24-03-2004 03:19									#1
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There have been lots of "favourite faction" polls in the past, but those IIRC dealt with what faction you would most want to join if you had the choice IRL. In this poll however I would be interested to know what factions you find the strongest in-game when played by humans. Could you please vote for your three "strongest faction" choices? Thanks.

Edit: Hmm, I just realized everyone would probably vote for the Aliens, already taking away two of the three votes. To make the results a bit more interesting, could I therefore please ask to ignore the Aliens and vote for your three strongest human factions?

Last edited by Maniac on 24-03-2004 at 03:24

	24-03-2004 03:56									#2
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I'm glad you discounted the Aliens, since they're so terrifyingly overpowered.

My picks for 3 Strongest when played by a Human are:

1. University

These guys are very popular, and with good reason. Their tech rate is second to none, and their drawbacks are relatively easy to compensate for. No support or industry limitations means you can even go for an early momentum strategy, buy teching toward weapons technology and hitting close neighbors with a fast impact rover rush.

2. Drones

Crushingly good mineral output, combined with enhanced drone control makes the Drones another highly flexible, powerful faction. The inability to go Green really only becomes a hindrance late game. The vast industrial capacity lets the Drones pursue any path they choose toward victory, whether it's a builder or momentum strategy, or anything in between.

3. Peacekeepers

Lal has no apparent weaknesses, and lots of powerful strengths that make them a threat to win every game they're in. Double Council votes cannot be overestimated, as does the utility of free talents. The extra Hab limits merely makes up for Lal's minor efficiency problems, but makes specialist-driven, high nutrient economy a natural choice.

Honorable Mentions go to Yang and Dierdre, though I personally find both factions a little too economically inflexible to be as powerful as the 3 I've chosen. I short, if you can't get +2 Economy, you're not a top-ranked faction in my book.

	24-03-2004 05:16									#3
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Can you believe that I rarely go FM? Usually it is planned during pop-boom, then green for the rest of the way for me.

I'd have to say the strongest are:

1. Peacekeepers: Pop limits, council votes, talents, starts with biogenetics (which lets you get recycling tanks, HGP, and which also gives you a shot at secret of the human brain), no weaknesses-very versatile. You can build and you can conquer, whichever one you want.

2. Gaians: starts with centauri ecology, so you can terraform right from the beginning. Good planet rating - can capture mind worms, +10% planet bonus when fighting native life. Excellent efficiency. +1 nutrients in fungus. Few weaknesses, also very versatile. You can build, or you can lead your mind worm legions to victory. Also very good late in the game when you have to deal with the planet freak-outs.

3. University: I've noticed that the University is a good faction for both beginners on their first game and highly skilled veterans. The University is also very versatile. +2 tech is very nice. Has probably the best shot at Secrets of the human brain. Free network node at each base (the virtual world is a must for UoP). Free starting tech of your choice. Starts with information networks, which sets you up for a beeline to nonlinear mathematics if you are in the mood for conquerin', or Ind Auto if you just wanna crawl, crawl, crawl. The only negatives are probe susceptibility and an extra drone every four citizens. However, those problems can be easily dealt with.

Basically, what I look for is versatility. While other factions seem to have certain niches mastered, with these factions you have a lot of options concerning how you want to play. That's also why these factions all make excellent beginner choices. You don't have to have a certain niche mastered in order to play well with these.

	24-03-2004 13:34									#4
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Whoops, voted for the aliens before I read Maniac's post.

My revised 3 would be :

Hive
University
Peacekeepers

-Jam

	24-03-2004 20:10									#5
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The Hiver all the way . You better pray you're not parked next to me or you are TOAST.

All that growth, industry and support, police with NO penalties? Plus free perimeter defense? It's not even close.

Edit: also the gaians and I won't even pick the University because they're pathetically easy

	24-03-2004 22:10									#6
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Although the Hive does have a very well know weakpoint in MP. They have either no cash in the early game or they are running Wealth so they have no morale. Of course once the Hive gets going it can become a mighty power in the middle game. I feel they fall off later as they cannot run Demo making Popboom a problem and getting a decent effic impossible.

-Jam

	24-03-2004 22:29									#7
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Hive - the military and defensive powerhouse. Very hard to play against, especially on a large map.
University - the Net Nodes is a tremendous bonus,a nd with the VW they solve their drone problem, while still havign fantastic research.
Pirates - The sea is a great resource, but usually lacks minerals. With that, the ability for early trade, and some great ships, they can be a force to be reckoned with. Also quote hard to play against in the early and early-middle game.

Honourable mentions to PKs, because of their votes, growth potential and talents, making them great popboomers. Gaians have a huge military problem, and are pretty easy to overrun in war, Morganites have problem growing and in war, especially if roleplayed (FM all the way) and Drones research problems really let them down, IMHO. You have to get the tech before you can build the SP.

	24-03-2004 22:41									#8
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quote: Originally posted by Jamski Although the Hive does have a very well know weakpoint in MP. They have either no cash in the early game or they are running Wealth so they have no morale. -Jam

I've never had a cash crunch with Yang in either SP or MP. You're running a huge network of formers to literally steamroll yourself some extra economy through massive terraforming, PLUS a huge army to go out and hunt worms and probe.


And I never EVER run Wealth. It's Power all the way. +2 morale to go along with the Command Nexus, and the ability to support up to base size for free? That is baaad azzz Even with a tech lag, you are a juggernaut to be reckoned with...

	24-03-2004 23:29									#9
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quote: I've never had a cash crunch with Yang in either SP or MP. You're running a huge network of formers to literally steamroll yourself some extra economy through massive terraforming, PLUS a huge army to go out and hunt worms and probe.

Yeah, I know what you mean, the Hive can make money, but I like to spend, spend, spend and with the Hive there's never quite enough money compared with the other factions.

I only run Power with the Hive if I can snag the Cloning Vats, because the Industry penalty BITES.

-Jam

	24-03-2004 23:52									#10
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What penalty though, really? Power evens out your Industry, but your getting some minerals back with the huge Support boost. I would never run an SE choice that negates my trademark SP, The Nexus, even with the Industry bonus. Thats why I don't use Wealth, personally.

	25-03-2004 00:07									#11
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The Hive is a good faction when you don't have good money management skills, but I'll take a cash-rich faction every day. Against a competently run University, Morgan or Peacekeeper enemy, you may never GET power. When your enemies have gotten IA and Impact Weapons at the same time you've managed to get lasers, you're going to have problems.

FYI, Wealth doesn't negate the Command Nexxus, it just halves the benefit you receive from it.

	25-03-2004 00:25									#12
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I picked Zak, Yang, and Domai

Zak for an effective +80% research in the early game, and with VW no drone problems. With Zak you research so fast you can get to IA before you can even use it effectively. His weaknesses are -2 probe, which isn't a big deal since if probes get to most factions they'll suffer, and a small drone problem that doesn't even matter until bases reach size 4.

Yang for the ability to place many, many cities without drone problems, and for his high industry. Although he only gets +1 inherently, he can run Planned better than most factions for an extra +1. Wealth cancels his econ penalty and boosts his industry even higher. Throw in the PTS if you can get it and sprawl over the planet. Not being able to use Demo hurts in the late game, if you get there, but the lack of pop booming is offset by the ability to make many small cities so easily

Domai gets +2 industry. Add on either FM/Wealth or Planned/Wealth for enough to build anything very quickly, as long as you can research it. To offset a low research rate, make lots of crawlers to crawl more energy, or make lots of cities. Hell, make lots of anything you need. Domai is silly if you can cope with the early lack of tech.

Deirdre, Lal, and Aki are also good.

	25-03-2004 00:51									#13
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Uni, Hive, Drones.

Jamski, the Hives money problems aren't that bad, granted you wont be making a thousand or 2 by 2200 like the builders but with the tight packed cities when you get the sats ive hit 10,000 per turn by 2260, heck i think my record was 40,000 .... damn i remember those turns *shudders* took me an evening to play 1

As for early game just get the planetary energy grid and you'll easily be getting in a couple hundred in no time.


Chaos sums up nicely my view on the overall picture of the 3.

	25-03-2004 07:42									#14
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A lot depends on the difficulty level selected, because of controlling drones. THe University is great at lower an middle difficulties, but fades at the higher ones, where the peacekeepers, cyborgs and Gains gain relative stregnth.

	25-03-2004 11:30									#15
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quote: Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola A lot depends on the difficulty level selected, because of controlling drones. THe University is great at lower an middle difficulties, but fades at the higher ones, where the peacekeepers, cyborgs and Gains gain relative stregnth.

The University's drone problem is most irrelevant at transcend difficulty. Since you are likely to have drones as your first citizen in every base if you have expanded enough, the extra drones don't mean anything.

	25-03-2004 12:09									#16
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Beat me to it. Yeah, I used to think that Uni couldn't hack Transcend until I saw Sikander's pure-specialist strategy. Since specialists don't become drones, you only need to quell 5 drones, and then you can ICS till you're blue in the face.

	25-03-2004 13:51									#17
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Angels, Peacekeepers and Hive.

PK and Hive is fairly obvious.

But I like to probe around now and then, the Angels are quite my favourite for that, and are balanced enough IMO for a non-probe approach of the game if wanted so.

	25-03-2004 14:46									#18
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I voted for:

University
Drones
Peacekeepers

I voted that way because of success with the University and Lal, and because of the Drones reputation amongst multiplayers. Honorable mention to the Hive, which I have also had good success with.

	25-03-2004 20:26									#19
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For the record, I voted for the UoP, PKs and Drones.
UoP and PKs were obvious choices for me. For the third vote I was in doubt between the Drones, Hive, Pirates and Morganites who all have very specific strengths and weaknesses, but I ended up voting for the Drones because they can easily popboom, unlike the other three factions.

quote: Originally posted by Jamski Whoops, voted for the aliens before I read Maniac's post. My revised 3 would be : Hive University Peacekeepers

What faction did you vote for besides the Aliens before your revision?

	25-03-2004 21:11									#20
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Uni, Drones, Consciouness

UNi and Drones are obvious and have been stated here.

Consiousness is the wildcard b/c it can go with a relatively unstoppable early impact rush much quicker than anyone esle. Or can settle back and run Demo/FM/wealth and have 100% allocation to research or econ. Running a pop boom going GA & Dem/planned/creche is not difficult. A great rusher and a good but not great builder.

	26-03-2004 23:24									#21
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Drat, I also read the post only after I voted for the Aliens.

Hive, Morgan, and Uni for me. I can't use the Morganites for crap but the more I see them used, the more convinced I am that energy is one of the most important things in the game.

	27-03-2004 07:24									#22
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I think Hive for its +Growth, +Industry, free perimeter defence and flattened efficiency

	27-03-2004 10:41									#23
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1. The Cybernetic Consciousness
2. The Human Hive
3. Manifold Caretakers

quote: Jamski: Whoops, voted for the aliens before I read Maniac's post. Alinestra Covelia: Drat, I also read the post only after I voted for the Aliens.

Me, too.
3. Gaia's Stepdaughters

	28-03-2004 09:51									#24
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I say University, Morgan, and Rose's hacker kids.

Unniversity... my God... what kind of a silly person does it take to think they suck?

Morgan... I can see why some people dislike him, but if you're decent, you can turn him into a true powerhouse. only way to beat Morgan late game is to beat him mid game, really.

And everyone hates suypport costs, but if you think about it, what's better... surviving the attacks because you have twice the units they thought you would and taking a minor hit to your industry at two or three bases... or dying because you hate the little red-rimmed-mineral?

And Angels, because... I'm sorry, a probe-rape faction without the penalties that the bible-thumpers have is wonderful.

	29-03-2004 11:42									#25
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I hate to do this, but I change my vote. (sorry, i voted for the aliens)

I believe that by far, the most powerful (assuming you have updates or crossfire) is the Hive.

I hate the Hive, but they are deffinitely the best. When I look at who is the most powerful, I also include social engineering choices. With immunity to efficiency, the Hive can do Police State and Planned, and litterally kill everyone with industry and infrastructure. And, although not reccommended, doing power, may eliminate the industry benefits, but will give +4 support and a great morale benefit, making the hive almost invincible. The only people who can get by the Hive are my personal two favorites, the Angels and University


The University can use it's tech to create infrastructure even better than the drones and morgans, and although it won't have as many units as the Hive, it can use it's tech to kill Yang units.

The Angels also can bypass the military superpower lead by the insane Chairman Yang by using elite probe teams. Mind control one of Yang's bases, and you have a whole horde of facilities and units. While you may not be able to support them due to the vast number, you can use them as kamikaze attackers and weaken Yang up for the kill.

But of course, don't forget the ALiens. The have by far the best advantages, to bad they have to look so ugly.

	29-03-2004 14:53									#26
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quote: Originally posted by Commy ...lead by the insane Chairman Yang...

Who says Yang is insane?

	29-03-2004 15:32									#27
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Its common knowledge.

-Jam

	29-03-2004 15:59									#28
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quote: Originally posted by Jamski Its common knowledge.

Tyranny is not insanity. It's horribly unpleasant, but it is not neccessary insane. Yang is, in my opinion, more Hobbes and anti-Foucault than he is Mao Tse Tung.

	29-03-2004 21:20									#29
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Communism, and to a certain extent, tyrrany is not insane. Yang is insane, not socialism.

	30-03-2004 05:56									#30
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Gaians, PK and Drones.

The Gaians find the fungus mighty tasty. Their +1 food on fungus makes an already powerful PTS that much better. Although I much prefer a balanced resource tile, an early 2 food fungus can help sustain your pop boom prior to intensive terraforming. The inexperienced units problem is easily solved by switching to planned once you have enough worms and you are ready for booming. Or nab the CN... or build Command Centres... They have the inside track to SoHB if the Cult aren't playing and Uni is slow off the mark. They can't easily get +1 energy but the fungal army is the best for pod popping and generating some extra cash. And the late game fungus becomes valuable much more quickly than for the other guys, even without the fungus resource enhancing SP.

PK outranks Roz for the ultimate flexible faction because of the hab limits. If I have a reasonable chance of getting the +2 hab limits SP I will even modify my base spacing because size 18 cities are so valuable. The extra votes should make you a shoe-in for Guv in the early going. No SE restrictions are nice. The extra happy campers are an added bonus.

The Drones. Minerals. Build stuff quick.