I hate Yang!!!

[TAF]

Help!!! This is the scenario. I'm playing SMAC v4.0, transend level, Santiago. I'm Planetary Governor. Yang is nuke-happy. He can nuke me from the otherside of the planet (i.e. outside of the range of his missile)!!! What is up with that? I thought v4.0 put an end to that problem. It really puts a damper on my play when he nukes the base with the Command Nexus, the Nano Factory, the Citizen Defense Force, and the Planetary Datalinks. Is there any way to stop him from doing this? Is it a tech that he has acquired? It just ain't right!!! Thanks for any help.


[This message has been edited by TAF (edited April 13, 2001).]

[Walt]

The short answer is: You're SOL.

Version 4.0 did not fix the bug. The AI still has unlimited range with missiles.

What can you do about it?

Infiltrate him, find out where he's building the nasty PB's and put a stop to it with an unending wave of probes.

Enjoy!

Walt

[Earwicker]

I'm with Walt 100%. Infiltrate as soon as possible to know when and where to strike (the increased prototype cost will be a blessing there).

Better still, use a bit of prevention. Work on crippling his ability to research his way up to Orbital Space Flight. Yang is a faction that I prefer to weaken early and often, since I know sooner or later there will be vendetta. If he is far off, I know I'm relatively safe from a rover rush. He doesn't pose an immediate threat (not one that can't be sunk, anyway), so goad him into war. Then, without reputation hit (I like remaining Noble), use a barrage of probes (rover, foil, and cruiser varietier) to hit his bases. Steal money if he has any, tech if he's somehow ahead, knock out facilities, and assassinate researchers. I find he's the best one to do this to, because if he gets to that tech his industry bonus turns his faction into a juggernaut.

This way you can still work on developing your bases or conquering closer neighbors without bogging yourself down in a Yang invasion. Save that for later.

[WhiteElephants]

I don't mean to state the obvious, but why don't you build orbital defense pods? Maybe you don't have the tech yet... but anyhow, your the planetary governor so you should have infiltration on all the factions. Build some PB's of your own if that's what you have to do. If you don't have the tech for that them, then you truly are SOL.

[RedFred]

Ahh. PB'd by Yang. I feel your pain because I have been there too. Most of us have, I guess. Sometimes he can build one and launch before I have the ODPs to stop him or before I can "remove" his PBs. I never bother with the Flechette thingy because ODPs come almost at the same time.

The only point that I can add to what has been said by others above, is that the AI tends to PB the base with the most military rather than the one with the most SPs. My base that is the staging area for attacks on Yang is the one that usually goes. So my bit of advice is make sure your HQ and big SP bases never have the most military.

The latest patch has actually improved the infinite missile range problem. Now the missiles will often take several turns to complete their infinite range. If you spot a missile or PB hanging there in midair you can take it out with an interceptor.

[Ned]

I haven't played Alpha Centauri 4.0 in a while. I play Alien Crossfire with the 2.0 patch. I have not seen a cross world PB in any game I have played in this version.

BTW, yesterday was the first time I was attacked with a PB after I had Orbital Defense Pods. Miriam used two PB's. Both were destroyed. It took four of my seven ODP's.

[Xerxes2]

I have to say that Yang is one of the factions for whom I immediately go for the jugular, so to speak. Backstabbing little )#U%)#&%*(^)&*#@$@#)($& (and I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.) Sister Miriam is another.

[Earwicker]

Yes, I get scared every time Orbital Space Flight come to me, for fear that it will be stolen. ODP's are a long way off. At higher game levels, the industry cheat the AI gets means they'll have PB's in fairly short order. I tremble and go right after the militant factions, which seems to be just about all of them.

To the extent possible, spread out SP's from the beginning to limit your vulnerability. I like Red's observation about how the AI chooses its targets. An interesting experiment would be to see if it goes for a base full of twenty 1-1-1 clean units or whether it would understand the trickery.

On another note: is Cha Dawn as much of a PB afficianado as Yang or Lal? I currently have him way on the opposite side of a huge map and can't get into his datalinks -- my Caretaker probes keep getting killed in transit. Grrr. I just got the Xeno Dome away from the Gaians, which ought to help the cruisers' progress . . .

[RedFred]

Earwicker, my apologies. When I said "the base with the most military" I was being inprecise. Rather than total number of units I meant the base with the most military might.

Check out the big honking dive on the power chart that the AI factions take once you discover fusion power. The game surely considers reactor type when considering military might. I am convinced that it also considers "A" and it is likely that it considers "D" and "M" in its calculations. I have no clue about if it considers experience. Forget the 20 clean 1-1-1s. All you need is one PB in an otherwise useless base to attract enemy PBs.

As to Cha Dawn launching I have not noticed that s/he has a itchy trigger finger. I have seen practically everyone launch, but Yang is the only one that stands out in my games as doing it more that normal. He is also the one most likely to start an Orbital war with you. I know playing the Progenitors the votes you get for the EG SP are useless but it is still worth it just for the infiltrator status of far-flung factions.

Another observation: if you stay "noble" the AI will be less likely to launch even if you are at war with them. They most often will park their PBs in there own base and wait for you to take it over if you keep your rep clean.

[Earwicker]

quote: Originally posted by RedFred on 04-16-2001 04:49 PM Earwicker, my apologies. When I said "the base with the most military" I was being inprecise. Rather than total number of units I meant the base with the most military might.

Thanks for the clarification. I'd suspected as much and wasn't really planning to test it out, but you saved me some precious mental energy.

My concerns aMoot point anyway -- a cruiser probe finally made it through the long journey, discovering Cha is waaaayyyyy behind in technology. He'd eliminated his neighbors A function of having waredknocked off his enemies

quote: As to Cha Dawn launching I have not noticed that s/he has a itchy trigger finger. I have seen practically everyone launch, but Yang is the only one that stands out in my games as doing it more that normal. He is also the one most likely to start an Orbital war with you. I know playing the Progenitors the votes you get for the EG SP are useless but it is still worth it just for the infiltrator status of far-flung factions.

Yep, I let the Empath Guild go, overlooking its utility in that regard. I hadn't expected it to be so tough to get across the oceans. My concerns about Cha were for naught this time, anyway -- he's way behind in tech and has been stashing away energy reserves (about 3000 energy). I've never seen such a wealthy AI faction, so ripe for the draining. I chose the huge map expecting a challenge, waiting for at least one of the sprawling factions to go hog wild -- but no Yang. If I leave him alone he might get PB's but not before I have ODP's.

quote: Another observation: if you stay "noble" the AI will be less likely to launch even if you are at war with them.

I always strive to stay Noble and play without atrocity. I like to think it'll have its rewards from the AI, but they're sneaky conniving somebodies in most respects.

[knowhow2]

I think Cha Dawn is a boy. At least the SMAC Files has him under the faction "code" FUNGBOY.

[RedFred]

I am getting mixed signals. You are correct that everywhere in the game text s/he is referred to in the masculine gender. But the voiceover has always sounded more like a woman rather than a prepubescent boy to me.

[knowhow2]

Using females it's a classical way to give "voice" to young boys. For example; Bart Simpson, in The Simpsons, is voiced by a woman. I'm certain there are other example. I also think that child labor cost more and difficulties that arise with having to work with a child. Beside, Deidre doesn't have a scottish dialect either so you see the pattern.

[RedFred]

What, you mean Dierdre is secretly a guy?

Just kidding, you are no doubt right. Adding to the confusion, the artwork for Cha Dawn is a bit ambiguous as well. The only thing that really stands out is his/her silly hat.

[knowhow2]

The funny thing with Cha Dawn is that he is sort of suppose to be a Chinese boy? Beside, I am almost sure that they chose that name "Cha Dawn" so that they could use the name "Dawn of Planet" for the first base.