Morgan Questions and Observations

[Hydro]

Observations on Morgan

There are a number of factions I’ve never cared to play, and Morgan was one of them. My heart belongs to Dee (Hydro assumes dreamy and slightly crazed look in eyes), and I am by inclination a tree hugger. Morgan seemed so…nasty.

I decided I needed some practice with Morgan since I was assigned to play him in a recent PBEM Role Playing game (RP4, in Multiplayer). So, I read up on Vel’s observations (note to everyone – buy his guide!) to bone up and fired up a game on DD’s HMOP, blind research set permanently on Build (for faction flavor). In sort, I was role-playing Morgan.

Tech came fairly quickly in the very early game. I was in the northern part of the central continent of HMOP (Uranium Flats, Jungle and rainy fragments to the west). I had some unfortunate encounters with worms early, and didn’t get bases 3 and 4 up unit the late 2120s. Terrain for the new bases was good (rainy, jungle fragment, monolith) so growth accelerated. I got Ind Auto earlier than I was used to (since I play Gaians, with research permanently on Explore) and went FM. The money I pocketed in mid early game was very nice, but exploration stopped. In the mid 2150’s one of the Hive’s rovers showed up. He was not powerful and at war with the Believers (who were powerful), so he offered a Pact for a vendetta on Believers. It took a nanosecond to say SURE! We traded techs: Nonlinear mathematics and Doct: Loyalty. I started prototyping immediately, cashing a crawler, and built a good defensive/offensive force of impact rovers in case Yang got frisky. By the 2170s I had reached my base limit for a builder (which in this case was 17) and had covered the Uranium Flats, and I went Demo/FM. I had snagged WP, VW, CN (!! Thanks to Yang, who gave me the tech), and PN. Dee got HGP. I started building and rushing infrastructure at the rest of my bases. By the late 2180s things were humming, as I had added wealth to mix a while ago. I ascended to the most powerful faction. Dee built Empath Guild and called for elections: Lal was elected due to my vote. I call up Zak – he told me to get lost (he didn’t care for wealth), Lal offered a Pact for a vendetta on Sparta (SURE! She’s on another continent, what can she do to me?), and Dee was chilly (didn’t care for FM). Lal and Santiago are on the eastern continent, Zak all by himself on the northern island, Dee somewhere on the western continent, and Miriam to the south. By 2215 or so Santiago had eradicated Lal, eliminating my prime trading partner. I couldn’t prop him up with a single gift base since there were sunspots and no communications. Profits plummet. The Hive calls, ends Pact. He is allied with Dee. Not good. I goose energy to labs to tech race with Zak, and just manage to get HSA. I also build MC and AV because I could. I tried to do a GA pop boom, which doesn’t seem to work. Pop growth is rather slow, even with some nice nutrient and terraforming. Yang calls back, and offers a pact even though he is seething. SURE! What the heck? After all, Planet isn’t a very friendly place anymore.

Overall observations: not being able to pop boom early is a major drag, since I don’t have the drone control facilities to do an early partial pop under FM. Hab limits means another expensive facility to build to get past size 4. I didn’t try to pop under Survival and I don't think I could afford the psych energy without FM. When not booming I didn't have the ability to go Green until 2210 when I traded techs (including Fusion and Centauri Empathy) from Zak around 2210. Even when I could pop boom (demo/crèche/GA) by about 2200 it didn’t seem to work. My bases grew quickly since I had plenty of nutrients (tree farms, farms, and/or crawled), but not 1 pop/turn. Also, cash flow took a huge hit since my only trading partner is Yang, and later Zak when I went to knowledge to goose research (he was nicer then). Now almost all my bases have at least tree farms, some have hybrid forests. My one big base (size 13) is building a fusion lab. Tech is about 1 per 4 or 5 turns. Basically, Morgan was good in the early game but I was unimpressed with Morgan in the late early game and early mid game (e.g. – post fusion).

So, any advice on what I was doing wrong or what I could improve? Although unsurpassed since the 2180s, any of my Gaian games I was easily in the same place as Morgan due to pop booms for tech rate and power due to massive efficiency (dem/green/knowl or wealth). Gaian cash is huge due to worm pearls, and (in general) seems to make up for the lack of FM except for research, and the larger size means more energy (I crank the Gaian allocation to 80% research regularly). The Gaians can harvest pods, and artifacts, better than anyone else (except Cult) due to worms and IoDs, which will bump the effective tech rate. Morgan almost doesn’t dare pop pods unless they are by his base when FM – I sited 4 bases because of pods alone. Another major drag is that I hadn’t explored much since armoring probes and probe foils is very expensive before fusion. Miriam and her hordes of foils have wiped out the ones I did get out. This lack of exploration is the other major difference from the non-FM Gaians, and it made me a bit nervous not to know what was going on. I also lost EG, so I am even more blind than usual.

Also, any suggestions for the future? I like the idea of going Dem/Green/Wealth. This should net me lots of cash and research, and I can explore a bit. Dee will like me (maybe), but Zak will get difficult. Eventually I am sure it will come to blows with Yang, but I’ll leave him alone until he makes an issue of it (I’m role playing Morgan – don’t kill your customers). Plus, silksteel fusion ECM and AAA troopers should stand up well against his missile rovers and needles, and chaos rovers and probes will take the war to him.

Any words of wisdom will be appreciated

Hydro

[RedFred]

I hope you get some good replies because my experience has been similar: extremely difficult to pop boom with Morgan and the hab limits are crushing.

But on the other hand, my fastest SP transcend ever was with Mr. Free Market. Much to my surprise, but I think it was a bit of a fluke. In that game the AI lined up nicely to go to war with me one at a time. So I always had lots of trade income from either friends or pacted submissives.

I can only tell you the obvious stuff. Be a rush-building expert. Crawler all three resources like mad. Especially with your port cities you can get half decent growth with crawlered food. The other way to get some growth is to expand horizontally. Your self-imposed limit of seventeen bases is more restricting for Morgan than with some other factions.

Target ME, PEG and CN more than you normally would. Consider a tag team of two units for pod popping prior to CN.

Dem, Green & Wealth seems to work best if there is either war or extended forays outside your territory with units assigned to a city. And Green will nab you some natives, particularly important if you miss CN.

After about midgame you can always fight and be in FM if you don't mind a Punishment Sphere base or an all specialist base or two. But if you run Wealth, you really don't get a huge advantage with FM as you would with the other factions. I honestly think FM is better for other factions. Besides, they are usually more equiped to deal with all the worms that FM generates.

[freshman]

Just want to preface my remarks with the fact that I'm a newbie.
I played my first game, it was OCC, as Morgan. Since it was my first game, I didn't have any other games under other factions to compare my game with to see if I felt hampered or slowed down by Morgan's weaknesses.

My first thought, on Morgan's population limit weakness is this:
IA overcomes population limits because a FOP is an FOP whether it comes from a worker or a crawler. (OK so a specialist approach is harder with Morgan). Morgan gets IA before most others because he starts with IB (directed research) - so I'd say that the weakness is pretty well balanced with the positive.
Grabbing AV for Morgan is a good idea - so kudos to you.

My next thought is on Morgans most awesome strength +1 econ!
This is what makes Morgan rock; everyone knows that +1 energy per square can make a huge difference in your game, but all other factions have to really work hard to get it, except Morgan. Morgan can pretty much run any SE setting he wants to and still get +1 energy per square. Dem/Green/Wealth is a good combo. I like Dem/Green/Knowledge even better (run GA to get +1 energy) for that extra pump to your research (of course when I played I only had the one city, so GA was easier to maintain). Being so versatile with SE settings is extremely important for diplomacy (which is even more important in OCC). Pacting comes by much easier with Morgan - and hence the commerce too. Morgan is best played as a builder IMHO.

I'm actually a little surprised at how many people on this board seem to not like Morgan.
Among the factions, (I've now played a few others), he seems to be on the strong side.

That's the way a newbie sees it, anyway, for what it's worth.

[Scipio Centaurus]

Are we talking Morgan vs. other human controlled factions? Or vs. AI controlled factions.

I will also assume we are talking a pure builder style game all the way here [transcend victory]. If you expect/want to go to war do not play Morgan. It's an inappropriate choice of faction for conquest. To me, Morgan faction is the epitome of the true lassiez-faire builder style faction.

My impression of the micromanaging skills of the best human players, is it doesn't really make much difference what faction you play. Assuming no serious conflict, you'll easily get to the Ascent SP and you'll easily transcend on the very first game turn after the Ascent SP is built. So it's purely the luck of the turn ordering at the end of the game. Plus possibly random events - i.e. an energy market crash could kill your chances as Morgan

When I play against the AI and avoid serious conflict until Missiles and Fusion, then I'm pretty unstoppable - even when I wind up in vendetta with all other factions. Lately I have been able to pay all cash for the Ascent SP in my solo games.

Not much to say either way. Avoid conflict at all costs. If you want to fight - there are several factions that would be better choices.

[Ironwood]

Yeah, like the Spartans. Right now, due purely to the AI's decision, I am running a (cooperative) conquest game, using Democracy/Free Market/Power. The only signifigant opponent left is Miriam, and she should fall easily once I've eliminated Dierdre and destroyed Lal's last base... and removed the UN Charter. Planet Busters, anyone?

[freshman]

But on the other hand, my fastest SP transcend ever was with Mr. Free Market. Much to my surprise, but I think it was a bit of a fluke. In that game the AI lined up nicely to go to war with me one at a time. So I always had lots of trade income from either friends or pacted submissives.

RedFred,
I don't think that was a "fluke". Because of Morgan's SE versatility, diplomacy is easier. Compound good diplomacy with ease of having a commerce advantange too. In my OCC, commerce didn't come into play in a big way - but I can imagine that with 20 cities commerce would have a pretty big impact.
This is Morgan's strength, and should be taken advantage of for best effect.

Ironwood,
try to stay with the theme of this thread.

[Gregurabi]

I've heard rumors that the golden age pop-boom is broken in SMAC (but it works in SMAX).

I find Morgan to be a strong faction once you survive long enough to get Crawlers out. This is even more true if you grabbed the Weather Paradigm (terraforming, especially boreholes/condensors, can make a world of difference -- crawl the farm/condensor squares and rocky/mine/road squares, work the forests and boreholes and kelp/tidals).

Get those probe foils out earlier, and infiltrate! The AI's awful at defending against probe foils; and if the AI actually fields a navy, switch out of FM and sink it. (You should be able to crank out a navy of your own in 10 turns or less, and you'll sweep the AI out of the water. It has no idea how to fight....)

Get those Tree Farms up ASAP. When you get fusion, get those Fusion Labs built. With Demo/Green/Wealth (my favorite Morgan SE setting) you can set lab allocation as high as you like, use 10 or 20% psych if you need it, throw in a few engineers for cash, and you'll be soaring up the tech tree and still making money.

[DilithiumDad]

I avoided Morgan for a long time, and now I like him for a challenge even (gulp!) in Multiplayer (being part of an alliance is a must! You need pacts to survive!)

Population: Planetary Transit System is your friend. You should be able to get it because you are first to Ind Auto. In the 5 turns before completing the PTS, build pods like crazy and found as many bases as you can and build recycling tanks in them (to avoid starvation). Build no creches, just pods, and stayin Polce/Green/Wealth. Your empire will consist of one size 4 base building the PTS and a bunch of size 1 to 2 bases and some pods en route to base sites. Then you build the PTS and bam! Your size 1 bases triple in size and lose one drone. Now shift over to Demo/Green/Wealth and then Demo/FM/Wealth, build creches in every base and many of the size 3's will get to size 4. Go crazy with sea terraforming.

Golden Age pop booms only work in SMACX. Morgan is a hugely powerful faction in SMACX becauseof this. You can easily pop boom even on Transcend if you get the HGP.

otherwise, you need to beeline for Cloning Vats. Pick up ascetic virtues along the way and pass the Global Trade Pact. Declare vendetta and conquer a warlike faction that votes aginst the pact; it's that important. On the way to the Vats is the clean reactor tech that you need anyway.

[Scipio Centaurus]

Here are a few hints on how I play against the AI.

I play SMAX Transcend difficulty against original SMAC factions. Huge custom map with 50-70% ocean. Other features average. No Unity survey. Pods at starting locations only. Random faction personalities. All victory conditions enabled. Directed research. Lately I've been fiddling with blind research.

I have the grid lines on when I land and if I see that my HQ is on a rounded smallish to medium landmass that looks like it will support 12-20 bases [about 2 full pages on the F4 screen], I begin to drool. I will ICS until the landmass is full, then I am pretty much done expanding for the rest of the game. I may toss a few coastal seabases out to protect the entrances to harbors and inland waterways, but that's about all.

If the landmass is a lot larger than this, I will often fire up a new game just to get to the 'correct' size of landmass. Call it a loss if you like, but the odds of sharing a large landmass with any other faction are simply too great - and I have found sharing land, to be disasterous for Morgan. Like a true free-marketeer, Morgan is best played as an isolationist.

Conversly, if the initial landmass is much smaller than described I will also fire up a brand new game to try to get to the optimal size. As a builder, you really don't want to have to fool around trying to expand across/onto ocean.

I go for CentEco first tech. Even on blind research, if I select EXPLORE priority right away, I invariably get it. I think you always get the base level 1 tech for each of the 4 research fields when you first select the field of research.

Then I fasttrak to IndAuto with a pit stop along the way for SocPsych at the first opportunity. This let's me switch to FM the moment I get it, because I can rush build Rec Commons in the 'hot' spots.

Instead of [hopefully in addition to] sensors in new base sites, I plant forest in any tile where I want a new base. This is a stop-gap substitute for recyc tanks until you can get time later to put the real thing in. If you have a good clean dedicated nut bonus within the production radius of a new base, forget about foresting the base tile - just put the sensors in.

SPs: I try really hard to get Weather Paradigm. The faster I can get boreholes and condensors built, the better I like it. My next favorite SP is Virtual World. I also play true to faction form and make a push for Merchant Exchange fairly early. After that I guess Human Genome Project would be good, but B-lining to IndAuto is not very conducive to getting that one. Panetary Tranport System I can take or leave. That about covers the early game SPs that will become available in my research B-line.

New Base Builds: For the initial 2 bases, I build scouts till I have CentEco, then I immediately switch off to the #2 slot in the following generic base build queue.

1> Scout
2> Formers
3> CP till FM & beauracracy limits. Then you will eventually have to start building rec commons in the 3, 2 and maybe even the 1 slot.

The first 2 bases that will have 4+ MINs available [after scout/former support] buld rec commons after they produce 1 CP. These 2 bases are targetted for SP production after the rec commons are in place. I hate to try to build SPs w/o the rec commons, but you can probably get away with it if you are desperate to build a certain SP.

Other early bases build a second CP, before working on prototypes and rec commons.

Infrastructure Priorities:

1> Rec Commons
2> Network Nodes - if you got VW. Holo Theaters otherwise.
3> Hab Complexes as soon as bases hit size 4.

Then I go back and start ramming in things like recyc tanks and bio labs, childrens creches, etc.

Well, that's a start that should cover the first 50 to 75 years.

- Scipio

[T-hawk]

Morgan's HUGE advantage is Wealth. Morgan should NEVER not run Wealth (unless Eudaimonic.) Wealth gives him all the advantage of Free Market without any of the crushing penalties. Morgan should almost never actually run Free Market, and if not pop-booming should always be in Green for the efficiency, and +Planet never hurts.

If you want to pop-boom with Morgan, the only way to do it is to keep your economics at Simple. FM is out, because you need some police ability for the drone control, and of course you can't boom with Green's -Growth. Morgan can't boom until fairly late - each base will need a Hab Complex, Creche, Hologram Theatre, and lots of food. But Wealth's +industry will help you get there. You may have to put Psych as high as 80% to get the GAs for booming, especially if you lack both HGP and some Holo Theaters. (If you lack VW, build the Holos instead and leave the Nodes for later.)

Food is a problem, since you'll also need some doctors while booming. If you haven't got Weather Paradigm for condensors, you'll need bunches of crawlers. Eco Eng is too late to pop-boom.

When not pop-booming, Morgan is very versatile in Politics, but should always be in Green/Wealth. Green's efficiency makes Police State possible (a good idea to keep the drones under control immediately after pop-booming while the infrastructure catches up); Democracy's Paradigm Economy is great; and Fundy helps the Wealth morale hit and the Research hit isn't too bad with +2 Efficiency and +2 Economy -- or just conquer the world with probe teams.

If he can survive past pop-booming, Morgan's the best Hybrid in the game, with his ability to maintain +2 Economy and either great research or POUR money into war efforts (particularly probes.) Getting him there is the problem; pop-booming is unquestionably quite difficult, and he's a sitting duck while doing so.

[Hydro]

Thanks for the advice. Good points all, and you have inspired me to take another try at Mr. Greed Is Good.

To be clear, I was using SMAC Classic, and I have determined that Morgan cannot pop boom in Classic. This, of course, makes it more of a challenge. I was also using faction (Build) blind research to keep faction flavor. I haven't used directed research in a long time. Obviously, this can be a problem if you are by a hostile Santiago or Yang.

SE: It turns out that Dem/Green/Wealth or Dem/simple/Wealth worked much better than FM/wealth or Dem/FM/Wealth. All I really lose is a little extra energy in each base, and I gain the freedom to move around - this is very powerful, since it means I can explore and pop pods. I lose some income, but not that much. And (as mentioned) I gain a police benefit so I can grow farther and faster. I had precious few opportunities for trade in this game, which means FM is even less useful since the commerce is of little benefit. Note to self - make the SE work for you and your situation…

Energy allocation: I was set at 50:50 through early mid game. After I went Demo I bumped labs to 60% and suffered an inefficiency hit. I couldn't go Green until about 2200 since Dee refused to trade tech with me. Later I switched to 20% psych to go GA in my futile attempt to pop boon, with 20% cash and 60% research. The cash/research split went to 10%/70% later. I still haven't been able to break the 1 tech/turn as of 2290, even with 13 power transmitters in orbit. This strikes me as strange, and I think I need more bases and more crawlers. Well, that can be fixed.

Growth: I built (in order) former, scout, the CP-CP-CP (repeat) till I got 6 bases. Then my capitol and one other base rush built RC, and REC if I needed it. Then they started projects, typically by 2130 or 2140. Rush building is a wonderful thing, and Morgan does it well since he generates more cash and has a larger bankroll to start than other factions. Bases were spaced apx 3 hexes apart, with quite a bit of overlap. I could have added about 2 or 3 more to the area I had, but that would have sucked up a little free space that I had intended for crawling mines, forests, or food that was out of sniping range of nasty old Yang. Next time I will do the same, but will work harder to get PTS. I'll also build a LOT more bases, especially juicy sea bases with all that wonderful energy…

Crawlers: I got them early, and used them to goose minerals to max, then added energy. Typically I was too busy in the early game cashing for prototypes and projects to get much energy craw;ing, but since it was before lifting energy restrictions it didn't matter too much.

Diplomacy: Peace was paramount, but was in short supply. There were three groupings in this game: Morgan (with Lal until he was exterminated, and a sometimes pact with Yang); Sparta-Believers; Dee-Yang. Zak was friends with everyone, and sold/gave his tech to all of them (the bastard). Lal got eliminated early, which was too bad since cash really rolled in when we were pacted. I role-played this game, so I accepted cash demands and tech demands, if they weren't too outrageous. I had little problem being at war with Santiago and Miriam since I knew they were going to hate me anyway for Dem/FM or Dem/Wealth (and they were safely on a different continent). Still, it was a bit odd that my only friend in the whole game was Yang either as a Pact or Treaty for almost 150 years, and he was seething all the time. Strange bedfellows? Or was it that I had enough firepower to take half his empire in two turns? You decide. Later Zak Pacted with both the Dee faction and Santiago faction and declared war on me. After I went Dem/Green/Wealth Dee declared war. So much for brownie points.

Projects: The AI was on my butt for most of these, and I knew I wasn't going to get one of the first three. Turned out I didn't get two of them, and I had to choose between HGP and WP - an easy choice. After I got crawlers it was just a matter of getting the right tech. Zak kept up for the entire early game, and got to fusion first. I was in a run for many of the good SPs with him through the entire early game, and even after. For instance, I lost supercollider and living refinery to him. That is the penalty for using blind research set on build - you don't get what you want. I kind of let PTS go, and now I wish I hadn't. I could have had lots of sea bases generating scads of energy. My loss.

Exploration: probe foils are the thing, but only after fusion. Before that they are just too expensive. That is the advantage of green - free mindworms and IoDs. This also means I will meet people earlier and have a chance to get in early on a treaty or pact to butter them up a bit. Cheap empath probes are the thing, and if you get out early the pickings are better. And loaded IoDs generate lots of pearls, if you life through the experience.

War: By early mid game I had was past critical mass, and was starting to assert my irritation at Zak and Dee for their lack of propriety. The problem is that they are Pacted with one or more other factions, which makes them much less likely to surrender. So, it is my job to take out Zak, who has been funneling dangerous tech to the warmongers, and Dee, since she has EG and HGP, which will fall to the Believers in not too long (pathetic Believer tech not withstanding). I'll ignore Santiago, but pay close attention to Yang. He has 2 PBs now, which is always a bad thing. Now that my economy is generating scads of cash I am buying what I can't take. Zak's first base fell after I paid 3500 credits for it, and it was worth every joule. His 20-odd conventional missiles were making my approach pretty miserable and now I have a safe haven to launch a strike at his capitol (which is rioting, since missiles generate drones under FM - poor Zak).

PB: I did something in this game I have done only once before in all my years of placing SMAC - I built a PB. I admit I did it out of paranoia since the world WAS out to get me. In retrospect it was a big mistake. After all, it is a non-Morgan thing to incinerate resources. It also tied up a lot of production that could have been directed other places. I also think it spiked my Power, making the AI much more hostile. Shortly after I built the PB Dee declared war, although maybe she would have anyway. Now, there was one very good reason for building it - it was the target for Yang's or anyone else's PB, which means my capitol or other valuable SP-laden area might be spared. So, my PB's only role was at a sacrificial target. I think that it did more harm than good, though.

Thanks again for the advice. Any other advice would be welcome.

Hydro, the former eco-weenie

[T-hawk]

Originally posted by Hydro
To be clear, I was using SMAC Classic, and I have determined that Morgan cannot pop boom in Classic.

Sure he can, by running Democracy, building a Creche, and getting that base into a Golden Age (no drones and at least half talents.) And Eudaimonic and Cloning Vats can also pull the trick, of course.

SE: It turns out that Dem/Green/Wealth or Dem/simple/Wealth worked much better than FM/wealth or Dem/FM/Wealth. All I really lose is a little extra energy in each base

Actually, by the time Morgan gets big (20-25 bases), Green gets him MORE energy than FM because of the efficiency boost. It depends on how much commerce you have, but if you wind up in vendetta with the world, Green becomes superior surprisingly quick.

War: By early mid game I had was past critical mass, and was starting to assert my irritation at Zak and Dee for their lack of propriety. The problem is that they are Pacted with one or more other factions, which makes them much less likely to surrender.

Never forget that probe teams can frame other factions. It's usually possible to break up a pact by doing that.

So, my PB's only role was at a sacrificial target. I think that it did more harm than good, though.

Ah, the age-old dilemma -- to PB or not to PB. I too find they're not very useful as deterrents, inflaming more than relieving tensions. I don't build any I don't plan to use, and don't plan to use any unless someone hits me first or as a last resort to stop one from getting built, then build and launch several at once.

You can keep the AIs from getting any PBs for a surprisingly long time. Except for Sparta, they'll always be paying the prototype cost -- I don't think the AI ever builds Skunkworks. Sabotage with your probes; if you can't get probes there (don't forget needlejet transports)or they have the HSA, send some copters and conventional missiles -- the AI will almost always change production to a garrison unit. I've only ever had one game where I actually got PBed, and that was after I had launched three myself.

[RedFred]

Some good advice here, particularly Dilithium Dad's.

Nevertheless, I have a couple of slight criticisms. Please, nobody take it personally. While I admire freshman trying to help out with advice after a single game, I really think you need to try playing all fourteen factions before deciding one faction is versatile. Try a couple games with the Peacekeepers for example.

To win at OCC first game is an awesome accomplishment, but OCC plays out very differently from a regular game. Population is a huge consideration in the might chart and the AI will always be much friendlier to low pop, and hence low might, OCC factions. So the whole diplomacy part of the game plays very differently once you have a few bases under your belt.

I saw somebody else's comment that Morgan should avoid conflict at all costs. I would love it if this was practical, but at least in my regular-sized maps games it is only a matter of time before you go to war running Dem Green Wealth. With the original seven, Zak, Yang and Santiago will get unhappy sooner or later. And Miraim never likes me. So I believe you should prepare for and wage war with some initiative rather than let war come to you. Even as Morgan.

I saw another post about playing Morgan by using super big maps, continent to yourself, lots of ocean between yourself and the other factions, and with a restart if things don't look quite right. I can't dictate to people how to enjoy games, and it is disappointing to me that some of the builders are driven to this to avoid the hyper war happy AI designed by Firaxis. But in single player games you already have the odds stacked so heavily in your favour. So why not try and make games a little more challenging?

Okay, sermon over. If anybody thinks I am out of line here, don't hesitate to tell me.

[Scipio Centaurus]

Don't play Morgan on standard maps. Free advice.

[Blake]

MORGAN CAN NOT POP-BOOM UNDER SMAC! GA's ARE BROKEN IN SMAC!.
Morgan can pop-boom under SMAX. But not SMAC. Okay?
Because I shouted everyone must have heard that, so no-one will need to post any more claims that morgan can or can not pop-boom

Down to business...

Morgan can be played on any sized map.... on smaller maps just pack in bases closer (ICS, even), and take advantage of the base square energy under FM/Wealth. Then just probe-rape your enemies

I'm a dedicated Freemarketeer Morganite player, not only is it fun roleplaying, but I consider FM more powerfull than green. Particullary FM/Knowledge is more powerfull than Green/Wealth, because by throwing up a Punishment sphere or specialist base under FM/Know you can easily get *elite* troops, while under wealth you struggle to get better than veteran.
I suppose you could use Green/Know GA, I find this becomes feasible (with 10% pysch) around about getting hybrid forests, but I would still rather FM and a good ol' fashioned punishment sphere.

However in the late game I switch to Green/Wealth/Eudo. This is because I usually go nuts conquering or planetbustering the world and all my bases are cranking out gravships or busters. But thats late game so who cares

[Scipio Centaurus]

Originally posted by Blake
MORGAN CAN NOT POP-BOOM UNDER SMAC! GA's ARE BROKEN IN SMAC!

You mean to tell me we're not going to be able to get Morgan's bases up to size 25+ in NCC002?

OT: I've also just noticed that SMAC does not support territorial boundaries from land bases extending into the sea. SMAX does. Wierd!

Morgan can be played on any sized map....

Knock yourself out! I only put that message on to irritate the guy before me - who was boorishly trying to take other posters in the thread to task. Guess it didn't work.

The guy that started this thread asked for opinions. He didn't specify who could and who could not give opinions. If someone wants to shoot off about someone else's 'opinions' that's fine - I am assuming that everyone who elects to post on public forums can take what they dish.

BTW, I think the originator of the thread has left the building...

I'm a dedicated Freemarketeer Morganite player, not only is it fun roleplaying, but I consider FM more powerfull than green.

I agree. And though the designers did not make Green a prohibited SE choice for Morgan, they probably should have. Purist free marketeers don't give a whoot about spotted owls.

- Scipio

[Hydro]

Left the building? Nope - just absorbing all the opinions so I can refine my Morgan play. My take is that all the various options are appropriate under certain circumstances, and for a certain styles. One of the key things I have realized is to use Morgan (or any faction) with a degree of flexibility so that you can shape, and respond to, different circumstances. I think the next time I play Morgan I'll do better because of all of your input, so thanks! I'm still open to other bit if there are other words of wisdom out there...

Hydro

Btw - I am sure you can't pop boom with Morgan in Classic. If you don't believe me try Morgan in Classic to prove me wrong. If I am wrong I certainly want to know about it!

[T-hawk]

Btw - I am sure you can't pop boom with Morgan in Classic. If you don't believe me try Morgan in Classic to prove me wrong. If I am wrong I certainly want to know about it!

Eudaimonic. Cloning Vats.

[Hydro]

T-hawk,

You are, of course, correct. However, by the time you have these the game is wrapped up. Vats and Eud are gravy.

Hydro

[Ned]

Others have said this before, but Morgan is murderous with GA with either planned or green, depending on whether you want to pop boom or pop pods. This setting ALONE puts Morgan into +2 econ. Adding planned (+DEMO, and Children's Crech's) and Morgan pop booms (in SMACX v.2.0).

Morgan is extremely powerful.

Ned

[Hydro]

Ned,

I think you mean add FM, since Morgan can't be planned. To get +2 eco for Morgan I sometimes bump to FM or Wealth, then switch to Green or Knowledge and the GA will be self sustaining with a 10% or 20% psych. This seems only to work in SMAX, and a favorite tactic for the lovely Dee is to go Dem/Green/Wealth with 10% psych and get GA and +2 eco. Morgan seems to be able to do this using Dem/Green/Knowledge (GA) due to his native +1 eco, which GA bumps to +2 eco. +1 energy per square is a wonderful thing!

Hydro

[Ned]

Hydro, My apologies. Yes Morgan cannot do Planned. But Simple + GA gives him both +2 econ and pop boom in GA.

FM has too many negatives so that if one can get +2 econ in any other way, that way is preferred.

Ned

[Scipio Centaurus]

To achieve true enlightenment with Morgan, you must go FM at the earliest possible opportunity and remain FM the entire game, without deviation. Anything else is wimping out!

[Blake]

Originally posted by Scipio Centaurus
To achieve true enlightenment with Morgan, you must go FM at the earliest possible opportunity and remain FM the entire game, without deviation. Anything else is wimping out!

And everyone seems to think that any Econ above +2 is wasted... in the early game +2/+4 energy per base square is nothing to sneeze at, and later in the game the +commerce can be very valuable, assuming you have allies....

[Ned]

Originally posted by Blake




And everyone seems to think that any Econ above +2 is wasted... in the early game +2/+4 energy per base square is nothing to sneeze at, and later in the game the +commerce can be very valuable, assuming you have allies....

Yeah, But one gets +2 efficiency with Green, and no negatives other than a growth negative. Staying in simple permits the use of police which may be critical to suppressing drones to get to GA and a pop boom.

Ned

[Hydro]

I quite agree. +4 or so energy at your base square for ecos +3 and above is great, especially in the early game where that increase can be a 50% bump of a base's total energy output. That has to be balanced with the negatives, and I think that is the point - so I will shift my Morgan's focus based on where want and need to be. As to the preferred SE for Morgan, I see him as a manager that will do whatever gives him the greatest return on his investment. If he has lots of allies (as I did not), then the commerce bump and energy from FM is great. If the world is out to get you, and you are forced to bring the war(s) to your enemy(ies) then some simple or green combo seems appropriate. The key is to maintain a good positive energy income within the constraints of your circumstances.

Other tricks of fielding an army in FM are interesting, but I find myself shying away from punishment spheres on a philosophical basis (the same reason I've never used a PB). The all specialist base idea is interesting, but that would seem to be useful late in the game after clean units when the game is largely decided. I think that would be much more interesting in MP to psych out your opponents, who may disbelieve that there is a Morgan army out there. Play with their mind like silly puddy…

Hydro

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Scipio Centaurus

Instead of [hopefully in addition to] sensors in new base sites, I plant forest in any tile where I want a new base. This is a stop-gap substitute for recyc tanks until you can get time later to put the real thing in. If you have a good clean dedicated nut bonus within the production radius of a new base, forget about foresting the base tile - just put the sensors in.
- Scipio

I must be missing something because my experience is that improving the base tile makes NO DIFFERENCE. Unlike Civ2 I get the same base of 2-1-1 whether the square is arid or rainy, flat or rolling or forested. Things that seem to make a difference are
1. specials
2. rivers add 1+ energy
3 landmarks (ie) jungle

But my exerience is that the only terraforming that would make a difference to your base tile is adding a sensor or making a river. Am I wrong?? I would think that foresting a base square would be a complete waste of former time. lety me know if you have seen otherwise as it would change a lot of my practices.

[DilithiumDad]

Flubber --you are correct about base square placement.

As to the question of Morganite SE setting there is ONLY ONE CORRECT ANSWER!! And that is:

All of the above!

Many posters here seem to think that social engineering is a "set it and forget it" option. Not so! Every move you should comparing different SE model and see which one gives you the best advantages. The only faction this does not apply to is The Hive, which is locked into Police/Planned/(Wealth or Power). The other 13 factions have options.

For Morgan in SMAC 4.0, the key is not to waste nutrients in the tanks before Cloning Vats. I rarely use specialists as Morgan, preferring to use them as workers to bring in more nutrients. Remember that the nutrients you are taking in under Green economics are not wasted. As soon as you go back to Demo/Free Market, all those nutrients stored in the tanks will be converted into an extra citizen.

So I keep Morgan mostly as Police/Green/Wealth, but I keep an eye on the nutrient tanks. When a bunch of bases have tanks that are more than half full, I go Demo/Green/Wealth for 2-3 turns then Demo/FM/Wealth. Adding a golden age to this will reduce your nutrient tanks to 5 squares and you can squeeze out a few new citizens before going back to the default (Demo or Police)/Green/Wealth for another decade or so until your tanks start to fill.

[big_canuk]

Originally posted by Scipio Centaurus
My impression of the micromanaging skills of the best human players, is it doesn't really make much difference what faction you play. Assuming no serious conflict, you'll easily get to the Ascent SP and you'll easily transcend on the very first game turn after the Ascent SP is built. So it's purely the luck of the turn ordering at the end of the game

I'm not positive what you mean here, but I think it might be that if you build the voice, then the next player in turn order could build the ascent. This is a common misconception. If you build the Voice, then *you* are the first to have the chance to build the ascent, the following turn. After that, it is up for grabs to all.

Therefore in MP, you must be prepared to "instabuild" the ascent the turn after you build the Voice, otherwise someone else will, and you will loose.

bc

[big_canuk]

Originally posted by Scipio Centaurus

Instead of [hopefully in addition to] sensors in new base sites, I plant forest in any tile where I want a new base. This is a stop-gap substitute for recyc tanks until you can get time later to put the real thing in. If you have a good clean dedicated nut bonus within the production radius of a new base, forget about foresting the base tile - just put the sensors in.

- Scipio

This is another common misconception. The base tile is unaffected by its terrain, other than river, or special. Forests, whether they are pre-built, or expand into the base tile after building do not increase FOP output. (They also do not help defensive capability). Unbombable sensors however are a great asset.

bc

Edit: I see I was beaten to the draw on this one. sorry for the extra post.