Playing as the Aliens

[Frankychan]

I recently finished up a game as the Usurpers and I can say that I got my tail reasonably kicked. I started off on the continent with the Freshwater lake, with my main nemesis Foreman Domai controlling the Sunny Mesa and later expanding into the Jungle.

Anyway, late in the game, Domai created a HUGE airforce and MASSES of troops. I pushed Yang into the sea and made him my 'thrall' as well as the University. Morgan was eliminated by Domai, and Domai was on the way of eliminating Cha Dawn.

Well, I was doing good and landed on the Drone continent and was having some success until he launched a massive wave against me, pushing me off his continent. Things weren't going very well until Sunspot activity blacked out comm.

I took it upon myself to do the 'honorable thing' and launched a fusion buster at his bases in the jungles. Next turn, sunspot activity ended and everyone declares vendetta on me? WTF? After that, the planetbusters started flying. I got hit with 3 fission busters, and at my last count, I launched 3 Fusion busters, 5 Quantum Busters, and 2 SinBusters at everyone. Every human base I obliterated. I got hit with a total of about 4 fission busters....the game ended just as the Drones had some nervegas units on their way. This game was very interesting and Planet was almost underwater.

This game taught me that playing the Aliens is EXTREMELY DIFFERENT than the human factions. First off, I learned that once you commit an atrocity against a human faction, they all turn on you...even your thralls. Secondly, I learned that their growth is very different than the humans. I tried doing the ICS thing and it didn't work properly. My bases consistently went into Drone riots that I couldn't keep under control like I normally could. Third, diplomacy with the humans is difficult.

Basically, I just want some general strategies on how to play the aliens. I'm a build & conquer person and if I can have a few submissive allies, then I'll spare them. I just couldn't grasp on how to play them right. But then again, I haven't had much practice on playing them...

...although right now I'm trying to do a modified OCC game as the University ('modified' meaning I have 3 instead of one... )

[Maniac]

Re: Playing as the Aliens

Originally posted by Frankychan
I tried doing the ICS thing and it didn't work properly. My bases consistently went into Drone riots that I couldn't keep under control like I normally could.

Normally ICS should be a decent initial strategy for the Aliens. After all, they get free rec tanks in every base. Of course, while they don't get extra drones, nor do they get easy drone control like (AFAIK) your usual faction the Hive does. So building the HGP (or of course PTS) might be useful.

[RedFred]

ICS works at least as well for for me playing the aliens as for the human factions. All those size one former human bases help.

The thing I have found is that most of the Alien's awesome advantages are stacked toward the beginning of the game like the Cult's.

A passive builder style game (I'm not saying you did this) just will not be as successful as a more aggressive stance. Five not particularly friendly humans combined with another faction that always hates you means you have manage war and diplomacy differently. Be careful not to unite the humans against you.

Economy is huge. In my opinion the economy through building stuff can never match the economy through trade that a human faction can pull off. The gap seems to widen over time.
You have to compensate by having an insurmountable lead by midgame.

Every human faction has its champions but I know of know experts or specialists in either Progenitor faction. Most regard the aliens as too easy. So a lot of people have played them like me - for the novelty factor only.

[Barinthus]

I recently finished a Caretaker game last night - I just wanted to see what the ending in which I summon homeworld fleet was like.

I probably can't help much since I played on Librarian level. Drones can be a handful so I used specialists a lot while building improvements that help with drones. Aki started on the same landmass as I did and I was able to force her into becoming a thrall within first 20 turns of the game. Everybody else were on their own landmass (it was a large map I believe). All human factions declared vendetta on me but due to large water bodies between us, it was not an issue. Especially that I got early naval and air superiority - I would just bombard Gaians while Aki took care of the Peacekeepers while my ground forces crushed the Spartans on their landmass which brought me into the reach of the Usurpers.

I could have defeated the Usurpers and ended the game but instead, I left one base alone and forced Gaians into a thrallhood while I focused on getting generators so I could call the fleet.

Interesting game, next time I'd have to go up a notch on the difficulty.

[Frankychan]

Nah, all good. I played this on Thinker cause this was the first time I was actually committed to finishing the game with an Alien faction.

Originally posted by RedFred

The thing I have found is that most of the Alien's awesome advantages are stacked toward the beginning of the game like the Cult's.

I'm starting to think so too. That starting battleogre really helped me out and early in the game I was whupping some butt, but after I started expanding past that benchmark number, things went crazy and I basically had to control drone riots almost every 2 turns in my bases. The diplomacy was difficult at best unless I submissived a faction.

As for the atrocities, I figured that my pactmates would declare Vendetta on me, then as soon as I got back in contact with them, they'd ally with me again like how the human-to-human interaction would be. Boy, did I learn. I don't think I've ever been hit by that much PB's. It could even be a little more that I thought.

Even Yang launched a few PB's at Domai. That was the most nukes I've ever seen in a game. It was fun.

[BlackCat]

I'm a little confused - what do you build to aviod Riots ?

[Frankychan]

Rec Commons. But I also used Talents to help me out.

[BlackCat]

What with HGP, VW/networknodes (or holo theatres if that miss) - research hospitals ? That should give a talent and minus three drones - later there are nano hosp that removes yet another drone. Ascetic virt gives room for one more police unit, and there are others so the core colonies should at least be able to handle at least 5 without trouble.

[Mead]

Re: Playing as the Aliens

Originally posted by Frankychan

***

...although right now I'm trying to do a modified OCC game as the University ('modified' meaning I have 3 instead of one... )

Modified OCC (3 versus 1 city is a lot more fun). It still keeps your from being overwhelmed from the PIA of managing too many cities. You still have to mess with a lot of crawlers and formers, assuming you are going for the energy park.

The best thing about the 3 versus 1 OCC is that you have 3 production ques instead of one.


Mead

[Frankychan]

Yeah...but apparently I'm stilling getting my tail kicked.

As for the Drone problem, I did all that. The drone problem became so messed up that I had to stagger-build my units and put out the fires wherever they occurred.

But I didn't make Police units...maybe that woulda helped some more.

[Barinthus]

Ahh I did use AAA Police units and ran Police State for the most of the game.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Frankychan
Yeah...but apparently I'm stilling getting my tail kicked.
.

REally?? I never have a problem when I OCC or 2 CC or 3CC .... since I am preceived as small and weak I find the AI is pretty friendly. Generally I try to pick a neighbor that is growing well and that is compatible SE-wise and make them my protector. Many of my fun OCC games have ended with my transcend victory while completely encircled by my pactmate.

[joncnunn]

The primarly ones are Rec Commons, Network Nodes, and the Virtural World secret project. (Without VW, that's Hologram theaters)

Depending upon your police rating, military units can also help. Non-lethal doubles the effectiveness.

There's also a few structures not normally built for their happiness effects that never the less help a bit.
Be advised that Gene Jack factory causes an extra drone, so I only recomend that structure on a base that would normally produce 10+ minerals without it.

When it's just a few cities with problems, you can turn some of the citizens into specalists. But if several core bases are having problems, increase the psych slider.

And of course the pysch slider. 0 to 20% would be in the normal range; perhaps 30% for a University player who missed out on VW.

Avoiding Drone riots themselves is actually extremey easy in SMAC. Just bring up the base overview screen after all movement but before ending the turn. Those bases you see in red will go into a drone riot if not fixed that turn. Non red ones will not unless they grow that turn or else you reduce MP present / increase Pacifism / change police rating / lower psych after checking.

One temporary solution, especally if communications are currently out is nerve stabling. I would rountinely lower psych rate to 0% the turn that communications were knocked out and nerve stable every base with more drones than talents during it, reapplying in 10 turns.

A permenant solution for a problem base is the Punishment Sphere. No drones ever from that base, but minus 50% research. Such a base can also be used to support your army if your under a very low police rating.

There are several projects that also help with happiness. Human Genome is adviable almost immedately, Virtual World shortly thereafter, then AV [well usally not built for happiness reasons, but the +1 police rating may help there]. later on the longectivity vacine, self-aware colony [acts as a police unit when allowed] , and then the ultimate in happiness managing tools, the Telephatic Matrixx.

Originally posted by BlackCat
I'm a little confused - what do you build to aviod Riots ?

[Senethro]

Surely the best way to solve riots is to ensure they never happen? In early game this consists of fast expansion keeping the population spread out.
I haven't quite got my own drone control stratagy worked out yet as I've just changed from pop-booming to ICSing. I use recreation commons as standard for any faction that can Free market/wealth.

[BlackCat]

@joncnunn : I should probably have written my question in a little different way because it was directed to Franky and how he manged to get into his mess.

I rarely get any drone riots before Cloning Vats myself, so I was wondering what he did (or rather what he didn't do).

Btw. Thanks for the tip about seeing which bases at verge of riot - wonder when I learn the last secret about how this program works