by Limitless333
I wonder why you single out these two factions when it comes to QIC academies and the desire to take the 4 QIC action early.
Yes, Xenos start with AI level 1, but their QIC income depends on them having built their PI, which is somewhat incompatible with an early Academy. Their main source of QIC in the early rounds will be further research of the AI track, but they are really only one QIC ahead of most other factions who focus on AI. With an early AC the Xenos can reach AI level 4 which means a total of 6 QICs, which is enough for one 4 QIC action and two range extensions/Gaia colonizations - other factions can reach AI level 3 which means 4 QICs and thus also enough for the 4 QIC action.
For Der Schwarm you probably selected them because of their QIC income. But wouldn't they be rather using their QICs for rang extension/Gaia colonization instead of saving them over several rounds until they build an early AC (which means round 2 or most likely 3, both of which I doubt is a good idea)?
Yes, Xenos start with AI level 1, but their QIC income depends on them having built their PI, which is somewhat incompatible with an early Academy. Their main source of QIC in the early rounds will be further research of the AI track, but they are really only one QIC ahead of most other factions who focus on AI. With an early AC the Xenos can reach AI level 4 which means a total of 6 QICs, which is enough for one 4 QIC action and two range extensions/Gaia colonizations - other factions can reach AI level 3 which means 4 QICs and thus also enough for the 4 QIC action.
For Der Schwarm you probably selected them because of their QIC income. But wouldn't they be rather using their QICs for rang extension/Gaia colonization instead of saving them over several rounds until they build an early AC (which means round 2 or most likely 3, both of which I doubt is a good idea)?
I, unlike most players, don't value heavy expansion plays early in the game because I don't like putting tech steps into navigation until I have to usually round 3 at the earliest. To effectively use QIC with my strategy, I have to have a home planet within range 3 for my QIC to be valuable for expansion. I would need to use 2 QIC to take a Gaia which is inefficient. These 2 factions can build their economy by taking tech tiles and tech steps using the QIC which would otherwise be used for ore or wasted with my approach to the early game.