The below article is based on vast generalizations, and is NOT intended to suggest a hard fixed set of parameters. I fully acknowledge at the onset that every player can relate a specific and detailed scenario in which the below assertions do not apply. That said, the intention of this article is to give players a general overview to help make a proper choice between a Fascist and Communist government.
Fascism is at its best 'after' you have a large number of your core cities as metros. The free unit support of 10 is enormous. It is the better choice for the player that has had a slow start and finds that war is inevitable or necessary in order to win the game. Fascism also tends to be superior for the player that seeks to expand his empire continentally or locally, but not worldwide. By this I mean a more limited warmonger whose war aims are less ambitious. This player may actually be seeking a space race or culture victory but wants or needs a war and/or some resource access/denial to ensure the victory. Lastly, Fascism is also superior for the player perfectly content with his mid-sized empire but seeking to engage his rivals in scorched earth wars of razing cities, destroying infrastructures, razing wonders, and thus slow his rivals progress without actually having to conquer him. Fascism tends to be the superior warmongering by destruction choice.
Communism is the superior totalitarian government for those who already have a large number of cities and thus far exceed their OCN. Commie is better as a pre-hospitals totalitarian government choice for a player that has already done extensive warmongering, and has been in Monarchy government since the Ancient Age. This player has already committed himself to a warmongers victory, and while on occasion going Fascism may help initially he can already foresee that long term Commie is the better value. Lastly, and surprisingly to many players, Commie is superior for the warmonger that finds he will be unable to achieve his dom/conq victory in time to win. His massive empire and production will allow him to prevent his rivals from achieving any of the victory conditions and thus ensure his histograph victory. If nothing else, his military dominance will ensure via nuclear war that no AI can achieve a victory. *(be careful: the UN vote is the perennial exception that can bite a failed world conquest). Communism tends to be the superior warmongering by absorption choice.
As a simplistic guideline choosing between Fasci and Commie comes down to:
1. if you have a large empire and have decided to pursue a dom/conq victory - Commie - reason: SPHQ reduction of corruption, and given a sufficient number of cities production totals will exceed fascism.
2. if you have a tight 'borg' style city spacing - Commie - reason: free unit support for city is identical to metro ('6') therefore you may be able to forego building hospitals as an option, and the SPHQ corruption effects.
3. if your going totalitarian out of 'need', to survive an AI dog-pile or WW has become critical and your intention is to be back in demo as soon as practical - Fascism - reason: higher free unit support and nuisance corruption are superior to communal when total city numbers are lower. Also, the SPHQ wonder build would tie up a cities production in a critical moment and would then be lost anway upon your return to Demo.
4. if your a small to mid-sized empire that has decided on warmongering - Fascism - reason - superior production and science than commie when your starting off small *(once larger you may find a need to go from fascism to commie)
5. if your a peaceful builder looking for space race or culture win, fighting only defensive wars BUT, WW is wearing you down and you just can't get out of those wars - Fascism reason: CORE CITIES production of spaceship parts, wonder buildings and nuclear weapons are usually superior, also science research to new techs tends to be slightly superior
Summary: The large empire go Commie, small to mid-sized empire go Fascism is a truism almost always, but remains an oversimplification. Fascism tends to be the better choice for those reacting to critical events. Communism tends to be the better choice for those that wish to initiate or control events. The reason youre seeing AIs consistently go Fascist is simple: because on average at the dawn of the Industrial Age the AIs have mid-sized empires engaged in wars in other words, because going Fascist makes sense. In those games I have played in which a large KAI emerges before Industrial Age, I have noticed that they choose Communism over Fascism in this respect the AIs choice is surprisingly similar to the one a human player would make. The large number of Fascist AIs is the result of AI performance parity, and not a programmed preference.
Ision
Fascism is at its best 'after' you have a large number of your core cities as metros. The free unit support of 10 is enormous. It is the better choice for the player that has had a slow start and finds that war is inevitable or necessary in order to win the game. Fascism also tends to be superior for the player that seeks to expand his empire continentally or locally, but not worldwide. By this I mean a more limited warmonger whose war aims are less ambitious. This player may actually be seeking a space race or culture victory but wants or needs a war and/or some resource access/denial to ensure the victory. Lastly, Fascism is also superior for the player perfectly content with his mid-sized empire but seeking to engage his rivals in scorched earth wars of razing cities, destroying infrastructures, razing wonders, and thus slow his rivals progress without actually having to conquer him. Fascism tends to be the superior warmongering by destruction choice.
Communism is the superior totalitarian government for those who already have a large number of cities and thus far exceed their OCN. Commie is better as a pre-hospitals totalitarian government choice for a player that has already done extensive warmongering, and has been in Monarchy government since the Ancient Age. This player has already committed himself to a warmongers victory, and while on occasion going Fascism may help initially he can already foresee that long term Commie is the better value. Lastly, and surprisingly to many players, Commie is superior for the warmonger that finds he will be unable to achieve his dom/conq victory in time to win. His massive empire and production will allow him to prevent his rivals from achieving any of the victory conditions and thus ensure his histograph victory. If nothing else, his military dominance will ensure via nuclear war that no AI can achieve a victory. *(be careful: the UN vote is the perennial exception that can bite a failed world conquest). Communism tends to be the superior warmongering by absorption choice.
As a simplistic guideline choosing between Fasci and Commie comes down to:
1. if you have a large empire and have decided to pursue a dom/conq victory - Commie - reason: SPHQ reduction of corruption, and given a sufficient number of cities production totals will exceed fascism.
2. if you have a tight 'borg' style city spacing - Commie - reason: free unit support for city is identical to metro ('6') therefore you may be able to forego building hospitals as an option, and the SPHQ corruption effects.
3. if your going totalitarian out of 'need', to survive an AI dog-pile or WW has become critical and your intention is to be back in demo as soon as practical - Fascism - reason: higher free unit support and nuisance corruption are superior to communal when total city numbers are lower. Also, the SPHQ wonder build would tie up a cities production in a critical moment and would then be lost anway upon your return to Demo.
4. if your a small to mid-sized empire that has decided on warmongering - Fascism - reason - superior production and science than commie when your starting off small *(once larger you may find a need to go from fascism to commie)
5. if your a peaceful builder looking for space race or culture win, fighting only defensive wars BUT, WW is wearing you down and you just can't get out of those wars - Fascism reason: CORE CITIES production of spaceship parts, wonder buildings and nuclear weapons are usually superior, also science research to new techs tends to be slightly superior
Summary: The large empire go Commie, small to mid-sized empire go Fascism is a truism almost always, but remains an oversimplification. Fascism tends to be the better choice for those reacting to critical events. Communism tends to be the better choice for those that wish to initiate or control events. The reason youre seeing AIs consistently go Fascist is simple: because on average at the dawn of the Industrial Age the AIs have mid-sized empires engaged in wars in other words, because going Fascist makes sense. In those games I have played in which a large KAI emerges before Industrial Age, I have noticed that they choose Communism over Fascism in this respect the AIs choice is surprisingly similar to the one a human player would make. The large number of Fascist AIs is the result of AI performance parity, and not a programmed preference.
Ision