Favorite factions...

[Chaos Theory]

There just aren't that many energy credits to go around by year 2115, unless you're lucky with pods or worms.

As far as who can go FM, for any faction that can have content size 2 bases without police (PKs, Drones, anyone with the HGP), FM is very desirable. Any faction that can't reach +2 econ with FM (Hive, Cult) can't make it worthwhile. That leaves the Morganites, Uni, Believers, Spartans, CyCon, Angels, Pirates, and Aliens.

For the Believers, CyCon, and Angels, I might use Planned instead of FM, depending on circumstances. For the Uni and Morganites, I very often go early FM. The Morganites can't run Planned, and Green is unavailable for a while. The Uni boasts an extreme research rate, so I might as well make it larger by supplying energy. If I can tech up enough by the time someone finds me, I win. I don't really know how to use the Spartans or Pirates, and I don't enjoy playing the Aliens.

I can produce some save files when I shouldn't be doing something else...

[Senethro]

Spartans, police state/free market. No police but no drones for leaving territory. With Rec comms you've got a good research rate and a good income that can be used for unit upgrades or probe actions.

[Ka Plewy]

Originally posted by Sebed

so... you already make exeption of two factions - if we search deeply we can find more

Umm, Gaia can't go FM, and for the Hive, it's not worth it -2 to 0 econ is not worth it. I made an exception for one faction, the Hive, where it doesn't impact them positively enough to overcome the negative effects.
I'm not wanting to sound smart here, but if you're going to nitpick a post, at least recognize that it is impossible for the Gaian factions to go FM. IF you want to call the Hive an exception to the rule of going early to FM, then I'll happily stipulate to that. They get one more energy per base. For this discussion, in my mind, they might as well be Gaian, since it's almost impossible for them to get to +2 econ.

[Ka Plewy]

Originally posted by Senethro
Spartans, police state/free market. No police but no drones for leaving territory. With Rec comms you've got a good research rate and a good income that can be used for unit upgrades or probe actions.

I play Spartans this way quite a bit.

[Chaos Theory]

I wouldn't think Police State/FM would work very well, given very high inefficiency losses. Even with -1 effic as Lal, I feel the burn for some years between Wealth and Demo.

[Ka Plewy]

I wouldn't think Police State/FM would work very well, given very high inefficiency losses. Even with -1 effic as Lal, I feel the burn for some years between Wealth and Demo.

I use it pre pop-boom, and usually to the point I can piss an AI Lal off enough to attack, although, Lal is so crazy I don't need it. It's useful for the increase in energy, and the ability to continue exploring, especially unexploited ocean pods.

[Senethro]

I typically use the PS/FM in an aggressive phase of an ICS in which expansion is halted. With 1 square spacing the "distance from capital" part of the energy lost through inefficiency cacluclation treats me generously and minimal energy is lost.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Sebed

i must disagree - i currently play a game as a Drone and in 40 turn i was able to build HGP, WP, VW, PTS - and consider that PK player plays at librarian, and i had to deal with UNI as well...

Actually, I'm a little confused. Are you stating that you in 2141 has build these SP's or that it took you 40 turns to build them ? If it had been anyone else than the drones, I would have believed in 2141. If you seriously mean 2141, can you please send some savings, I am pretty eager to learn how to to it.

[gwillybj]

gun-totin' flower children

Spartans/Gaians.

Save a tree: Wipe your butt with an owl

[Archaic]

Originally posted by Maniac
Personally I suck at early FM and trying to keep your bases at size 1 with CP-hurrying (basically because I've never tried it before ). So I'm wondering, would someone be willing to upload some turn-per-turn save files of a faction (without anti-drones bonuses) running early FM, so that I can check out how it's done?

I'll do you a Uni game without PTS, HGP or VW then. That should be the hardest possible setup.

I can't speak for the others, but Sebed's right about me. I do specialize in only playing the Uni, though I do dabble from time to time in the PK's, Angels, Morgan, and the CyCons. I would have to disagree with them being the "easiest" faction in MP though, if only for the fact that you're a big target, and prone to getting slaughtered by probe rape in early land wars.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
I can produce some save files when I shouldn't be doing something else...

Originally posted by Archaic
I'll do you a Uni game without PTS, HGP or VW then. That should be the hardest possible setup.

Thanks.

Originally posted by Archaic
I do specialize in only playing the Uni, though I do dabble from time to time in the PK's, Angels, Morgan, and the CyCons.

Ah, how do you play the CyCon? I've been wondering about a good strategy for them in this thread.

[Sebed]

Originally posted by BlackCat


Actually, I'm a little confused. Are you stating that you in 2141 has build these SP's or that it took you 40 turns to build them ?

yes, i did it!!!
but i was very lucky, i must admit...
as i said one of the players was on librarian (all others playing on transend) and he was very quick on research - i was his nearest neighbour and i was succesfull to trade techs with him...
i was almost first one (if not the first) to get IA...
later, i met UNI and made some more trades in-between
after i got IA i went for planned and started to build ONLY supply crawlers - and frankly speaking i was able to build all those SP around 2135 turn but i wanted to save at least one AA

If it had been anyone else than the drones, I would have believed in 2141.

yes, i did it as a Drone - this game is not finished yet...

If you seriously mean 2141, can you please send some savings, I am pretty eager to learn how to to it.

as i said - it's rather hard to repeat it...
i had a very good luck - was lucky to beat at least 5(!!!) fungal towers as well (but there was a Manifold Nexus on my territorry) so i had a lots of energy and could easly rush-build under planned economy...

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Sebed


yes, i did it!!!
but i was very lucky, i must admit...
as i said one of the players was on librarian (all others playing on transend) and he was very quick on research - i was his nearest neighbour and i was succesfull to trade techs with him...
i was almost first one (if not the first) to get IA...
later, i met UNI and made some more trades in-between
after i got IA i went for planned and started to build ONLY supply crawlers - and frankly speaking i was able to build all those SP around 2135 turn but i wanted to save at least one AA

yes, i did it as a Drone - this game is not finished yet...

as i said - it's rather hard to repeat it...
i had a very good luck - was lucky to beat at least 5(!!!) fungal towers as well (but there was a Manifold Nexus on my territorry) so i had a lots of energy and could easly rush-build under planned economy...

Ok, don't send savings - you can't reproduce sheer luck

I was so curious that I tried to start a game as Drones, and managed to get those SP's in 2240, but then again, I haven't met any opponents yet - feel me a little lonely

[Archaic]

Originally posted by Maniac
Ah, how do you play the CyCon? I've been wondering about a good strategy for them in this thread.

Exactly the same way I play the Uni. Never said I was good with them, only that I dabble occasionally. ^^;; Their growth penalty really screws me up, given that I usually have low growth to begin with, and it's difficult to do my usual early game when I'm unable to do an early FM thanks to needing Planned for growth to maintain the ultra-thin expansion.

[paramir]

I like the univercity and morgan