Games PC SID MEIER S-ALPHA CENTAURI User Manual

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Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Using the Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Game Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Welcome to Alpha Centauri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The Turn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Active Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Commlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Turn Complete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

World View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Year/Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Status View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Data MFD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Mapping the Planet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Planet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Native Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

How Terrain Affects Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

How Terrain Affects Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Terraforming and Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Resource Production Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Ecological Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Random Natural Phenomena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Colonizing the Planet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Base Control Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Base Control Screen/Section by Section. . . . . . . 69

Production Readout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Action Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Controlling Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

HQ Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Probe Teams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Social Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Resigning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Winning the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Scoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Appendix 1. Notes and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

General Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Appendix 2. Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Terraforming Enhancements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Resource Production Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Terrain Effects on Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Terrain Effects on Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Social Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Secret Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Technology Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

Planetary Council Proposals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Free Facilities from Secret Projects. . . . . . . . . . 193

Appendix 3. Option Screens. . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Game Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Game Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Appendix 4. Advanced Customization

. . . . 205

Scenario and Edit Map Menu Options . . . . . . . 206

Editing Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Appendix 5. A New Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

The Centaur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Bright Suns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Proper Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Double Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Parallax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Proxima Centauri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Luminosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Mass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Solar System Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Habitable Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Planetography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Earth Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Atmospheric Composition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Meteorology and Climatology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Oceanography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Soil Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Native Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

Moons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Other Planets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Suggested Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Journey to Centauri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Designer’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to FIRAXIS Games’™ second offering, Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri™. As with all games from FIRAXIS, fun and imagination rule, and we have tried to make a very complex topic accessible and interesting.

It is an ambitious game, addressing some very fundamental issues facing mankind as we approach the new millennium. What sort of technologies can we expect to deal with within the next couple of centuries? How will we use these technologies — for good or for evil? In fact, what ideologies will be paramount in the next millennium, and do these ideologies imply new and differing definitions for “good” and “evil”? What is the ultimate goal for humanity?

THE STORY

Soon after the new millenium begins, humankind’s oldest enemies — war, famine and disease — are winning the battle on planet Earth. The United Nations decides to attempt the mission that has been the dream of countless science fiction writers and fans for generations: the colonization of a New World, before it is too late. The establishment of a new outpost for mankind as an alternative to the decaying situation on our mother planet seems to be the last and best hope for the continued existence of mankind.

Code named “Unity,” the plan is simple. Send enough men, women and supplies to the earthlike planet, Chiron, orbiting the primary star in the Alpha Centauri system. Give them the seeds for planting a new society — technology, knowledge, and experts of every kind. Insure that the mission, U.N. sponsored, stays on track by carefully monitoring its progress from Earth. Then, when the time is right, and if the need still exists, begin shuttling others to the New World at Alpha Centauri.

But space travel is a difficult undertaking, even now. It is hard to reach our own moon. Even if we had the capacity to make it to a distant planet, will we

GETTING STARTED

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be able to bring the travelers back? Once firmly established on a distant world, will we be able to cooperate with one another there long enough to establish a new society that can attain the same levels and quality of life that we have achieved here after almost 5000 years of civilization? But the deteriorating conditions on Earth leave us little choice.

From the beginning, there are problems aboard the U.N. Starship Unity. An unexpected reactor malfunction damages the ship, waking the travelers early from cryo-sleep. It soon is evident that the accident has damaged the communications equipment and contact with Earth is lost, and cannot be reestablished. The leadership of the mission is faced with the prospect of going it alone and soon begin to argue obstinately about the best way to proceed.

The game begins when the Unity Mission reaches Chiron. But, by this time, the mission has fallen into chaos. The most powerful leaders on board have built ideological factions and surrounded themselves with dedicated followers. It is clear that each faction has established its own agenda for the future of mankind and is desperately serious about carrying it through.

GOOD LUCK

We hope you will find a multitude of ways to solve the problems the Unity travelers face. There are nearly unlimited options and you can experiment relentlessly as you explore, discover, build and conquer. Please feel free to contact us to pass on criticism or praise, or just your point of view, at

WWW

.FIRAXIS.COM. Have fun and Good Luck. — FIRAXIS Games

USING THE MANUAL

If this is the very first time you’ve ever played Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri or any game like it, we recommend you do not sit down and read this book cover-to-cover before you start playing!

Instead, we strongly suggest you put down this book, start up the game, and play through the tutorial scenario provided. Also, check out the five “tours” provided in the game’s Help menu. These two resources are the easiest (and most fun) way to learn the basics of the game.

GETTING STARTED

Tours. To get to the tours, start the game and select any options which look interesting (you’ll find out exactly what they do a little later) or just hit

QUICK

START

. When the game loads for the first time, you will be automatically

walked through several tours that show you the fundamentals of the game. To get back to the tours after the first game, L (left-click) on the

MENU tab

on the left side of the screen, then L on

HELP. The tours are at the bottom

of the Help menu.

Tutorial Scenarios. To access the tutorial scenarios, start the game and select SCENARIO from the Main menu. When the Scenario menu appears, select PLAY SCENARIO. Open the folder 1EXPLORE and select the “Explore.sc” file. Upon successful completion of the “Explore” scenario, move on to the 2BUILD folder, and then to the 3CONQUER folder. When played in succession, these tutorials can help teach the Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri basics in a fun and intuitive way. To access a list of scenario objectives and how to achieve them, L on the

MENU tab on the left side of the screen, then L on

the HQ menu, and select REVIEW SCENARIO OBJECTIVES.

Once you know the basics, this manual is provided to help you discover the many subtleties and details of Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri. We hope you’ll be returning to these pages often while playing, to discover the exact purpose behind a game option, or the meaning of a term. Who knows? Maybe after you’ve been playing Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri for awhile, you’ll come back and read this book cover-to-cover, just to make sure you’re not missing anything.

In addition to this manual, you will find the following materials, also included with your game, extremely useful:

• Install Guide. Installation, trouble shooting and customer support.

• Tech Tree Chart. The technologies that you discover as you progress, and their interrelationships. This chart also contains information about the terrain, vehicles, and world of Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri.

GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 1

This manual is divided into seven major sections:

• Getting Started. Loading and customizing your game.

• Welcome to Alpha Centauri. Movement, and the basic game interface.

• Planet. The ecology of the new world, and terraforming.

• Colonizing Planet. Building bases and expanding and defending your faction’s territory.

• Controlling Society. The finer points of economics, diplomacy, research and Social Engineering.

• Appendices, listed below.

• A New Sun, Planetography and Journey to Centauri, giving background details on the world of Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri.

The appendices provide easy access to important information:

• Notes and Tips. Designer’s notes, and some strategy tips.

• Tables. Quick reference charts to the technologies, units, facilities and Secret Projects available in the game.

• Option Screens. Quick reference listing of configurable options to customize gameplay.

• Advanced Customization. Advanced methods for customizing the game.

• Index. A complete listing of where to find details on all key topics in the game.

INSTALLATION

Installation, troubleshooting and customer support are all covered in the Install Guide.

GAME SETUP

Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri allows a wide range of player customization options both before and during play.

MAIN (STARTING) MENU

This is the first thing you see upon starting Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri.

You can quit the game from the Main menu with q. If you’re not on the Main menu, q takes you back to your previous screen. On all menu screens, q takes you back one level.

START GAME

Starts a new game. This selection opens the Map Selection menu (see Map Selection menu, facing page).

QUICK START

This option drops you directly into a new game configured exactly like the last game you played (including faction choice). If you use Quick Start before playing any other games, it drops you into a world of average size, with all defaults on, playing the Gaian faction on the easiest difficulty level.

SCENARIO

Scenarios are specific challenges designed to test your playing skill to the maximum. The exceptions are the Tutorial Scenarios, specially designed to teach new players the basics.

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GETTING STARTED

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LOAD GAME

Allows you to load a previously saved game. You can load both automatic saves (see Automatic Saves, p. 30) and named saves (see Save Game, p. 29).

This option opens your Saves directory.

MULTIPLAYER

Use this to set up a multiplayer game. See Multiplayer, in the Install Guide, for detailed instructions.

VIEW CREDITS

Reveals the game’s creators.

EXIT GAME

This option quits the game and returns you to Windows®.

MAP SELECTION MENU

In this menu you decide what kind of new game you wish to start.

MAKE RANDOM MAP

Allows you to start a new game, making only a few basic choices— Size of Planet, Difficulty Level, Game Rules and Faction. (See Customized Planets, next page, for details of these options.)

CUSTOMIZE RANDOM MAP

Allows you to customize a number of parameters of your new world before you start play. See Customized Planets, next page, for details.

THE MAP OF PLANET

This map is the “official” map of Planet. It’s always the same.

HUGE MAP OF PLANET

This is a large version of the map of Planet.

LOAD MAP FILE

This allows you to load a custom map that you’ve saved out as a map file.

CUSTOMIZED PLANETS

When you elect to play on a random or customized random map game, you’re given a series of choices that allow you to shape the environment of your new world.

A fully customized planet allows you to control exactly what kind of game experience you want. If your primary interest is combat and tactics, choose a small planet with plentiful native life, giving you lots of opportunity to fight off native threats and other factions. If you’re more interested in peaceful, long-term development, choose a huge planet and rare native life. If you want a difficult terraforming challenge, choose a mountainous, dry world, but if you want a more inviting environment for your people, choose rolling terrain and lots of rainfall. If you like building and managing a navy, go for extensive ocean coverage, or if you prefer to work on land, choose smaller oceans.

At any time in the customization process you can return to the Select Size of Planet menu by hitting q.

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GETTING STARTED

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SIZE

There are five options: Tiny, Small, Standard, Large and Huge. The bigger the world, the

longer you’ll probably play before encountering any of the other factions.

From this screen, you can also load any custom map files you may have saved. The Load Map

File option opens your map file directory.

OCEAN COVERAGE

Allows you to select how much of the world is under water. The three options are 30-50%, 50-70%, and 70-90%. The more ocean, the greater the necessity for a navy and the fewer opportunities to expand your faction on land.

EROSIVE FORCES

Allows you to choose between Strong (rolling and flat terrain), Average (hilly terrain), and Weak (rough, mountainous terrain). In general, flat terrain is easier to settle and terraform. Rougher surfaces are harder to terraform, but offer an abundance of mineral resources.

NATIVE LIFE FORMS

Allows you to select the frequency of Planet’s native life-forms, notably mind worms (see Fauna, p. 40) and xenofungus (see Flora, p. 39). Choices are Rare, Average and Abundant. The fewer native life forms, the easier the going, particularly early in the game.

CLOUD COVER

The choices are Sparse (light rainfall), Average, and Dense (heavy rainfall). The more rainfall, the more nutrients available to feed and expand your bases.

DIFFICULTY

There are six levels of difficulty. The higher the difficulty, the smarter and more aggressive your opponents, and the tougher it is to establish and expand your faction. Difficulty levels, from easiest to hardest, are: Citizen (novice),

Specialist, Talent, Librarian, Thinker, and Transcend (expert).

GAME RULES

These advanced gameplay options are described in detail under Game Rules, p. 197.

FACTION

There are seven factions of refugees from the disastrous destruction of the U.N. Starship Unity. This is where you select the one that you wish to lead.

•

CUSTOM NAME allows you to change the name of the faction (if, for example,

your faction simply must be the Cheeseheads). This option also allows you to customize the terms used to address and describe your faction in diplomatic interactions.

•

HELP button displays a summary of the faction’s character and its special

abilities (and handicaps).

•

LOAD lets you load a previously created faction configuration.

•

OK accepts your choice and starts the game.

•

CANCEL returns to the Main menu.

After you select a faction, you get a window that allows you to change the name and gender of your faction leader (for example, Norma of the Cheeseheads), if you wish, after which the game begins.

See Factions, facing page, for information about the seven factions themselves.

GETTING STARTED

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GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 1

FACTIONS

The human factions of Planet are not divided by race, language or place of ancestral origin. Instead, each faction is guided by the vision of its leader. These visions, in turn, give each faction a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. By comparing the strengths of your faction to the parameters of a customized planet, you can either give yourself an edge against the other factions, or set yourself a unique challenge to overcome.

You’re likely to find the game more enjoyable if you pick a faction you can empathize with (even if you don’t necessarily agree with everything they profess).

GAIA’S STEPDAUGHTERS (LED BY LADY DEIRDRE SKYE)

The Gaians are determined not to repeat the environmental mistakes of old Earth. They seek to live at peace with Planet. They start out with the Centauri Ecology technology and advanced abilities to interact with the native life, including the ability to move freely through xenofungus squares and gather extra nutrients from fungus. Their empathy with Planet gives them the ability to place ravaging wild mind worms directly under their control. Their experience with recycling systems makes their bases more efficient, but their pacifist leanings undermine the

abilities of their military units, and they resent police control in times of crisis. Because of negative environmental consequences, the Gaians can not make the “Free Market Economics” social choice (see Society Window, p. 136).

HUMAN HIVE (LED BY CHAIRMAN SHENG-JI YANG)

This faction is ruled under harsh collectivist/authoritarian principles. The good of the individual is totally subordinate to the state. They are isolationist, and militaristic. The Hive begins with the Doctrine: Loyalty technology. Their bases are built underground, giving them the equivalent of a pre-installed Perimeter Defense facility. Their population growth and industrial development are above average, but their economy tends to lag behind others. The Hive can not make the “Democratic” social choice (see Society Window, p. 136).

UNIVERSITY OF PLANET (LED BY ACADEMICIAN PROKHOR ZAKHAROV)

The University is completely dedicated to research and the free exchange of information. They are rumored to sometimes put the pursuit of knowledge ahead of ethics. They start the game with the Information Networks technology and one additional bonus technology. Each University base receives a free Network Node when founded. The University’s research progresses quickly, but their open-access philosophy makes them susceptible to attacks by covert “Probe Teams,” while their callous elitism can easily lead to unrest among the workers. The University can not make the “Fundamentalist” social choice (see

Society Window, p. 136).

MORGAN INDUSTRIES (LED BY CEO NWABUDIKE MORGAN)

The Morganites are organized along corporate lines, and dedicated to laissezfaire capitalist economic principles. They start the game with 100 energy credits and the Industrial Base technology, and receive a bonus to all income from commerce between factions. Morganites have expensive tastes, making it difficult for them to support units in the field, and requiring them to build Hab Complex facilities before the population of any of their bases can exceed four citizens. The Morganites can not make the “Planned Economics” social choice (see Society Window, p. 136).

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GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 1

SPARTAN FEDERATION (LED BY COLONEL CORAZON SANTIAGO)

The Spartans are paramilitary survivalists. They believe in both a right and a duty to keep and bear arms. The Spartans start the game with the Doctrine: Mobility technology and a fast scout rover vehicle, and they do not have to pay extra to develop prototypes of new units. Morale of their units is exceptionally high, and their citizens accept strict police control as a necessity, but their extravagant military needs weigh down industrial operations. The Spartans can not make the “Wealth” social choice (See Society Window, p. 136).

THE LORD’S BELIEVERS (LED BY SISTER MIRIAM GODWINSON)

The Believers seek a life of prayer and religious worship. Because of the strength of their convictions, they get a bonus when attacking their enemies. They start the game with the Social Psych technology. The Believers are resistant to probe brainwashing, but their suspicion of secular science retards their research efforts, and their belief that Planet is their promised land sometimes interferes with their ecological sensitivity. The Believers can not make the “Knowledge” social choice (see Society Window, p. 136).

THE PEACEKEEPING FORCES (LED BY COMMISSIONER PRAVIN LAL)

The Peacekeepers exist to support the humanitarian principles of the United Nations of Earth, the organization that originally commissioned the Unity expedition to Alpha Centauri. They start the game with the Biogenetics technology. The idealism of this faction attracts an intellectual elite, but their society possesses a tendency towards bureaucratic inefficiency. Their bases can exceed normal population limits by 2. Due to his experience with parliamentary maneuvering, Lal’s vote counts double when the Planetary Council is convened for election of a Planetary Governor or Supreme Leader. The Peacekeepers can not make the “Police State” social choice (see Society Window, p. 136).

CHAPTER 2

WELCOME TO ALPHA CENTAURI

Your new home in the Alpha Centauri system is officially called Chiron, but most of the new inhabitants refer to it as Planet. In cosmic terms, Earth and Planet are two worlds similar enough to be considered practically identical. But for human beings, the product of millions of years of earth-specific evolution, Planet is a strange, alien and frightening place. Your first task, upon arrival on this new world, is figuring out the ground rules how the whole system of Planet works together, and how your faction can make itself profitably a part of that system.

GETTING STARTED

A whole new world is a big place, and Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri is a big game. The first settlers on Planet are awed by the infinite possibilities that stretch before them, and the first time you open the game, you might find yourself a bit over-awed by all the choices you have (particularly if you’ve never played any similar simulations before). This section is a quick guide to what you can expect when you first start to play, and some of the basic and necessary actions you need to take to get yourself established. All the concepts and actions mentioned below are covered in much greater detail later in this book.

FOLLOWING PLANETFALL

When your faction first makes planetfall, you always have at least one mobile unit ready for action. Send this unit out to explore the immediate vicinity of your base (you can move your unit with the eight arrow keys on the numeric keypad: just press the key corresponding to the direction you want to go). Try to explore at least five or six squares out from the base in all directions, then pick a direction and head out, or find a coastline and follow it. You’re looking for inviting places to establish new bases (remember, green is good — look for green squares near rivers or coastlines), and for the supply pods scattered by the Unity just before its destruction (but be careful—the Unity pods can contain valuable gifts, but they can also unleash danger). Watch out for mind worm boils—the dangerous native life-forms of Planet. Be prepared to fight or

WELCOME TO ALPHA CENTAURI

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WELCOME TO ALPHA CENTAURI

CHAPTER 2

run when you see mind worms (you can attack by attempting to move into their square). Ultimately, you’ll want to make contact with the units or bases of the other human factions.

RESEARCHING TECHNOLOGY

New technologies drive your survival and expansion on Planet, giving you access to new weapons, base facilities, and Secret Projects. As soon as your first base is established, your faction immediately begins scientific research. You don’t have to do anything to start researching, it just happens. Every few turns your scientists announce a new breakthrough, and ask you to set priorities to guide your next research effort. For more information on how to maximize your technological advances, see Technology, p. 119.

EXPANDING YOUR EMPIRE

Each of your bases is constantly building a new unit or base facility. You can decide where a base should direct its industrial efforts. To do so, L on a base to open the Base Control Screen. In the lower left corner of that screen is a window showing that base’s current build orders. L on the Change button to get the Production Readout, which shows everything your base can build (at the start of the game, this might be just two or three objects). At the start of the game you’ll want to concentrate on units. First, build a military unit to guard the base. When it’s completed, use H to order that unit to remain in the base, on guard. If you wish, you may order the base governor to take over production if you L one of the “Governor” buttons at the top of the Base Control screen (see Governor, p. 69).

As soon as the “former” (terraforming) unit becomes available (with the discovery of Centauri Ecology), build one and send it out to terraform the landscape. Move the former out of your base and have it build farms (F), roads (R), and solar collectors (S). If the terrain is harsh (a brown square with no green), plant forests (sF). If the terrain is rough (lots of grey blobs in the square) drill mines (M). You can also automate a former by pressing sA; it immediate- ly begins building terrain enhancements as the former commander sees fit.

You’ll also want to build some extra colony pods to establish new bases. When a pod is ready, send it out to an inviting green square at least three or four squares away from any other base (and on a river or a coast if possible). B builds a new base on that square.

As your faction discovers new technology, you gain an ever wider variety of build options to choose from. Once you have a defensive unit and a former, and have sent out a colony pod from a base, you’ll probably want to start improving the base itself by building facilities. Particularly useful facilities for new bases in the early part of the game include the Network Node, Perimeter Defense, Children’s Creche, Recycling Tanks and Recreation Commons.

Eventually, when you feel one of your bases is well established, you may want to commit it to building a Secret Project. These massive works take a long time to build but yield lasting benefits to your entire faction.

DIPLOMACY

Inevitably, you come into contact with one of the other factions from the Unity. When this happens, you’ll usually get a message that the leader of the faction wishes to speak to you, via your commlinks. It’s usually a good idea to talk to another leader when given the opportunity. Leaders may offer to trade technologies (often a good idea), or offer you a treaty, or even an alliance (a very good idea, unless you’re itching for a fight). On the other hand, they might threaten you or even try to extort energy (the currency of Planet) or technology from you. Giving in to such demands can be humbling, but is sometimes better than the alternative (a fight you may not be ready for). Sometimes they want to borrow energy credits (a good deal in the long run, unless you’re going to need the energy you’re loaning away in the immediate future).

FACTIONAL STRIFE

Unfortunately, diplomacy can’t solve all problems. Sooner or later, you’ll have to prepare your faction for armed conflict. Even if your intentions are peaceful, you’ll need a standing army, to respond quickly in case of unprovoked

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aggression. (Keep such defensive forces small—no more than two units per base in the years immediately after Planetfall. Otherwise they’ll become expensive to maintain, and rapidly become obsolete.)

If you prefer the conqueror’s role, you can put your whole faction on a military footing, building multiple units per base for a massive invasion force. Obviously, you probably shouldn’t invest too much time and resources into an operation until you’ve encountered the enemy and know where they’re located.

THE TURN

Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri is a turn-based game. Each turn corresponds to one Chiron year. Mission Year 2100, Planetfall, is the first Chiron year.

Each turn follows the same pattern.

1. Planet & Enemy Faction move. All native and enemy units make their moves (including attacks). You see any such movements that fall within the limits of your sensors. The leaders of the other factions may contact you.

2. Faction Update. You are advised of any completed enhancements, research or units. (You can customize your preferences for updates; see Warning Preferences, p.199.) You may set a new goal for each base when a project is completed, or you may use the defaults. As time progresses, you are offered opportunities to upgrade units, and may receive updates of your progress at unraveling the secrets of this new world.

3. Player Move. You (and all other player-controlled factions, in multiplayer games) may move units at this time. You are taken, in turn, to each unit that is:

• not “holding” in a defensive position, or “asleep” within a transport unit.

• not already engaged in a multi-turn action.

During this time, you may also freely change your preferences, or change orders to bases or any units (whether or not they’re already engaged in orders), contact other faction leaders, inspect visible portions of the map, and review all available data.

GETTING AROUND

The first things you have to learn, in order to establish your faction, are how to interpret the map and how to move around.

The main map, which occupies the top two-thirds of the screen, is your playing surface. At Planetfall (when your faction first arrives on Planet, and when the game begins), the vast bulk of the map is either indistinct or totally black (depending on how you set the Unity Survey option; see Game Rules, p. 197). You have to move units around and explore to find out exactly what your surroundings are.

The simplest way to move a unit is with the numeric keypad.

The direction in which the keypad arrow points corresponds directly to the direction the unit moves, so that 8 on the numeric keypad moves you one square to the north, while 3 moves you one square to the southeast.

It is also possible to set units to undertake longer, multi-turn journeys without further orders, or even to have them decide for themselves what actions to take. These options are described under the Action Menu (p. 92).

Continual movement c+arrow key

If you want a unit to move continually in a single direction, use this command. The unit continues in the specified direction until it can no longer proceed, due to coastlines or enemy units. The unit’s commander may route around small obstacles like fungus and small bodies of water.

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MOUSE MOVEMENT

If you’re sending a unit on a long journey, and you don’t want to hit an arrow key for every square of the distance, you can set a destination using the mouse: Just L (left-click) on the unit, drag to its destination, then release.

The unit figures the most direct path to your destination, automatically routing around obstacles like small bodies of water and fungal areas.

Waypoints. There may be times when you don’t want a unit to take the most direct route to its final destination (for example, if a route would take you through hostile territory). In those cases you can use waypoints. To set a waypoint, L-and-drag to the first waypoint square, z while holding the click, then drag to the next waypoint or to your final destination. A waypoint is set on that square—the unit goes to the waypoint, then on to the next waypoint (if there is another one) or its final destination. A unit will normally follow the path shown on the screen when its orders are given, but it may deviate somewhat based upon the tactical situation at the time it makes the actual move. It always traverses the waypoints in the order given. You can insert up to three waypoints on a route, including the destination.

EXAMINING THE MAP

The main map is scrollable. L (left-click) on any square to center the map on that square. You can also scroll the map in the indicated direction by moving your mouse cursor to the edge of the screen (unless you choose to disable this option).

• If you have a unit in that square, L also moves your cursor to that square and activates the unit (see Active Units, p. 22). If you have multiple units in a square, you choose which unit to activate.

• If you have a base in the square, L opens the Base Control Screen (see pg. 66).

: (right-click) on a square to open a window containing many of the most commonly used commands. These commands are fully described under Action

Menu, p. 92.

FOG OF WAR

On any given turn playing with the default game options, there are three types of terrain visible on the map.

Black squares are squares you have not mapped yet. (If you have the Unity Survey option turned on, these are not black, but you won’t be able to see any details of the square’s terrain, other than whether it’s land or sea).

Dim squares are those you have already mapped, but which are not currently observed by any of your sensors (either from units or bases).

Bright squares are those you’ve mapped, and which are currently monitored by your sensors. Most units can observe only adjacent squares. All bases and your units with Deep Radar (a unit special ability) can observe out to two squares away.

ACTIVE UNITS

During a turn, each of your units not currently under orders will become active and remain so until you either give it an order or activate a different unit. Active units are shown by a marker or by flashing, depending on the game options you have selected. A unit that has been skipped during your turn because you chose to activate a different unit will re-activate before the end of your turn as a reminder that it still needs instructions. If you are viewing the map, press V to auto-select the next active unit.

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COMMLINK

Although it may take awhile to find them, eventually you’ll need to communicate with other faction leaders. The commlink system is your means of communication and your tool for trade and diplomacy.

The Commlink button is located on the right edge of your screen.

L on this tab or press F12 to open the Commlink menu which displays the names of each of the opposing faction leaders along with your current diplomatic status with that faction (Vendetta, Truce, Treaty, Pact; see Diplomatic

Relations, p. 129). L on a name to contact that leader (see Diplomatic Contact, p. 127).

A final option,

COUNCIL, cannot be used until you have the commlink frequen-

cies for all other leaders. It allows you to convene the Planetary Council. (See Planetary Council, p. 132.)

TURN COMPLETE

This button, just below the Commlink tab, allows you to disregard any remaining actions and end the turn (if you have actions left in the turn, you are prompted to confirm your choice). This button flashes when all your units have received orders for the current turn.

WORLD VIEW

The World View map is in the lower right corner of your screen. It displays the world as it is currently known to your faction.

There are two options for viewing your World View map, selected via the buttons beneath the map:

• World Map (default view). Displays the outline of the land areas and all known cities by the color of their faction. Double-L an area in the World Map to zoom to the Detail Map (see below).

• Detail Map. Displays a close-up of the terrain, so you can keep your eye on potential trouble spots. Double-L an area in the Detail Map to take you back to the World Map (see above).

You can scroll around either view—L on any terrain on the map. The map recenters where you clicked. : on the World View in either mode to bring up a menu of options for changing the view.

YEAR/ENERGY

At the bottom of the World View is a readout line showing the current year and your faction’s current energy reserves (see Base Management: The Essentials, p. 58).

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STATUS VIEW

This display comprises the three windows in the lower left corner of the screen. It displays all the essential information about both the active unit and the active square.

The top left window displays information about the active unit or base, if any, including:

• Picture (with status bar)

• Type

• Stats (see Units, p. 64)

• Morale Level (see Morale/Lifecycle, p. 87)

• Supporting Base

• Move Remaining

• Current Orders (if any) and time to completion (if a terraforming project is underway)

• Base build orders

The top right window displays information about the current square, including:

• Elevation

• Terrain Type (see Resources, p. 36)

• Any Enhancements (see Terraforming and Enhancements, p. 46)

• Coordinates (see Mapping Planet, below)

L on the window to show the number of resources produced by that square.

The long window at the bottom of the screen displays a picture of each unit or base stacked in the current square. Place the cursor over an item to view its data. L on a picture to make a unit the active unit. L on a base to zoom to the Base Control Screen.

DATA MFD

This is the window located in the lower center of your screen. It’s a repository for general information about your faction and current events.

If you L on the M button (for “messages”), the Data MFD displays the most recent messages generated by the game, with the oldest at the top.

If you L on the I button (for “information”), the Data MFD displays a continuously cycling series of screens displaying important information about your faction and its status among the other factions.

MAPPING PLANET

When you first arrive on Planet, you’ll have no idea where you are, where the other factions are, or indeed what might lie over the horizon. You’ll have to begin the fascinating process of exploring Planet, and as you progress the world map is unveiled.

The map of Planet is a spherical surface projected onto a rectangular image. This means, in realistic terms, that the squares at the top and bottom of the map (near the poles) represent much smaller areas than the squares in the middle (near the equator). In game terms, however, there’s no difference—a square is a square. Understanding the projection, however, does make it easier to

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understand that the long stretches of rough land at the top and bottom of the screen represent the edge of Planet’s uninhabitable polar regions.

MAP COORDINATES

Map coordinates are numbered starting from (0, 0), with the vertical axis first. The vertical axis is numbered from the top of the map to the bottom, and the horizontal is numbered from left to right, starting at the point where the World View (see World View, p. 24) wraps. Thus (14, 22) would be nearer the upper left corner of the World View, while (101, 77) would be much lower and farther to the right.

ARCHIPELAGOES

Some land squares are connected by a thin line between their diagonal corners, with water squares on either side of this line. These squares are connected by an archipelago of small islands, and these intersections can be crossed both by sea units (from one water square to the other), and by land units (along the archipelago).

MENUS

Along the left side of your screen is a tab labeled MENU. L on the tab, and a list of nine sub-menus appears.

• Game (see Game Menu, next page)

• HQ (see HQ Menu, p. 110)

• Network (see Install Guide)

• Map (see Map Menu, p. 32)

• Action (see Action Menu, p. 92)

• Terraform (see Terraform Menu, p. 46)

• Scenario (see Scenario and Edit Map Menus, p. 206)

• Edit Map (see Scenario and Edit Map Menus, p. 206)

• Help (see Help Menu, p. 31)

From these menus, you can access most of the commands, options and preferences available in the game. Some of the options listed may not appear, either because you have “Simple menus” toggled on (see Game Menu, below) or because you cannot carry out a particular order.

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GAME MENU

This menu controls the basic functions of the game. There are six preference options, plus a toggle for detailed and simple menu options. The six preference options are:

• Simple\Detailed menu toggle

• Preferences

• Warning Preferences

• Advanced Preferences

• Automation Preferences

• Audio/Visual Preferences

• Map Display Preferences

The various preference menus are discussed in detail in Appendix 3, beginning on p. 196. The Simple\Detailed menu toggle controls the level of detail in your Map, Action and Terraform menus. Simple menus show only the basic commands needed to play the game. Detailed menus offer many functions for advanced users.

SAVE GAME

Allows you to create a permanent, named saved game (as opposed to autosaves—see Automatic Saves, p. 30).

When you select this option you are prompted to provide a name for your saved game.

LOAD GAME

Allows you to select a saved game (either named or autosaved) to replace the current game.

RESIGN

A more involved version of the Quit option, Resign totals up your score and shows a replay of the entire game (a graphical display of each faction’s advances and losses) before quitting.

START NEW GAME

Quits the current game and returns you to the Start Game menus.

QUIT

Simply closes the game and returns you to the Windows desktop. Progress is saved up through the end of the last complete turn. If you have selected the “Iron Man” option during game setup, your progress will be saved from the moment you quit.

AUTOMATIC SAVES

The game saves itself between each turn. At any given time you can reload the game as it was 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20 and 30 turns ago. These saves can all be accessed through the Load Game options at startup or from the Game menu. Automatic saves are stored in the

AUTO subdirectory of your SAVES directory.

The “Iron Man” option (see Game Rules, p. 197) turns off automatic saves, except when quitting a game, for those who think autosaves make it too easy to go back and undo embarrassing mistakes. If you manually save an Iron Man game, you exit the game.

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HELP MENU

This menu opens a comprehensive database of in-depth information about every aspect of the rules, mechanics and background of Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri.

The first options in the Help menu open to directories of information about specific aspects of the game, including:

• Index • Factions

• General Concepts • Basic Unit Types

• Advanced Concepts • Chassis Types

• Technologies • Weapon Types

• Base Facilities • Defense Types

• Secret Projects • Reactor Types

• Social Engineering • Special Abiities

Of special interest to new players are the five “Tours” at the bottom of the menu. These use your current game to walk you through some of the most important aspects of game play, including:

• Interface Tour

• Terraforming Tour

• Base Control Tour

• Social Engineering Tour

• Design Workshop Tour

• Drone Riot Details

• About Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (credits)

• Show Version Number

MAP MENU

The Map menu allows you to control how the game displays the main map. Note that if you have the Simple menu option selected (see Game Menu, p.

29), you may not get all of these choices.

Move Units (or View Map) V

Toggles your main map between View Map Mode and Move Units mode. In Move Units mode you automatically are taken to your current active unit. If you lose track of where you left off your turn while moving around the map, pressing V once or twice returns you to your active unit. In View Map mode you can move freely about the map, examining all visible features. You can move your cursor around the map just as you would a unit, using the numerical keypad or the mouse.

Zoom In Z

Moves you “closer” to the map’s surface, allowing you to view a smaller area at greater detail.

Zoom Out X

Moves you “further” from the map’s surface, allowing you to view a larger area at less detail.

Standard Zoom In sZ

Takes you to a median zoom level that should be comfortable for playing.

Standard Zoom Out sX

Takes you to a median zoom level somewhat “further out” than Standard Zoom In, but still comfortable for playing.

Full Zoom In cZ

Zooms you in as far as possible.

Full Zoom Out cX

Zooms you out as far as possible.

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Toggle Flattened Terrain csX

Toggles the map’s topographic perspective on or off, allowing you to see mountain and valley squares from either 2- or 3-D perspective.

Toggle Map Grid cG

Toggles the map grid (faint gray lines separating individual squares).

Toggle Base Grid csG

Toggles a red border that marks the “production radius” of bases in the game (see Working the Land, p. 60).

Show Autoforward Routes csB

Autoforward routes automatically move units from one base to another (see

Action Menu, p. 46). This toggle shows the routes you have implemented.

Show Patrol Orders sP

Toggles a dotted green line along the routes of your patrolling units (see

Action Menu, p. 46).

Terrain Survey T

Changes all the bases, units, and terrain features on the map between invisible and visible, allowing you to view the terrain without obstruction. Selecting this option consecutive times removes additional terrain features.

Hide/Show Names & Production cN

Cycles the name and current production orders displayed beneath each base. This command cycles between no names, names only, and names and production orders.

Name Landmark sN

Allows you to assign a name to a given region. Select the square to be named and select this option. You are prompted to enter a name. The name is applied to the target square and its adjacent squares.

Erase Landmark csN

Deletes the name of a previously named region. Place the cursor in any square within the named region and L this option. You are prompted to confirm your choice.

Locate Base cB

Presents you with a list of all your current bases. L on one to display its position on the World Map (see World View, p. 24). This list also contains several option buttons.

• Sort: Name Sorts your bases alphabetically by name (this is the default).

• Sort: Size Sorts your bases from largest to smallest.

• Sort: Dist Sorts your bases from nearest to farthest from the current active square.

• Zoom Opens the Base Control Screen (see p. 66) for the selected base.

• OK Saves the current sort preference as the default and closes the screen.

• Cancel Closes the screen.

Previous Cursor Position b

Cycles you backwards through your recent cursor positions.

Next Cursor Position sb

Cycles you forwards through your recent cursor positions (only functional if you have already cycled back one or more steps).

Center Screen C

Centers the screen on your cursor position.

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CHAPTER 3

PLANET

Before you can turn your attention to the old terrestrial games of politics and warfare, you must first focus on the serious business of surviving and thriving on a strange world. Unlike the human factions, Planet cannot be conquered, dominated or negotiated with, but it can be worked with to ensure the survival and prosperity of your people.

RESOURCES

Resources are the essential elements which you extract from your surroundings to support and expand your faction. There are three types of resource—nutrients, which support your population and allow your bases to grow in size; minerals, which allow you to build units and facilities; and energy, the currency of Planet.

To obtain the resources from any given square, it must be inside your territory (see Working the Land, p. 60), inside the production radius of a base (within a two-square radius, excluding diagonals), and that base must assign a unit of its population to work that square (see Working the Land, p. 60). Unworked squares yield no resources, regardless of their fertility.

Your ability to exploit territory is limited by your technology. When you first arrive on Planet, you are generally unable to recover more than two of any one resource per turn (see Resource Production Tables, p. 52). As you acquire new technologies, your production capacity expands until you are fully able to exploit the resource potential of every square in a base’s production radius.

NUTRIENTS (RAINFALL)

For your faction to increase, you must be able to extract healthy nutrients from the alien ecosystem of Planet. The more nutrients a base produces, the faster and larger it can grow. Rainfall directly determines the amount of nutrients a square can produce.

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There are three levels of rainfall on Planet—arid, moist and rainy. Rainy squares show as green on the map, and are usually the best places to establish new bases. Arid squares show up as brown, and moist squares combine green and brown. When scouting for new settlements, always remember, “Green is good.”

Without any modifiers (such as special resources, enhancements, xenofungus, monoliths and others, all detailed below), an arid square produces no nutrients, a moist square produces 1 nutrient per turn, and a rainy square produces 2 nutrients. Rocky squares (see Minerals, p. 37) do not produce nutrients regardless of rainfall.

Moist and rainy squares are excellent places to build farms to enhance nutrient production. The amount of nutrients any given square can produce is limited until the discovery of Gene Splicing.

MINERALS (ROCKINESS)

Mineral production controls the rate at which your bases improve, as well as your ability to produce military, transport and terraforming units. Existing units may also require a certain amount of mineral raw materials for support.

The rockier a square, the more minerals it produces. There are three levels of rockiness—flat, rolling and rocky. Without any modifiers (such as special resources, enhancements, xenofungus, monoliths and others, all detailed below), a flat square produces no minerals, while a rolling or rocky square produces 1 mineral per turn.

Bases cannot be established in rocky squares, nor can farms be started there. They are, however, excellent places for mines. For more details, see Terraform Menu, p. 46.

The amount of minerals any given square can produce is limited until the discovery of Ecological Engineering.

ENERGY (ELEVATION)

A solar collector must be built in a square to harvest its energy from elevation. Energy allows you to sustain your bases in working order. Even more importantly, though, it is the effective currency of the human factions of Planet.

The energy you collect is allocated to three different areas: Economy, Labs and Psych. Energy allocated to Economy is used to maintain base facilities; any excess is placed in the energy reserve. Your faction’s economic power is measured by its energy reserves. These reserves are saved in the form of “energy credits,” and are used for maintaining base facilities, commerce and energy payments between factions. Energy from the energy reserves may also be invested in mineral production to hurry projects to completion (see Build Orders, p. 67). Energy allocated to Labs speeds research into new technologies (see Energy Allocation, p. 117). Energy allocated to Psych helps maintain order in your bases (see Energy Allocation, p. 117).

Squares with solar collectors produce 1 energy per level of elevation. There are four levels of elevation above sea level on the Planet—0 to 1,000 meters above sea level, 1,000 to 2,000 meters, 2,000 to 3,000 meters, and above 3,000 meters. For example, a solar collector built in a square at 1025 m would produce 2 energy each turn. You can find the elevation of a square by checking it in the Status View (p. 25). You can also see elevations and depressions on the map.

The amount of energy any given square can produce is limited until the discovery of Environmental Economics.

CLIMATE AND ELEVATION

The rainfall of a given region is partly determined by the elevation of the surrounding terrain. On Planet, the prevailing winds always blow from west to east. This means that the westward exposure of a ridge or mountainside catches more airborne moisture—the effective rainfall increases on that side. However, little moisture reaches the eastward slope, so the rainfall decreases on that side. A great mountain range may be lush and green on the western side, but will be arid desert on the eastern side.

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You can learn to exploit this pattern by raising and lowering terrain with your former units to create favorable rainfall conditions for yourself or unfavorable rainfall for an opponent (see Terraform Menu, p. 46).

NATIVE LIFE

Planet has been teeming with life since eons before the arrival of humanity. Individual specimens of Planet’s indigenous species seem simpler than analogous Earth life, but appearances can be deceiving. Much of Planet’s plant and animal life is tied together in a grand symbiotic relationship, far more intricate than any comparable system on Earth. Truly the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For more information on the native ecology of Planet, see

Planetography, p. 216.

FLORA

Though there are many different species of plant life, the dominant form is the crimson, fantastically shaped xenofungus (or “fungus”), which covers vast tracts of the surface. Its near cousin, sea fungus, is equally ubiquitous in Planet’s oceans and seas.

Fungus squares (squares with fungus in them) can not be used for bases, tend to spawn mind worm boils (see Fauna, p. 40), and they are difficult to move through. However they do have one useful property—a ground or sea unit can hide in a fungus or sea fungus square, and is invisible to detection by all other factions unless they actually try to move a unit into the square or have sensor arrays nearby (see Terraform Menu, p. 46). Also, units attacked while in fungus get a defensive bonus, unless the attacking unit is itself native life (either human-bred or “wild;” see Fauna, p. 40), in which case the attacking unit gets an offensive bonus.

As your knowledge of Planet expands, you discover ways to extract useful resources from fungus squares (see Resource Production Table, p. 52). You can also overcome many of the inconveniences of fungus squares by enhancing your Planet rating through Social Engineering (see Social Factors, p. 141), allowing easier movement through fungus.

Bases and enhancements cannot be built on xenofungus squares, but the resources of the fungus itself can be harvested. As your terraforming technology improves, you acquire the ability to clear, and even to cultivate xenofungus. Fungus can be planted to create defensive barriers, or simply for the resources it yields.

FAUNA

The dominant animal life of Planet is the mind worm, a horrid-looking little parasitic carnivore about 10 cm long. A single mind worm is a dangerous pest, able to burrow into a human brain and devour it, while the victim succumbs to violent delusions or dangerous fantasies, or lives out his deepest terrors. Many theories have been advanced to explain the psychoactive nature of these attacks but none have been experimentally validated.

Far worse than a single worm, mind worms are known to form vast mobile colonies, called “boils,” which can overwhelm a military unit or a whole human base.

In addition to the land-based boils, there is also an aquatic vector for mind worms called the Isle of the Deep. This floating terror can attack ships at sea. It can also attack coastlines, spitting up mind worm boils on shore. Even an airborne vector, poetically dubbed the Locusts of Chiron, haunts Planet’s stratosphere.

All three mind worm vectors go through a lifecycle. Seven different phases of growth for each vector have been identified (See Morale/Lifecycle, p. 87). The larger and more mature a boil, the more dangerous it is.

As your technology advances and your knowledge of Planet increases, you might acquire the ability to grow native life-forms and place them under your control for use as weapons. You may also acquire the ability to enslave wild mind worm boils into your service.

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TERRAIN

The fantastic vistas of Planet offer more than alien beauty. Planet provides an endless variety of both gifts and pitfalls for the human settlers.

RIVERS

Since the dawn of human history, rivers have been the arteries of civilization. This remains true on Planet. If a river runs through a square, it delivers a +1 bonus to energy production. Rivers also tend to increase the moisture of the squares they run through or by. Rivers start from an underground source and follow the contours of the land down to the sea. With the proper technology you can tap into underground aquifers and create new rivers.

Rivers can also be used as natural roads. A unit can float up or down three river squares for every one square of normal movement it possesses.

OCEANS

There are three types of ocean terrain (corresponding to the three elevations of land terrain): ocean shelf, ocean, and ocean trench. With the proper technologies and equipment, ocean shelf squares can be improved, and aquatic bases can be established there. Ocean and ocean trench squares can not support bases or be enhanced.

RESOURCE SPECIALS

The ecology of Planet is complex, and a few regions produce significantly more nutrients, energy or minerals than would be expected from their moisture, elevation or rockiness. These special squares are indicated by icons, indicating the type of resource that is increased in that square.

UNITY PODS AND MONOLITHS

Before the Unity was destroyed, it released the Colony Pods of the seven factions and scores of robotic “seed pods,” carrying vital supplies and technology for humanity’s conquest of the new world. Unfortunately, because of the chaos in the last hours of the Unity, these pods were scattered at random over Planet’s surface.

Many of the Unity pods became infested with indigenous life-forms and opening them unleashes fungal blooms or mind worm boils. A few others react unpredictably with Planet itself, triggering massive earthquakes. The majority, however, continue to hold valuable resources such as units and information from old Earth.

Far more mysterious are the monoliths, relics of a mysterious intelligence that visited or inhabited Planet long before humanity’s invasion. The monoliths possess amazing psycho-technical powers. They can completely repair units that are damaged and even make improvements to those units’ performance. However, a monolith can enhance only so many units before its mysterious power is exhausted and it ceases to exist.

Monolith squares yield two of each sort of resource, regardless of the underlying terrain (until the monolith disappears).

Other relics of the past are the alien artifacts—mobile machines that seem to be a form of computer. Artifacts can be linked to Network Nodes to discover new technologies, or their power can be tapped to hasten the completion of Secret Projects.

Most of the time, monoliths and alien artifacts are indistinguishable from Unity pods to long-range sensors. Only by actually sending a unit into the square to open the pod can it be determined if the pod is a useful gift from the Unity, an alien relic, or a disaster waiting to happen.

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FORESTS

One of the fundamental advantages of formers is their ability to plant forests of terrestrial vegetation on the more inhospitable regions of Planet. Forests provide a small yield of nutrients and minerals, while doing no damage to the ecology of Planet (in fact, forest can actually offset ecological damage from enhanced squares). Over time, forest squares expand into adjacent undeveloped squares. When a forest is harvested—that is, when any enhancement other than a road is built on it—you receive a one-time bonus of +5 minerals.

Planting forests is an excellent method of deriving benefit from arid terrain, particularly early in the game before some of the more advanced terraforming options are available.

FUNGUS

The ubiquitous xenofungus can produce resources when you discover the appropriate technology:

• Centauri Ecology gives you one nutrient per fungus square (per turn).

• Centauri Meditation gives you one energy per fungus square (per turn).

• Centauri Genetics gives you one mineral per fungus square (per turn).

• Centauri Psi gives you one more nutrient per fungus square (per turn).

• Secrets of Alpha Centauri gives you one more energy per fungus square (per turn).

• Terraformers can plant xenofungus after the discovery of Ecological

Engineering; sea terraformers can plant sea fungus with this discovery.

LANDMARKS

Landmarks are giant natural wonders of Planet, the most important geophysical features of the world. You might encounter any of the following.

Freshwater Sea. The richest aquatic region on Planet provides +1 nutrient per square.

Garland Crater. Some thousands of years ago, a massive object crashed into

Planet, leaving this vast crater. The rare and valuable remnants of the original object remain in the crater, giving the squares inside a +1 mineral bonus.

Geothermal Shallows. A whole field of underwater geysers underlies this coastal shelf, providing +1 energy per square.

Great Dunes. The largest, most unforgiving desert on Planet. The Great Dunes provide no bonus resources, and are in fact a remarkably inhospitable place.

Monsoon Jungle. This is an anomalous expanse of thick and curiously earthlike vegetation. The rich soil of the Monsoon Jungle yields +1 nutrient per square.

Mount Planet. This enormous volcano is active, but its slopes provide a +1 bonus of both minerals and energy. The enormous crater at the top fills a whole square with lava.

New Sargasso. This is the largest naturally occurring growth of sea fungus on Planet. It provides no special bonus, other than the resources that can be harvested from the fungus itself.

Pholus Ridge. The geothermal energy unleashed by the clash of two of Planet’s tectonic plates produces +1 energy per square along Pholus Ridge.

Sunny Mesa. This extensive highland offers no special resource bonuses, but its elevation makes it naturally excellent for harvesting energy.

The Ruins. A vast and ancient ring of monoliths embedded in thick xenofungus, it has no special resources, other than the monoliths themselves.

Uranium Flats. This savanna is particularly rich in heavy elements that provide +1 energy per square.

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HOW TERRAIN AFFECTS MOVEMENT

A unit’s current movement points are displayed in the status view. As the unit moves, this number decreases as movement points are used up.

Certain terrain types impede normal movement (these penalties have no effect if moving across the square on a road or mag tube).

Rocky and forest squares each cost two movement points to cross, while sea fungus squares drain three movement points (however, these squares can always be entered by any unit having at least one full movement point remaining).

Trying to enter a land fungus square (successfully or not) always ends your unit’s movement, unless the unit is a mind worm boil, or your faction possesses the Xenoempathy Dome Secret Project.

Rivers are important in planning movement over undeveloped terrain, because of their ability to triple a unit’s normal move.

Terrain has no effect on the movement of air units.

HOW TERRAIN AFFECTS COMBAT

Terrain can, in specific situations, provide crucial advantages in combat to savvy commanders and deadly pitfalls to the unwary.

The important tactical ability of xenofungus to provide concealment has already been discussed (Flora, p. 39).

Artillery units (see Artillery Combat, p. 100) get an offensive bonus of +25% per level of altitude from which they are attacking.

Mobile units in smooth or rolling terrain get a +25% offensive bonus, reflecting their ability to make the most of their agility.

Any unit in rocky terrain gets a +50% defensive bonus.

Any unit in xenofungus gets a +50% defensive bonus, unless it is being attacked by a native life-form (either human-spawned or “wild”) in which case the unit gets no defensive bonus, but the native life-form gets a +50% combat bonus.

TERRAFORMING AND ENHANCEMENTS

Terraforming literally means “to make earthlike.” It is the art of maximizing resource production in a given area, making that square more hospitable to human life. It involves building technological enhancements to the square or, in extreme cases, actually changing the terrain itself. Terraforming operations must be carried out by former units, which become available upon discovery of Centauri Ecology.

TERRAFORM MENU

Terraforming actions are listed on the Terraform menu. Some actions on the menu require the discovery of certain technologies before the action becomes available; you see only the options allowed by your current technology on the menu. If an action is possible, the menu indicates the estimated time in turns required to complete it. The construction rates listed below are normal values and decrease as your terraforming technology and equipment improves. Note that the longer an enhancement takes to build, the more ecological damage it causes (see Ecological Risks, p. 54). Also, if you have the Simple menu option selected (see Game Menu, p. 29), you may not get all of these choices.

SQUARE ENHANCEMENT LIMITATIONS

Terraformers may construct facilities in individual squares to enhance the resource output of that square or to enhance the performance of the square in other ways. In general, a square may contain a road or mag-tube, a farm/soil enricher, and one additional enhancement. Building an enhancement in a square that contains any enhancement other than a farm (or soil enricher) and road (or mag tube) destroys the earlier enhancement.

CULTIVATE FARM/KELP FARM F RATE 4

A farm increases nutrient production by one; kelp farms (that is, farms in the ocean) increase nutrient production by two. Farms can be built only on land squares that are not rocky, occupied by xenofungus, or contain a monolith. A kelp farm may be built only on ocean shelf squares.

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Building a farm requires Centauri Ecology. Building a kelp farm also requires Doctrine: Flexibility.

CONSTRUCT SOIL ENRICHER F RATE 8

Enrichers may be built only on land squares containing farms. They increase the nutrient production of the farm by one.

Requires Advanced Ecological Engineering.

CONSTRUCT MINE/MINING PLATFORM M RATE 8

Mining increases mineral production by +1 in flat or rolling squares and +2 in rocky squares, but they reduce nutrient output by one if the square would ordinarily produce more than one. A road in a mined rocky square adds an additional +1 to the square’s mineral output. Mining platforms increase mineral production by +1 in ocean squares until the discovery of Advanced Ecological Engineering; they add +2 minerals thereafter. Mines cannot be built in squares occupied by xenofungus or a monolith. Mining platforms may be built only on ocean shelf squares.

Building a mine requires Centauri Ecology. Building a mining platform also requires Doctrine: Flexibility.

CONSTRUCT SOLAR COLLECTOR/TIDAL HARNESS S

RATE 6 (+2 IN ROCKY)/4 (TIDAL HARNESS)

A solar collector (or a tidal harness on an ocean shelf) increases energy production. Solar collectors produce one energy per level of altitude (see Energy/Elevation, p. 38), while tidal harnesses produce +2 energy on ocean shelf squares. Solar collectors cannot be built in squares containing xenofungus or a monolith.

Building a solar collector requires Centauri Ecology. Building a tidal harness also requires Doctrine: Flexibility.

PLANT FOREST sF RATE 4

A forest of terran trees provides a limited but steady supply of nutrients and minerals, regardless of the underlying terrain. Forests spread to adjacent undeveloped squares over time. Forest can not be planted in squares containing enhancements other than a road or mag tube. Tree Farm and Hybrid Forest facilities increase the resources available from forest squares inside the base’s production radius.

BUILD ROAD R RATE 1 (+1 FOR RIVER, +2 FUNGUS,

+2 FOREST, +1 ROCKY, CUMULATIVE)

Roads speed movement at a rate of three road squares for every one square of normal movement. Roads can be built only in land squares devoid of xenofungus until the discovery of Centauri Empathy, which allows roads to traverse xenofungus.

BUILD MAG TUBE R RATE DEPENDS ON TERRAIN

Mag tubes are the heavy transit system of the future, utilizing magnetic forces to push passenger and cargo modules through a vacuum tube at near hypersonic speeds. Movement by mag tube is free, allowing a unit to move from any square with a mag tube to any other square connecting to that mag tube, as long as that unit has movement points remaining. Mag tubes may be built in any square containing a road.

Requires Monopole Magnets.

CONSTRUCT BUNKER K RATE 5

Bunkers are defensive fortifications that can be built on any land square. They increase the defensive strength of all units inside them and limit the effects of collateral damage (see Damage, p. 103).

Requires Advanced Military Algorithms.

CONSTRUCT AIRBASE s. RATE 10

An airbase is a ground facility outside a base where air units can land safely, refuel, repair, and take off again.

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Requires Doctrine: Air Power.

CONSTRUCT SENSOR ARRAYS O RATE 4

Sensor arrays allow you to see everything within a two-square radius (including units hiding in fungus). Additionally, a sensor array grants a defensive bonus to your units within its two-square radius. The ownership of a sensor array is determined by the borders of your faction. If your borders move, placing the array outside your boundaries, it may come under control of a new faction.

REMOVE FUNGUS F RATE 6

Exterminates all the xenofungus in the square.

PLANT FUNGUS cF RATE 6

Creates a fungus square and destroys enhancements other than roads or mag tubes.