Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

- Research, research, research.

- Garrison your bases with one unit with basic weapons and the best armor you have, and one Mind Worm. If you are at war or think you will be soon, add more beef to your outlying bases, but this is enough for most cases.

- Trade pacts are generally a good thing. The $$$ isn't huge, but they make the other factions friendlier.

- AIR POWER. Once you get planes (then choppers) outfitted with a decent weapon, you pretty much can't lose. Gravships are funky, but not really needed.

- Don't use Planet Busters unless you are willing to go to war with everyone.

- Don't try to corner the global energy market. It costs a fortune, and by the time you can, grinding the other factions into paste should be a trivial matter anyway.