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I like Gaians most of all, it was the first I tried when I got the game, and feel I am most successful with that faction. I was the victim of Buster's Gaian experience, noted above, but have dealed out a few myself. That game I chose the Spartans, never having played it before, but had the philosophy that it had a decided advantage in the early game -- I was wrong! In fact, I've only lost 1 game playing Gaians (that versus Mark) which was set up a bit different than a normal MP game (in his favor of course, haha).
My thots on Gaian's, without repeating all of whats been said, and all that I agree with. Gaian's are the best in an early game, and since most MP games I've been in barely go over 100 years, the Gaians are in the top 3 simply by default -- as long as you know how to start them off.
The first order of business is catching that free mindworm, and sending him out to pop pods. You say there is the random chance of it all which is unsettling, but even the worst experience of popping pods, more mindworms, can be turned into an advantage by the Gaians, just don't attack them. If encountering a mindworm, I often won't battle him right away, depending on whether I need the cash, but rather wait for a few turns to see whether I can capture him or not.
The next order of business is Dem/Planned/Wealth as stated above, plus getting the CCs built for the pop boom. In MP games, it isn't really necessary to build HabComps as the game is usually over by the time you've got the SPs and facilities built which permit this.
In battle, the mindworms simply serve to get sneak attacks on ill-prepared bases through the fungus, but are generally not the best units to use as a fighting force that can retain your position. Capturing the IoDs help with this though, because it gives you instant transports, both to move troops, but also to pop pods and carry your pod poppers to islands (taking home all the AAs you uncover as well).
That's enuf for now, but I think the Gaians are the best to play in MP, the Spartans, Believers and Morgans the most difficult. I certainly need practice with these other three.
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