Best Faction: Decision Table - Alpha Centauri Forums

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  Strategies and Tactics
  Best Faction: Decision Table

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   Best Faction: Decision Table

DilithiumDad posted 05-18-99 06:33 PM ET
The debates over "best faction" have generated some of the best strategy sessions here. I think the factions are pretty balanced, myself, so it a matter of style and taste. But to see for certain, I made a decision table. I ranked the 7 factions on 7 attributes and summed the ranks. The results surprised me --my favorite factions did not come out on top.
THE CATEGORIES
Explore, Build, Discover, Conquest: These categories are familiar to anyopne who has played the game.
Psych: Severity of drone problems.
Diplomacy: Ease of getting along with AI players and getting ttraties and pacts.
Flexibility: Treasured by experienced players, this is the ability to change social engineering choices for short-term advantage or diplomatic positioning.
Here's the Table (faction with single-letter abbreviation):
F Explore Build Discover Conquer Psych Diplomacy Flexibility
G 1 4 4 3 6 4 2
H 3 1 6 2 3 7 7
P 5 3 3 6 1 1 1
U 6 6 1 5 7 2 5
B 7 5 7 1 5 5 5
S 2 7 5 4 2 6 4
M 4 2 2 7 4 3 3
Explanations of the rankings:
Explore: Gains win hands down, with the ability to explore the fungus using mind worms. Spartans are next with starting rover and tech and high morale for facing mind worms. Hive is next for their rapid expansion. Believers are last for -1 planet rating making them vulnerable to mind worms.
Build: Hive for +1 industry, then Morgan obviously, followed by Peacekeepers with their Hab advantage, and Gains with their efficiency advantage. University lags for its drone drawback and the Spartans -1 economy puts them in the basement.
Discover: Obiously, the UofP is tops and Morgan follows. Believers are at the bottom and the Hive lags because of energy penalty.
Conquest: Based on discussions here int he forums, the rnaking is clear (B, H, G (for Green Conquest), S, U, P, M).
Psych: Peacekeeps win for their extra talent, followed by Spartans for +1 police, Hive (easy Police state), and Morgan (extra energy for psych). Gaians are low for -1 police (although efficiency is more important later) and drone-prone UofP loses out.
Diplomacy: Peacekeeps are a no-brainer, everybody loves to trade tech with the UofP, Morgan is everyone's buddy except Gaians, and the converse is tur eof the Gaians. The AI players positively detest the Hive, and the Spartans and Believers are almost as bad.
Flexibility: The largely neutral Peacekeepers are on top again, followed by the Gaians with their high efficincy, the Morgans, Spartans (only prohibited from Wealth), and UofP (drone problems limit choices, although Evil Scientist mode under Police State works well). Worst is Hive, which is locked into police/planned.
Any comments?
DilithiumDad posted 05-18-99 06:42 PM ET
FINAL OUTCOME
#1 is Peacekeepers with 20
#2 is Gaians with 24
#3 is Morgan with 25 (surprise to me)
#4 is Hive with 29
#5 is Spartans with 30
#6 is University with 32
#7 is Believers with 36
LIMITATIONS
Equal weight was given to all categories. Obviously, if Conquer is most important to you, then the Believers are #1 not #7. Interestingly, all the factions were #1 in one category except for the Spartans and Morganites, which were both #2 in two categories. So the balance is pretty good. The Peacekeepers win by being #1 in three categories even while lagging in the important Conquer column.
Bingmann posted 05-19-99 10:28 AM ET
Seems strange to me that Hive and Morgan are 1-2 in build when these are the only 2 factions that can't pop boom without having either Cloning Vats or Eudaimonia. I think you will find the majority opinion here is that PKs are the absolute best builders.
Kurnous posted 05-22-99 09:05 AM ET
Now post your nice PK vote in the "New best factions" thread. PK needs em.
HolyWarrior posted 05-23-99 12:57 AM ET
I think you need another category, entitled Security--how easy to defend, and also probe.
rankings--top to bottom:
Believers (excellent probe ratings)
Hive
Sparta
PK
Gaia
Morgan
Uni--security? What's that?
Still think the Believers are best.
DilithiumDad posted 05-23-99 08:40 PM ET
Thanks for the posts!
By "Build" I mean what the Governor does on that setting --ease of building base facilities and special projects. What you are talking about I would call "Expansion". Let's add that as a category.
1. Hive (+growth)
2. Peacekeepers (+hab limit, +talent)
3. Gains (efficiency, ability to live among the fungus)
4. Believers
5. Spartans (somebody here said they had good expansion --never seen it in my games)
6. University
7. Morgan (hab limit)
Spartans (
DilithiumDad posted 05-23-99 08:43 PM ET
So we can add "Security" as a factor, too.
The only thing I would change is that Morgan should be higher --he can probe well because of his energy reserves and his research path emphasizes defense. Thus:
Believers > Hive > Morgan > Spartans > PK's > Gaians > UofP
DilithiumDad posted 05-23-99 08:49 PM ET
FINAL TALLY (all 9 criteria)
1. Peacekeepers = 27 (they actually increased their lead!)
2. Hive = 32 (pulled ahead of Gaians)
3. Gaians = 33
4. Morgan = 35
5. Spartans = 39
6. Believers = 41 (rising from the basement)
7. University = 45 (on free fall)
Anybody else care to add a criterion that favors their favorite faction?
Datalink posted 05-24-99 12:55 AM ET
I do truely believe that Univercity, though ment to be, is not the best in the technology area. #1, in my opinion, should be morgan. With all that energy coming in, they quickly surpass everybody else, if you do it right, by the early midgame. The UoP are to vunlerable to probes, and the extra drones means less energy getting collected, and more than any faction, what is colloeted ends up being spent on psych. They are still pretty good in the tech area, but i would put morgan first, and UoP second. It also depends on the level that you play at. At the first three, UoP has little problem with drones and really excells and would grab the #1 place easily. But at the higher ones, where i and always play and eventually everybody ends up playing, particualary trancendence level, the drone problem kickes in and so does, in my opinion, their rating in the tech area.
Thanks for setting up this pole! it is great.
Datalink
P.S. Anybody please respond to my argument. I would like to hear differant opinions, for i know that they are our their.
Datalink posted 05-24-99 12:57 AM ET
Sorry about the poor englich... um, english.
It was late when i wrote it and i am sleepy.
Thanks,
Datalink
Zozo posted 05-26-99 07:02 PM ET
Believer is #1 in Conquer but the Hive has to be #1 in Defence/Security. For the extra minerals that the Believer needs to build the PD, the Hive can use that to build an extra probe team to defend itself against prob attacks so the lower prob rating is more than being compensated for. Also, the ability to get instant PD is much more inportant than getting a prob team which can move from your inner, and therefore safer, cities to the borderline size 1 city which you just captured from your enemy. Can't move the PD that easily. Anyway, thanks for this great idea. All the top team seems to match what I thought pretty well :-).
About diplomacy, all other civs are being very nice to me when I play a peaceful Believer. They trade techs with me so much that I become #1 in tech without having to steal any advances! This is at transend level, of course. It's not that easy with the Peacekeepers which keep being pushed around by the militant civs and can't get a fair treatment at all. I ended up fighting on all fronts as the Peacekeepers. No AI civs would want to mess around with a strong Believers without provocations. It's like a gunboat diplomacy but it's still diplomacy anyway.
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


Hop to:

Contact Us | Alpha Centauri Home

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.18
© Madrona Park, Inc., 1998.

Author	Topic: Best Faction: Decision Table
DilithiumDad	posted 05-18-99 06:33 PM ET The debates over "best faction" have generated some of the best strategy sessions here. I think the factions are pretty balanced, myself, so it a matter of style and taste. But to see for certain, I made a decision table. I ranked the 7 factions on 7 attributes and summed the ranks. The results surprised me --my favorite factions did not come out on top. THE CATEGORIES Explore, Build, Discover, Conquest: These categories are familiar to anyopne who has played the game. Psych: Severity of drone problems. Diplomacy: Ease of getting along with AI players and getting ttraties and pacts. Flexibility: Treasured by experienced players, this is the ability to change social engineering choices for short-term advantage or diplomatic positioning. Here's the Table (faction with single-letter abbreviation): F Explore Build Discover Conquer Psych Diplomacy Flexibility G 1 4 4 3 6 4 2 H 3 1 6 2 3 7 7 P 5 3 3 6 1 1 1 U 6 6 1 5 7 2 5 B 7 5 7 1 5 5 5 S 2 7 5 4 2 6 4 M 4 2 2 7 4 3 3 Explanations of the rankings: Explore: Gains win hands down, with the ability to explore the fungus using mind worms. Spartans are next with starting rover and tech and high morale for facing mind worms. Hive is next for their rapid expansion. Believers are last for -1 planet rating making them vulnerable to mind worms. Build: Hive for +1 industry, then Morgan obviously, followed by Peacekeepers with their Hab advantage, and Gains with their efficiency advantage. University lags for its drone drawback and the Spartans -1 economy puts them in the basement. Discover: Obiously, the UofP is tops and Morgan follows. Believers are at the bottom and the Hive lags because of energy penalty. Conquest: Based on discussions here int he forums, the rnaking is clear (B, H, G (for Green Conquest), S, U, P, M). Psych: Peacekeeps win for their extra talent, followed by Spartans for +1 police, Hive (easy Police state), and Morgan (extra energy for psych). Gaians are low for -1 police (although efficiency is more important later) and drone-prone UofP loses out. Diplomacy: Peacekeeps are a no-brainer, everybody loves to trade tech with the UofP, Morgan is everyone's buddy except Gaians, and the converse is tur eof the Gaians. The AI players positively detest the Hive, and the Spartans and Believers are almost as bad. Flexibility: The largely neutral Peacekeepers are on top again, followed by the Gaians with their high efficincy, the Morgans, Spartans (only prohibited from Wealth), and UofP (drone problems limit choices, although Evil Scientist mode under Police State works well). Worst is Hive, which is locked into police/planned. Any comments?
DilithiumDad	posted 05-18-99 06:42 PM ET FINAL OUTCOME #1 is Peacekeepers with 20 #2 is Gaians with 24 #3 is Morgan with 25 (surprise to me) #4 is Hive with 29 #5 is Spartans with 30 #6 is University with 32 #7 is Believers with 36 LIMITATIONS Equal weight was given to all categories. Obviously, if Conquer is most important to you, then the Believers are #1 not #7. Interestingly, all the factions were #1 in one category except for the Spartans and Morganites, which were both #2 in two categories. So the balance is pretty good. The Peacekeepers win by being #1 in three categories even while lagging in the important Conquer column.
Bingmann	posted 05-19-99 10:28 AM ET Seems strange to me that Hive and Morgan are 1-2 in build when these are the only 2 factions that can't pop boom without having either Cloning Vats or Eudaimonia. I think you will find the majority opinion here is that PKs are the absolute best builders.
Kurnous	posted 05-22-99 09:05 AM ET Now post your nice PK vote in the "New best factions" thread. PK needs em.
HolyWarrior	posted 05-23-99 12:57 AM ET I think you need another category, entitled Security--how easy to defend, and also probe. rankings--top to bottom: Believers (excellent probe ratings) Hive Sparta PK Gaia Morgan Uni--security? What's that? Still think the Believers are best.
DilithiumDad	posted 05-23-99 08:40 PM ET Thanks for the posts! By "Build" I mean what the Governor does on that setting --ease of building base facilities and special projects. What you are talking about I would call "Expansion". Let's add that as a category. 1. Hive (+growth) 2. Peacekeepers (+hab limit, +talent) 3. Gains (efficiency, ability to live among the fungus) 4. Believers 5. Spartans (somebody here said they had good expansion --never seen it in my games) 6. University 7. Morgan (hab limit) Spartans (
DilithiumDad	posted 05-23-99 08:43 PM ET So we can add "Security" as a factor, too. The only thing I would change is that Morgan should be higher --he can probe well because of his energy reserves and his research path emphasizes defense. Thus: Believers > Hive > Morgan > Spartans > PK's > Gaians > UofP
DilithiumDad	posted 05-23-99 08:49 PM ET FINAL TALLY (all 9 criteria) 1. Peacekeepers = 27 (they actually increased their lead!) 2. Hive = 32 (pulled ahead of Gaians) 3. Gaians = 33 4. Morgan = 35 5. Spartans = 39 6. Believers = 41 (rising from the basement) 7. University = 45 (on free fall) Anybody else care to add a criterion that favors their favorite faction?
Datalink	posted 05-24-99 12:55 AM ET I do truely believe that Univercity, though ment to be, is not the best in the technology area. #1, in my opinion, should be morgan. With all that energy coming in, they quickly surpass everybody else, if you do it right, by the early midgame. The UoP are to vunlerable to probes, and the extra drones means less energy getting collected, and more than any faction, what is colloeted ends up being spent on psych. They are still pretty good in the tech area, but i would put morgan first, and UoP second. It also depends on the level that you play at. At the first three, UoP has little problem with drones and really excells and would grab the #1 place easily. But at the higher ones, where i and always play and eventually everybody ends up playing, particualary trancendence level, the drone problem kickes in and so does, in my opinion, their rating in the tech area. Thanks for setting up this pole! it is great. Datalink P.S. Anybody please respond to my argument. I would like to hear differant opinions, for i know that they are our their.
Datalink	posted 05-24-99 12:57 AM ET Sorry about the poor englich... um, english. It was late when i wrote it and i am sleepy. Thanks, Datalink
Zozo	posted 05-26-99 07:02 PM ET Believer is #1 in Conquer but the Hive has to be #1 in Defence/Security. For the extra minerals that the Believer needs to build the PD, the Hive can use that to build an extra probe team to defend itself against prob attacks so the lower prob rating is more than being compensated for. Also, the ability to get instant PD is much more inportant than getting a prob team which can move from your inner, and therefore safer, cities to the borderline size 1 city which you just captured from your enemy. Can't move the PD that easily. Anyway, thanks for this great idea. All the top team seems to match what I thought pretty well :-). About diplomacy, all other civs are being very nice to me when I play a peaceful Believer. They trade techs with me so much that I become #1 in tech without having to steal any advances! This is at transend level, of course. It's not that easy with the Peacekeepers which keep being pushed around by the militant civs and can't get a fair treatment at all. I ended up fighting on all fronts as the Peacekeepers. No AI civs would want to mess around with a strong Believers without provocations. It's like a gunboat diplomacy but it's still diplomacy anyway.