ACDG6: Operations

[vyeh]

Correct, we have made contact with Delan twice. In both cases, he demanded a tech and we were able to get reciprocation. We tried to get a treaty, but he said we were too powerful. That may have changed as our power bar has gone down.

Maybe once we have 10 credits, we could contact him again.

The difference between -2 support and -1 support is the 10 free minerals for a new base. So we need to be careful about horizontal expansion too early.

We can have 5 bases at +1 efficiency before we encounter B-drones.

I did forget about that + 1 efficiency and had to change my calculations about the bureaucracy limits.

Look at my revised calculations. Remember, we're on a 30x60 custom map, not a standard 40x80 map. So any numbers you remember have to be multiplied by 3/4. (7.9 * 3/4 = 23.7/4 = 5.9, which rounds down to 5).

Custom 30x60 is mean. You're dealing with a map smaller than the 32x64 small, but don't get the mineral and nutrient bonuses associated with the small map.

[Hydro]

Quick question. One trick I've used when pod poppping is to identify the closest base to the pod, switch to an expensive or needed infrastruct or unit, and then pop the pod. If I'm lucky I get to finish an important facility/unit. If not then I switch back.

Is that considered cheating?

Hydro

[Maniac]

Yeah, why the 30x60 instead of 32x64?

Delan has -3 Commerce, so he doesn't really get much benefit from treaties and pacts.

In SMAniaC, there is no retooling penalty.

Reasons:

You can circumvent the retooling penalty anyway by 'Maniac hurrying' (See my treatise) and skunkworks. So instead of inventing all kinds of new houserules (like there aren't enough already) I thought I'd just remove the need to know all kinds of tricks to perform well in SMAC. That being said, I'm in favour of Maniac Hurrying.

Also, I wanted to make crawlers less powerful. With crawlers you can hurry secret projects at an exchange rate of even less than 2 credits for one minerals. By removing the retooling penalty, you can, if you have the money, overpay/hurry a facility at 2 credits per mineral, and then immediately switch to the desired project. So you can still get some secret projects even without crawlers.

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Hydro
Is that considered cheating?

I did it all the time.
I've recommended doing exactly this in some other DG thread.

[vyeh]

Mart had suggested the 30x60 custom for ACDG5. It is exactly 3/4 of the dimensions of the standard 40x80, so there aren't nasty irrational numbers resulting from the square root functions in the bureaucracy limit formula (and maybe some other formulae?).

Too bad about Delan's -3 commerce.

Am I correct that Maniac hurrying (formerly Maniac Maneuver) only works if you haven't prototyped the latest armor or weapons or chassis?

Here is a post about hurrying secret projects at less than 2 credits per mineral. Does anyone have the actual (archive) thread.

In standard SMAC/X, you would lose minerals if you have over 10 minerals and you switched to an expensive build and back. We did it in ACDG5 when we had less than 10 minerals in the nearest base. We would create the most expensive crawler possible at the time. When we got the materials pod, we got a crawler that could buy a secret project by itself!

Obviously, in SMAniaC, we don't have to worry about the 10 minerals.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #RULES changes

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #RULES section:

34,2 ; Numerator & Denominator for artillery fire damage
-10, ; Nutrient effect in mine square (0 or -1)
025, ; Combat % -> for attacking from higher elevation
010, ; Combat penalty % -> attacking from lower elevation
500, ; Combat % -> Land based guns vs. ship artillery bonus
5040, ; Combat % -> Trance bonus defending vs. psi
5040, ; Combat % -> Empath Song bonus attacking vs. psi
1015, ; Combat % -> Psi attack bonus/penalty per +PLANET
20, ; Retool strictness (0 = Always Free, 1 = Free in Category, 2 = Free if Project, 3 = Never Free)
2010, ; Minimum # of turns between councils
CentPsiMagnets, ; Technology to improve fungus squares
CentPsiSentEco, ; Technology to ease fungus movement
NeuralNanoMin, ; Technology to allow 2 special abilities for a unit
EcoEngIndEcon, ; Technology to allow 3 minerals in a square
EnvEconSubat, ; Technology to allow 3 energy in a square
GravityAGrav, ; Technology to allow orbital insertion w/o Space Elevator
EcoEng2IndAuto, ; Technology for +1 mining platform bonus
10, ; If non-zero, humans can always contact each other in net games
10, ; If non-zero, humans can always contact each other in hotseat/email games

Note

Magnets = Centauri Psi (E6)
SentEco = Secrets of Alpha Centauri (E7)
NanoMin = Nanominiaturization (D4)
IndEcon = Industrial Base (B2; requires Renewable Energy Sources)
Subat = Zero Point Energy (D4; requires Applied Plasma Physics [High Intensity Lasers {Military Know-how, Fission Reactor}, Polymorphic Software {Information Networks}], Renewable Energy Sources)
AGrav = Applied Gravitonics (C9)
IndAuto = Industrial Automation (B3; requires Polymorphic Software {Information Networks}, Industrial Base {Renewable Energy Sources})

For our immediate purposes, SMAniaC's Industrial Base (the standard Industrial Economics) both allows us to mine and lifts the mineral restrictions.

Note that there is no nutrient penalty for building a mine in a rainy square or a farmed square. It might make sense to mine and farm a rolling moist square to produce 2-2-0 rather than build a solar collector and farm a rolling moist square to produce 2-1-1.

If we follow the path Renewable Energy Sources (allows solar colletors) -> Industrial Base (allows mines and 4 minerals on rocky squares with mines and roads) -> Industrial Automation (allows crawlers), we're in a situation where we can crawl 4 minerals.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #TERRAIN changes

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #TERRAIN section:
;
; TERRAFORMING IMPROVEMENTS
;
; Name, Preq, Sea Name, Sea Preq, Rate, Order, Letter, Keystroke
;
; Rate = # of turns to build
; Order = Description of unit orders
; Letter = Order letter
; Keystroke = Keystroke description (changing text does not change
; the actual key mappings in the game)
;
#TERRAIN
Soil Enricher, EcoEng2SupLube, Soil EnricherXenoweed, DisableAlloys, 8, Release $STR0, f, F
Mine, NoneIndEcon, Mining Platform, NoneIndEcon, 8, Construct $STR0, M, M
Solar Collector, NoneIndust, Tidal Harness, NoneIndust, 4, Construct $STR0, S, S
MagGrav Tube, MagnetsAGrav, MagGrav Tube, Disable, 3, Build $STR0, R, R
Bunker, MilAlgE=Mc2, BunkerMine Field, DisableChemist, 5, Construct $STR0, K, K
Sensor Array, NoneAdapDoc, Sensor ArrayBuoy, DisableAdapDoc, 4, Construct $STR0, O, O
Fungus, None, Sea Fungus, None, 610, Remove $STR0, F, F
Fungus, EcoEngCentEmp, Sea Fungus, EcoEngCentEmp, 6, Plant $STR0, F, Ctrl+F
Echelon Mirror0.E Rectenna, EcoEngSubat, Echelon Mirror, Disable, 12, Construct $STR0, E, Shift+E
Thermal Borehole, EcoEng, ThermalSea Borehole, DisableEcoEng2, 24, Construct $STR0, B, Shift+B
Monolith, DisableSecMani, Monolith, DisableSecMani, 8, Place Monolith, ?, ?, (this is here for map editor)

Note

SupLube = Bionanomachinery (B7)
Alloys = Artificial Genetics (E7)
IndEcon = Industrial Base (B2; requires Renewable Energy Sources)
Indust = Renewable Energy Sources (B1)
AGrav = Applied Gravitonics (C9)
E=Mc2 = Nanotube Mass Production (C3; requires Industrial Base {Renewable Energy Sources}, High Intensity Lasers {Military Know-how, Fission Reactor})
Chemist = Applied Plasma Physics (D3; requires High Intensity Lasers {Military Know-how, Fission Reactor}, Polymorphic Software {Information Networks})
AdapDoc = Mechanical Resonance (C3; requires High Intensity Lasers {Military Know-how, Fission Reactor}, Field Modulation {Military Know-how, Progenitor Psych})
CentEmp = Centauri Empathy (E2; requires Centauri Ecology, Progenitor Psych)
Subat = Zero Point Energy (D4; requires Applied Plasma Physics [High Intensity Lasers {Military Know-how, Fission Reactor}, Polymorphic Software {Information Networks}], Renewable Energy Sources)
EcoEng = Ecological Engineering (E3; requires Renewable Energy Sources, Centauri Hydrology {Fission Reactor, Centauri Ecology})
EcoEng2 = Ecological Geneering (B8)
SecMani = Secrets of the Manifolds (E9)

(1) Removing fungus requires 10 years (versus 6 in standard SMAX).

(2) Mines require Industrial Base (Industrial Economics in standard SMAX; versus nothing in standard SMAX).

(3) Solar Collectors require Renewable Energy Sources (Industrial Base in standard SMAX; versus nothing in standard SMAX).

(4) Sensor Arrays require Mechanical Resonance (versus nothing in standard SMAX).

(5) There are sea versions of soil enrichers, bunkers, sensor arrays and thermal boreholes.

(6) Despite the changes in the Monolith line, placing a monolith is not possible. (I used the scenario editor to give me AI formers and secrets of the manifolds in my simulation and there was no change to the terraforming options for the formers and hitting "?" didn't do anything. I also remember a conversation with Darsnan where we concluded that it wasn't possible to construct a scenario where a player could construct a monolith.)

Being able to build mines and solar collectors is another good reason to pursue renewable energy sources (industrial base in standard SMAX) followed by industrial base (industrial economics).

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #WORLDBUILDER changes

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #WORLDBUILDER section:

#WORLDBUILDER
384256, ; Land base (Seeded land size of a standard world)
256100, ; Land modifier (additional land from LAND selection: x0, x1, x2)
1272, ; Continent base (Base size of a land mass seed)
110, ; Hills base (Base # of extra hills)
2, ; Hills modifier (additional hills from TIDAL selection: x0, x1, x2)
43, ; Plateau base (Basic plateau size)
84, ; Plateau modifier (Plateau modifier based on LAND selection: x0[/b], x1, x2)
816, ; Rivers base (Basic # of rivers)
1232, ; Rivers rain mod. (Additional rivers based on RAIN selection)
510, ; Cloudmass peaks (Size of cloud mass trapped by peaks)
36, ; Cloudmass hills (Size of cloud mass trapped by hills)
12, ; Rainfall coeff. (Multiplier for rainfall belts)
150, ; Deep water (Encourages fractal to grow deep water)
1510, ; Plains (Encourages highland plains)
102, ; Hills (Encourages hills x TIDAL selection)
2535, ; Peaks (Encourages peaks)
12, ; Fungus (Fungus coefficient based on LIFE selection)

Smacksim explained the effects of many of these changes in the worldbuilder section.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
Numbers in red are the original values, numbers in black are the new values.

SMAniaC changed the land base from 384 to 256 (which smacksim did not).

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
256, 100, ; Land modifier (additional land from LAND selection: x0, x1, x2)
This is the amount of extra land per size above a standard world. The smaller this number, the more important your other settings become, because extra land is sort of uncontrollable, whereas adding land via extra peaks or hills is more quantifiable and predictable.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
12, 48, ; Continent base (Base size of a land mass seed) I'm not as clear on this. but it seems vaguely to do what it vaguely says, that is, make each continent a certain size initially, then tack on extras like plateaus, extra land, hills, etc.

SMAniaC uses 72.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
1, 5, ; Hills base (Base # of extra hills)
2, ; Hills modifier (additional hills from TIDAL selection: x0, x1, x2)
These two things have a huge impact on your map. Each extra hill is multiplied extensively on a huge map, not just 5X2. More like (5 x number of continents generated). The tidal selection (percent water) is a nice bonus that allows further refinement of your generator. By lowering this number further you can keep the nuance between various settings even smaller if you know what you are looking for in a map. By increasing the modifier you make drastic changes between the tidal settings.

SMAniaC uses 10 for the Hills base.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
Plateau Base + Modifier lines work just like the hills modifier. Adding more plateaus doesn't seem to add more land though. It adds to the # of plateaus on existing land, which rarely extends the continent into the sea like the Hills setting seems to do.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
Rivers -> 12. I like rivers

SMAniaC -> 16!
Unlike smacksim, SMAniaC changes
(1) the rivers rain mod from 12 to 32;
(2) the cloudmass peaks from 5 to 10;
(3) the cloudmass hills from 3 to 6; and
(4) the rainfall coeff. from 1 to 2.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation[/color]
15, 1, ; Deep water (Encourages fractal to grow deep water)
10, 5, ; Shelf (Encourages fractal to grow shelf)
Strangely, I had to lower both of these values to get the kinds of maps I wanted. Perhaps this is because these values are applied after generating the continents. They seem to eat away at existing landmasses, ruining all the things we've made before.

SMAniaC changes the deep water to 0, but leaves the shelf alone.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
Plains seem similar to Plateaus.

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation[/color]
10, 2, ; Beach (Encourages wider beaches)
10, 2, ; Hills (Encourages hills x TIDAL selection)
25, 35, ; Peaks (Encourages peaks)
Beach. Try increasing this radically. It makes steep sloped beaches, not flat beaches. I think this is the most mis-named variable of the bunch. Thus, I reccomend you play with it last. Hills appear here as well, along with their big cousins, Peaks. It seems Peaks need Hills to grow upon, as you'll notice if you increase the Peaks value without correspondingly more Hills. This is where I add more land based on tidal selection, rather than via the land modifier (the 100 at the top). Thus, extra land is mostly in the form of rolling hills and peaks, which seems to do wonders for the AI, hides some landmarks a bit more, and causes the rivers to meander a bit more before dumping into the sea. Rivers speed up the AI as well as the player. Since the AI sometimes gets funny notions about travelling all over the map, this dampens the pain of that a tiny degree.

In SMAniaC, beach remains at 10.

From Darsnan's and Rubin's Alpha/x Guide (Version 1.3),

1, ; Fungus (Fungus coefficient based on LIFE selection)
If you want fungus on your random maps, increase this number. On a standard map with abundant life forms, a value of 5 covers the entire planet in fungus (except deep sea and 2-3 land squares). A value of 2 is still producing a lot of fungus - ½ the map. Note that rare life forms only produce fungus in the New Sargasso, the Ruins and at the poles.

Since SMAniaC has a fungus coefficient of 2, we should expect fungus on about 1/2 of the map.

Bottom line:

Originally posted by smacksim in AC Creation
So all in all, I found somewhat of a balance that creates just about as much land (a little more typically) as the original worldbuilder, but it:

Has fewer tiny islands
Has more shallows than deep water
Has a high likelihood of generating several medium continents instead of a massive one
Has few plateaus, but lots of peaks

And plenty of fungus.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #TECHNOLOGY changes (level 1 techs)

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #TECHNOLOGY section for the level 1 techs (the ones with no prerequisites):
;
; TECHNOLOGY TREE
;
; Name, id, ai-mil, ai-tech, ai-infra, ai-colonize, preq(1), preq(2), flags
;
; Name = Name of technology
;
; id = 3 letter id code; this code is used when assigning
; the tech as a prerequisite.
;
; power = military value
; tech = advance-of-knowledge value
; wealth = infrastructure value
; growth = colonization value
;
; preq(n) = Prerequisite technology
; a) 3 character id code of tech
; b) "nil" to allow w/o prerequisite
; c) "no" to disallow entirely from game
;
; flags = Special tech flags
; 000000001 = "Secrets": first discoverer gains free tech
; 000000010 = Improves Probe Team success rate
; 000000100 = Increases commerce income
; 000001000 = Reveals map
; 000010000 = Allows gene warfare atrocity
; 000100000 = Increases intrinsic defense against gene warfare
; 001000000 = Increases ENERGY production in fungus
; 010000000 = Increases MINERALS production in fungus
; 100000000 = Increases NUTRIENT production in fungus
;
#TECHNOLOGY
Biogenetics, Biogen, 0, 3, 2, 2, None, None, 000100000
Industrial BaseRenewable Energy Sources, Indust, 2, 1, 3, 0, None, None, 000000000
Information Networks, InfNet, 03, 34, 23, 13, None, None, 000000000
Applied PhysicsMilitary Know-how, PhysicDocFlex, 4, 20, 10, 01, None, None, 000000000
Social Psych, Psych, 01, 1, 3, 2, None, None, 000000000
Doctrine: MobilityThe Fission Reactor, MobilePoly, 2, 0, 0, 3, None, None, 000000000
Centauri Ecology, Ecology, 04, 14, 24, 35, None, None, 100000000
Progenitor Psych, PrPsych, 02, 20, 30, 4, None, None, 000000000

Notes:

(1) No change in Biogenetics.

(2) Industrial Base has been renamed Renewable Energy Sources. Energy bank has been moved here from SMAniaC Industrial Base (Industrial Economics). Kevlar armor (D2; synthmetal armor) has been moved up the tree to SMAniaC Industrial Base. Renewable Energy Sources is now a terraforming prerequisite for solar collectors and tidal harnesses.

(3) Information Networks has been made more attractive to factions interested in power, wealth and growth. Probe teams have been moved here from Planetary Networks (D2).

(4) Applied Physics has been renamed Military Know-how, made less attractive to factions interested in tech and wealth and made more attractive to factions interested in growth.

(5) Social Psych has been made more attractive to factions interested in power.

(6) Doctrine: Mobility has been renamed The Fission Reactor. The Heavy Artillery ability has been moved here from Polymorphic Software (D2).

(7) Centauri Ecology has been made more attractive to every faction, no matter the interest in power, tech, wealth or growth.

(8) Progenitor Psych has been made more attractive to factions interested in power and less attractive to factions interested in tech and wealth. Resonance pulse (comm jammer) has been moved here from Advanced Subatomic Theory (D3). Aquafarms have been moved up the tech tree to Gene Splicing (B3).

We can expect the factions we encounter to have centauri ecology and information networks.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #CHASSIS changes

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #CHASSIS section:
;
; Chassis
;
; Names..., Speed, Triad, Range, Cargo, Cost, Preq, ...Large names
;
; Names...= First two names used for offensive units.
; Second two names used for defensive units.
; M1 = Masculine Singular (For foreign translations)
; M2 = Masculine Plural
; (etc. Use F for female, N for neuter)
;
; Speed = # of moves
; Triad = Movement (0=Land 1=Sea 2=Air)
; Range = Range in turns from base (air units only)
; Missile = Chassis is a "missile" (destroyed after attacking)
; Cargo = # units transported (multiply by reactor rating)
; Cost = Cost factor of chassis type (normally equal to speed)
; Preq = Technology required (see TECHNOLOGY)
;
#CHASSIS
Infantry,M1, Squad,M1, Sentinels,M2, Garrison,M1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 12, 1, None, Shock Troops,M2, Elite Guard,M1,
Speeder,M1, Rover,M1, DefensiveTroop,M1, Skirmisher,M1,2, 0, 0, 0, 12, 2, MobilePoly, Dragon,M1, Enforcer,M1,
Hovertank,M1, Tank,M1, Skimmer,M1, EvasiveGuardian,M1, 3, 0, 0, 0, 12, 3, NanoMinGravity, Behemoth,M1, GuardianAvenger,M1,
Foil,M1, Skimship,M1, Hoverboat,M1, CoastalFrigate,M1, 45, 1, 0, 0, 23, 4, DocFlexMobile, MegafoilCorvette,M1, SuperfoilDreadnought,M1,
Cruiser,M1, Destroyer,M1, Cutter,M1, Gunboat,M1, 67, 1, 0, 0, 45, 6, DocInit, Battleship,M1, Monitor,M1,
Needlejet,M1, Penetrator,M1, Interceptor,M1, TacticalFighter,M1, 8, 2, 2, 0, 12, 8, DocAirOrbital, Thunderbolt,M1, Sovereign,M1,
Copter,M1, Chopper,M1, Rotor,M1, Lifter,M1, 83, 2, 1, 0, 12, 8, MindMacDocAir, Gunship,M1, Warbird,M1,
Gravship,M1, Skybase,M1, Antigrav,M1, Skyfort,M1, 8, 2, 0, 0, 12, 8, GravityAGrav, Deathsphere,M1, Doomwall,M1,
Missile,M1, Missile,M1, Missile,M1, Missile,M1, 12, 2, 1, 1, 0,12, OrbitalChaos, Missile,M1, Missile,M1,

Note

Poly = The Fission Reactor (E1)
Gravity = Graviton Theory (C5)
Mobile = Centauri Hydrology (E2; requires Fission Reactor, Centauri Ecology)
DocInit = Know-how: Sea Power (E4)
Orbital = Orbital Spaceflight (C5)
DocAir = Know-how: Air Power (C4)
AGrav = Applied Gravitonics (C9)
Chaos = Long Range Missiles (C2; requires Military Know-how, Information Networks)

(1) Foils and cruisers gain 1 movement (so foils can travel 5 squares per year instead of 4 and cruisers can travel 7 squares per year instead of 6).

(2) Copters lose 5 movement (so it can only travel 3 squares per year instead of 8).

(3) The cargo capacity of every chassis, except missile, has been increased by the reactor rating (so a fission foil transport can carry 3 units instead of 2 and a fission cruiser transport can carry 5 units instead of 4).

Missiles are very early. Sea travel is faster. Copters are a lot weaker and come before needlejets. And amphibious invasions require fewer transports.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #REACTORS changes

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #REACTORS section:
;
; Reactors
;
; Name, power, preq
;
#REACTORS
QuantumAntimatter Chamber, QuantumAntimatter, 3, QuantumPhysic,

Note

Physic = Antimatter Production (D7)

While this may look like a cosmetic change (replacing "Quantum" by "Antimatter"), Antimatter Production may come sooner in the tech tree than the old Quantum Power (D11). In ACDG5, we never got beyond fusion reactors.

[vyeh]

SMAniaC #TECHNOLOGY changes (level 2 techs)

I compared the SMAniaC alphax.txt file to the standard alphax.txt file. These are the changes in the #TECHNOLOGY section for the level 2 techs (the ones with at least one level one prerequisite and no prerequisites above level 1):
;
; TECHNOLOGY TREE
;
; Name, id, ai-mil, ai-tech, ai-infra, ai-colonize, preq(1), preq(2), flags
;
; Name = Name of technology
;
; id = 3 letter id code; this code is used when assigning
; the tech as a prerequisite.
;
; power = military value
; tech = advance-of-knowledge value
; wealth = infrastructure value
; growth = colonization value
;
; preq(n) = Prerequisite technology
; a) 3 character id code of tech
; b) "nil" to allow w/o prerequisite
; c) "no" to disallow entirely from game
;
; flags = Special tech flags
; 000000001 = "Secrets": first discoverer gains free tech
; 000000010 = Improves Probe Team success rate
; 000000100 = Increases commerce income
; 000001000 = Reveals map
; 000010000 = Allows gene warfare atrocity
; 000100000 = Increases intrinsic defense against gene warfare
; 001000000 = Increases ENERGY production in fungus
; 010000000 = Increases MINERALS production in fungus
; 100000000 = Increases NUTRIENT production in fungus
;
#TECHNOLOGY
Doctrine: FlexibilityCentauri Hydrology, DocFlexMobile, 2, 0, 1, 4, MobilePoly, NoneEcology, 000000000
Long Range Missiles, Chaos, 3, 0, 0, 0, DocFlex, InfNet, 000000000
Nonlinear MathematicsHigh Intensity Lasers, ChaosMilAlg, 4, 31, 0, 0, PhysicDocFlex, InfNetPoly, 000000000
High Energy Chemistry, Chemist, 3, 1, 2, 0, Indust, Physic, 000000000
Polymorphic Software, Poly, 2, 3, 1, 0, Indust, InfNet, 000000010
Planetary NetworksPolymorphic Software, PlaNetsAlgor, 01, 4, 3, 1, InfNet, None, 000000000
Doctrine: LoyaltyMilitary Doctrine, DocLoy, 3, 0, 2, 2, MobileDocFlex, Psych, 000000000
Industrial EconomicsIndustrial Base, IndEcon, 02, 0, 5, 2, Indust, None, 000000100
Secrets of the Human Brain, Brain, 1, 5, 0, 3, Psych, Biogen, 000000001
Ethical CalculusThe Exowomb, EthCalcBioMac, 01, 1, 34, 32, PsychBiogen, None, 000000000
Centauri Empathy, CentEmp, 0, 1, 0, 6, BrainPrPsych, Ecology, 0010000000
Field Modulation, FldMod, 4, 20, 0, 2, PrPsych, DocFlex, 000000000

Notes:

(1) Doctrine: Flexibility has been renamed Centauri Hydrology and Centauri Ecology has been added as a prerequisite (Poly = The Fission Reactor = Doctrine: Mobility).

(2) Long Range Missiles has been added with Military Know-how (Applied Physics) and Information Networks as prerequisites. This allows the missile chassis and conventional payload, which are in Orbital Spaceflight (D6), much further up the tech tree in SMAX. The other items in Orbital Spaceflight have been moved up the tech tree in SMAniaC. Planetbuster is in Antimatter Production (D7) and paradise garden (sky hydroponics lab) is in Secrets of Alpha Centauri (E7).

(3) Nonlinear Mathematics has been renamed High Intensity Lasers, made less attractive to factions interested in tech and one of its prerequisites changed from Information Networks to The Fission Reactor (Doctrine: Mobility; the other prerequisite remains Military Know-how [Applied Physics]).

(4) High Energy Chemistry (C2) has been removed. Tube mail (Plasma Steel Armor, D3) has been moved up the tech tree to Nanotube Mass Production (C3). Viral gas (nerve gas) has been moved up the tech tree to Retroviral Geneering (B4).

(5) Polymorphic Software (D2) has been removed. (The SMANiaC Polymorphic Software is Planetary Networks.) Heavy Artillery has been moved down the tech tree to The Fission Reactor (E1).

(6) Planetary Networks has been renamed Polymorphic Software and made more attractive to factions interested in power. Probe teams have been moved down the tech tree to Information Networks (D1).

(7) Doctrine: Loyalty has been renamed Military Doctrine.

(8) Industrial Economics has been renamed Industrial Base and made more attractive to factions interested in power. This tech is now the terraforming prerequisite for mines and mining platforms and lifts mineral restrictions.

(9) Secrets of the Human Brain is unchanged.

(10) Ethical Calculus has been renamed The Exowomb, made more attractive to factions interested in power and wealth and less attractive to factions interested in growth.

(11) Centauri Empathy has been moved down the tech tree from E3 to E2 (one of its prerequisites has been changed from Secrets of the Human Brain, D2, to Progenitor Psych, E1) and it now increases mineral production in fungus.

(12) Field Modulation has been made less attractive to factions interested in tech.

The addition of Long Range Missiles is the biggest change. On offense, a conventional missile will knock out any single defender in the early game. On defense, bases will need more defenders if the enemy has long range missiles.

[vyeh]

Mutatio changed production to a scout for exploration, which is due next year. After that, I think it should build a colony pod.

Expansion up to the bureaucracy limit seems to be the best strategy for maximizing our research rate.

[vyeh]

The Genesis explorer has located two interesting squares: a Unity pod and a rocky river jungle square.

The rocky river jungle square will produce 1-1-1 and is a logical place for the scout to start an exploratory river trip.

I assume Hydro would rather we wait until we've established a base next to it. Does anyone want to pop the pod?

It seems obvious to me that the Mutatio explorer should move north onto the rocky square.

Queen Elevea has moved past Prophet Cha Dawn to take the tech lead:

[Hydro]

Yup - a base by the pod is a sure-fire way to get at least a neutral result. We can pop the pod with a former or scout. Plus, one of the nearby tiles is a decent place for a base anyway.

The AIs seem to know where the Jungle is, so getting a base established there is a priority. Even a Jungle/Rocky/river tile can be useful!

The fact the pod is still there is a helpful sign the AI isn't in the area yet since they pop pods as they go.

I wonder if this map has Jungle fragments all over it?

Hydro