Favourite unit?

[Clear Skies]

I know there must've been umpteen posts on this topic, but hey, I'm lazy so I thought I might start a new one.
Fave units from anyone?
Hmmm...my personal favourite...tricky one. I tried a new one yesterday - stuck drop pods on an infantry unit with hand weapons, a probability sheath and non-lethal methods. Worked great - as soon as I took out the last defender in Free Drone Central I dropped three of these in. Captured Base drone problem and continuing defence problem both solved in one go!
Another of my personal favourites is the Empath/Trance Scout Rover (and, later, Hovertank) - perfect for fungal pod popping. Make sure the morale's decent, though!
Yet another (am I dominating the discussion here? is the trained psi attack/defence with soporific gas pods. (Whatever chassis - by the time you've got this it's probably hovertanks or even gravships) Lategame, but I always find it so useful - especially on attack! Just watch even Santiago's morale melt away before the might of your attack... (make sure she doesn't have the Neural Amp though!)
Anyone else?

[Drago Sinio]

These are great to use against the an AI that is more powerful than you would like. You set up a sea base about 9 squares away from the enemy, and send in repeated probes to destroy facilities. You can also of course use the other probe tricks as needed.

[Earwicker]

If by some horrible chance I miss out on the HSA, then the probe team is my favorite unit. 1-1-1*1, drop probe teams are essential to send along with an invasion wave to prevent the AI cheat buy-back of its bases.

Cruiser probes are a great shoreline defense - just mind control those annoying missile cruisers that have come to destroy your seaformers. Now you have a defender without having to tie up your own production (and visitors from faraway factions are very cheap to buy). Roaming probes create no unhappiness in FM and don't cost support. Happy times!

Like Drago, I frequently use the 9-space-away cruiser probe base tactic. However, unless I'm trying to halt PB production or remove aerospace/perimeter defense (in anticipation of invasion), I don't go much for widespread sabotage. After all, someday this base might be mine and I'd like some infrastructure remaining. If your opponent is running FM and has some money, go for this tactic: hole up in a base near a sizable enemy base, send 4-5 cruisers per turn after the base to drain energy. That can get you an extra 200 or so energy per turn. Lather, rinse, repeat until he's broke.

[Ned]

1. Wave Copter
2. 1-1-1 Trained Scout
3. 1-1-1 Police Scout

No. 1 needs no introduction.

No. 2 is what I produce in the turn I capture a base. Next turn I upgrade to 1-best armor-1 AAA or ECM, police Next to a Drop Infrantry Unit to assist in the assault by the WAVE copters.

3. Police scouts are cheap to build but are as effective as Rec Commons. Three of these units in a +3 police envirnoment quell nine drones for a cost of 30 minerals.

The ability to upgrade has transformed the CIV game. Where in CIV, one had to build and transport units to a hostile shore, now that is no longer true, but actually represents bad strategy given the risk of being sunk and considering the time delay. Rather, taking (and holding) one base in hostile territory is all that is needed. Thereafter, building trained scouts and upgrading them is sufficient.

[Skanderbeg]

My favorite unit:
Auxiliary Cruiser: Cruiser with particle weapon, best armour, special abilities deep radar and AAA.

This unit rules the seven seas of Chiron!
It is awful cheap (ideal for prototyping new armour), and it can do everything on the ocean exccptt attacking well-defended bases.
It is ideal to conquer and hold empty bases, for scouting and pod-popping, escorting transports and sea colony pods, destroying Your enemies sea formers, transports and terraforming.
And with decent morale, it is even strong enough to sink Your enemies silksteel-armoured battleships with the particle weapon or attacking a base defended by plasma armoured garrison!

Since I had discovered this unit, I often end with really huge sea empires, and I have turned several games with them.

[Solver]

To me, the most awesome remains:
Best weapon Gravship, with Wave and Nerve Gas. Usually I make Graviton gun, and soon Quantum Laser then. Yes, they require support costs, but with the Living Refinery and crawlers this is no problem. They're fast, and can take off any defender. AAA won't help (Wave), plus the big 50% from Gas come in, also reducing population of the base. Comes in the late game, but lets me absolutely finish off any war I'm still in, usually with the terrible Svensgaard - 10 of these thing flying around the ocean will kill him.

[Iskandar Reza]

empath trance r-laser or r-something (the 12 or 13 strength weapon) tank/ foil/speeder/chopper.

the exterminator. it's so nice to be alive.

[The Commodore]

IoD

Transport, warship, pod-popper, and generally FREE!

[Iskandar Reza]

oooh yess.... IoD...!!

they're also nice to run over with 12r-8t-4*4 (empath,trance) cruisers, especially if a clan of them comes knocking, displaying their demon a$$.


wheee!! jackpot

[Longtooth]

best weapon, best armor marines on a best armored transport. coastal and sea domination.

late game, drop pod best weapon tanks with the space elevator.

[WhiteElephants]

I'll have to put in my vote for the plain ole' vanilla terraformer -- I might add trance if I'm feeling particularly frisky.

[Misotu]

You beat me to the terraformer And the supply crawler sort of goes without saying really. So flexible. So useful. So cheap. But if I were being esoteric, I'd have to go with AAA/ECM or TR silksteel scouts ... nice little defenders until you hit tachyons.

[WhiteElephants]

Ahh yes... how could I forget the lovely supply crawler?

[Sir Hawkeye]

Besides X Clean Singularity Stasis Doomspheres, you mean?

Elite Armored Infantry Repair Drop Transports (0^-6-2). Anything that makes it possible for a hovertank to drop out of thin air and move 6 spaces (elite) and then carries it away for rapid repairs is a winner in my book. Just really implemented the things a game or two ago, and damn are they FUN !

Closely followed by Demon Boil anything (I tend to wind up with PLANET in the +5 range)

[Ned]

Sir Hawkeye, I assume that the tanks sustain no damage in the drop when using a drop transport. Otherwise, I don't know why one wouldn't just put the drop pods on the tank?

With the Nanofactory, repairs are a thing of the past. I presume you need the repair transports because you do not have the Nanofactory.

Ned

[Solver]

Hm. What about the colony pod. You wouldn't be able to beat me without building any of these.

[Clear Skies]

Another of my favourites is the Trance Supply Crawler with best armour available. They might be expensive, but at least you don't get Domai's Missile Needlejets (hahaha) coming over and blasting all your supply convoys to so many tiny smithereens. They're pretty good at defending against rogue mindworm atacks too - I remember I once nearly lost a crucial supply convoy which, if it hadn't've been Trance-equipped, would have lost me an SP race for the Space Elevator. Ouch.

[Iskandar Reza]

Originally posted by Solver
Hm. What about the colony pod. You wouldn't be able to beat me without building any of these.

better than that is the aquatic version of it. you can set it up the minute it get's out of berth

[Ned]

Domai? I have never had a game where Domai was a factor or a threat. He does not expand, terraform, or build facilities. He simply builds large numbers of 1-2-1 garrisons until he has no minerals. In most of my games, he starts on a small island and stays there. I actually saw his starting unity foil with his first colony pod doing lazy circles near the home base late into the game! What is it with Domai on my system? He is by far and away the worst AI faction. Ned

[Taxa]

Sealurks are my fave

Before you say - its impossible to capture them (I thought so too) Ive just done it, with the hive off all factions!

And in this game, domei is doing by far and away the best, guess its just your system (don't laugh, I started squashed between miriam and lal)

E-mail me if you want to play with a sealurk, I'll send you the save

[Earwicker]

Originally posted by Ned
Domai? I have never had a game where Domai was a factor or a threat. He does not expand, terraform, or build facilities. He simply builds large numbers of 1-2-1 garrisons until he has no minerals. In most of my games, he starts on a small island and stays there. I actually saw his starting unity foil with his first colony pod doing lazy circles near the home base late into the game! What is it with Domai on my system? He is by far and away the worst AI faction. Ned

I'd have agreed with you until my most recent game, my toughest SP outing in years. Early on, Domai pacted with Cyborgs, Cult, and Pirates and they went on a continuous tech trading binge. He then double crossed 'Borgs, stole more tech, captured nearby bases, and Pacted again!!! I was trying Morgan out (prefer Green factions but I wanted a challenge and certainly got one). All 6 AI factions picked a fight with me at the same time. So much for safe energy parks or a builder strategy . . . only the Huge map saved me!

Anyway, his are (mine now, but) some of the most developed bases I've ever seen the AI build. As expected, terraforming took strange patterns - a gazillion formers and not a single borehole! Two or three dozen conventional missiles and two PB's which he never got to use. More needlejets than I've ever seen and not a single attack on a base. Naturally he faded but it took much longer than usual. Beat me to a couple of SP's (like the much-needed Living Refinery). Somehow he kept up and was a threat for a long time.

And he never gave up. With Fusion Battleships parked outside his last stinkin' seabase he was still calling me names (despite my noble reputation?). After I switched SE to Eudaimonea he finally offered a truce so I can transcend in peace.

He's usually such an easygoing guy. Moral: don't let him get powerful or the People will rise up!

[Sir Hawkeye]

Originally posted by Ned
Sir Hawkeye, I assume that the tanks sustain no damage in the drop when using a drop transport. Otherwise, I don't know why one wouldn't just put the drop pods on the tank?

With the Nanofactory, repairs are a thing of the past. I presume you need the repair transports because you do not have the Nanofactory.

Ned

Nope, the tanks don't take damage. The mobility gained from an infantry transport is very useful as well. You can, for example, use them to allow infantry to move up and attack in the same turn. With an elite transport and a sufficiently powerful hovertank you can start 2 squares away, kill three units, and get back out of range. Especially useful when you don't have the time or units for a full scale assault, and you want to be as much of a pest as possible

And you're right, Repair isn't necessary. Once I had the nanofactory. I upgraded to clean, ECM, or AAA versions of that unit.

[Clear Skies]

Originally posted by Taxa
Sealurks are my fave

Before you say - its impossible to capture them (I thought so too) Ive just done it, with the hive off all factions!

And in this game, domai is doing by far and away the best, guess its just your system (don't laugh, I started squashed between miriam and lal)

E-mail me if you want to play with a sealurk, I'll send you the save

This is the first time you've captured a Sealurk? I've done it plenty of times - helps if you have the Xenoempathy Dome and, of course, a good Planet rating.
Also, have you never discovered Centauri Psi? That lets you build your own Sealurks, you know!

Anyway, BIC, Domai tends to do well when he manages to get the Planetary Datalinks. Three out of the last four times I've played a game with him in, he's got the PD (I never shoot for it - I'm permanently ahead in tech) and he gets almost good enough to try and overthrow me. Of course, he always tries before he's actually ready...mmmm...I love the smell of soporific gas in the morning...

Is it true that the Angels automatically get any tech discovered by 3 other factions? I've just had a game where four of us had Advanced Spaceflight and the Angels didn't...odd....

[Sir Hawkeye]

Any tech discovered by three factions they've infiltrated .

[Taxa]

Fraid that was the first time ive got one! - I figured that because Vel had never got one, it was pretty rare! I have never got the xenopath dome (or the space elevator) - even though its my fave game, Ive never been that good at it! (Having said that, I never even get 50 turns into a game at lib level before Im already to far in front for it to be fun) I have never seen the option to build one, maybe you have to capture one to build one or somthing - like I said, If vel hasnt had one, I feel ok about this being my first!!!

[Taxa]

O and BTW, the angels DO always gain tech known to three other factions. (The rule for it is called "Constant spying")

[Sir Hawkeye]

SMAX Readme.txt:
*The Data Angels now get any technology discovered by three other factions with whom they have an infiltrator.

[Misotu]

Well I hate to disagree Taxa, but Sir Hawkeye is correct here. If your version were correct, I probably wouldn't have lost my last MP game as the Angels

The exact text from the manual is: Gains any technology known to three other infiltrated factions (constant spying).

As an aside, I assume this makes the Empath Guild rather a valuable SP for the Angels, unless they are within easy reach of other factions.

Edited to add: Oops. I've just more or less repeated the above post. Wasn't there when I started typing ...

[Taxa]

ooops, I'll read properly before opening my gob next time ;P

[Taxa]

NO WAIT!!!

I have now read properly, and I transcribe, from the manual...

"In addition, the Angel Faction automatically gains any technology known by at least 3 other factions, due to their covert activities."