Wasn't Colonel Santiago a pretty good guy? She may not have been nice, but with the likes of Zakharov, Morgan and Deidre around, I can't say I blame her.
She ran a Darwinian society where the weak were pruned (a weak child would for example, be led outside the classroom and shot). But for such a warlike faction she isn't actually all that warlike, much like the historical Spartans she is erratic but not aggressive. Just looking at all the secret projects narrated and controlled by Santiago... Sheesh, the Spartans were the unrivalled military superpower on planet until Deidre genocided them all.
I've never understood what people have against Zakharov. He doesn't have a lot of detractors of course, being the Nerd Faction guy in a game that you pretty much have to be a nerd to fully appreciate. But everyone calls him an evil mad scientist, but I don't remember him doing anything evil to beings who aren't lab animals or mind worms. He doesn't give a shit about the rest of humanity who aren't scientists, but... Well I guess in SMAC's terms that would be like Evil By Inaction or something.
Do you remember Zhakharov denying that his faculty was doing retroviral engineering research or something along the lines? Also when people call Zhakharov a mad evil scientist, I consider it a compliment.
Word. I mean, I think Zakharov has some personal style so at least he's not boring, but yeah he's kind of a self-fulfilling choice for many players. Meanwhile Morgan and Miriam rarely get any love.
I was originally going to start off as Zhakarov, as I thought it was the obvious choice for me both ideologically and game stratetgy-wise. Perhaps too obvious, so I picked the polar opposite in the Believers and fell in love with them ever since.
So basically the gaians are a more planet-friendly America?
Both are ostensibly good guys, both occasionally have a few war crimes, both are pretty good at winning...
No, they're Europe. Green economies, efficient and good at hiding genocides.
Morgan is pretty chill most of the time, but he slips into Bad Stuff later on. But his colonies are pretty much free to do whatever, as long as they pay up and produce, and if he can buy you out cheaper than it would be to beat you up, he'll gladly avoid warfare. Mixed bag.
Santiago is a literal Blood Knight, every single thing the Spartans do is military-focused. And they absolutely don't mind instating a police state or committing atrocities casually.
I love the quote about Morgan transitioning into becoming Emperor. It seems that before Deidre and Zhakarov raced to ascend, Morgan nearly bought the entirety of the energy market. The one about the research hospital is also typical Morgan humour. There isn't a lot of evidence that Santiago committed any atrocities, unless you count rooting out the weak and generally being brutal to her followers to make them strong or die.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/04/12/civilization-beyond-earth-trailer/
http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/12/civilization-beyond-earth-interview-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-factions-aliens-technology-and-more/
Well, it's about bloody time 
Thank god EA isn't having anything to do with this, I don't want DLC weapon modules >_>
Closest you got to good were Pravin Lal and Lady Diedre
"-and Lady Deidre."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Diedre becomes increasingly detached from her humanity as she communes with Planet. There are some implications that Lal turns a bit dictatorial in some later tech quotes as he chooses stability over principle, and also that quote about keeping a sample of his wife's cells to remember her by. Because she didn't share in his faction leader near-immortality treatment for some reason.
Well doesn't he get over the fact that the clone is not in fact his wife, and lets her leave him? Considering also that he is critical of the MMI he's pretty consistent about his principles.
Yeah, but that's kinda the problem when you've got a fundie. She keeps her principles with nerve gas and terror tactics.
She doesn't use nerve gas and terror tactics, she uses the devotion and conviction of her soldiers and their faith (alongside the probe teams who I always considered missionaries converting dissenting drones, explaining Zhakarov's need for the living colony). There is a distinct line
It does seem though that she saw her faction being eradicated and "raptured" them by chucking all of her surviving followers into space through a psi gate. We all pray that she survived and is off colonizing some less lethal planet, but chances are she's dead.
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Topic: Civilization Beyond Earth - A spiritual successor to Alpha Centauri by Firaxis (Read 153913 times)