From StrategyWiki, the video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(split off SMAX factions and clean up links)
 
(14 intermediate revisions by 10 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
All factions have distinct advantages and disadvantages. They have different society traits, start with different technologies, and sometimes even have oddities such as smaller maximum base sizes. This means that every faction has a different overall playstyle, although some factions are more suited to some playstyles than others. For instance, the [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Human Hive|Hive]] is more likely to [[Civ:The Basics#Infinite City Sprawl|ICS]] than the [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Peacekeeping Forces|Peacekeepers]], because Yang gets free [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Perimeter Defense|Perimeter Defenses]] but little energy income, while Lal can get more population per base and may want to take advantage of it.
{{Header Nav|game=Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri}}


The game settings can enhance or reduce the advantages and disadvantages of each faction. For instance, disabling Blind Research weakens the aliens of Alien Crossfire because they ''never'' have Blind Research, so they lose one of their inherent advantages (Or rather, non-alien players gain the same advantage the aliens already have). Likewise, [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Nautilus Pirates|Svensgaard]] would prefer a world with massive oceans (essentially more territory for him) and arid terrain (which hurts land factions much more than the sea-based Pirates), while all other factions would probably prefer the opposite.
All factions have distinct advantages and disadvantages. They have different society traits, start with different technologies, and sometimes even have oddities such as smaller maximum base sizes. This means that every faction has a different overall playstyle, although some factions are more suited to some playstyles than others. For instance, the [[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri/The Human Hive|Hive]] is more likely to [[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri/Gameplay#Infinite City Sprawl|ICS]] than the [[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri/The Peacekeeping Forces|Peacekeepers]], because Yang gets free {{s|Facilities|Perimeter Defense}}s but little energy income, while Lal can get more population per base and may want to take advantage of it.
 
The game settings can enhance or reduce the advantages and disadvantages of each faction. For instance, disabling Blind Research weakens the aliens of Alien Crossfire because they ''never'' have Blind Research, so they lose one of their inherent advantages (Or rather, non-alien players gain the same advantage the aliens already have). Likewise, [[Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire/The Nautilus Pirates|Svensgaard]] would prefer a world with massive oceans (essentially more territory for him) and arid terrain (which hurts land factions much more than the sea-based Pirates), while all other factions would probably prefer the opposite.


==The factions==
==The factions==
An extensive overview of every faction appears in two sections:
A table comparing all the factions follows. Note that a faction's "preference" is preferred by the AI but a human player can (and, under some circumstances, may want to) use something else. However, the faction's aversion, if any, is always enforced: a player may ''never'' choose a faction's aversion. It simply will not show up in the [[../Social Engineering/]] table.
 
* [[Civ:The SMAC Factions|The SMAC Factions]]
* [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions|The Alien Crossfire Factions]]
 
A table comparing all the factions follows. Note that a faction's "preference" is preferred by the AI but a human player can (and, under some circumstances, may want to) use something else. However, the faction's aversion, if any, is always enforced: a player may ''never'' choose a faction's aversion. It simply will not show up in the [[Civ:Social Engineering|Social Engineering]] table.


{| border=1
{| {{prettytable|class=sortable}}
! Faction !! Leader !! Preference !! Aversion !! Society traits !! Free tech !! Other
! Faction !! Leader !! Preference !! Aversion !! Society traits !! Free tech !! Other
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#Morgan Industries|Morgan Industries]] || Nwabudike Morgan || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Free Market|Free Market]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Planned|Planned]] || +1 Economy -1 Support || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Industrial Base|Industrial Base]] || +1 commerce; begins with 100 extra energy; -3 hab<sup>1</sup>
| [[../Gaia's Stepdaughters/]] || Deirdre Skye || {{s|Social Engineering|Green}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Free Market}} || -1 Morale -1 Police +2 Efficiency +1 Planet || {{s|Technology tree|Centauri Ecology}} || First Mind Worm captured automatically; +1 nutrient in Xenofungus
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The University of Planet|The University of Planet]] || Prokhor Zakharov || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Knowledge|Knowledge]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Fundamentalist|Fundamentalist]] || +2 Research -2 Probe || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Information Networks|Information Networks]] || Free extra starting tech; free [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Network Node|Network Node]] at every base; extra drone every 4 citizens
| [[../The Human Hive/]] || Sheng-ji Yang || {{s|Social Engineering|Police State}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Democratic}} || +1 Growth +1 Industry -2 Economy || {{s|Technology tree|Doctrine: Loyalty}} || {{s|Facilities|Perimeter Defense}} at every base; immune to inefficiency<ref name="hive">Net negative modifiers to efficiency in Social Engineering are ignored, while positive modifiers still take effect. Yang's bases can still suffer from inefficiency.</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Spartan Federation|The Spartan Federation]] || Coraz&oacute;n Santiago || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Power|Power]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Wealth|Wealth]] || +2 Morale +1 Police -1 Industry || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Doctrine: Mobility|Doctrine: Mobility]] || Free prototypes; Scout Rover instead of Scout Patrol at start
| [[../The University of Planet/]] || Prokhor Zakharov || {{s|Social Engineering|Knowledge}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Fundamentalist}} || +2 Research -2 Probe || {{s|Technology tree|Information Networks}} || Free extra starting tech; free {{s|Facilities|Network Node}} at every base; extra drone every 4 citizens
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#Gaia's Stepdaughters|Gaia's Stepdaughters]] || Dierdre Skye || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Green|Green]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Free Market|Free Market]] || -1 Morale -1 Police +2 Efficiency +1 Planet || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Centauri Ecology|Centauri Ecology]] || First Mind Worm captured automatically; +1 nutrient in Xenofungus
| [[../Morgan Industries/]] || Nwabudike Morgan || {{s|Social Engineering|Free Market}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Planned}} || +1 Economy -1 Support || {{s|Technology tree|Industrial Base}} || +1 commerce; begins with 100 extra energy; -3 hab<ref name="morgan">Most factions have "0 hab", meaning it can have up to 7 citizens before requiring a {{s|Facilities|Hab Complex}}. Morgan has -3, so his maximum is size 4 before Hab Complex, and Lal has +2, meaning his maximum is 9. The Hab Complex always boosts the limit by 7, so afterward the limits are 11 and 16 for Morgan and Lal, respectively. Of course, all limits disappear when a {{s|Facilities|Habitation Dome}} is built.</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Lord's Believers|The Lord's Believers]] || Miriam Godwinson || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Fundamentalist|Fundamentalist]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Knowledge|Knowledge]] || -2 Research +1 Probe +2 Support -1 Planet || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Social Psych|Social Psych]] || 25% attack bonus; no research first 10 turns
| [[../The Spartan Federation/]] || Corazón Santiago || {{s|Social Engineering|Power}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Wealth}} || +2 Morale +1 Police -1 Industry || {{s|Technology tree|Doctrine: Mobility}} || Free prototypes; Scout Rover instead of Scout Patrol at start
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Human Hive|The Human Hive]] || Sheng-ji Yang || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Police State|Police State]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Democratic|Democratic]] || +1 Growth +1 Industry -2 Economy || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Doctrine: Loyalty|Doctrine: Loyalty]] || [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Perimeter Defense|Perimeter Defense]] at every base; immune to inefficiency<sup>2</sup>
| [[../The Lord's Believers/]] || Miriam Godwinson || {{s|Social Engineering|Fundamentalist}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Knowledge}} || -2 Research +1 Probe +2 Support -1 Planet || {{s|Technology tree|Social Psych}} || 25% attack bonus; no research first 10 turns
|-
|-
| [[Civ:The SMAC Factions#The Peacekeeping Forces|The Peacekeeping Forces]] || Pravin Lal || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Democractic|Democratic]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Police State|Police State]] || -1 Efficiency || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Biogenetics|Biogenetics]] || Receives double votes in elections for Planetary Governor and Supreme Leader; +2 hab<sup>1</sup>; extra talent every 4 citizens
| [[../The Peacekeeping Forces/]] || Pravin Lal || {{s|Social Engineering|Democratic}} || {{s|Social Engineering|Police State}} || -1 Efficiency || {{s|Technology tree|Biogenetics}} || Receives double votes in elections for Planetary Governor and Supreme Leader; +2 hab<ref name="morgan"/>; extra talent every 4 citizens
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Cybernetic Consciousness|The Cybernetic Consciousness]] || Aki Zeta-5 || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Cybernetic|Cybernetic]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Fundamentalist|Fundamentalist]] || +2 Efficiency +2 Research -1 Growth || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Information Networks|Information Networks]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Applied Physics|Applied Physics]] || Steal tech on capturing a base; no penalty for [[Civ:Social Engineering#Cybernetic|Cybernetic]] social choice
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Free Drones|The Free Drones]] || Domai || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Eudaimonic|Eudaimonic]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Green|Green]] || +2 Industry -2 Research || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Industrial Base|Industrial Base]] || One fewer drone in each city; no research first 10 turns
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Nautilus Pirates|The Nautilus Pirates]] || Ulrik Svensgaard || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Power|Power]] || N/A || -1 Efficiency -1 Growth || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Doctrine: Mobility|Doctrine: Mobility]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Doctrine: Flexibility|Doctrine: Flexibility]] || Aquatic<sup>3</sup>; free Naval Yards with Doctrine: Initiative; free [[Civ:SMAC Unit Construction#Marine Detachment|Marine Detachment]] on all units with [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Adaptive Doctrine|Adaptive Doctrine]]
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Cult of Planet|The Cult of Planet]] || Cha'Dawn || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Green|Green]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Wealth|Wealth]] || +2 Planet -1 Industry -1 Economy || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Centauri Ecology|Centauri Ecology]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Social Psych|Social Psych]] || Free Mind Worm at start; Mind Worms count as having [[Civ:SMAC Unit Construction#Non-Lethal Methods|Non-Lethal Methods]]; free [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Brood Pit|Brood Pits]] with [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Centauri Genetics|Centauri Genetics]]
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Data Angels|The Data Angels]] || Sinder Roze || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Democratic|Democratic]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Power|Power]] || +2 Probe -1 Police || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Information Networks|Information Networks]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Planetary Networks|Planetary Networks]] || -25% cost of probe actions; free [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Covert Ops Center|Covert Ops Centers]] with [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Pre-Sentient Algorithms|Pre-Sentient Algorithms]]; free probe team at start; gains any tech known to three other factions
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Plantary Caretakers|The Planetary Caretakers]] || Lular H'minee || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Planned|Planned]] || N/A || +1 Planet || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Information Networks|Information Networks]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Biogenetics|Biogenetics]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Centauri Ecology|Centauri Ecology]] || Alien faction<sup>4</sup>; +25% defense bonus; cannot build the [[Civ:SMAC Secret Project Index#Voice of Planet|Voice of Planet]]; [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Recycling Tanks|Recycling Tanks]] at every base
|-
| [[Civ:The Alien Crossfire Factions#The Planetary Usurpers|The Planetary Usurpers]] || Judaa Marr || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Planned|Planned]] || [[Civ:Social Engineering#Democratic|Democratic]] || +1 Growth +1 Morale -1 Planet || [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Applied Physics|Applied Physics]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Centauri Ecology|Centauri Ecology]], [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Biogenetics|Biogenetics]] || Alien faction<sup>4</sup>; +25% attack bonus; [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Recycling Tanks|Recycling Tanks]] at every base
|}
|}


[1] Most factions have "0 hab", meaning it can have up to 7 citizens before requiring a [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Hab Complex|Hab Complex]]. Morgan has -3, so his maximum is size 4 before Hab Complex, and Lal has +2, meaning his maximum is 9. The Hab Complex always boosts the limit by 7, so afterward the limits are 11 and 16 for Morgan and Lal, respectively. Of course, all limits disappear when a [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Habitation Dome|Habitation Dome]] is built.
==Footnotes==
 
<references/>
[2] Net negative modifiers to efficiency in Social Engineering are ignored, while positive modifiers still take effect. Yang's bases can still suffer from inefficiency.
 
[3] First base and starting units are in the sea. Ocean shelf tiles produce +1 mineral. Can improve non-shelf ocean tiles with Advanced Ecological Engineering.
 
[4] Alien factions all have a free recycling tank in every base, energy grid in lieu of commerce (every two facilities adds +1 energy per turn; secret projects add 2.5 energy per turn), Space Survey (all land masses revealed at start) regardless of game settings, non-blind research regardless of game settings. Alien factions start with [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Progenitor Psych|Progenitor Psych]] and [[Civ:SMAC Tech Tree#Field Modulation|Field Modulation]] and have permanent vendettas against all other alien factions, even custom ones. Alien factions can win by building [[Civ:SMAC Facility Index#Subspace Generator|Subspace Generators]] in each of 6 cities of size 10 or greater. The Manifold Nexus landmark grants alien factions +1 Research as well as +1 Planet.


[[Category:Civ]]
{{Footer Nav|game=Sid Meier&#39;s Alpha Centauri|prevpage=|nextpage=Gaia's Stepdaughters}}

Latest revision as of 18:38, 10 October 2023

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri | Table of Contents | Gameplay | Walkthrough

Table of Contents

Gameplay
Walkthrough
Units
Appendices
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Factions
Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire
New features
Factions

All factions have distinct advantages and disadvantages. They have different society traits, start with different technologies, and sometimes even have oddities such as smaller maximum base sizes. This means that every faction has a different overall playstyle, although some factions are more suited to some playstyles than others. For instance, the Hive is more likely to ICS than the Peacekeepers, because Yang gets free Perimeter Defenses but little energy income, while Lal can get more population per base and may want to take advantage of it.

The game settings can enhance or reduce the advantages and disadvantages of each faction. For instance, disabling Blind Research weakens the aliens of Alien Crossfire because they never have Blind Research, so they lose one of their inherent advantages (Or rather, non-alien players gain the same advantage the aliens already have). Likewise, Svensgaard would prefer a world with massive oceans (essentially more territory for him) and arid terrain (which hurts land factions much more than the sea-based Pirates), while all other factions would probably prefer the opposite.

The factions[edit]

A table comparing all the factions follows. Note that a faction's "preference" is preferred by the AI but a human player can (and, under some circumstances, may want to) use something else. However, the faction's aversion, if any, is always enforced: a player may never choose a faction's aversion. It simply will not show up in the Social Engineering table.

Faction Leader Preference Aversion Society traits Free tech Other
Gaia's Stepdaughters Deirdre Skye Green Free Market -1 Morale -1 Police +2 Efficiency +1 Planet Centauri Ecology First Mind Worm captured automatically; +1 nutrient in Xenofungus
The Human Hive Sheng-ji Yang Police State Democratic +1 Growth +1 Industry -2 Economy Doctrine: Loyalty Perimeter Defense at every base; immune to inefficiency[1]
The University of Planet Prokhor Zakharov Knowledge Fundamentalist +2 Research -2 Probe Information Networks Free extra starting tech; free Network Node at every base; extra drone every 4 citizens
Morgan Industries Nwabudike Morgan Free Market Planned +1 Economy -1 Support Industrial Base +1 commerce; begins with 100 extra energy; -3 hab[2]
The Spartan Federation Corazón Santiago Power Wealth +2 Morale +1 Police -1 Industry Doctrine: Mobility Free prototypes; Scout Rover instead of Scout Patrol at start
The Lord's Believers Miriam Godwinson Fundamentalist Knowledge -2 Research +1 Probe +2 Support -1 Planet Social Psych 25% attack bonus; no research first 10 turns
The Peacekeeping Forces Pravin Lal Democratic Police State -1 Efficiency Biogenetics Receives double votes in elections for Planetary Governor and Supreme Leader; +2 hab[2]; extra talent every 4 citizens

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ↑ Net negative modifiers to efficiency in Social Engineering are ignored, while positive modifiers still take effect. Yang's bases can still suffer from inefficiency.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Most factions have "0 hab", meaning it can have up to 7 citizens before requiring a Hab Complex. Morgan has -3, so his maximum is size 4 before Hab Complex, and Lal has +2, meaning his maximum is 9. The Hab Complex always boosts the limit by 7, so afterward the limits are 11 and 16 for Morgan and Lal, respectively. Of course, all limits disappear when a Habitation Dome is built.
Go to top
← Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri | Factions | Gaia's Stepdaughters →

Table of Contents

Gameplay
Walkthrough
Units
Appendices
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Factions
Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire
New features
Factions
Retrieved from "https://strategywiki.org/w/index.php?title=Sid_Meier%27s_Alpha_Centauri/Factions&oldid=1051057"