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Author Topic:   Help with the Morganites...PLEASE

Wank posted 06-23-99 03:39 PM ET
Ok, when i first got the game, I played with the UoP. And have ALWAYS played with them. However, lately I've started to try out Morgan, simply because I'm a greedy Jew and like being able to buy something instead of expanding a few armies to take it. >=)
Also, Morgans philosophy just appeals to me and I've so far had a lot more fun playing him than any other faction (probe teams are fun as hell).
But: Since I've never played Morgan before, my strats are not tailored to him. I usually, and completely unconsciously apply my UoP strategies to him, and get my ass romped by that ugly, people-abusing commie Yang =P.
So, can anyone please help me out with some Morganite tips. Cus playing Morgan and having no money (UoP strat again) to take bases over with SUCKS!
Thanks in advance:
Wank
"Do unto other before they do unto you. If they attempt to do unto you first, castrate the little motherf***ers."
Beta1 posted 06-23-99 03:46 PM ET
I find the key to morgan is your choice of terraforming and SE. That +1 economy means free market is not essential to get +1 energy/square, only wealth is needed. Dont slap forests everywhere try to use farm/solar collectors on high terrain and build loads of echelon mirrors.
Also this is a relatively civilised forum, lets try and keep it that way.
Wank posted 06-23-99 03:56 PM ET
What do you mean by this being a civilized forum? Are you offended by the language I was using?
Wank
Resource Consumer posted 06-23-99 06:36 PM ET
OK Wank,
I will assume that you are not a distant relative of HARDMAN, so you're getting the benefit of the doubt here.
When Morgan, buy everything, this is the one golden rule. There are a lot of cooler guys than me at playing the game on this forum and they'll give you lots of good advice if you don't piss them off.
My logic (not original) is this - YOU DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT ANYTHING. Within reason (which applies to your individual game/alliance circumstance) pay off anyone to avoid a war. The AI will always demand a function of what you have in your bank account - if you've spent it last turn then it will ask for some risible amount or some tech.
Ah, tech? That's trickier and depends whether or not the UoP is still in play (I bet it's Miriam, Yang or Santiago who are demanding), how well you're doing, and your SE choices. No simple answers here - that's what makes it a great game.
Following on this, has anyone noticed that there is a floor amount that exists where the AI says "stuff cash give me tech" or is it more complicated?
Resource Consumer posted 06-23-99 06:38 PM ET
By the way, Jews are not necessarily greedy
Us Morganites are by necessity.
Please avoid giving offence unnecessarily
Resource Consumer
- who incidentally has a non-greedy Jewish wife -
Wank posted 06-23-99 06:54 PM ET
Emm, I see. It's just I wasn't sure for a while what Beta1 was reffering to. Alright, I appologize. Me and my friends often joke on the topic of religion, and I have inadvertantly(sp?) brought that here. Sorry.
Now, about the 'buy everything'. That's one of my main problems. I rarely have a lot of credits saved up. (About an hour into the game at Talent level, only about 300credits) Now usually, as it is in this game, it's because I have hurried production of defensive units/base facilities. (In this case because Lal got mad that I wouldn't pay him). What is a good Morganite beginning build-up, and what SPs and facilites should be my priority (exclude hunter-seeker algorithm, that goes without saying =) )
Wank
"You bastard!.......who is fat.."
-Austin Powers(2)
Wank posted 06-23-99 06:55 PM ET
Oh, and who's HARDMAN?
Wank
CstmmagEK posted 06-23-99 07:25 PM ET
Wank,
There's nothing wrong with fighting for what you want! =) Of being a newbie(as we say in paintball)to SMAC I have alot to learn. LOL
EK
Krushala posted 06-23-99 08:27 PM ET
Morgan is an excellent faction. They are the second best research. Some people feel the peacekeepers are but it's simple. Research is based upon energy. Build plenty of solar collectors on high ground with at least one borehole per base. Build forest on low ground. Ensure you have trance defenders with a few empath rovers around to take care of mind worms. I can easily outperform UOP in research in 100 years.
laurens posted 06-23-99 09:32 PM ET
Don't make too aggressive moves with Morgan in the early stages - it's really hard to win a record fast game with this faction. You will not be able to beat Miriam's support +2 at the beginning.
Build up your infrastructure, play defensively, with probe teams coverting invading units occasionally. Once your economy and research (from the energy bonus) is untouchable, the AI will know who's faster in planet busting or copter strikes.
Koshko posted 06-23-99 09:46 PM ET
It helps to be lucky. In my current game w/ Morgan (Huge Planet, Transcend), I stumbled onto Mariam about 15 turns in. I used my Podfound Rovers to waste her by 2122.
Also get at least one Sea Unit (preferably a Transport) roaming the Seas for Pods. The seapods will tend to give more gold.
Also see the Morgan Q&A post lower down.
Resource Consumer posted 06-24-99 06:03 AM ET
One thing about not fighting, though, is that you're going to need space. If you're going to get that energy flowing in you need plenty of cities at size 4 or less early in the game.
What happens if you get hemmed in early? Well, I usually go the fight route because I don't think you've got a lot of choice. You're going to drop behind in research with a limited number of small cities and seabases take forever to build when your at size 4. Fighting is undesirable but sometimes you gotta sort them out.
Oh, by the way, apology accpted. Say no more.
Igor posted 06-24-99 06:36 AM ET
Krushala, try the same with PK, or even Believers. You will be surprised
If PK use Demo/Green/Wealth, have HG, they have Golden Age and that +1 energy each square. Moreover, no problems with drones.
Wank, overlapped base radii and avoid wars till you have Green and Police State. Then be ruthless to aggressive neighbours. If you dont fight, you'll be killed by stupid AIs, who hate your wealth, tech level etc.
Smeagol posted 06-24-99 01:34 PM ET
Wank-- I like to switch over to Free Market as soon as possible, for the +1 energy per square and the undocumented +2 energy per base. This is a huge research boost early on. Stick with FM at least until wealth, and be sure to use Demo early also.
To maximize research with them (or most factions for that matter), use Demo/FM/Knowledge as long as you can. If you absolutely need to attack early on, then consider using wealth. However, if you plan on fighting a defensive war in your own territory, then the -5 Police will not be a problem as the extra drones only appear when your troops leave your borders (but bombers will always cause drones, as will ships if you have no sea bases and thus no sea territory).
When you develop the tech for punishment spheres and clean reactors, build a sphere and your whole army in one or two bases. This will allow you to use Free Market and still fight an offensive war. Wealth is actually no more than an annoyance at this point in the game, as that -2 morale lowers your morale by 1 and halves the morale upgrades from command and bioenhancement centers.
I like to research the "butter" techs as quickly as possible-- those leading to and including Envir Econ and Plan Econ (for Tree Farms and Hybrid Forests). Once I build these I make sure all of my bases have only forests and a few boreholes.
Later in the game (if playing on Transcend), the mad mindworm rush will occur because of your mineral output and -3 Planet from using FM, and at this point if you are having a problem with worms you should switch to Green/Wealth. This is where Morgan really shines as his is the only faction that can fend off mindworms effectively and still retain the +2 economy (without golden ages).
There is a lot more to tell-- make sure you build defenders with hypno trance and some rovers with empath song (rovers can destroy an entire stack of mindworms).
*This strategy actually works better with the PKs, as drones are much easier to solve, they golden age without much effort, and they have 5 more population than the PKs. Since the PKs can population boom to size 16 while Morgan is desperately trying to get to 11, the PKs will easily outresearch Morgan.
Krushala-- When comparing the speed of research for factions, only consider how fast they can go when controlled by a human. It goes without saying that Morgan will outresearch the PKs when Morgan is human-controlled and the PKs are AI-controlled. You will ALWAYS outresearch the computer unless you don't try.
Krushala posted 06-24-99 05:46 PM ET
I've played games as both morgan and peacekeepers and find morgan to be far superior. Judging by the turns between techs at various points in the game. Perhaps I'm not utilizing golden ages as well as you guys are. I find it hard to stay in a golden age for an extended period of time. Research is still based upon energy and morgan can make the most. The peacekeeps have a edge if they have a decent number of bases where the extra population workers make up for morgans +1 energy. I still prefer morgan though.
Smeagol posted 06-24-99 05:56 PM ET
The PK's extra energy comes from having population 16 bases while Morgan isn't even at his max of 11 yet (hab dome limit). This pop 16 is easy to achieve by using Demo/Planned/creches for population booms. Morgan cannot do this, since he can't use planned.
So while golden ages are good, they are not in fact the factor that makes the PKs better than Morgan. A population 16 base makes a great deal more energy than a pop 11 (if Morgan has even reached this yet)-- and don't forget I am using Free Market with the PKs.
Krushala posted 06-24-99 07:01 PM ET
I think I'll try playing the peacekeepers again. But I just didn't find them as fun to play as morgan. True once you get peacekeeper bases up to 16 they are a great faction. But I still find morgan has extra cash in the early game which I find very important. I still find the morganites the most fun to play.
amesius posted 06-24-99 07:52 PM ET
Morganite Strategy: I have had a couple of successes with this strategy. Consolidate you holdings (4-6 cities). Find a partner (UoP will LOVE to trade tech with you and as they are usually researching different things, this can be very lucrative. Try to form a Pact with them.) Keep your troops upgraded. Build defenses around your bases. Get the improvements that carry econ and labs. Don't loan money to anyone, but do give grant money to UoP if there your Pact member. Lastly do buy it all, but buy it all at once by cornering the energy market don't try to piecemeal it through probe teams.
Wank posted 06-25-99 01:04 PM ET
Ok, what is this 'cornering the energy market' thing? I know it's a way to win the game, and I know Morgan is usually the choice to do it with. But what does it actually entail? Like, is it getting a certain amount of energy, or what?
Wank
JayPegg posted 06-25-99 01:25 PM ET
Your right Wank, you need a certain amount of energy credits (no idea how it's computed, anyone?), corner it for 20 turns, and bingo, some lame-*** ending and you've won.
Series II posted 06-25-99 02:55 PM ET
I believe that you have to have enough energy credits to 'purchase' all the other cities. 'Purchase' as in when a probe time trys to subvert a city.
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Author	Topic: Help with the Morganites...PLEASE
Wank	posted 06-23-99 03:39 PM ET Ok, when i first got the game, I played with the UoP. And have ALWAYS played with them. However, lately I've started to try out Morgan, simply because I'm a greedy Jew and like being able to buy something instead of expanding a few armies to take it. >=) Also, Morgans philosophy just appeals to me and I've so far had a lot more fun playing him than any other faction (probe teams are fun as hell). But: Since I've never played Morgan before, my strats are not tailored to him. I usually, and completely unconsciously apply my UoP strategies to him, and get my ass romped by that ugly, people-abusing commie Yang =P. So, can anyone please help me out with some Morganite tips. Cus playing Morgan and having no money (UoP strat again) to take bases over with SUCKS! Thanks in advance: Wank "Do unto other before they do unto you. If they attempt to do unto you first, castrate the little motherf***ers."
Beta1	posted 06-23-99 03:46 PM ET I find the key to morgan is your choice of terraforming and SE. That +1 economy means free market is not essential to get +1 energy/square, only wealth is needed. Dont slap forests everywhere try to use farm/solar collectors on high terrain and build loads of echelon mirrors. Also this is a relatively civilised forum, lets try and keep it that way.
Wank	posted 06-23-99 03:56 PM ET What do you mean by this being a civilized forum? Are you offended by the language I was using? Wank
Resource Consumer	posted 06-23-99 06:36 PM ET OK Wank, I will assume that you are not a distant relative of HARDMAN, so you're getting the benefit of the doubt here. When Morgan, buy everything, this is the one golden rule. There are a lot of cooler guys than me at playing the game on this forum and they'll give you lots of good advice if you don't piss them off. My logic (not original) is this - YOU DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT ANYTHING. Within reason (which applies to your individual game/alliance circumstance) pay off anyone to avoid a war. The AI will always demand a function of what you have in your bank account - if you've spent it last turn then it will ask for some risible amount or some tech. Ah, tech? That's trickier and depends whether or not the UoP is still in play (I bet it's Miriam, Yang or Santiago who are demanding), how well you're doing, and your SE choices. No simple answers here - that's what makes it a great game. Following on this, has anyone noticed that there is a floor amount that exists where the AI says "stuff cash give me tech" or is it more complicated?
Resource Consumer	posted 06-23-99 06:38 PM ET By the way, Jews are not necessarily greedy Us Morganites are by necessity. Please avoid giving offence unnecessarily Resource Consumer - who incidentally has a non-greedy Jewish wife -
Wank	posted 06-23-99 06:54 PM ET Emm, I see. It's just I wasn't sure for a while what Beta1 was reffering to. Alright, I appologize. Me and my friends often joke on the topic of religion, and I have inadvertantly(sp?) brought that here. Sorry. Now, about the 'buy everything'. That's one of my main problems. I rarely have a lot of credits saved up. (About an hour into the game at Talent level, only about 300credits) Now usually, as it is in this game, it's because I have hurried production of defensive units/base facilities. (In this case because Lal got mad that I wouldn't pay him). What is a good Morganite beginning build-up, and what SPs and facilites should be my priority (exclude hunter-seeker algorithm, that goes without saying =) ) Wank "You bastard!.......who is fat.." -Austin Powers(2)
Wank	posted 06-23-99 06:55 PM ET Oh, and who's HARDMAN? Wank
CstmmagEK	posted 06-23-99 07:25 PM ET Wank, There's nothing wrong with fighting for what you want! =) Of being a newbie(as we say in paintball)to SMAC I have alot to learn. LOL EK
Krushala	posted 06-23-99 08:27 PM ET Morgan is an excellent faction. They are the second best research. Some people feel the peacekeepers are but it's simple. Research is based upon energy. Build plenty of solar collectors on high ground with at least one borehole per base. Build forest on low ground. Ensure you have trance defenders with a few empath rovers around to take care of mind worms. I can easily outperform UOP in research in 100 years.
laurens	posted 06-23-99 09:32 PM ET Don't make too aggressive moves with Morgan in the early stages - it's really hard to win a record fast game with this faction. You will not be able to beat Miriam's support +2 at the beginning. Build up your infrastructure, play defensively, with probe teams coverting invading units occasionally. Once your economy and research (from the energy bonus) is untouchable, the AI will know who's faster in planet busting or copter strikes.
Koshko	posted 06-23-99 09:46 PM ET It helps to be lucky. In my current game w/ Morgan (Huge Planet, Transcend), I stumbled onto Mariam about 15 turns in. I used my Podfound Rovers to waste her by 2122. Also get at least one Sea Unit (preferably a Transport) roaming the Seas for Pods. The seapods will tend to give more gold. Also see the Morgan Q&A post lower down.
Resource Consumer	posted 06-24-99 06:03 AM ET One thing about not fighting, though, is that you're going to need space. If you're going to get that energy flowing in you need plenty of cities at size 4 or less early in the game. What happens if you get hemmed in early? Well, I usually go the fight route because I don't think you've got a lot of choice. You're going to drop behind in research with a limited number of small cities and seabases take forever to build when your at size 4. Fighting is undesirable but sometimes you gotta sort them out. Oh, by the way, apology accpted. Say no more.
Igor	posted 06-24-99 06:36 AM ET Krushala, try the same with PK, or even Believers. You will be surprised If PK use Demo/Green/Wealth, have HG, they have Golden Age and that +1 energy each square. Moreover, no problems with drones. Wank, overlapped base radii and avoid wars till you have Green and Police State. Then be ruthless to aggressive neighbours. If you dont fight, you'll be killed by stupid AIs, who hate your wealth, tech level etc.
Smeagol	posted 06-24-99 01:34 PM ET Wank-- I like to switch over to Free Market as soon as possible, for the +1 energy per square and the undocumented +2 energy per base. This is a huge research boost early on. Stick with FM at least until wealth, and be sure to use Demo early also. To maximize research with them (or most factions for that matter), use Demo/FM/Knowledge as long as you can. If you absolutely need to attack early on, then consider using wealth. However, if you plan on fighting a defensive war in your own territory, then the -5 Police will not be a problem as the extra drones only appear when your troops leave your borders (but bombers will always cause drones, as will ships if you have no sea bases and thus no sea territory). When you develop the tech for punishment spheres and clean reactors, build a sphere and your whole army in one or two bases. This will allow you to use Free Market and still fight an offensive war. Wealth is actually no more than an annoyance at this point in the game, as that -2 morale lowers your morale by 1 and halves the morale upgrades from command and bioenhancement centers. I like to research the "butter" techs as quickly as possible-- those leading to and including Envir Econ and Plan Econ (for Tree Farms and Hybrid Forests). Once I build these I make sure all of my bases have only forests and a few boreholes. Later in the game (if playing on Transcend), the mad mindworm rush will occur because of your mineral output and -3 Planet from using FM, and at this point if you are having a problem with worms you should switch to Green/Wealth. This is where Morgan really shines as his is the only faction that can fend off mindworms effectively and still retain the +2 economy (without golden ages). There is a lot more to tell-- make sure you build defenders with hypno trance and some rovers with empath song (rovers can destroy an entire stack of mindworms). *This strategy actually works better with the PKs, as drones are much easier to solve, they golden age without much effort, and they have 5 more population than the PKs. Since the PKs can population boom to size 16 while Morgan is desperately trying to get to 11, the PKs will easily outresearch Morgan. Krushala-- When comparing the speed of research for factions, only consider how fast they can go when controlled by a human. It goes without saying that Morgan will outresearch the PKs when Morgan is human-controlled and the PKs are AI-controlled. You will ALWAYS outresearch the computer unless you don't try.
Krushala	posted 06-24-99 05:46 PM ET I've played games as both morgan and peacekeepers and find morgan to be far superior. Judging by the turns between techs at various points in the game. Perhaps I'm not utilizing golden ages as well as you guys are. I find it hard to stay in a golden age for an extended period of time. Research is still based upon energy and morgan can make the most. The peacekeeps have a edge if they have a decent number of bases where the extra population workers make up for morgans +1 energy. I still prefer morgan though.
Smeagol	posted 06-24-99 05:56 PM ET The PK's extra energy comes from having population 16 bases while Morgan isn't even at his max of 11 yet (hab dome limit). This pop 16 is easy to achieve by using Demo/Planned/creches for population booms. Morgan cannot do this, since he can't use planned. So while golden ages are good, they are not in fact the factor that makes the PKs better than Morgan. A population 16 base makes a great deal more energy than a pop 11 (if Morgan has even reached this yet)-- and don't forget I am using Free Market with the PKs.
Krushala	posted 06-24-99 07:01 PM ET I think I'll try playing the peacekeepers again. But I just didn't find them as fun to play as morgan. True once you get peacekeeper bases up to 16 they are a great faction. But I still find morgan has extra cash in the early game which I find very important. I still find the morganites the most fun to play.
amesius	posted 06-24-99 07:52 PM ET Morganite Strategy: I have had a couple of successes with this strategy. Consolidate you holdings (4-6 cities). Find a partner (UoP will LOVE to trade tech with you and as they are usually researching different things, this can be very lucrative. Try to form a Pact with them.) Keep your troops upgraded. Build defenses around your bases. Get the improvements that carry econ and labs. Don't loan money to anyone, but do give grant money to UoP if there your Pact member. Lastly do buy it all, but buy it all at once by cornering the energy market don't try to piecemeal it through probe teams.
Wank	posted 06-25-99 01:04 PM ET Ok, what is this 'cornering the energy market' thing? I know it's a way to win the game, and I know Morgan is usually the choice to do it with. But what does it actually entail? Like, is it getting a certain amount of energy, or what? Wank
JayPegg	posted 06-25-99 01:25 PM ET Your right Wank, you need a certain amount of energy credits (no idea how it's computed, anyone?), corner it for 20 turns, and bingo, some lame-*** ending and you've won.
Series II	posted 06-25-99 02:55 PM ET I believe that you have to have enough energy credits to 'purchase' all the other cities. 'Purchase' as in when a probe time trys to subvert a city.