What's your ICS priority?

[logic_error]

Ok, I didn't figure out that one because I have never played with Unity Survey on. It probably helps the human player more than the computer (or does the computer always see the whole map?)

[smacksim]

The computer knows the whole map. It has nervous breakdowns trying to get to landmarks.

[Method]

It's map of planet anyways. I hate generated maps.

[Hydro]

Method! Don't tell me you like your world nice and predictable? Is there no fun for you in exploring, and finding what's around the next bend?

For me the fun is in exploration. Regardless of the faction, I like sending my fragile probe foils or 1-1-4 foils to discover Chiron. Or, letting my cute little mindworms (if I'm Gaian) roam the unexplored and unoccupied continents (harvesting lots of goodies), and having my isles roam and control the seas.

But, to each his or her own!

Hydro

[dfy]

Originally posted by binTravkin
And



Not really, but it's the best to get powerful very quick!
(Im using it 100% times, even in SP)

I only wonder why the hell Skanky is researching L5 tech at 2212 - it's too late for that

If I use Morgan for ICS (best fac for ICS!), I can get Orbital by around 2190 - 2200 and then the game is over..

OMG! Orbital by 2190? Now tell me, how do you do that? I'm a newbie, so I'm not too good at SMACX, but I'd be glad when I had Orbital at 2220! Could you tell me how you manage that?
Rushbuild all formers, build no infrastructure but RecTanks, get the WP, build as many colony pods as possible... is there more I'd need?
What's your build order at new bases?
Rushbuild former, colony pod, rec tanks, more pods?
How many farmers do you use per base?
Do you use FM as soon as you get it, and how do you control your drones?
When do you start using specialists, and, do you use the lab guys or the econ guys at first?

I know, that's quite a lot of questions, but I hope that somewhere out there one of you will sacrifice his time to give me some answers, that would be really cool .

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by dfy
Rushbuild all formers, build no infrastructure but RecTanks, get the WP, build as many colony pods as possible... is there more I'd need?

You forgot crawlers.

[Whoha]

Originally posted by dfy


OMG! Orbital by 2190? Now tell me, how do you do that? I'm a newbie, so I'm not too good at SMACX, but I'd be glad when I had Orbital at 2220! Could you tell me how you manage that?
Rushbuild all formers, build no infrastructure but RecTanks, get the WP, build as many colony pods as possible... is there more I'd need?
What's your build order at new bases?
Rushbuild former, colony pod, rec tanks, more pods?
How many farmers do you use per base?
Do you use FM as soon as you get it, and how do you control your drones?
When do you start using specialists, and, do you use the lab guys or the econ guys at first?

I know, that's quite a lot of questions, but I hope that somewhere out there one of you will sacr7ifice his time to give me some answers, that would be really cool .

for one thing you have to play a smaller map to get orbital quickly. For another you have to manage turn advantage quite well. Finally you have to beeline there and skip all the inconsequential techs. I can get orbital space flight around 150 years on a 128x128 map.

"is there more I'd need?"
Childrens creche for pop booming with demo/planned

"What's your build order at new bases?"
Colony pods
"Rushbuild former, colony pod, rec tanks, more pods?"
rush at 10 minerals completed of course.

"How many farmers do you use per base?"
If I'm doing a tightest packing then I build 3 formers per base, 3 support - 6+2 minerals(borehole+city square) = 5 per turn, or 10 every 2 turns. though for looser spacing, and if you get a mineral bonus/rocky square cities can support more.

"Do you use FM as soon as you get it, and how do you control your drones?"
Yes and ICS is how I control drones.

"When do you start using specialists, and, do you use the lab guys or the econ guys at first?"

Still working out this one myself, is getting econ to rush facilities more important then getting research to get to spaceflight/fusion/advanced spaceflight? The research is probably more important.

[edit] and snowflake is right crawler abuse is crucial.[/edit]

[smacksim]

For a Hybrid player, a large factor can also be luck. If you start next to an AI, you can subject them and make them tech slaves. If you find friendly neighbors early enough, they'll be glad to trade for crucial techs. Trading with the AI can double your tech speed (at best, because they are slower than you), but it takes a combination of luck, diligence, persistence, and a willingness to go to war just for a probe action or two.