How many of you are free marketeers?

[Ghidorah]

I've been recently trawling through the archives, and there was a great huge thread about exactly how the various weird creche morale bonuses actually worked - I wish I could find it again to link it because it was damn good.
But I've tested it many a time myself, though more often with Domai (elite troops for 6 minerals/row? yes please ).
And I tested it again just before I posted, just to make sure I wasn't being an idiot, and at -1 morale troops that were coming out commando (untrained) came out as veteran after I scrapped my creche.

[binTravkin]

Nice, means you don't even need trained!

[Ghidorah]

I don't think this was the thread, but very useful info on negative morale and creches and whatnot (particularly Tau Ceti's post):

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72944

[Maniac]

I've written a Treatise on Morale for the ACDG Spartan Federation, and last week or so submitted a slightly editied version to buster for the SMAC Academy on CGN. Stay tuned for the full answers on all your morale questions!

[smacksim1]

Xenobannanas are my choice of course.

So Maniac, where's the Treatise on Morale, or did ye Spartans decide to hoard that wealth in your CCL? (Command Center Library)

I really enjoyed reading the Cal vs. binT argument in this thread just now.

My 2ecs: FM is of course fantastic, but there are many circumstances where there are better choices, and this does largely depend on 1. Map Size, and 2. Faction. I'm not sure why these things were not really discussed here? Perhaps because nobody from the 'Planned Rulez!' side made the arguments for such. I'm not going to do so now, but suffice it to say that after 5 years of SMACing I am actually moving slightly away from an 'Always FM ASAP' approach depending on the above factors and others.

I think people tend to analyze the strengths of FM based on the easiest factors to get at: Econ, Labs, Techrate, etc.., and these are damn complex enough. However, there are just-as-tangible but harder to nail down conclusively, points to running Planned early. CEO Aaron mentioned ability-to-explore as a weakness of FM, and someone else considers benefits of FM in the Uranium Flats. Those are definites.

But a player can also consider someone like Cal sitting on their borders with 27 Impact Rovers. And sometimes you have to consider a cruddy island/fungus start, the opportunity to make a quick and very early war yourself to force a submissive, etc.. I think there are plenty of reasons to consider not running FM from time to time as occasion dictates to those who would survive.

The funniest thing about this thread was Cal's post about 'Maybe I'm more of a Hybrid Player' just after stating that he rover-rushes the first competition he meets! Thats momentum play man! I was laughing out loud with that. 'More of a Hybrid Player' indeed!