Help, read all the faqs, playing demo, dont know how to PLAY...

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Gavinfox:
What I meant was, "Give me a good simple, win-in-40-turns strategy, controlling all possible variables, which will help me to understand various parts of the game as possible with the demo."

How to play the flute in 2 easy steps (by Monty Python)
1. Blow into the mouthpiece
2. Move your fingers over the keys so as to produce beautiful music.

But seriously, you are asking a bit much.

Many people here have already given you very good tips. There *ARE* some good threads on this board directed to exactly the *type* of questions you want answered (although no one will be able to tell you exactly how to control all the variables and win in 40 turns).
Here is one I started for just this purpose:

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...=001728#000000

There is a slight discrepancy being *knowing* the truth-value of certain propositions (e.g. I know that it is better to purchase mercs under conditions ABC than PQR if the price is XYZ and the turn is between 10 and 22), and *being able to* carry out certain actions based on these propositions. (That is why I can explain to you perfectly well how to drive a car or ski that slope, but that doesn't mean you can do so just by listening to me.) This is one of the oldest pedagogical problems of the universe. (And yes, the game is not sufficiently documented even with this in mind, which is odd, considering that *teachers* made the game.)

You will need to ask very specific questions to specific problems, otherwise the answers you will get will be unsatisfactory to you (how to play the flute).