Does Morgan really need free market ?

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Author Topic:   Does Morgan really need free market ?

StellarLightning posted 04-04-99 06:05 PM ET
Okay, I know it is in character to play Morgan with free market, but does he really need it ? He has an intrinsic +1 to economy, so picking wealth gives him a total of +2 economy, which results in +1 energy/square. Higher economy ratings do not result in such drastic bonuses, and free market is the only social engineering choice that gives you more penalties than bonuses. Also, with this energy output efficiency becomes an issue, so going green really helps Morgan more than free market, and the reduced growth does not really hurt him because of his population limit - the bases are at their maximum population rather quickly and then they do not need any more growth. Later in the game, when cybernetics becomes available, I sometimes switch to FM, but if there is no war at hand, I usually pick eudaimonia.
So basically everyone else needs FM for high energy outputs, while Morgan does not. Maybe they should give him extra bonuses or reduced penalties when using FM (like only -2 to police and -2 to planet, or an even higher economy bonus)
Any comments ?
Jimmy posted 04-04-99 07:01 PM ET
Morgan does not need free market but if he is able to switch to it without drone problems (when I play Morgan, I make it a regular strategy to build punishment spheres in every base to solve the drone problem, scrap all rec commons and holo theatres to save money, and switch to free market) then his energy credits will be phenomenal. The best thing is that with such output, you can reduce econ to maybe 20 % and still break even, this allows you to set lab at 70 or 80 % and get real fast tech.
Glak posted 04-04-99 08:28 PM ET
Unless you are trying to play some boring peaceful type of game on a huge map I would recommend against going free market. The police is fatal. I like to pick wealth instead, which gets you the +2 econ. Going police/green/wealth is great. The police gives you support (allowing you to get enough formers and troops), the green cancels the inefficiency of police and wealth gets you the economy of +2. Police/Green in general is a good combo, add on a value that suits your faction and strategy and you have a good combination.
CEO Bernard posted 04-05-99 09:35 AM ET
Another factor to consider is that "Wealth" makes Santiago and UoP angry. "Free Market" however only angers the Gaians (if the Gaians happen to be eliminated early then it angers nobody). The Free Market + Wealth combination gives you overwhelming power if you can keep the peace (lots of commerce bonuses). However, in wartime it is advisable to move to Green (with sufficient planning and preperation you can keep you Free Market in wartime, I do it all the time ... see my previous posts for that information).
CEO Bernard
sandworm posted 04-05-99 11:10 AM ET
Even in war, if you're prepared, you could stay with Free Market(as Morgan). I've only done this once, so it may have been a fluke, but here goes.
Start saving energy under free market, make sure you have just a garrison or two in your frontier cities, more in the central, larger cities. Keep probe teams in cities within a one turn march of your border cities, the ones most likely to be attacked. When the AI seizes one of your border towns, buy it back with a probe team, the drones will probably be rioting, since its your city anyhow. Buyback will be relatively cheap. Buying the city back will probably land you a small army as well, which can then be used to forestall or fend off continued attacks from the enemy. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Like I said, I've only used this once, on Librarian, and I had ~15 colonies to generate energy with, and the usual (for Morgan) solar collector/echelon mirror/raise terrain strategy.
Some of the more habitual CEO's may have more experience and better advice on this.
SW
Ken Yoon posted 04-05-99 01:43 PM ET
The answer is no. Morgan doesn't need free market.
But, the real question is should I go for free market.
The answer, to me and my strategy, is YES!
Wealth comes much later than free market. Those few turns with tons of energy, since your terraformers probably haven't in the early stages have had a chance to make all the solar panels, make a big difference.
Plus, just because you have wealth, doesn't mean you don't want to add in more energy with free market. Especially with eudomania (or whatever give more commerce), free market gives that extra bonus to your economy so that each of your cities rakes 8+ energy from its base square. This is a license to make money. Just expand into the sea; each base churns out money from the get go.
Free market depends on your strategy. If you're in peace, then use it. Buy/build rec commons to quell riots. Your bases don't go past 4, so rec commons will do it - even w/o police.
Spend the money to build up your bases and expand.
If you're at war, however, free market is not ideal.
Basically, the gist is, just because you're making good money with wealth, etc., doesn't mean you don't want to make more money.
Masakari posted 04-05-99 03:45 PM ET
So Free Market by itself is not a good choice, since you take all those penalties to go from +1 effeciency to +2 efficiency which does nothing! The one reason to go Free Market would be to couple it with the bonuses from Wealth.
CEO Bernard posted 04-05-99 04:20 PM ET
Also, as I pointed out in an early post. With a really really far flung empire higher effic (Green) can sometimes actually result in higher incomes (of course, if this is true you might want to reposition your HQ). Always check various settings (it doesn't cost anything but time) to see which is best.
So, to answer the initial question, doe Morgan need free market? No. If the question is does Morgan benefit greatly from free market? Yes. Should Morgan use free market? Yes. Should you use the right social engineering, at the right time, for the right circumstances? Yes (i.e. don't be afraid to do something unusual if it is right). Sound obvious, both often I find players get wrapped up in the "role" of their faction, and forgetting to win (I am guilty of this on occasion as well).
CEO Bernard
Zoetrope posted 04-05-99 09:55 PM ET
Incidentally, sandworm's buyback strategy is used by the AI Morgan; in my latest game he did that to the cities I'd captured every single turn! it got so annoying that I _had_ to SPB (Singularity PB) him!
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Author	Topic: Does Morgan really need free market ?
StellarLightning	posted 04-04-99 06:05 PM ET Okay, I know it is in character to play Morgan with free market, but does he really need it ? He has an intrinsic +1 to economy, so picking wealth gives him a total of +2 economy, which results in +1 energy/square. Higher economy ratings do not result in such drastic bonuses, and free market is the only social engineering choice that gives you more penalties than bonuses. Also, with this energy output efficiency becomes an issue, so going green really helps Morgan more than free market, and the reduced growth does not really hurt him because of his population limit - the bases are at their maximum population rather quickly and then they do not need any more growth. Later in the game, when cybernetics becomes available, I sometimes switch to FM, but if there is no war at hand, I usually pick eudaimonia. So basically everyone else needs FM for high energy outputs, while Morgan does not. Maybe they should give him extra bonuses or reduced penalties when using FM (like only -2 to police and -2 to planet, or an even higher economy bonus) Any comments ?
Jimmy	posted 04-04-99 07:01 PM ET Morgan does not need free market but if he is able to switch to it without drone problems (when I play Morgan, I make it a regular strategy to build punishment spheres in every base to solve the drone problem, scrap all rec commons and holo theatres to save money, and switch to free market) then his energy credits will be phenomenal. The best thing is that with such output, you can reduce econ to maybe 20 % and still break even, this allows you to set lab at 70 or 80 % and get real fast tech.
Glak	posted 04-04-99 08:28 PM ET Unless you are trying to play some boring peaceful type of game on a huge map I would recommend against going free market. The police is fatal. I like to pick wealth instead, which gets you the +2 econ. Going police/green/wealth is great. The police gives you support (allowing you to get enough formers and troops), the green cancels the inefficiency of police and wealth gets you the economy of +2. Police/Green in general is a good combo, add on a value that suits your faction and strategy and you have a good combination.
CEO Bernard	posted 04-05-99 09:35 AM ET Another factor to consider is that "Wealth" makes Santiago and UoP angry. "Free Market" however only angers the Gaians (if the Gaians happen to be eliminated early then it angers nobody). The Free Market + Wealth combination gives you overwhelming power if you can keep the peace (lots of commerce bonuses). However, in wartime it is advisable to move to Green (with sufficient planning and preperation you can keep you Free Market in wartime, I do it all the time ... see my previous posts for that information). CEO Bernard
sandworm	posted 04-05-99 11:10 AM ET Even in war, if you're prepared, you could stay with Free Market(as Morgan). I've only done this once, so it may have been a fluke, but here goes. Start saving energy under free market, make sure you have just a garrison or two in your frontier cities, more in the central, larger cities. Keep probe teams in cities within a one turn march of your border cities, the ones most likely to be attacked. When the AI seizes one of your border towns, buy it back with a probe team, the drones will probably be rioting, since its your city anyhow. Buyback will be relatively cheap. Buying the city back will probably land you a small army as well, which can then be used to forestall or fend off continued attacks from the enemy. Lather, rinse, repeat. Like I said, I've only used this once, on Librarian, and I had ~15 colonies to generate energy with, and the usual (for Morgan) solar collector/echelon mirror/raise terrain strategy. Some of the more habitual CEO's may have more experience and better advice on this. SW
Ken Yoon	posted 04-05-99 01:43 PM ET The answer is no. Morgan doesn't need free market. But, the real question is should I go for free market. The answer, to me and my strategy, is YES! Wealth comes much later than free market. Those few turns with tons of energy, since your terraformers probably haven't in the early stages have had a chance to make all the solar panels, make a big difference. Plus, just because you have wealth, doesn't mean you don't want to add in more energy with free market. Especially with eudomania (or whatever give more commerce), free market gives that extra bonus to your economy so that each of your cities rakes 8+ energy from its base square. This is a license to make money. Just expand into the sea; each base churns out money from the get go. Free market depends on your strategy. If you're in peace, then use it. Buy/build rec commons to quell riots. Your bases don't go past 4, so rec commons will do it - even w/o police. Spend the money to build up your bases and expand. If you're at war, however, free market is not ideal. Basically, the gist is, just because you're making good money with wealth, etc., doesn't mean you don't want to make more money.
Masakari	posted 04-05-99 03:45 PM ET So Free Market by itself is not a good choice, since you take all those penalties to go from +1 effeciency to +2 efficiency which does nothing! The one reason to go Free Market would be to couple it with the bonuses from Wealth.
CEO Bernard	posted 04-05-99 04:20 PM ET Also, as I pointed out in an early post. With a really really far flung empire higher effic (Green) can sometimes actually result in higher incomes (of course, if this is true you might want to reposition your HQ). Always check various settings (it doesn't cost anything but time) to see which is best. So, to answer the initial question, doe Morgan need free market? No. If the question is does Morgan benefit greatly from free market? Yes. Should Morgan use free market? Yes. Should you use the right social engineering, at the right time, for the right circumstances? Yes (i.e. don't be afraid to do something unusual if it is right). Sound obvious, both often I find players get wrapped up in the "role" of their faction, and forgetting to win (I am guilty of this on occasion as well). CEO Bernard
Zoetrope	posted 04-05-99 09:55 PM ET Incidentally, sandworm's buyback strategy is used by the AI Morgan; in my latest game he did that to the cities I'd captured every single turn! it got so annoying that I _had_ to SPB (Singularity PB) him!