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Author Topic:   POLL: WHICH IS THE BEST FACTION?

Gemini posted 07-21-99 07:41 PM ET
Have any of you ever played Civilization II? Well, there are a whole bunch of civilizations that you can pick from, like Germans, French, Celts, Romans, etc. There are, like, 20. I think it sucks that there are only 7 factions in A C to choose from. I just started playing, so I guess you could say I am a begginer. I know that the Believers suck. The University is good, The Peacekeepers, too.
Has anyone beat the game?? With what faction? Cuz I dont know which faction is the best to use. It would be interesting to know what everyone's favorite faction is (and why).
Smeagol posted 07-21-99 10:18 PM ET
Gemini-- Check out the Strategy forum. We've had MANY discussions about this over there.
Psycho posted 07-22-99 12:03 AM ET
You can't actually beat the game outright, but you can win games that you play. I like to use University becasue they get fast tech advances, so you have better weaponry.
Kaljar posted 07-22-99 03:06 AM ET
The Hive. You just grow sooo quickly. Other than that UoP, the Gaians and PK grow well.
dinoman posted 07-22-99 10:17 AM ET
Almost any custom faction you make will be better than the ones that already exist, because it is more suited to your playing style.
P.S.
If you want to see some great custom factions, go over to my favorite created faction topic over on Strategies & Tactics
Top_of_mind posted 07-23-99 05:16 AM ET
First of all, I'm a begginer too, so go easy on me. Second, the civs in Civ2 were only "uniqe" for their names and colors. NOTHING else. In AC, you actually feel the differnce. To my opinion, you should play a faction that "looks like you". Examples: if you like war, you better choose Colonel Santiago or Yung. If you are economical genius, you should play with CEO Morgan. If you think that "knowledge is power" (yeah!) play with University. But of course, there are disadventages: the University recieves -2 probe (for example), so you gotta see this through. Wish you luck!
Spider posted 07-23-99 05:43 PM ET
I go with a custom-modified UoP...specifically, I replace the extra drone with "sharetech 1". I know, it gives me an unfair advantage, but it works...I quickly advance far beyond the rest. It's just the way I am, and it can be justified...you know, they know the back door entry codes for the datalinks, etc. It lets them get the HSA faster...but you knew that.
Spider
Using a modified faction isn't cheating.
Hamlet posted 07-25-99 12:03 AM ET
Peacekeepers for me
I generally go for Diplomatic victory because frankly, it gets a bit boring waiting to transcend :-)
Schoop posted 07-26-99 09:06 PM ET
ahh, yes... A thread like this comes along every couple of weeks, and then gets buried.
NO faction is the "best." They all have different strengths and weaknesses.
Myself, I am a fan of Morgan Industries, but if I get screwed for a starting position, they get quickly overrun by the Spartans or Believers.
It appears that the Believers are a difficult choice, due to their slower tech advancement. But ask any Believing veteran how quick you learn stuff once you get Probe Teams.
The PKs are a good choice for learning to play, as they have so few SE modifiers to begin with, but I don't care for them. They just don't hold my interest long enough for an entire game.
Spider, what you did to the University makes me sick. YOu have removed the biggest drawback to playing them, especially at the higher levels, and given them the most ridiculously powerful advantage in its place!
Spider posted 07-26-99 09:55 PM ET
Never said you had to like it, never going to force you to use it, just asking that you not criticize it; I do what I want, you do what you want, we probably don't want the same options...besides, all I have to do is ignore this thread and I become immune to your complaints. Now who's superior?
Schoop posted 07-27-99 11:24 AM ET
spider, I just think that you've severely unbalanced the game, that's all. If you enjoy playing the university that way, I'm happy for you. It is your game, and you can do what you want to it.
NOw try playing AGAINST your modified University, and see what you've done to the poor AI players.
I never claimed to be "superior," my friend. I'm just curious how you can enjoy playing such an overpowered faction. With your changes, I would lose interest in the game I was playing in about 20 turns.
I'll admit, I've tinkered with the rules from time to time, but I have much more fun if I still have a challenge. May I make a suggestion? Leave you change, but put the extra drones back in. I think you would have more fun that way.
darlo helmsbane posted 07-27-99 08:27 PM ET
hi everyone ^_^ first post...
let me start by saying that i don't necessarily disagree with your choice to change the university's greatest penalty. but that's not what i would have replaced it with... you shouldn't have to worry about getting more techs with the university. maybe you should try... oh, i don't know... commerce up the wazoo. or something else like that. anyway, that's what i would have done... that is, if i ever had the desire to cheat.
-darlo
Paladinian posted 07-28-99 01:41 PM ET
First off:
1) I disagree with the earlier comment that seven factions wasn't enough. I find that Firaxis did an impecable job with their faction creation. Seven is the magic number in this case for multiplayer, Council, and other game balance issues. Plus, the seven major human philosophies are included into these seven factions, and I honestly can't think of any major aspect of human culture that was left out of the faction group.
2) Taking away the University drone penalty? Sounds fun. For the first couple minutes. Just don't try and play that modified faction in a multiplayer game.
MatFis posted 08-01-99 06:50 PM ET
I play Morgan
I think all fractions are on the same level. Only Gaians are to good in my oppinion,and Miriam is to bad.
Result:
Gaians: 0
University: 0
Morgan: 1
The Hive: 0
Peacekeaper: 0
Miriam: 0
Spartans: 0
(hope for more reply)
Dark_Jedi posted 08-11-99 04:57 PM ET
I hate modifying factions. Does it make any sense to strengthen a faction, so that it is unbeatable and has no disadvantages??? I think playing with those factions is no more fun. If all players would do so there would be no fun in multiplayer games either. And that is bad because creating balanced factions for multiplayer games surely took a long time programming.
Oh, I forgot answering the main question!? SMAC is very different from Civ2 because every faction in SMAC has severe advantages and disadvantages, which Civ2 does not feature.
And I just like to play Gaian or UoP, and I hate Believe and Spartans, because I never win by conquering the planet.
Big Mad Drongo posted 08-15-99 06:40 PM ET
How do you mean best???
Each faction has its own advantages and disadvantages, it all depends on how you like to play. If you mean, what do you think is the best faction then I would reply by saying that I quite like UoP or Hive over the others but Gaians are quite high as well what with being able to capture those lovely mind worms early on in the game...free units mwha ha ha!!
Scribe of the Bubbas posted 08-15-99 09:14 PM ET
I always play U of P, and have a tough time Not winning by conquest or a diplomatic victory before I get to trancendance. Either the Spartans or the Hive keep bugging me and bugging me and I have to take a base or two for them to make peace, and that lasts for a few turns, after which they insist on irritating me again and bringing my shard penetrators upon themselves again, and it continues like this until they are virtually wiped out, and the only factions left with any real power, if any, are good pact brothers or sisters who will dutifully vote for me as supreme leader. If they would just leave me alone, (and not insist on trying to build planet busters before I get a defense to them) I would just peacefully advance to trancendance.
Ronin_54 posted 08-18-99 03:46 PM ET
The Gaians are the best faction. I can win with them at any level.
Only one thing: the are supposed to be Pacifist, but that is impossible to play. Right know, I'm trying to win at one of the highest levels, but everyone declares war at me...
Why? I dont have an army. I am not a large faction. I dont have much tech. All I have is a lot of Talents, and a lot of trees!
So I always end up building mind-worms, and eliminating enemies. But I want to be pacifist. A big problem....
Fedorov_UoP posted 08-22-99 03:54 AM ET
UoP is the best when you can cancel out the -2 probe team with the hunter-seeker SP.
after that, the best is a Police/Green/Knowledge Social Engineering.
High Priest posted 08-23-99 01:09 AM ET
Hmmm...
If you want to vote, go to my "New Favorite Factions3," and/or the "ReVote for Favorite Factions" threads I made in the Strategies & Tactics area.
It has gotten over 160 posts(NFF3 is a continuance of NFF2), and growing.
At any rate, see you around
High Priest
High Priest posted 08-23-99 01:11 AM ET
Uhhh...
I meant to say over 140 posts
Bainkour posted 08-28-99 06:45 PM ET
I think there is one true faction, the Peacekeepers. They are the most balanced, i personally preffer conquest by using your diplomatic status. Peacekeepers of course get the upper hand in planetary governor and supreme leader votes which makes it all the easier to blow the other factions heads off, Yang especially. (he's very gullable)
Vorlin posted 08-31-99 03:15 PM ET
I've found that when a person says one faction 'sucks' while saying another is 'great', what they are really doing is taking a certain playing style and using it for all the factions. This is guaranteed to fail with at least one faction, at which point that person gleefully declares that faction to 'suck bigtime'.
If you use a research strategy with Miriam or an early conquest strategy with Morgan, to give two examples, you will probably fail miserably. But that's not the faction's fault.
TSM posted 09-03-99 07:53 AM ET
I think the hive r the best. they have +1 industry, and with proper social engineering u can get +3 in the middle of the game and +5 near the end.
but the biggest plus they have is the perimeter defense each base, it gives them a huge advantage in the early and the middle parts of the game.
Lord Beselwick posted 09-09-99 11:42 PM ET
The Lord's Believers and the Hive are the two greatest factions. But let's face it when Miriam gets probes, Zak in her pocket, or high enough on the tech scale. The rest of the factions should start watching their heathen get kicked
Tally Ho,
Lord Beselwick
SailorUranus posted 09-10-99 08:54 PM ET
Lord B, that is until someone else gets the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm... worse if Zak gets it.
I prefer Gaians, the planet bonus comes in handy for building a quick army out of captured Mind Worms and keeping Planet from getting pissed off later in the game (usually when most of my army is away pummeling somebody). And in my last three games, the treehuggers got Secrets of the Brain first...
Oh, and spyder, are you THAT pathetically bad?
Raging Mouse posted 09-11-99 05:03 PM ET
Ok, like I like my OWN faction best (watch the stupid smirk on my face..) but of the standard factions I favor those that I win most with. Obvious d'you think? Well, I guess the gaians and the hive get a shared pedestal for me..
MetallicaFan posted 09-12-99 04:26 AM ET
I'm gonna go against the grain and say that my fav faction is the Spartans. The -1 industry can be a bit hampering, but they've also got the free prototypes. And I don't know if anyone knew this, but when a faction surrenders to you as a Spartan, they won't do anything to piss you off unless you keep treating them like crap.
Provost_Matt posted 09-15-99 07:51 PM ET
UoP has got to be the easiest of all the factions to play for a beginner. Gaians are good for the early stages since they can capture mindworms. Not much to say, just my 2 cents :]
dreadhead posted 09-16-99 08:32 AM ET
I think all of the factions have unique strengths and challenges. I almost always play as Morgan, but I'm very peace and tech oriented. I'm still a beginner but since I'm an old Civ II vet, I have managed to win as Morgan via a transcendance victory, though only at the citizen level. Lately, I have been playing Morgan at Talent level, but my power is pretty weak.
Kimmitt posted 09-16-99 04:33 PM ET
Well, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the University is the strongest faction. It is true that Zakharov desperately needs to build the Virtual World and the Hunter/Seeker Algorithm. However, these problems simply pale next to the technology advantage and free Network Node. In addition, the social choice you're barred from is one which is so far incompatible with an appropriate playing style with the UoP that it's hardly a hindrance.
I've played dozens of games on the Transcend level, and the University is the faction with which it is the least difficult to succeed.
Y posted 09-16-99 07:29 PM ET
UoP!!! I go Police State/Green/Knowledge and it is GOOD!!! UoP can do anything that any other faction can do!!!
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Author	Topic: POLL: WHICH IS THE BEST FACTION?
Gemini	posted 07-21-99 07:41 PM ET Have any of you ever played Civilization II? Well, there are a whole bunch of civilizations that you can pick from, like Germans, French, Celts, Romans, etc. There are, like, 20. I think it sucks that there are only 7 factions in A C to choose from. I just started playing, so I guess you could say I am a begginer. I know that the Believers suck. The University is good, The Peacekeepers, too. Has anyone beat the game?? With what faction? Cuz I dont know which faction is the best to use. It would be interesting to know what everyone's favorite faction is (and why).
Smeagol	posted 07-21-99 10:18 PM ET Gemini-- Check out the Strategy forum. We've had MANY discussions about this over there.
Psycho	posted 07-22-99 12:03 AM ET You can't actually beat the game outright, but you can win games that you play. I like to use University becasue they get fast tech advances, so you have better weaponry.
Kaljar	posted 07-22-99 03:06 AM ET The Hive. You just grow sooo quickly. Other than that UoP, the Gaians and PK grow well.
dinoman	posted 07-22-99 10:17 AM ET Almost any custom faction you make will be better than the ones that already exist, because it is more suited to your playing style. P.S. If you want to see some great custom factions, go over to my favorite created faction topic over on Strategies & Tactics
Top_of_mind	posted 07-23-99 05:16 AM ET First of all, I'm a begginer too, so go easy on me. Second, the civs in Civ2 were only "uniqe" for their names and colors. NOTHING else. In AC, you actually feel the differnce. To my opinion, you should play a faction that "looks like you". Examples: if you like war, you better choose Colonel Santiago or Yung. If you are economical genius, you should play with CEO Morgan. If you think that "knowledge is power" (yeah!) play with University. But of course, there are disadventages: the University recieves -2 probe (for example), so you gotta see this through. Wish you luck!
Spider	posted 07-23-99 05:43 PM ET I go with a custom-modified UoP...specifically, I replace the extra drone with "sharetech 1". I know, it gives me an unfair advantage, but it works...I quickly advance far beyond the rest. It's just the way I am, and it can be justified...you know, they know the back door entry codes for the datalinks, etc. It lets them get the HSA faster...but you knew that. Spider Using a modified faction isn't cheating.
Hamlet	posted 07-25-99 12:03 AM ET Peacekeepers for me I generally go for Diplomatic victory because frankly, it gets a bit boring waiting to transcend :-)
Schoop	posted 07-26-99 09:06 PM ET ahh, yes... A thread like this comes along every couple of weeks, and then gets buried. NO faction is the "best." They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Myself, I am a fan of Morgan Industries, but if I get screwed for a starting position, they get quickly overrun by the Spartans or Believers. It appears that the Believers are a difficult choice, due to their slower tech advancement. But ask any Believing veteran how quick you learn stuff once you get Probe Teams. The PKs are a good choice for learning to play, as they have so few SE modifiers to begin with, but I don't care for them. They just don't hold my interest long enough for an entire game. Spider, what you did to the University makes me sick. YOu have removed the biggest drawback to playing them, especially at the higher levels, and given them the most ridiculously powerful advantage in its place!
Spider	posted 07-26-99 09:55 PM ET Never said you had to like it, never going to force you to use it, just asking that you not criticize it; I do what I want, you do what you want, we probably don't want the same options...besides, all I have to do is ignore this thread and I become immune to your complaints. Now who's superior?
Schoop	posted 07-27-99 11:24 AM ET spider, I just think that you've severely unbalanced the game, that's all. If you enjoy playing the university that way, I'm happy for you. It is your game, and you can do what you want to it. NOw try playing AGAINST your modified University, and see what you've done to the poor AI players. I never claimed to be "superior," my friend. I'm just curious how you can enjoy playing such an overpowered faction. With your changes, I would lose interest in the game I was playing in about 20 turns. I'll admit, I've tinkered with the rules from time to time, but I have much more fun if I still have a challenge. May I make a suggestion? Leave you change, but put the extra drones back in. I think you would have more fun that way.
darlo helmsbane	posted 07-27-99 08:27 PM ET hi everyone ^_^ first post... let me start by saying that i don't necessarily disagree with your choice to change the university's greatest penalty. but that's not what i would have replaced it with... you shouldn't have to worry about getting more techs with the university. maybe you should try... oh, i don't know... commerce up the wazoo. or something else like that. anyway, that's what i would have done... that is, if i ever had the desire to cheat. -darlo
Paladinian	posted 07-28-99 01:41 PM ET First off: 1) I disagree with the earlier comment that seven factions wasn't enough. I find that Firaxis did an impecable job with their faction creation. Seven is the magic number in this case for multiplayer, Council, and other game balance issues. Plus, the seven major human philosophies are included into these seven factions, and I honestly can't think of any major aspect of human culture that was left out of the faction group. 2) Taking away the University drone penalty? Sounds fun. For the first couple minutes. Just don't try and play that modified faction in a multiplayer game.
MatFis	posted 08-01-99 06:50 PM ET I play Morgan I think all fractions are on the same level. Only Gaians are to good in my oppinion,and Miriam is to bad. Result: Gaians: 0 University: 0 Morgan: 1 The Hive: 0 Peacekeaper: 0 Miriam: 0 Spartans: 0 (hope for more reply)
Dark_Jedi	posted 08-11-99 04:57 PM ET I hate modifying factions. Does it make any sense to strengthen a faction, so that it is unbeatable and has no disadvantages??? I think playing with those factions is no more fun. If all players would do so there would be no fun in multiplayer games either. And that is bad because creating balanced factions for multiplayer games surely took a long time programming. Oh, I forgot answering the main question!? SMAC is very different from Civ2 because every faction in SMAC has severe advantages and disadvantages, which Civ2 does not feature. And I just like to play Gaian or UoP, and I hate Believe and Spartans, because I never win by conquering the planet.
Big Mad Drongo	posted 08-15-99 06:40 PM ET How do you mean best??? Each faction has its own advantages and disadvantages, it all depends on how you like to play. If you mean, what do you think is the best faction then I would reply by saying that I quite like UoP or Hive over the others but Gaians are quite high as well what with being able to capture those lovely mind worms early on in the game...free units mwha ha ha!!
Scribe of the Bubbas	posted 08-15-99 09:14 PM ET I always play U of P, and have a tough time Not winning by conquest or a diplomatic victory before I get to trancendance. Either the Spartans or the Hive keep bugging me and bugging me and I have to take a base or two for them to make peace, and that lasts for a few turns, after which they insist on irritating me again and bringing my shard penetrators upon themselves again, and it continues like this until they are virtually wiped out, and the only factions left with any real power, if any, are good pact brothers or sisters who will dutifully vote for me as supreme leader. If they would just leave me alone, (and not insist on trying to build planet busters before I get a defense to them) I would just peacefully advance to trancendance.
Ronin_54	posted 08-18-99 03:46 PM ET The Gaians are the best faction. I can win with them at any level. Only one thing: the are supposed to be Pacifist, but that is impossible to play. Right know, I'm trying to win at one of the highest levels, but everyone declares war at me... Why? I dont have an army. I am not a large faction. I dont have much tech. All I have is a lot of Talents, and a lot of trees! So I always end up building mind-worms, and eliminating enemies. But I want to be pacifist. A big problem....
Fedorov_UoP	posted 08-22-99 03:54 AM ET UoP is the best when you can cancel out the -2 probe team with the hunter-seeker SP. after that, the best is a Police/Green/Knowledge Social Engineering.
High Priest	posted 08-23-99 01:09 AM ET Hmmm... If you want to vote, go to my "New Favorite Factions3," and/or the "ReVote for Favorite Factions" threads I made in the Strategies & Tactics area. It has gotten over 160 posts(NFF3 is a continuance of NFF2), and growing. At any rate, see you around High Priest
High Priest	posted 08-23-99 01:11 AM ET Uhhh... I meant to say over 140 posts
Bainkour	posted 08-28-99 06:45 PM ET I think there is one true faction, the Peacekeepers. They are the most balanced, i personally preffer conquest by using your diplomatic status. Peacekeepers of course get the upper hand in planetary governor and supreme leader votes which makes it all the easier to blow the other factions heads off, Yang especially. (he's very gullable)
Vorlin	posted 08-31-99 03:15 PM ET I've found that when a person says one faction 'sucks' while saying another is 'great', what they are really doing is taking a certain playing style and using it for all the factions. This is guaranteed to fail with at least one faction, at which point that person gleefully declares that faction to 'suck bigtime'. If you use a research strategy with Miriam or an early conquest strategy with Morgan, to give two examples, you will probably fail miserably. But that's not the faction's fault.
TSM	posted 09-03-99 07:53 AM ET I think the hive r the best. they have +1 industry, and with proper social engineering u can get +3 in the middle of the game and +5 near the end. but the biggest plus they have is the perimeter defense each base, it gives them a huge advantage in the early and the middle parts of the game.
Lord Beselwick	posted 09-09-99 11:42 PM ET The Lord's Believers and the Hive are the two greatest factions. But let's face it when Miriam gets probes, Zak in her pocket, or high enough on the tech scale. The rest of the factions should start watching their heathen get kicked Tally Ho, Lord Beselwick
SailorUranus	posted 09-10-99 08:54 PM ET Lord B, that is until someone else gets the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm... worse if Zak gets it. I prefer Gaians, the planet bonus comes in handy for building a quick army out of captured Mind Worms and keeping Planet from getting pissed off later in the game (usually when most of my army is away pummeling somebody). And in my last three games, the treehuggers got Secrets of the Brain first... Oh, and spyder, are you THAT pathetically bad?
Raging Mouse	posted 09-11-99 05:03 PM ET Ok, like I like my OWN faction best (watch the stupid smirk on my face..) but of the standard factions I favor those that I win most with. Obvious d'you think? Well, I guess the gaians and the hive get a shared pedestal for me..
MetallicaFan	posted 09-12-99 04:26 AM ET I'm gonna go against the grain and say that my fav faction is the Spartans. The -1 industry can be a bit hampering, but they've also got the free prototypes. And I don't know if anyone knew this, but when a faction surrenders to you as a Spartan, they won't do anything to piss you off unless you keep treating them like crap.
Provost_Matt	posted 09-15-99 07:51 PM ET UoP has got to be the easiest of all the factions to play for a beginner. Gaians are good for the early stages since they can capture mindworms. Not much to say, just my 2 cents :]
dreadhead	posted 09-16-99 08:32 AM ET I think all of the factions have unique strengths and challenges. I almost always play as Morgan, but I'm very peace and tech oriented. I'm still a beginner but since I'm an old Civ II vet, I have managed to win as Morgan via a transcendance victory, though only at the citizen level. Lately, I have been playing Morgan at Talent level, but my power is pretty weak.
Kimmitt	posted 09-16-99 04:33 PM ET Well, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the University is the strongest faction. It is true that Zakharov desperately needs to build the Virtual World and the Hunter/Seeker Algorithm. However, these problems simply pale next to the technology advantage and free Network Node. In addition, the social choice you're barred from is one which is so far incompatible with an appropriate playing style with the UoP that it's hardly a hindrance. I've played dozens of games on the Transcend level, and the University is the faction with which it is the least difficult to succeed.
Y	posted 09-16-99 07:29 PM ET UoP!!! I go Police State/Green/Knowledge and it is GOOD!!! UoP can do anything that any other faction can do!!!