GameSpot's Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Game Guide

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part 2

Chapter 5: Controlling Your Empire
Chapter 6: Terraforming
Chapter 7: The Art of War
Military Might
Unit Design
Chapter 8: Diplomacy
Chapter 9: Situational Awareness

Chapter 7: The Art of War

The Art of Unit Design (cont)

Garrison
Garrison units are critical to your empire. At the least, you should have one at every city you control. Garrison units gain the natural benefit of a +25 percent defense rating when sitting in a friendly city. For that reason alone they are useful.

AAA Laser Squad
* 2-2-1
* Cost: 50
This entry-level garrison squad is outfitted with a laser, synthmetal armor, and a fission power plant, all of which serve to keep the cost down so they can be pumped out of your factories on a regular basis. Two special abilities help in its cause of defense: comm jammer gives it a +50 percent attack and defense bonus when up against speeders and hovertanks, and AAA tracking ensures incoming planes won't have an easy go of it as this laser squad will have double defense when attacked.

Police Fusion Battery
* 10-5-1
* Cost: 230
It's expensive, yes, but worth the cost. Outfitted with a fusion laser, photon wall armor, and a cheap fission plant, this garrison unit has the added ability of heavy artillery, letting it bombard units before they attack your city. Anything you can do to cause damage on invading units before they arrive is a good thing. Lastly, the fusion battery is outfitted with nonlethal methods, providing double police powers.

TIP
Any unit with the word police in it is an effective peacekeeper for the city in which it resides. If you're having drone riot problems, build units with nonlethal methods and kiss your troubles goodbye.

SAM Singularity Shock Troops
* 24-12-1
* Cost: 140
The ultimate in home defense, the SAM singularity shock troop is rigged with a powerful singularity laser, thick stasis generator armor, a heavy singularity engine, and two special abilities: air superiority, letting it easily thwart incoming air attacks, and hypnotic trance, offering a +50 percent defense bonus against psi attacks. Simply put, nothing is getting through this unit!