posted 02-28-99 06:53 AM ET        

UoP = research
Free Market = Energy = research
Knowledge = 40% research of UoP
Growth = More people = more energy = research
Research = air power early, trade for money and peace

Phase 1:
The strategy here is to expand crazy early on. One thing is to cut down on drones. DO NOT emphasize conquer early on. Just trade for them. Go for all Centauri.* techs where possible(which is the same as emphasizing on Explore tech), and build lots of terraformers(must get Weather Paradigm). Use forest early on, then switch to farm + boreholes combo later. Make sure you minimize conflict and build some cheap (clean)Trance patrol scouts to kill worms. Never get bogged down by mineral support issues. Get all "clean" units. Avoid building anything on farms except condensers.

Phase 2:
By now, you should have lots of productive
bases reaping in energy and minerals like crazy. Your research should be at warp speed(1 tech per every 2, 3 turns or so), and trust me, it will be 1 tech per turn when you get to Orbital Spaceflight. You should be one of the richest factions, and is generally peaceful with your neighbours. If you strictly research explore and trade some necessary tech with your neighbours, you should get air power by 2200 or so. Then, start your war plans. Switch research to conquer. Get to Superconductor or better stages, and the Advanced Military Alogrithms( for the Hunter Seeker project). Get to at least Chaos gun. Start producing chaos planes(with Air superioty) and ships(with Air Superioty again. Land units can be ignored for now. Make sure they use CLEAN reactors. Switch to discover(meanwhile getting Aerospace Complex for ALL bases preferably), get ORBITAL SPACEFLIGHT. Then go land units which are CLEAN with DROP PODS ability. Now go whack some asses with your troops for more land, while making Hydroponic labs for super population growth. You figure the rest out by your self. What can you possibly do with drop pods land+ mobile air, sea units?

Important Secret Projects in early-mid game(in order): Virtual World, Elevator(rather late though), Weather Paradigm, Hunter Seeker, Planetary Transit, Cloning Vats, Human Genome project.

Summary: Expand, Terraform, Stop the massive drone riots which is bound to occur(it was a bad exp. for me).Condensors. Farms. Boreholes. Get to air early. Go CLEAN and AIR SUPERIORITY units. Expand. Terraform. Make sure no one beats you in air and research. Condensors. Farms. Boreholes. Don't let Mineral production bog you down by getting CLEAN units. Expand. Terraform. Condensors. Farms. Boreholes. Go solve all the ecological damage yourself!