Council Voting

Wiglaf · July 23, 2001, 13:00

I personally don't use the planetary council much, so I was wondering what most of you thought about the measures you can pass.

I try to get the global trade pact and the unity core. That's pretty much it. Sometimes, in real desperation, I might repeal the charter if yang gets too close.

Since I underused the council before, I was wondering if I'm missing something... What should I focus on getting passed?

Thantos · July 23, 2001, 13:22

I have found raising the solar shade to raise sea levels can be useful either to ruin Svengaurds day or to counter act ecodamage during the late game

Hoek · July 23, 2001, 13:43

Well, sometimes it's fun to flood the world as a strategic move ( do it only if you're prepared, and save before to check to see how high the flooding comes up). This can cripple unprepared civilizations. Also, if you're playing on a highly aquatic world, or just if the pirates are being b!tches, just launch the shade and leave em stranded. Also, launcing the shade gives you some room to expand if you are strapped for territory.

Another interesting strategy is to toy with the global economy. You should periodically check to see how much the other factions rely on commerce for their economy....if they are making too much money off of you, you should move to cut trade rates.

death_head · July 23, 2001, 13:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Hoek
...save before to check to see how high the flooding comes up.

Play with Ironman you fool!

It's all good...

Clear Skies · July 23, 2001, 14:05

I tend to get a global trade pact going as soon as possible in the early game, but later on I usually get annoyed with how much more commerce Morgan is getting than me (even with me umpteen techs ahead and with several that increase commerce rating), so I sometimes repeal it.

I tend to be master of the Council from very early on. There has only been one occasion when I didn't get the Governorship, and that was first election when for once there were three candidates, myself, Lal and Zak. Had it just been me and one other I would've won, but with the combination of allegiances I lost by a very narrow margin to Zak.

I do occasionally (sp? doesn't look right...) repeal the UN Charter, but only after building four or more PBs and ensuring no-one else has more than Planck's Constant, or, preferably, 0. Then the threats about 'my fellow faction leaders assure me that they will punish you severely' sound damn hollow!

I have nevre melted the polar icecaps, but it does sound like a reasonable strategic move - just make sure you have Pressure Domes in all your low-lying bases first!

Another amusing thing to do is to put a condenser next to every single one of your bases and launch - and keep increasing - the solar shade. You get rainfall (and therefore nutrients), no-one else does, and everyone else dies!

What does actually irritate me about the Council is the almost total lack of truly representative democracy. I remember once when Domai caused global warming and I tried to launch a solar shade to lower the sea levels again. Domai, Roze and I, the three largest factions, all voted Yea, but Morgan, Lal, Dee and Zak all voted against, defeating the motion by 4 to 3, despite all of them put together being about half the size of my empire. Stupid!

death_head · July 23, 2001, 14:59

I think there should be an element in the game where the rules of the Council are set and amended...that way, a big faction might try to get the rules amended to favor him, and the others might gang up on him, or the big faction might force a little one to side with him, and this is a very long sentence...

Hoek · July 23, 2001, 15:18

Just like the real UN, huh SMAC FAnatic?

death_head · July 23, 2001, 15:21

You spelled it right...

I never repeal the charter...I prefer to look treacherous

Wiglaf · July 23, 2001, 15:29

Sigh...

I pulled a pretty daring stunt in a recent game. Pacted with Lal and Deidre, warring with Santiago, Sven, and Yang. Lal is governor, but not by much.

Like the jerk I am, I wanted to repeal the charter, as Yang had taken over Morgan and was poised to rule the world (bummer). As the Peacekeepers opposed this, I got Sven into office. Yeah, I voted for the guy I'm at war with...I thought he'd go for nerve gas and all that, given his atrocious level of evil

.

Turns out, 20 years down the line, every faction on planet, including the new governor, opposed the measure. My little stunt was a total flop. I'm such an idiot...

I won the game anyway, though. No worries there

.

Hoek · July 23, 2001, 15:34

Why didn't you just grease the wheels? ya know, bribe some peeple?

Wiglaf · July 23, 2001, 15:39

Couldn't. Lal opposed it and wouldn't even listen to an offer, neither would Deidre. With two people opposed, one of them the governor, you can't pass the bill

Kassiopeia · July 23, 2001, 16:31

Quote:

Originally posted by SMACed
Couldn't. Lal opposed it and wouldn't even listen to an offer, neither would Deidre. With two people opposed, one of them the governor, you can't pass the bill

The Veto sucks, huh?

Actually, if you have the veto, it's nice to have, say, a submissive underling. It's like real politics; nothing passes!

Wiglaf · July 23, 2001, 17:35

It's a shame the AI doesn't call more council meetings, then my governorship could really take effect. Oh well

death_head · July 23, 2001, 17:37

I'd say you have enough of an effect looking at everybody's build orders...

DilithiumDad · July 23, 2001, 18:20

ALWAYS pass global trade pact and keep it in place. Morgan might get a few shekels more per base, but you will hae a lot more bases and you will have submissive pact mates with lots of bases you have gited to them. Plus, you spend you money intelligently while Morgan just hoards it uselessly.

Be careful of the Unity Core. Your enemies swill use every dime for upgrading their units. On the other hand, if you have a submissive or two you can get twice or three times your share of credits which can be very sweet!

I never repeal the charter because I hate being planet busted. But it can be good if you're Yang and have riots in your umpteen captured bases --now you can nerve staple! Plus, when playing the Hive you don't have to worry about Yang's dirty tricks!

The Global shade will probably be needed sooner or later. Don't launch it when you first get warning of global warning. Wait one to three years. Otherwise, sea levels will fall and then rise again as warming kicks in, which will play havoc with your coastal terraforming.

Hoek · July 24, 2001, 09:44

wouldn't it be nice if the council could do things like have arms treaties or negotiate peace or engage in "police action"

death_head · July 24, 2001, 09:46

Well, I've always thought it more fun to wait until global warming is about to occur and then melt the icecaps.

This is especially fun with Svensgaard...after their bases sink, you can build over them with sea bases.

Wiglaf · July 24, 2001, 11:22

Aren't the pirates immune to that sort of thing as one of their advantages?

death_head · July 24, 2001, 11:33

Exactly...any other faction wouldn't fare nearly so well...free Pressure Domes is a powerful bonus in the mid-late game with all the ways to mess with the sea level.