Darsnan
Emperor
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2007
- Messages
- 1,215
Having played SMACX a long, long time (like since the first week SMAC came out!), I've noticed very few people ever play Cha Dawn or comment on him (i.e. people don't include him in games they set up), and I think to a large extent people don't play the Cultist faction due to the poor energy and production rates, and they don't include Cha Dawn in their games due to the AI not playing the Cult as well as other factions (i.e. not as much of a challenge to play against). So having opened up the Scenario Editor and studied how the AI plays the Cult several things come to mind:
1. The Cult doesn't start out to MY 2106. This is an issue versus factions starting in MY2101, as colony pods and other units aren't destroyed by a native lifeform attack between MY2101 and 2105, whereas after this the odds go up that the unit in question will be destroyed.
2. If there is a pod next to the AI's starting location, the AI will immediately investigate this, which in higher difficulty levels as well as heavier fungal (and and heavier NL) worlds, this can spell quick doom for the Cult if they pop a fungal bloom, and even worse if they pop a native lifeform unit which then destroys the investigating unit (more than likely a colony pod, which for the resource starved Cult can spell an early game doom).
However after having watched the AI play the Pirates, I've noted that even if the AI pops an Isle of the Deep with their Sea Colony Pod, there is a greater chance the CP can escape due to it possibly having a movement point left. And of course the Pirates also have their military unit which more than likely can reach the NL and attack it, thus giving the CP an even greater chance of surviving.
So by taking the Cult and aquatizing it, this then gives the Cult the benefits as noted above in regards to increasing the survivability rate of their CPs, and a stronger likelihood that it will survive and be able to found a city. And by giving the Cult an aquatic military unit, this then gives them the ability to go forth and (more than likely) capture an Isle of the Deep in the early game, giving the Cult a (in my opinion) much needed boost, and making them a more respectable opponent. Here is my take on a suitable aquatized Cultist faction might look like:
1. The Cult doesn't start out to MY 2106. This is an issue versus factions starting in MY2101, as colony pods and other units aren't destroyed by a native lifeform attack between MY2101 and 2105, whereas after this the odds go up that the unit in question will be destroyed.
2. If there is a pod next to the AI's starting location, the AI will immediately investigate this, which in higher difficulty levels as well as heavier fungal (and and heavier NL) worlds, this can spell quick doom for the Cult if they pop a fungal bloom, and even worse if they pop a native lifeform unit which then destroys the investigating unit (more than likely a colony pod, which for the resource starved Cult can spell an early game doom).
However after having watched the AI play the Pirates, I've noted that even if the AI pops an Isle of the Deep with their Sea Colony Pod, there is a greater chance the CP can escape due to it possibly having a movement point left. And of course the Pirates also have their military unit which more than likely can reach the NL and attack it, thus giving the CP an even greater chance of surviving.
So by taking the Cult and aquatizing it, this then gives the Cult the benefits as noted above in regards to increasing the survivability rate of their CPs, and a stronger likelihood that it will survive and be able to found a city. And by giving the Cult an aquatic military unit, this then gives them the ability to go forth and (more than likely) capture an Isle of the Deep in the early game, giving the Cult a (in my opinion) much needed boost, and making them a more respectable opponent. Here is my take on a suitable aquatized Cultist faction might look like:
