24-02-2001 11:20									#1
	Is it possible to pop boom with the cyborgs? Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

If someone knows how I would really like to know.

	24-02-2001 12:12									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Well... to pop-boom all you need is +6 or greater growth.
For cyborgs this can be achieved in one of two ways:
Childrens Creche
Demo
Planned
Golden Age

The GA is a real problem when running planned, you pretty much need the HGP to have any chance of GA pop-booming. You'll need to pump massive amounts of your energy into pysch, about 40% at a guess. GA's are a breeze for free marketeers, but a big PIA when running planned, and because of how talents neutralise drones you probably wont be able to achieve a pop boom in a base over size 10 or 11.

The second method is:
CC
Demo
Planned
Eudo

Variation on second:
CC
Demo
FM
Eduo
GA (with high energy from FM+Eudo and paradise gardens a GA would be possible)

But that's too late in the game to help, other than for the post-hab dome no Vats popboom.

So long answer, Yes, but it's a big PIA and wont work for large bases, forget it if you missed the HGP.
Short answer, not really.

	24-02-2001 18:24									#3
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

It is the achilles heel of the Cyborgs, but it is certainly possible - believe me, the extra pop points are worth it if you have to run 80% psych for a handful of turns.

One technique I often use to pop boom with the CyC:

- Make sure you are running Demo/Planned/Wealth. Jack your psych up to however many % you need to maintain a GA in the vast majority of your bases (usually somewhere around 60%).
- The extra +1 economy from the GA will take you to +2 - you should be able to take the psych down to 40% or so, and the GAs will hold. Plus, all that extra energy from the +2 econ....

This works a treat, and nets you a decent income to boot. However, it won't work if yo are not running wealth.

	24-02-2001 18:35									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

It's been my experience that population booms from GA's don't work in MP tcp/ip play. I'm unsure about pbem. Anyone else experience this problem? Any idea how to fix it? I noticed it most recently playing as Yang in a 3-way game, where I could not, of course, pop boom with the usual cc/dem/planned due to Yang's inability to choose dem.

I had adequate food and multiple turns of GA, but no pop boom.

Very aggravating. Could have sewn up the game a /lot/ sooner had the pop boom worked.

	24-02-2001 23:04									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Walt, I have been able to pop boom in IP. Any chance you playing SMAC and not SMACX? They never did fix the SMAC GA bug, so GA doesn't help you pop boom in SMAC.
[This message has been edited by RedFred (edited February 24, 2001).]

	25-02-2001 01:44									#6
	Remove this text

Thanks, Red Fred!

Yes, that was indeed the problem. The game was MP SMAC b/c one of our number wasn't equipped with the expansion.

Hmmm... That opens up all kinds of possibilities in certain ongoing pbem games... *evil grin*

Walt

	28-02-2001 04:32									#8
	Got spare money?

Thanks.