's say 20-30% and have just 1 building e.g.tree farm you shouldn't have problems with drones at the beginning. you can set FM any time and build the rest later.

2. war also isn't a big problem in the middle and late game unless youur opponents are really dangerous [not too likely]. you can't use market on offensive wars, but i you want only to defend yourself you can easily do so. you will have less forces and worse morale, but also better war techs...

3. about economic kick - remember the later it is in the game the more influences you'll gain from the market. also building faciluties will help you with it. in late game you can easily have a tech every 2 turns and overtech any fraction in a game easily.

i don't often choose free market - i just think it's too boring and too easy to play with it and prefer rather to crush the enemies with massive forces, but it really is nothing difficult to win by transcendency on transcent choosing market.

 

[Cataphract887]

vs AI i use a few mineral high bases with punishment spheres and rehome air units to them.a dozen needles can handle any AI prob ive ever encountered

 

[Midwinter]

It's not a problem taking Transcend AI opponents to the cleaners - especially when the AI's so damn stupid, despite all the bonuses it gets! Human opponents, though, are another matter altogether...

@Heniu - are the number of drones influenced by the number of facilities?

Normally I get the cash\tech boosts by reaching a huge population and assigning specialists.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Heniu]

it depends how to understand your question. i just meant some facilities decrease the amount of drones either directly [recreation comms] or by increasing the psych value [tree farm] or both [holo theatre].