24-10-2001 12:22									#31
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Well, I had to give it up to the Pirates. Massively annoying in the endgame with all those bases ... which are absolutely useless when you, the landlubber, take them over. And there must be something in my play style that automatically pushes Sven's buttons and causes him to be hostile no matter what faction I'm playing.

Sven's annoying habit of lining the coasts with bases caused me to trigger the worst case of worm rape in my SMAC career. Something snapped in my head and I spent a few turns (in a MP game) gassing away all of those annoying Pirate nests. A few years later, the natives came calling. Ouch.

Honorable mentions: Miriam for being an ignorant, aggressive pain. Dee for being the first to PB me. Green my ... !

	24-10-2001 23:34									#32
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quote: Originally posted by Ned The best opponent is LAL. The second best is Dr. Z.

**COUGH, COUGH**

Are you joking!? Zak is far to easy to kill with probe-teams and lacks infrastructure becuase he ain't gonna run wealth. Lal just pronounces war with everyone and I just seem to find him an easy target...

Man, Yang is the BEST opponent, next is probably Aki, who gets both energy and tech hungry , he builds TONS of bases and then uses police to supres the B-drones and build TONs of units, running the PS/Planned/Power combo to chuck out masses of units out of bases. I mean, I kill one Hive infanry and ten come along

BTW, Blunderdog, Deidre was also the only faction to SUCCESSFULLY planetbust me!

	25-10-2001 00:07									#33
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Aki is actually a surprisingly good opponent - I say surprisingly because I almost always play as her, whereas in my last game I played as Deirdre Skye, Eco-Warrior. Aki was at tech-parity (and sometimes better) the whole game - mind you, she did land on the Garland Crater island (normal map of Planet) alone, so she had time to expand like heck.

Even though I was almost twice as big as her basewise shortly before I voted myself in as PG, her research was going exactly as fast as mine.

On another subject, Cha Dawn is a totally crap opponent. He almost totally obliterated Lal (round of applause to him, everybody), wiping him off the face of Planet (he escaped in a colony pod), but when I came to call with my chaos rovers, all he had were synthmetal sentinels and recon rovers! Terrible!

	25-10-2001 04:50									#34
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Cybergod, I must admit that I play a modified game to make the AI tougher, and typically play on larger, builder type worlds. I do remember that Yang used to be tougher than LAL. Not so if you modify the game, i.e., make all factions pacifist, add a build interest, add +1 police to fundy and power, and defer the introduction of farms, solar and mines to level three techs. Here the AI really builds infrastructure, keeps up in the tech race and is militarily powerful - on the average. Under these condition, LAL is very strong.

Ned

	25-10-2001 05:51									#35
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quote: Originally posted by Lord_Icewind What if an alien faction took the "water faction" choice?

If you want to see an alien water faction go to The NetworkNode and download the Bree faction. Alien, aquatic and fungus lovers (+1 nut, +2 min fromfungus)!

The only probelm with them is that the author gave them NO starting techs. Give them D:Flex and D:Mobility (just like the Pirates) and be prepared to deal with a hostile monster!

Also, the faction leader is a hottie!



Edit: Fixed bad link.

	16-11-2001 05:14									#36
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Yang, hands down. I ALWAYS try to take him out ASAP.


I have NEVER found SMAX around where I live. Where can I order it?

(Haven't been on this forum in months)

	16-11-2001 06:58									#37
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as computer opponents go, I'm gna stand hard.

believers are MY FAVORITE. this is because, while not everygame. the believers on a good day w/ fair wind, can easily be the single most dominating, and hardest to beat ai faction. I know ppl hate the believers for this very reason, which seems paradoxical, but thats ok.

and along that line of reasoning, my most hated is morgan, who seems completely inept everytime he's played. spartans can suck nuts too, but morgan takes the cake. its just depressing when you're like "ok lets kill morgan now."

I'd vote morgan, who has zero votes, but this thing thinks I voted already, tho I can't remember when.

	16-11-2001 13:03									#38
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i actually like miriam. she's fun to deal with because she is constantly chaging aan dyou neva know where she stands. i have to say that Brian Reynolds did a great job on her

	17-11-2001 03:16									#39
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quote: Originally posted by Deimos If you want to see an alien water faction go to The NetworkNode and download the Bree faction. Alien, aquatic and fungus lovers (+1 nut, +2 min fromfungus)! The only probelm with them is that the author gave them NO starting techs. Give them D:Flex and D:Mobility (just like the Pirates) and be prepared to deal with a hostile monster!

great faction eh? i played them and res communicated. i had both greens in the game (cult gaia) and kicked the sh*t out of both of them (HA HA HA MY PLANET BONUS IS SUPERIOR TO YOURS!). unfortunately the cult finally realised in 2300 that they could use trance 3res so i had to use the unstopable WAVE PSI Chopper. try and beat that with elite dream twister and +7 planet (green cyber). ha ha ha. not to mention at then end of the game with the manifold harmonics fungus was producing like 4-4-4 or something.

no starting techs is fine just capture IOD's with your free gunship IIRC.

oh and back on topic (even though i already voted) I HATE DOMAI!

	22-11-2001 15:46									#40
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Had a hard time choosing between Miriam, Hive and Morgan. A biggot *****, a dictatorial bastard and a wild capitalist *******, mmh all the three kind of governments I hate

But well, Morgan is pacifist, and Miriam, as twisted and as intolerant she is, as somehow, somewhere, a vague idea about moral concepts, while the Hive just barely consider that its people are human being. So go for the Hive as the worst faction :P

Well, I never heard about SMAX, just WHERE can I find it ???

	24-11-2001 10:36									#41
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Definitely Roze! It isn't really her play style at all, I just HATE that accent! She sounds like a five-year-old

Whenever I build my first Covert Ops Center I have to go run under the bed to get away from that voice...

	03-12-2001 10:17									#42
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I cast my pebble for (against?) Br. Lal and his PK lot. Never have I had a game where he was a loyal pactmate. It didn't matter if I was all the way at the bottom of the power totem, gifting him techs and pouring ECs into his capacitors!
Even playing as him I can't have a good game, no matter how friendly I am.
Guess who I replace when I'm testing a custom faction?

	03-12-2001 11:59									#43
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quote: Originally posted by gwillybj I cast my pebble for (against?) Br. Lal and his PK lot. Never have I had a game where he was a loyal pactmate. It didn't matter if I was all the way at the bottom of the power totem, gifting him techs and pouring ECs into his capacitors!

That would be because his personality is 'Erratic'.

However, I find Lal to be reliable and loyal... and his Double Votes is useful if he is an ally....

	04-12-2001 00:31									#44
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*looks over the results of the poll*

Somehow I am not surprised about who is the most hated

Akka le Vil, look over the past threads in this forum - I remember there have been several threads on SMAX availability (which is seriously lacking )

Lal? Loyal?!? *CHOCKES NEAR TO DEATH*



I only use Lal in the beginning, then I let him succomb to my probe team army...

	04-12-2001 22:47									#45
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I'm surprised that two people voted for Aki - I usually find her a good opponent!

Nice tech gifts, rarely if ever declares war, etc!

	15-12-2001 04:51									#46
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I voted for the Believers. Miriam is just a self-righteous little #&^#%& and gets REALLY, REALLY, annoying. It's just so infuriating when you roll up your elite Probe Team next to one of her most vital bases after you've got her HQ and then remember that you can't mind control them. AND they're always the most resistant to surrender. You have to be about to EXTERMINATE her before she gives in. The only people more frustrating in this regard are the Aliens, because I have NEVER seen them surrender. EVER. Not even when I've got an army a the gates of their last base and have just eradicated the garrison.

	22-12-2001 03:13									#47
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Yes, hard choice....Had to choose between Miriam and Yang.

Went with Yang.

At end game, it is a royal PITA cleaning up all those bizillion size 5 cities. Plus, he kinda gives me the creeps....Miriam is a biatch, but can't ever be taken seriously due to her incredible lack of technology. Yang is the worst.

	22-12-2001 03:36									#48
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Have to go with Miriam though Lal is rather annoying to.

	14-02-2002 20:07									#49
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bump^

	15-02-2002 00:06									#50
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MIRIAM!!
I HATE HER!!

She's so annoying, and in all of my games over the last year, she has always been the first to go.

In my most recent game she didn't like my democracy so she used her foils for raids all along my coast. But that's the only problem. With me....you destroy 1 oil platform....I'll destroy 10. You attack 1 city, I'll take over 10+. And....if in the rare even she takes a city...I'll PB every city she's got into the ground.

Unfortunately I didn't have PB's when I took her out...so massive landings on her shores did the trick. Like I said...she's always the first to go.

	15-02-2002 00:52									#51
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I voted for Miriam. I hate her! I hate her! That %$¨&*&¨%$# b!tch! I hate her!!!

Ok, I feel better now...

	15-02-2002 16:01									#52
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Believers, no question about that, they are a group of brainwashed extremists that are impossible to infiltrate.
I don't like playing them because of the horrible research and I don't like them outside because my Democracy/Free Market/Wealth/Eudamonia is godless and I always find myself being attacked by them, even when I am ten thousand times bigger than they are.

I can't really agree with the ones that say the Spartans are bad, I usually have a pact with them through most of the game or the entire depending on the specifics.

But Morgan, there is a man to love (this is relative, not physical or emotional), lots of energy and energy can buy anything, Secret Projects, Units and it pays for research!, in my last game I made over ten thousand credits per turn and I researched one new technology every turn.
Having a Hovertank like this (30!-12-3 Blink,Clean) hitting a base defended by mostly these (1-8-1) is very fun and it takes no time to destroy an empire with a few of the hovertanks.

	18-02-2002 09:05									#53
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A frightening thought occurred to me as I was perusing the threads...

quote: Originally posted by gwillybj I cast my pebble for (against?) Br. Lal and his PK lot...

Another poll here queried which faction leader we thought we were most similar to, all things considered.
I chose Lal there, too, and stand with that choice. Doesn't that seem odd?

	18-02-2002 20:14									#54
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The Caretakers, hands down. I can find ways of counteracting the special abilities of all other factions, or perhaps even emulate them myself through SE or SPs, but the Caretakers' defence bonus extends to every sodding combat situation - including (for goodness' sake!) probe activities!

Fortunately there is the nerve gas shortcut, and a very satisfying one it is too.

I have never played against Yang so I cannot judge. Miriam struck me as being amongst the easiest factions to conquer, according to military readiness and diplomatic repercussions.

	22-05-2002 14:43									#55
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A lot depends on how early you encounter them - in the beginning when Miriam's tech slowcoachness hasn't yet begun to hit, if she's right next to you she can do a LOT of damage. If, however, she's a long way away, you have time to build up a decent army and go Believer-hunting.

The opposite tends to be true of Yang and Santiago - the longer you give them, the stronger they become, especially the Hive who spread across the face of Planet like a pestilence. I take great delight in administering the vaccine

	22-05-2002 17:12									#56
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Since there's valid reason to hate all factions, I'll just put them into hate the most to hate the least order.

1. The Believers

God damn the god damned believers and their god damned devil leader Miriam and their god damned bible-thumping god-damned philosophy!!! Every game has been centred towards my conflict with her. At least even the Hive are willing to cooperate in their destruction.

2. Morganites

I admit. I'm a socialist, but though Morgan is supposed to be passive, he always declares vendetta against me, since I use Planned/Green economics more than Free Market.

3. Hive

As much as I like Yang's utopian vision, I still have great difficulty trying to get them to cooperate, even when I've established a Police State.

4. Peacekeepers

Lal may look like he has genuine humanitarian concern, but beneath the surface, there lurks a horrific monster that we call bureaucracy. He is also a sneaky bastard, and most of what he says is just whimpering.

5. University

Free flow and accumulation of information. What more positive to be said? However, Zakharov's lack of ethics is somewhat disturbing. Still, better that his drones be used as guinea pigs than mine (though with high police rating and full recreational and psych facilities, the drone situation is under control). Can always rely on his technological breakthroughs to stay ahead. The kind of faction you want to vassalise.

6. Gaians

Dierdre has usually been quite cooperative, well at least when I am green. However, she tends to put her precious planetmind ahead of human life. And she'll swarm you with her hordes of ravenous mind worms at first available shot.

7. Spartans

My favourite faction. However there are some things wrong with their ideology. Anyway, when I'm against them, they are more aggressive than their erratic behaviour should lead them. And since I'm usually one to use Knowledge, they'll always be spoiling for a fight. Of course, since I use them the most now, I won't be having this problem.

	23-05-2002 07:50									#57
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Oh how I hate you Fungboy, let me count the ways...

Cha Dawn looks like the court jester's "special" younger brother. If I were a cultist, I'd be ashamed to be led by a Children of the Corn reject with baby fat clinging to his cheeks. Take notes from Jim Jones, Charles Manson, David Khoresh, my dear Cha Dawn. Show me a little more charisma before I leap gaily into the brood pits. Otherwise, UGGH.

Besides which, the AI plays him like a total git, second only to Morgan, yet he stays around and makes a nuisance of himself instead of quietly getting eradicated.

	23-05-2002 10:56									#58
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The cyborg, I hate them because I have never played a game when they are good. They are to easy to destroy.

It looks like me that you don't like the good AI, I mean i like Yang, he can massproduce troops like no one else so he is a good opponnet.

By the way, I never play witrh the aliens, doesn't like the idea.

	24-05-2002 01:07									#59
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never played the expansion, but it seems that the Concious, and Pirates r the best faction....k, in original SMAC the most annoying facs. are HIVE or Believers.........i chose HIVE. Why? because its easier to beat the game if u play HIVE than beating the game with Believers

	24-05-2002 17:51									#60
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I find the Spartans really annoying. I ALWAYS start next to them when playing a peaceful (?!) game and if i've neglected to research military techs they kick my ass. One game Santiago refused to talk to me other than to say she looked forward to ruthlessly executing me! Oh why?!

As for Miriam, well she's more like a yapping Yorkshire terrier than a real opponent and she seems to have a strange fascination with unarmoured infantry units (chopper/rover fodder).

Idealogically, Morgan really pees me off. Capitalist, money grabbing ... grrr!!

By the way, what's this about submissive factions turning on you? That's only ever happened to me when i nerve-stapled some Believing citizens - Miriam didn't like that (muwahahaha) and promptly declared war on me.