which difficulty level should I play?

[icevic]

Hi, I have just purchased SMAC and became addicted to it. The city management is so great and the military action is even better. However that brings another question. Currently I am playing on the second difficulty level with the Spatans. I finished all special projects before the AIs and razed the city that hosted the only special project which I didn't get first (lady Deirdre's). The AIs did pretty well but they are prone to tricks (three front attack to spread out their forces... ask brother Lai how he lost his capital city). Right now only the University and Morgan Industry left unharmed (lady Deride got three cities left, Brother Lai built a lvl 1 city far away in the ocean right before I eradicated his main land forces. The fundermentalist got two city left in the ocean)... will some medium difficulty level make the AIs smarter (but don't cheat)?

Actually I am quite a peace loving guy, but other faction leaders are playing on my nerves by building cities right next to the border cities of mine (thus taking away city control zones and resources). The first time I crushed Yang I made him my pawn but he doesn't call quits. After making a pact with him, he went crazy building cities (by the time of cease fire, he had two city left but he just won't stay quite) and many cities are right next to mine. After my I razed that foolish sister's force (she didn't like my green/democracy style and made lots of noise + she didn't vote for me), I went back to my backyard and teared Yang's pitiful little struggle apart and ending his bad choice for new city location. Brother Lai then voiced his annoying opinion about what I should do. After my refusal to give him some high tech (fusion), he attacked. I actually grew quite fond of Lady Deirdre but she researched a secret project ahead of me, so I went in, took that city and fend off her attacks. Foolishly, she only left two plasma garrison in her capital after the attack, and my force went in and took it. That spelt doom to her empire and I took all her other cities in the following turns by transporting the commando units from the lost ruin facility across the ocean (the facility is a lvl 9 city surrounded by 8 monoliths).

I believe after the fall of the U.N. and Gaian, the two major power on the planet, I should be able to rip other factions apart with ease. Now I would like to ask... how different would the AI behave in some higher difficulty settings, like the librarian or talent?

Vic - still excited by those commando raids and citi razing.

what is the best way to conquer? Just control the monoliths and the water way.

[mark13]

Hi Vic,

Sounds to me like you're ready for librarian, or even thinker. The bad news is, the AI doesn't get any smarter - however, they do get several production bonuses, and their technology cost is cut in half, making them a lot more potent threat. Assuming you're playing on a huge map, you shouldn't have too much of a problem though.

Best way to conquer - use monoliths if there are any nearby - otherwise, go in fast and hard. Hit the weak spot, and build from there - a few choppers and drop troops should do it.

[Solver]

The AI gets smarter, with Talent. Talent it plays as good as it can, later just gets the bonuses.
I think you're ready for librarian. A good CtP player, who has never played SMAC, can beat Librarian in his first game.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[icevic]

great! I will start playing with the Talent level now. It would be great to be playing with smarter AI... AI with bonus is not fair!

Vic

[cbn]

The bonuses that the AI get are necessary to make it more competitive. Once you have played the game for a while it gets to the point that the AI is not much challenge anyway. I used to marvel that people could say that, but after reading here for a while it became true for me as well. Play a few games at the lower levels but then head for transcend. After you have whipped that a few times well then the next challenge is MP. Thats the route I followed and am currently participating in 4 MP games. I probably will not win any of them but thats the key-- playing individuals who come up with things that the AI never would.

Transcend is not that hard. You merely have to deal with more drones,lower tech rate and enhanced AI production-- you need to steal or trade more tech since you cannot outstrip the AI as easily in the tech race. I actually went back once to play on a lower level and found it totally frustrating. You can out-strip the AI in tech so quickly that there is nothing interesting to steal. It actually took longer to get to higher tech levels until I decided to make some submissives for research (gifting them all my tech).

[Method]

i find specialist too easy but on talent, the AI takes me over before i have a chance to get up an running. my only hope is to get on an island by myself. playing specialist i've never missed any SP(except merchant exhange and planetary datalinks which are pointless wastes of minerals) and hardly ever lose a base. plus all you have to do to get someone to surrender(and my personally prefered method) is park an elite singularity paratroopers(24^-12-1 (*4)) next to their HQ.