Releasing faction leaders in SMACX??

[VitalyB]

It says so in the in the readme (SMACX v2.0) but I have no clue how to do it and when it is possible. Ideas?

[Clear Skies]

First off, you cannot release a faction leader whose faction you yourself eliminated. I'm not entirely 100% on this point, maybe 99% - I wish it were possible, though.

I've never released faction leaders myself - I always eliminate any civs myself. However, in order to do it you need to get a probe team to the headquarters of the capturing faction and move into their HQ. It should come up as an option on the probe team dialogue box.

Like I say, I've never tried it, but I assume that the chance of success is low - better if you have Algorithmic Enhancement. Also, the freed faction automatically signs a Submissive pact with you when they reform. Useful!

[Method]

i released Marr in my first SMAX game just to see what would happen. of course the pink pansies (cult) had eliminated the usurpers (well they took his last base but thats it). so i sent a probe into dawn of planet i decided to release Marr just for the hell of it. mistake. he gets out and since i had gassed the sh*t out of all his bases he is understandably upset and goes on about something about the iron being hot. long story short now the usurpers are loose again and thats something nobody needs. the autosave was quickly used.

[Vytae]

ooo

Does this work in SMAC? or just SMAX?

[Lefty Scaevola]

So far as I Know its works in smax only, and doesnot work without the 2.0 patch. Also you can only do it at the headquarters of the faction that eliminated the capatured leader's faction. If they have lost their headquarters, you would have to wait until they built a new one. O like doing it to have to submissive pactmate. He is usually too far behind for research, but he adds nive trade.

[Fitz]

I frequently use this ability, provided the eliminating faction has their HQ on a coastal square. Just pay attention to who has eliminated who in the early game (make a note of it or you will forget).

After I release someone, the first thing I do is find out where they are, and try and get them some more bases/units. This is much simpler to do if they appear close to you, or it is so late in the game that you have drop pods/orbital drops. Otherwise I truck a few sea colony pods near them, build some bases, then give them the bases. Getting them up to speed in bases stops them from dying again, makes them expand faster (factions way behind on the powergraph give up the expansion ghost usually), and get a decent research rate. Make sure to give them all the non-critical techs that you allready have too.