From StrategyWiki, the video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
*>Frankie1969
(Undo revision 1068004 by Zhl025 (talk), copyvio from fandom)
Tag: Undo
 
(37 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
__NOTOC__
{{Header Nav|game=Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri}}


Alpha Centauri features a Unit Design Workshop which is very flexible in comparison to other Civ games.  For each unit, the workshop presents you with choices for each of a unit's weapon (attack strength), armor (defense strength), chassis (speed and terrain movement), reactor (hit points and build cost), and up to two special abilities (but only one until the discovery of Neural Grafting).
Alpha Centauri features a Unit Design Workshop which is very flexible in comparison to other Civ games.  For each unit, the workshop presents you with choices for each of a unit's weapon (attack strength), armor (defense strength), chassis (speed and terrain movement), reactor (hit points and build cost), and up to two special abilities (but only one until the discovery of Neural Grafting).


<!-- Custom TOC (no subheadings) -->
==Unit cost==
{| style="background-color: #f3f3ff; border: solid 1px #d6d6ff; padding: 1em;"
Unit cost is calculated using the following formula:
! '''Table of contents'''
|-
| [[#Chassis|1 Chassis]]
|-
| [[#Weapon|2 Weapon]]
|-
| [[#Armor|3 Armor]]
|-
| [[#Reactor|4 Reactor]]
|-
| [[#Special Ability|5 Special Ability]]
|}


==Chassis==
'''C = W × (A + S) × 10 ÷ (2<sup>(R + 1)</sup>)'''
The chassis is the most important part of the unit. It will determine where it can go (land/sea/air), how fast it goes, and what weapons or equipment it may use.


==='Copter===
Where:
* Prerequisite: Mind-Machine Interface
* <tt>C</tt> is the total unit cost in Minerals;
* Speed: 10
* <tt>W</tt> is the unit's Weapon value (Equipment for non-combat units);
* Terrain: air
* <tt>A</tt> is the unit's Armor value;
* <tt>S</tt> is the unit's Speed expressed in move points;
* <tt>R</tt> is the unit's Reactor value.


The 'copter is like the needlejet, except that it can survive running out of fuel in a space without a city or airbase. Instead of being destroyed outright, it simply crash-lands, taking some damage. The 'copter can also attack as many times per turn as it has fuel remaining; however, attacking with the last unit of fuel will result in the unit crash-landing.
It can be determined that units with a high value in all three areas (Weapon, Armor and Speed) will be much more expensive than units with a high value in just two. Therefore, it is advantageous to design your units for specific tasks rather than attempting to create all-round utility units. For example: a unit built for defending a base will need a high Armor value, but has little use for heavy Weapons or a high Speed, while for an attacker, a powerful Weapon is tantamount to effectiveness, while Armor may not be as important (the idea being that your opponent will be destroyed before they have a chance to fire back).  
Care must be taken when assigning go-to commands to a 'copter, as they will '''always''' end their turn upon entering a friendly base square, regardless of how many moves they have left. They are unique among non-land units in that they can blitz, or attack multiple times per turn.


===Cruiser===
The basic unit cost formula is subject to several modifiers:
* Weapon value may never be less than half the unit's Armor value
* Final cost is halved for units with a Speed of 1
* Armor value is halved when calculating the cost of sea units, and the final cost is halved again
* Armor value is doubled when calculating the cost of any air unit; the final cost is quartered for combat air units
* Add 25% to final cost for each unit of Special Ability cost
* Add 10 Minerals if both Weapon and Armor values are greater than 1
* Add another 10 Minerals if Weapon, Armor and Speed values are all greater than 1
* <tt>'''C<sub>min</sub> = (R × 2 − R ÷ 2) × 10'''</tt> where Cmin is the unit's minimum final cost.


* Speed: 6 (8 with Maritime Control)
{{Footer Nav|game=Sid Meier&#39;s Alpha Centauri|prevpage=Secret Projects|nextpage=Chassis}}
* Terrain: Water
 
 
The cruiser is the ultimate transport unit. When fully upgraded, it can carry up to 16 units! In addition, it has the most movement points of any sea unit. Ideal for large maps, and long range transportation.
 
For warships, it may be better to buy the cheaper foil, unless of course, the distance from your base to the target is a far away.
 
Consider using for maritime probe team strikes, simply due to the large amounts of movement points. Do not engage in probe team warfare unless you can afford to lose the probe team. Just get to the target, do whatever sabotage you need to do, and do it quickly.
 
===Foil===
* Prerequisite: Doctrine: flexibility
* Speed: 4 (6 with Maritime Control)
* Terrain: Water
 
The early waterborne unit isn't as fast as a cruiser.
 
===Gravship===
* Prerequisite: Graviton Theory
* Speed: 8
* Terrain: air
 
Late-game chassis that is strictly superior to the needlejet, equal in speed but with no fuel limitations. Very valuable chassis when equipped with high-power weapons and armor. However, unlike the 'Copter, it can only attack once per turn.
 
===Hovertank===
* Prerequisite: Nanominaturization
* Speed: 3
* Terrain: land
 
This is a middle-to-late-game unit that moves faster than the rover.  One strategy that could be effective is building the ascent to transcendence at whatever city has the highest industry, then building these with a supply module attached to them at every other city you own and rushing them toward that city.
 
===Infantry===
* Prerequisite: N/A
* Speed: 1
* Terrain: land
 
The default chassis for units. Some units (Crawlers, Formers, Colony Pods) do not display an actual infantryman in the unit graphic, instead using a custom chassis graphic sitting on enlarged treads.  Infantry have a bonus to attacking cities.
 
===Missile===
* Prerequisite: Orbital Spaceflight
* Speed: 20 (depends on fuel)
* Terrain: air
 
Middle-game chassis designed for kamikaze-style attacks. Cannot be equipped with weapons (except for special missile-only weapons) or armor and very few abilities. Can be very powerful if one uses it wisely.
 
===Needlejet===
* Prerequisite: Doctrine: Air Power
* Speed: 20 (depends on fuel)
* Terrain: air
 
Though it can move an impressive distance, the needlejet will crash and burn if it ends a turn outside of a city or airbase.  Also, the needlejet has the ability to attack twice in one turn, but if you choose to do this, it will die at the end of the second attack, as a bee dies after stinging something.
 
===Speeder===
* Prerequisite: Doctrine: Mobility
* Speed: 2
* Terrain: land
 
This creates a rover, which, in addition to its increased speed, also applies other properties, such as the loss of the infantry unit's bonus to city invasions.  Also, it counts as a mobile unit for the purposes of special armor bonuses.
 
==Weapon==
Weapons determine a unit's attack strength.  Higher attack strengths give a unit better chances in battle.  Missile payloads may only be equipped on the Missile chassis.
===Hand Weapons===
* Strength: 1
===Psi Attack===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Centauri Psi|Centauri Psi]]
* Strength: ''uses psi combat; depends on morale or lifecycle''
* Cost: 10
 
Units with the Psi Attack ability attack with psi instead of weapons. The most common and basic example of such an attacker is a Mind Worm boil.
 
===Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Applied Physics|Applied Physics]]
* Strength: 2
===Particle Impactor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Nonlinear Mathematics|Nonlinear Mathematics]]
* Strength: 4
===Gatling Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Superconductor|Superconductor]]
* Strength: 5
===Missile Launcher===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Synthetic Fossil Fuels|Synthetic Fossil Fuels]]
* Strength: 6
===Resonance Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Bioadaptive Resonance|Bioadaptive Resonance]]
* Strength: 6
* Cost: 8
* ''Alien Crossfire Only''
Provides a 25% bonus against units with Psi Defense.  The most common such defender is a native unit.
 
===Chaos Gun===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Superstring Theory|Superstring Theory]]
* Strength: 8
===Fusion Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Organic Superlubricant|Organic Superlubricant]]
* Strength: 10
===Tachyon Bolt===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Unified Field Theory|Unified Field Theory]]
* Strength: 12
* Cost:
===Resonance Bolt===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Sentient Resonance|Sentient Resonance]]
* Strength: 12
* Cost: 16
* ''Alien Crossfire Only''
Provides a 25% bonus against units with Psi Defense. The most common such defender is a native unit.
 
===Plasma Shard===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Advanced Spaceflight|Advanced Spaceflight]]
* Strength: 13
===Quantum Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Quantum Machinery|Quantum Machinery]]
* Strength: 16
===Graviton Gun===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Applied Gravitonics|Applied Gravitonics]]
* Strength: 20
===Singularity Laser===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Controlled Singularity|Controlled Singularity]]
* Strength: 24
===String Disruptor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#String Resonance|String Resonance]]
* Strength: 30
* Cost: 40
* ''Alien Crossfire Only''
 
===Missile Payloads===
====Conventional Payload====
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Orbital Spaceflight|Orbital Spaceflight]]
* Strength: 12
 
====Fungal Payload====
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#N-Space Compression|N-Space Compression]]
* Strength: N/A
* ''Alien Crossfire Only''
Fungal Missles target a land square without a base or unit.  Depending on reactor this plants an additional 1 - 4 squares of fungus, destroys most improvements and generates mindworms and a fungal tower in the detonation square.  It leaves boreholes, bunkers, condensors, and solar mirrors. It destroys roads, forests, farms, soil enrichers, mines, and sensors.
 
====Planet Buster====
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Orbital Spaceflight|Orbital Spaceflight]]
* Strength: 99
* Cost: 32
====Tectonic Payload====
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#N-Space Compression|N-Space Compression]]
* Strength: N/A
* ''Alien Crossfire Only''
Tectonic Missles target a land square without a base or unit.  Depending on reactor level the land will be raised 1 - 4 levels, up to the maximum of 3500m.  This does not destroy improvements.
 
==Equipment==
Units with equipment cannot attack - instead they are granted a number of special actions.
 
===Colony Module===
* Prerequisite: none
* Equipment cost: 10
 
A unit with a Colony Module can build a new base.  Producing a unit with a colony module consumes one population.
When deployed in a base, it will add one population to that base's total population.
 
===Probe Team===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Planetary Networks|Planetary Networks]]
* Equipment cost: 4
 
Units with probe equipment can perform a number of covert actions.
 
===Terraforming Unit===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Centauri Ecology|Centauri Ecology]]
* Equipment cost: 6
 
Terraforming units can create all manner of terrain improvements.  The Terraforming Unit can be later enhanced with the special abilities
 
Terraformers are the single most important unit in the game. The AI's poor use of them contributes greatly to its poor performance. Formers are the primary way to make your cities more productive, and are the only way to make tiles more productive (except fungus, which improves with the Centauri techs). Centauri Ecology should always be one of your first techs, or a competent opponent will defeat you.
 
For comparison, a good unterraformed tile yields 2-1-1 (rolling and rainy, on a river), before nutrient/mineral/energy bonuses are considered. A good terraformed tile yields 0-6-6 (borehole) or 4-1-1 (condensor-farm). A fair unterraformed tile yields 1-1-0 (moist and rolling). A fair terraformed tile yields 1-2-1 (forest).
 
===Supply Transport===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Industrial Automation|Industrial Automation]]
* Equipment cost: 8
 
Supply units can extract one type of resource (either energy,mineral, or nutrient) from any non-cultivated square and convey it to its home base, and can also be brought to a base to apply its full production cost toward the production of a unit prototype or Secret Project.
 
Supply crawlers are the second most important unit in the game (second to Terraformers). Since they allow you to harvest more tiles, they act like extra population units, but without the drone problems or the nutrient requirements. In effect, supply crawlers are constructed population points, and at 30 minerals are a bargain.
 
===Troop Transport===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Doctrine: Flexibility|Doctrine: Flexibility]]
* Equipment cost: 4
 
A Troop Transport, as the name implies, can transport land troops from one place to the other.  In combination with the Carrier Deck ability, can also transport air units.  The number of transported units depends on the chassis and reactor:  Foils can transport twice the reactor strength, Cruisers can transport four times the reactor strength, all other units can only transport one unit at a time.
 
Having a transport in a sea base along the coast allows units to freely enter and leave the base from the coast.
 
==Defense==
A unit's defense determines how well it fights when it is attacked.  Defense strength affects a unit's mineral cost.  Some defenses affect a unit's cost by more than just their defensive strength.
 
===No Armor===
* Strength: 1
===Psi Defense===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Eudaimonia|Eudaimonia]]
* Strength: Psi
* Cost: 6
 
Units equipped with a Psi Defense always engage in Psi combat when attacked, ignoring weapon and armor strengths.  This is useful for defending against opponents whose weapon technology exceeds your defensive technology.
===Synthmetal Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Industrial Base|Industrial Base]]
* Strength: 2
===Plasma Steel Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#High Energy Chemistry|High Energy Chemistry]]
* Strength: 3
===Pulse 3 Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Adaptive Doctrine|Adaptive Doctrine]]
* Strength: 3
* Cost: 5
''Same as Plasma Steel Armor, but more expensive and with +25% bonus vs. mobile attackers. Alien Crossfire only.''
 
Generally a bad choice of armor, since it costs just as much as Photon Wall, yet is less effective than Silksteel Armor even against mobile attackers. Still, it comes earlier in the tech tree than Silksteel, and might make the difference against an Impact Rover.
Provides no benefit to ships except perhaps when defending in a base against a mobile land attacker, since ships are never mobile attackers.
The AI prefers Pulse-3 Armor, which needlessly pushes up its unit costs. Disable it or decrease its cost to help out the AI.
===Resonance 3 Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Field Modulation|Field Modulation]]
* Strength: 3
* Cost: 5
''Same as Plasma Steel Armor, but more expensive and with +25% bonus vs. Psi attacks. Alien Crossfire only.''
 
Mainly useful for combining with Hypnotic Trance on a foil for a great Psi defender.  Other than that, see above.
 
===Silksteel Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Silksteel Alloys|Silksteel Alloys]]
* Strength: 4
===Photon Wall===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Photon/Wave Mechanics|Photon/Wave Mechanics]]
* Strength: 5
===Probability Sheath===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Probability Mechanics|Probability Mechanics]]
* Strength: 6
===Neutronium Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Matter Compression|Matter Compression]]
* Strength: 8
===Pulse 8 Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Super Tensile Solids|Super Tensile Solids]]
* Strength: 8
* Cost: 11
''Same as Neutronium Armor, but more expensive and with +25% bonus vs. mobile attackers. Alien Crossfire only.''
===Resonance 8 Armor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Sentient Resonance|Sentient Resonance]]
* Strength: 8
* Cost: 11
''Same as Neutronium Armor, but more expensive and with +25% bonus vs. Psi attacks. Alien Crossfire only.''
===Antimatter Plate===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Matter Editation|Matter Editation]]
* Strength: 10
===Stasis Generator===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Temporal Mechanics|Temporal Mechanics]]
* Strength: 12
 
==Reactor==
 
===Fission Plant===
* Prerequisite Tech: N/A
* Strength: 1
 
The default reactor for units.  Later in the game, it is ideal for worm-killing units since psi combat ignores reactor strengths, and without a strong weapon, more advanced reactors will usually make the unit more expensive.
 
===Fusion Reactor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Fusion|Fusion]]
* Strength: 2
 
The first more powerful reactor you can get.  The decrease in build costs is noticeable, and your units will be nearly unstoppable until your opponents discover Fusion as well.
 
===Quantum Chamber===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Quantum Power|Quantum Power]]
* Strength: 3
 
Reactors beyond Fusion are of little use, since the game will probably be over by this point.
 
===Singularity Engine===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Singularity Mechanics|Singularity Mechanics]]
* Strength: 4
 
==Special Abilities==
===AAA Tracking===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Advanced Military Algorithms|Advanced Military Algorithms]]
* Cost: 1
+100% defense vs air units.
 
===Air Superiority===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Doctrine: Air Power|Doctrine: Air Power]]
* Cost: 1
Allows ground or sea units to attack air units.
 
===Algorithmic Enhancement===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Nanominiaturization|Nanominiaturization]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Amphibious Pods===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Doctrine: Initiative|Doctrine: Initiative]]
* Cost: 1
Allows ground units to attack sea bases.
 
===Antigrav Struts===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Graviton Theory|Graviton Theory]]
* Cost: 1
+1 movement rate for ground units, and ignore terrain movement penalties.
 
===Blink Displacer===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Matter Transmission|Matter Transmission]]
* Cost: 1
Attacker ignores base defense bonuses.
 
===Carrier Deck===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Nanometallurgy|Nanometallurgy]]
* Cost: 1
Transport may carry air units.
 
===Clean Reactor===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Bio-Engineering|Bio-Engineering]]
* Cost: 2
Unit does not require support from its home base.
Not to be confused with the unit's Reactor, the Clean Reactor trait eliminates the cost of support.
Note that probe and supply units inherently do not incur support costs, hence do not need this ability.
 
===Cloaking Device===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Frictionless Surfaces|Frictionless Surfaces]]
* Cost: 1
Ground unit ignores zones of control (may move past enemy units without stopping).
 
===Comm Jammer===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Advanced Subatomic Theory|Advanced Subatomic Theory]]
* Cost: Attack/Defense (rounded down, maximum 2)
+50% defense vs. fast units (rover, hovertank).
 
===Deep Pressure Hull===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Nanometallurgy|Nanometallurgy]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Deep Radar===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Advanced Military Algorithms|Advanced Military Algorithms]]
* Cost: 0 for air or sea units, 1 for ground units
Unit can see two squares away instead of one. Note: units still cannot see into fungus (as sensor arrays do).
 
===Dissociative Wave===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Centauri Psi|Centauri Psi]]
* Cost: 2
 
===Drop Pods===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Mind/Machine Interface|Mind/Machine Interface]]
* Cost: 2
 
===Empath Song===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Centauri Empathy|Centauri Empathy]]
* Cost: 2
+50% to psi offense.
 
===Fuel Nanocells===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Matter Compression|Matter Compression]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Fungicide Tanks===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Synthetic Fossil Fuels|Synthetic Fossil Fuels]]
* Cost: 1
Formers remove fungus at double speed.
 
===Heavy Artillery===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Polymorphic Software|Polymorphic Software]]
* Cost: Armor+Speed-2 (rounded down, maximum 2)
Unit makes long range bombardment attacks.
 
===High Morale===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Intellectual Integrity|Intellectual Integrity]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Hypnotic Trance===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Secrets of the Human Brain|Secrets of the Human Brain]]
* Cost: Attack/Defense (rounded down, maximum 2)
+50% to psi defense. This is probably the most popular special ability in the game, perhaps rivaling Clean Reactor, putting defending land units on equal footing with attackers, and turning sea or air units into veritable psi fortresses.
 
===Marine Detachment===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Adaptive Doctrine|Adaptive Doctrine]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Nerve Gas Pods===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#High Energy Chemistry|High Energy Chemistry]]
* Cost: 1
+50% attack bonus.
Additionally, when attacking a city, kills half of the city's population (round up) if the attacking unit wins.
 
'''WARNING:''' using a unit equipped with this in combat is an atrocity. That means if the UN charter is in effect, sanctions will be imposed upon you (nullifying commerce for at least 10 years), and regardless of the UN charter, the opponent on whom you used nerve gas will hate you forever.
 
===Non-Lethal Methods===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Intellectual Integrity|Intellectual Integrity]]
* Cost: 1
Unit counts as double for police purposes.
 
===Polymorphic Encryption===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Pre-Sentient Algorithms|Pre-Sentient Algorithms]]
* Cost: 1
Increases resistance to probe attacks.
 
===Repair Bay===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Nanometallurgy|Nanometallurgy]]
* Cost: 1
Transport acts as a bunker (units heal while on board).
 
===Soporific Gas Pods===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Bioadaptive Resonance|Bioadaptive Resonance]]
* Cost: 1
 
===Super Former===
* Prerequisite: [[Civ:SMAC_Tech_Tree#Advanced Ecological Engineering|Advanced Ecological Engineering]]
* Cost: 1
All terraforming is double speed.
 
[[Category:Civ]]

Latest revision as of 17:52, 23 April 2024

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

Alpha Centauri features a Unit Design Workshop which is very flexible in comparison to other Civ games. For each unit, the workshop presents you with choices for each of a unit's weapon (attack strength), armor (defense strength), chassis (speed and terrain movement), reactor (hit points and build cost), and up to two special abilities (but only one until the discovery of Neural Grafting).

Unit cost[edit]

Unit cost is calculated using the following formula: 

C = W × (A + S) × 10 ÷ (2(R + 1))

Where:

  • C is the total unit cost in Minerals;
  • W is the unit's Weapon value (Equipment for non-combat units);
  • A is the unit's Armor value;
  • S is the unit's Speed expressed in move points;
  • R is the unit's Reactor value.

It can be determined that units with a high value in all three areas (Weapon, Armor and Speed) will be much more expensive than units with a high value in just two. Therefore, it is advantageous to design your units for specific tasks rather than attempting to create all-round utility units. For example: a unit built for defending a base will need a high Armor value, but has little use for heavy Weapons or a high Speed, while for an attacker, a powerful Weapon is tantamount to effectiveness, while Armor may not be as important (the idea being that your opponent will be destroyed before they have a chance to fire back).

The basic unit cost formula is subject to several modifiers:

  • Weapon value may never be less than half the unit's Armor value
  • Final cost is halved for units with a Speed of 1
  • Armor value is halved when calculating the cost of sea units, and the final cost is halved again
  • Armor value is doubled when calculating the cost of any air unit; the final cost is quartered for combat air units
  • Add 25% to final cost for each unit of Special Ability cost
  • Add 10 Minerals if both Weapon and Armor values are greater than 1
  • Add another 10 Minerals if Weapon, Armor and Speed values are all greater than 1
  • Cmin = (R × 2 − R ÷ 2) × 10 where Cmin is the unit's minimum final cost.
Go to top
← Secret Projects | Units | Chassis →

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/Units&oldid=1068019"