alpha centauri (part 2)

[fgalkin]

Another question: what (and how many) units are sufficient to defend my territory. (Just FYI, the demo game ends at 100 turns, so obviously, just up to that point)

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Captain tycho]

Another question: what (and how many) units are sufficient to defend my territory. (Just FYI, the demo game ends at 100 turns, so obviously, just up to that point)

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Unless you get into a big war with the other factions, keeping a few infantry units garrisoned in each of your bases should be plenty to keep out native life. Also, set up sensor arrays at strategic points, as they afford a defensive bonus to friendly units inside it's square. If you DO get into a war, devote at least 1/3 of your bases towards military unit production. Its a good idea to have 4-5 'attack' rovers and 5-7 light interception rovers. The interceptors can keep your territory clean of any probe-teams/scouts, while the attack rovers can re-take bases and execute counter attacks. Oh, and always keep your border bases well garrisoned with infantry. (A no-brainer, really.)

[Archaic`]

[EDIT] Formers require Centauri Ecology, a level 1 tech. Supply Crawlers require 4 prerequisite techs to get the 5th one, Industrial Automation. Crawlers are essential because they're like mobile miners. If you play any faction other than University and maybe Peacekeepers, you should go for Centauri Ecology first (for the formers) then the first 2 Build and Discover techs (I forget the names - but there's only one of each available anyway).

Uni should take Centauri Ecology as it's first free tech, then research the techs in the following order.

Industrial Base
Industrial Economics
Planetary Economics
Industrial Automation

That beeline always works, no matter what other factors may be involved. Having Formers to start out really helps a lot, regardless of what position you end up in.

[Stofsk]

So let the other guy have Secrets of the Human Brain? I like the free tech if I reach it first.

[EDIT] What about those resource restrictions that I keep hearing about? When do they get lifted (or is that what supply crawlers are supposed to do)?

[EDIT] Another thing that's got my curiosity, Arid squares are rather useless for anything other than forests or non-resource production facilities (like sensors or airbases etc), but you can still colonise them. And you don't seem to suffer any penalties for doing so. I guess my question is - is it worth colonising Arid squares? Does it have a long-term effect, or does it mean jack shit?

[another EDIT] Do you start converting your workers to specialists at around a size 5 base, or below that, or after that? And what do you go for - Labs, Psych, Economy?