LEAST Favorite Faction

CEO Aaron · February 11, 2003, 19:36

I'm sure everyone here has talked the Favorite Faction topic to death, I personally always answer the same, but always point out that I find many factions stimulating to play. I'm curious to see which factions people find eternally frustrating and intolerable. Please bear in mind, I'm looking for the factions you hate to play AS, not hate to play AGAINST.

As for me, my most hated faction would have to be the Naughtyless Pirates. The freedom of the sea start is squandered by the higher build times for your early units (pods, formers, scout foils), and anyone who's played the consciousness knows how hard it is to pop-boom running Planned. The efficiency penalty is just anchovy icing on this horseradish cake. Oh, and don't forget how much harder it is to defend against IODs and sealurks compared to worms and spore launchers.

Datajack Franit · February 11, 2003, 19:55

Good point- they seem never able to build ONE Secret Project, not to mention that they have zero chances of winning a game

My bet's on the Planet Cult- its leader looks goddamn stupid, it starts 5 years after the others and doesn't even have a clue about researching and/or building! All they do is building stupid scouts and capturing worms, nothing else!

Method · February 11, 2003, 20:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Datajack Franit
they have zero chances of winning a game

splendid, this means i have a chance in my upcoming PBEM against Maniac

i actually like the pirates, they're fun...sometimes

my vote is....the cult.

Datajack Franit · February 11, 2003, 20:47

of course you can win as a human player, using your brain

the AI is so goddamn stupid that could lose against anyone

Static Universe · February 12, 2003, 01:12

Angels due to the probe rollover bug.

Frankychan · February 12, 2003, 01:44

I'm going to say Cult.....I hate Cha Dawn and his fanatical fungus-huggers!

A close second is Sister Miriam of the Believers

....I hate fanaticism.

Mr. President · February 12, 2003, 02:22

The Hive, because I don't know how to play as them properly.

The Mad Monk · February 12, 2003, 02:40

Mirriam -- because I can't stand being behind in tech (even a little), and I don't like the swipe taken at Christianity.

Frankychan · February 12, 2003, 03:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. President
The Hive, because I don't know how to play as them properly.

Nice to see ya Mr. Prez.

Datajack Franit · February 12, 2003, 05:19

What's the probe rollover bug?

Jamski · February 12, 2003, 06:04

Where +4 probe rolls over to -4 probe, or something like that. Making her probe teams very, very, very bad.

I'm not surprised Miriam is getting the most votes. Her faction really blows. Science for Miriam is a real no-no, and even worse, all of her followers are Christians.

-Jam

Datajack Franit · February 12, 2003, 08:53

How can the bug be fixed then?

Ivellios · February 12, 2003, 09:03

I don't really hate any faction, but if I were to choose, I'd pick The Lord's Believers or the Free Drones... I hate being behind in research and I'm not particulary fond of stealing them. Probably because I'm very used to the University.

Static Universe · February 12, 2003, 09:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Datajack Franit
How can the bug be fixed then?

You can alter their faction profile so they get Probe +1 instead of +2, so they never reach +6.

Won't change the fact that I still don't like them.

Ivellios · February 12, 2003, 11:56

Why would you want to get +6 anyway? Doesn't that require Fundamentalist politics? I'd just keep it at +4 and keep my research at an acceptable level. The difference between +4 and +5 (or +6) don't seem that significant to lose 2 research points in Social Engineering.

I actually thought Probe wouldn't go higher than +3 before reverting...

Main_Brain · February 12, 2003, 15:45

Uni &Aliens.. too boring

Method · February 12, 2003, 18:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Ivellios
I actually thought Probe wouldn't go higher than +3 before reverting...

the SE table doesn't go higher than +3 i think. but with the angels' free +2 probe, and their free covert ops centres, they rollover after pre sentient algorithms.

you could always just run knowledge of course...

WoA: i thought it rolled over to 0?

CEO Aaron · February 12, 2003, 18:50

I'm _really_ suprised how many Miriam-Haters there are out there, and how few Morgan-bashers. To be honest, I really think Miriam is the strongest momentum faction out there. Sure, you wind up being behind in tech at first, but once you have Information Networks and Doctrine Flexibility, nobody gets to keep their tech from you. And how can you say no to innate +2 support and +25% to attacks. What other faction can do a planned/demo pop boom and _still_ support 2 units per base?

On the other hand, I hear so many people making a deal out of the Morganite support penalty (overrated, imo), I expected to see at least one vote against my favorite faction.

Static Universe · February 12, 2003, 20:49

Quote:

Originally posted by CEO Aaron
To be honest, I really think Miriam is the strongest momentum faction out there. Sure, you wind up being behind in tech at first, but once you have Information Networks and Doctrine Flexibility, nobody gets to keep their tech from you.

They're a strong momentum player, but if you don't have neighbors then you've probably lost the game before it even starts.

Static Universe · February 12, 2003, 20:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Ivellios
Why would you want to get +6 anyway?

I'm pretty sure I made an error here and meant to say +4. My apologies.

Any probe value above 3 is equivilent to 0 (but correct me if I'm wrong, please).

knowhow2 · February 13, 2003, 01:25

Quote:

Originally posted by CEO Aaron
but once you have Information Networks and Doctrine Flexibility,

surely you mean planetary networks and doctrine flex.....

right?

ellie · February 13, 2003, 04:22

Hmm ive never liked playing the believers. As for momentum factions, well i think the gaiins and the spartans can be great initial momentum players as well.

The difference is if they have no neighbours they can still win.

To the guy who hates drones. Im playing one of the drones in one of my pbem and he is SCARY. So they can work if played well imho

Datajack Franit · February 13, 2003, 05:29

Unfortunately the AI is hopeless in using the Drones' abilities

Ogie Oglethorpe · February 13, 2003, 09:48

Caretakers. Booooring...... The whole concept of two uber factions was poor IMHO. IMHO it made the necessity for the new human factions to be made too strong as well.

I would vote for both progenitor factions if possible but if limitted to one, choose Caretakers as they are more powerful than Usurpers due to unfettered ability to pop boom.

Much of SMAX is good IMO but not the main story line and Alien factions.

As for pirates, they can be a scary fast starter if played properly. See hints over here at Civgaming.net

Ivellios · February 13, 2003, 11:39

Usually I just play with the original 7 factions. I think that they have the most personality and principles you can recognize... It's not like you see any people that want to roam the sea these days

Or Aliens for that matter

CEO Aaron · February 14, 2003, 04:48

Quote:

Originally posted by knowhow2

surely you mean planetary networks and doctrine flex.....

right?

Indeed, that _is_ what I meant. Oops.

Quote:

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
I would vote for both progenitor factions if possible but if limitted to one, choose Caretakers as they are more powerful than Usurpers due to unfettered ability to pop boom.

Yah, I agree the Aliens are unbalanced and wrong, tho they are nice to have for an AI faction (or two) that you can count on to grow and get tough.

How do you figure Usurpers are hampered in their ability to Pop Boom? They can run Planned/Demo -or_ Free Market/Demo, can't they?

Whoops, just checked. I guess they can't

zsozso · February 15, 2003, 10:03

I just hate Miriam. Period.
And don't give me that momentum crap. That 25% is nothing, attacking gives you 50% on land anyways, and weapon strengths are ahead of armor strentgh at any practical research level (usually about twice as strong) - meaning that the attacker has 3x advantage most of the time. Compared to that the 25% is completely neglibigle. Spartans, Cyborgs or even Uni makes much better momentum player due to tech advantage.

Datajack Franit · February 15, 2003, 16:25

Disagree- 3 armors, perimeter defences and sensor arrays are enough to stand against anyone

gwillybj · February 16, 2003, 01:39

Gaians - Way too easy to win, with any game settings, even - or, rather, especially - when roleplaying.

Nobody likes me

Everybody hates me

That's why I'm gonna eat WORMS

Mongoose · February 16, 2003, 01:47

Quote:

Originally posted by zsozso
...attacking gives you 50% on land anyways...

Where did this come from? There is no bonus to attacking on land unless you are engaged in PSI combat.

BTW, fanatic bonus does not count against native life forms, I don't know if it applies if a defending unit is equipped with Psi armour...I suspect not.