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)

Naval Units
Protecting your land is one thing, but if your coasts are an open invitation to invasion, you'll have more trouble than you'll know what to do with. It's extremely important that you protect your coastlines and water cities from hostile action. Naval units are the gateway. Further, a strong offensive naval force is a great way to soften up those large coastal cities before launching a land invasion!

TIP
Naval units can take over water cities by simply moving into the city square. You don't need land units to take over water cities!

SAM Laser Skimship
* 2-2-4
* Chassis: foil
* Cost: 40
The SAM laser skimship is a great, entry-level naval unit that is still a force to be reckoned with. Outfitted with lasers, Synthmetal Armor, and a Fission Plant, it enjoys +4 movement with a few special abilities; Blink Displacer, allowing it to bypass enemy defense altogether, and Air Superiority, allowing it to knock out air defenses and air invasions. These multiple roles will serve you well and its cheap cost ensures you can build plenty of them in no time.

Sub Chaos Cruiser
* 8-5-6
* Chassis: Cruiser
* Cost: 110
This interesting and powerful unit is all about surprise. Outfitted with a chaos gun, photon wall shielding, and a fusion reactor, its special abilities give this unit the edge. Specifically, the deep pressure hull lets it operate underwater just like a submarine. Enemy units must move into the same square as this sub to detect it. Additionally, the AAA tracking special ability gives it an double defensive bonus when its being attacked by air units. All this translates into a hard-to-kill naval unit that deals a considerable amount of damage and is hard to detect as well!

SAM Singularity Cruiser
* 24-12-6
* Chassis: Cruiser
* Cost: 120
The ultimate in naval units, the SAM singularity cruiser is decked out with a singularity laser, stasis generator armor, and a singularity engine. Its AAA tracking ability gives a great defensive bonus when under attack from the air, and its air superiority lets it wipe out armadas of invading air forces. All in all, the SAM singularity cruiser is an exceptional water city invader as well as an air sweeper.