The IA Beeline

[Chaos Theory]

Just for fun

[Velociryx]

Wealth really is a FANTABULOUS SE setting to run, cos it's negative is pretty easily dealt with....probably the least "punishing" of all the SE choices (unless you're yang, running PS).

Nonetheless, I would contend that getting to IA that quickly really isn't optimal....Biogen is not on-beeline, but IMO, is a much more valuable tech than IA in 2113....

-=Vel=-

[Velociryx]

Side note...more than anything else, the above example clearly illustrates the power of close base spacing. If you take the extra turns to widely separate those first two bases, then before you get both up and running, a person running a closer spacing paradigm will have researched his first tech before you even get your bases established, and from there....

-=Vel=-

[#endgame]

And how fast can one get restrictions lifted (leaving IA for later)?

[Enigma_Nova]

I learn it and live it, Vel.
That's why I love starts on a river - both bases established in the first turn, both on a river.

The main use is to get to PlaNets and switch to Planned early, so I can pump Pods/Formers.
If it wasn't for those fudging mindworms
We would see how the plan compared to a start on a Nut Bonus in the Heart of Fire game.

[Velociryx]

Endgame, it's been a while since I was doing it for pure speed, but as I recall, on a huge planet (max tech cost), I averaged the mid fifties to mid sixties for energy restrictions...will run up another test to verifiy that tho...

EN...amen brother!

-=Vel=-

[#endgame]

Vel, Is that with or without IA?

Without means that I'm not doing too badly. I'm trying to put together a crawlerless T-Form plan.

[Blake]

To get to Ecological Engineering requires 6 techs to ind.autos 5.
Biogenetics - Rec.Tanks, HGP
Cent.Ecology - Formers, WP
Social Pysch - Rec.Commons
Ethical Calculus - Childrens Creche, Democratic
Gene Splicing - Research Hospital
Ecological Engineering - Boreholes, Rivers, Condensors

Then for Env.Ecomonics
Ind.Base - The ME
Ind.Econonics - Energy Bank, Free Market
Env.Economics - Treefarms, Raise Land.

Total 9 techs,

The main disadvantage of the restriction lifting tech, is a lack of good SE's, you only get democracy which isn't good early on except for Miriam. For this reason, Free Marketeer factions might consider going to ind.econ earlier, to run FM.

On the plus side, there are some good growth-orientated facilities, you can get some decentely large bases with rectanks+commons, which can build SP's decentely fast. Creches and Research Hospitals are a bit expensive for that early in the game, but may be worth building.

Basically you get to Eco.Eng, then hit the energy crunch, getting to env.eco is quite the trudge. I reccomend no tech trading at all, except ind.base/econ, it'll slow you down too much.
But luckily eco.eng does grant the ability to create rivers and condensors, so you can get +2 energy per tile, and get some specialists going, so you arent really in any risk of stagmenting. Unfortunately libarians only become available with Plan.Nets, and network nodes with info.nets - it may be worthwhile trading for these to get some productive research bases (and probes!), but it'll also make the tech to env.eco a lot longer.

What eco.eng is good for is making size-3 industrial bases, two boreholes, 1 forest+nut special, rec tanks, rec commons. A healthy 16 minerals per such base - if only you had anything to build other than formers (so... build formers)

Really, I feel that once you get eco.eng you have the choice of beelining to env.eco, or diversifying through tech trade and using your relative industrial might to conquer/probe what you need - after all your not building any crawlers so the build queues are free.

As for how long it takes, 80 turns to env.eco on a huge map should be very doable for nearly any faction (starting with 1 tech, 10 turns per tech...). 50-60 turns for the faster researching ones. Faster on smaller maps, or with startpoint luck, or with good trades. I usually tend to play masochist settings (dry... flat.. huge... isolated) so YMMV.

I think the factions most likely to get good times are:
Gaians, running Demo ASAP and 100% labs, leaving ind.econ part until late.
Lal - going FM first, then running Demo.
University - doing the FM first thing.
Morgan - going FM first ofcourse.

But bear in mind, those last two factions are better served going ind.auto fast. The only factions that really truly benefit from fast restriction lifting are Gaians and Hive, Hive in particular often builds so many bases it can be hard finding anything to crawl, increasing terraforming density is good for the hive.

[#endgame]

Blake,

As I have noted before, the Uni need to take a minimum of one tech from off the beeline. Since they start with net nodes, they may as well pick up planetary nets for planned and librarians, switch to planned/dem and miniboom a specialist base.

[Minute Mirage]

Originally posted by #endgame
Blake,

As I have noted before, the Uni need to take a minimum of one tech from off the beeline. Since they start with net nodes, they may as well pick up planetary nets for planned and librarians, switch to planned/dem and miniboom a specialist base.

This can vary, as the available techs depend on a number of issues, including the slot number (1-7) of your faction in the particular game. Thus, in one game you may get different tech choices than in another in a similar situation. For more information on the matter check out the thread 'Beelining to Industrial Automation'.

[#endgame]

Thanks MM, I'd forgotten about that.

But in any case, it is likely that you won't be able to straight beeline for restrictions, so a stopover as (info/plan) networks for librarians could be useful. I think I'll test it now.

[Blake]

Well the Univ is a "newb" faction anyway, whatever you choose to do it'll probably work, simply because the univ can blast through the tech so quickly. Try beelining to env.eco as the Hive, and much more consideration is required as to how to avoid tech stalling.

[Enigma_Nova]

What do you mean, a 'newb' faction?
There are no newb factions in SMAC.

[Blake]

Big Bonuses
+
Token Negatives
=
Newb faction



Come on, you don't seriously think the University isn't the best faction?
edit: And by best I mean, best in the widest range of conditions. University is close to spectacular doing momentum, hybrid and Builder - they can get fast impact rovers, they get to ind.auto the fastest, that should allow them to get the VW. The VW allows them to ICS like nobody's business or run FM with near impunity.
The only thing the Univ can't do better than other factions is do the wormrush thing on fungus infusted maps, but that ability is unique to 3 factions.
I think it's also agreed the cult is the worse faction, sure, they can wormrush, but they are a bit of a 1 trick pony, the poor bonuses and hefty penalties mean they are seriously inflexible. Put em on a sparse native life map and they'll flounder. The only place Zak will flounder is sandwiched between two hungry progenitors.

[#endgame]

Good point.

Let's see how Morgan can handle this plan then. Besides, I don't like not having enough cash at game start to rush all kinds of things. I think everyone's favourite CEO will have a little trouble, since you can't get librarians without IA (habcomplexes). Any suggestions (exception: "Give up on this whacko plan!")?