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Mod Idea: fix Fundamentalism
It's about time to do something about Fundy. Forget Free Market, Fundamentalism is the WORST SE choice in the game in my humble opinion. I myself once believed Free Market was too limiting, but I relized that the +2 Economy was a pretty tremedous benefit indeed. But Fundamentalism has very few redeeming qualities to offset it's -2 Research penalty. Also the existence of it doesn't really make much sense either. Think about it, there is no other faction except Mariam whose ideology would include setting up a fundamentalist government except Cha Dawn. Fundamentalism seems to exist for the sake of one faction, Mariam. And fundamentalism is more a value system than it is a form of government. In fact in my SMAC2 and SMACX2 modpacks I've eliminated Fundamentalism and replaced it with the cultism social choice. Cultism is a form of government where the people unite behind a leader who claims himself to be the future, or the one destined to rule. Cultism can fit in the ideological mythos of several factions, while Fundamentalism only fits into the mythos of the religious factions(only Mariam really because it seems the Fundamentalism is made to be rule by a CHRISTIANITY. So there are no Muslims or Jews on Alpha Centauri?) My cultist SE(which I'm trying to think of a better name, cultism doesn't sound quite right) could be used by many groups, as both a good thing and a bad thing. Cultism could be used by a manipulative leader that is trying to brainwash his population into serving him/her. Or it could be adopted by a great leader, whose charisma, benevolence, and command presence inspires a sense of awe into his/her people. But that is only for my mod, what are we going to do about "real" SMAC? Fundamentalism is the least attractive political choice in the game. I usually use Democracy, and sometimes Police State, I never, NEVER use Fundy, ever. It's morale bonus can easily be duplicated with social engineering, and it's probe bonus isn't worth giving up the extra growth and efficiency of Democracy, and the support bonus of police state. And the probe bonus only makes half sense. Sure religion will decrease the chance of an enemy brainwashing your population, but how does religion make it easier for your spies to carry out acts of sabotage, and espionage? The game doesn't give any incentives for fundamentalism unlike Civ 2.
Let it be known that I'm not a fan of Civ 2's fundy either. I hate how it portrays religion as evil. Fundy governments are the only governments that can produce fanatic terrorists? Fundy allows nations to get away with nuclear atrocities becuase the other nations expect no better from you. But on the other hand it offers some neat benefits that aren't present in SMAC. 10 support free units, tithe, and no unhappy citizens. Well the unhappy citizens part is unrealistic, there's no way you're going to convince me that the entire population of Talliban Afganistan is content. But Civ2's fundy has some incentive to use it(though I don't use fundy in that game either.)
I think a great mod would be to combine the benefits of both SMAC's and Civ 2's fundy's.
How about this:
+2 MORALE
+3 TALENT {Though not everyone is content, religion does quell some dissent in the nation}
+2 PROBE
-4 RESEARCH: {Greater penalty to offset the Talent bonus}
how about that?
And on a final note, in CIV3 and SMAC2(if there is one) Fundamentalism should NOT be a form of government, it should be a system of values. The should be a religion value choice or something like that. That way you could have a religious democracy, and Mariam wouldn't bother you simply becuase you are using a democratic form of government.
Let it be known that I'm not a fan of Civ 2's fundy either. I hate how it portrays religion as evil. Fundy governments are the only governments that can produce fanatic terrorists? Fundy allows nations to get away with nuclear atrocities becuase the other nations expect no better from you. But on the other hand it offers some neat benefits that aren't present in SMAC. 10 support free units, tithe, and no unhappy citizens. Well the unhappy citizens part is unrealistic, there's no way you're going to convince me that the entire population of Talliban Afganistan is content. But Civ2's fundy has some incentive to use it(though I don't use fundy in that game either.)
I think a great mod would be to combine the benefits of both SMAC's and Civ 2's fundy's.
How about this:
+2 MORALE
+3 TALENT {Though not everyone is content, religion does quell some dissent in the nation}
+2 PROBE
-4 RESEARCH: {Greater penalty to offset the Talent bonus}
how about that?
And on a final note, in CIV3 and SMAC2(if there is one) Fundamentalism should NOT be a form of government, it should be a system of values. The should be a religion value choice or something like that. That way you could have a religious democracy, and Mariam wouldn't bother you simply becuase you are using a democratic form of government.
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