User Guide

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 look-
ing 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
CHAPTER 2
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