HELPDefensive issue

[Skulky]

I have a PBW game that is having some issues. One of my large planets is about to be hit with 24 ships of an unknown type and tech composition, i know absolutly nothing. I will have mine tech, NEXT turn. i have 5 organic ships there and 2 bases bases are close range level 2 organic spores (40kt torpedo type things) and quick firing (20kt deals) wiht 6 lvl 2 armor each. My ships are a mix of destroyers with lvl 1 and 2 armor and lvl 1 and 2 weapons that are split with PDC (i don't think he has much missle anyway) and direct fire (40kt torpedo things) and the quick firing (20kt) and the organic missles. Most have 2 armor.

I also have 4 short range weapon platforms witht he 40kt deals on them and 2 armor and some missle platforms and the ability ot emergency build whatever i can design (can really only construct 4 of the WP's i design at normal costs)

Question is:
How do i keep my ships from running off to get shot and then letting the enemy kill my planet. ANy suggestions????? help me please.

If you need further info post and email me at chocolatefro@angelfire.com

You guys are the best. The strategic combat AI need work.

[Skulky]

Also, wanted to note that he has only 7-8 planets at the time and i have a 10 k research advantage (30-40 k) i am lookign to take it to him but don't know how. what is best way ot hit his planets?

[Suicide Junkie]

Mines would make for a nasty surprise, but you'll need an extra turn to launch them If you can get 24 mines in orbit, you can expect about half of his ships to be hit, and half of those badly hurt.

You could try doing some quick research into planetary weapons (napalm). If you wipe out the planets, his ships will crumble on their own. With napalm, you should be able to do suicide runs on the colonies, taking out the population before the defenses can fry your ship. A heavily armored decoy ship (must have some guns) plus a bunch of Napalm Escorts would probably work the first time, but your opponent would quickly change his strategy to target the smaller ships first. You can then reverse the tactic, and catch him again.

[dumbluck]

Of coarse, your enemy is probably reading all this as we speak....

[Saxon]

If you go for the SJ napalm run (a good strategy) check for mines first, or at least keep them in mind. Just as you can use them to nicely guard planets, so can he!

I don’t know how to keep your ships close to your planet and would love to hear if anyone else knows. However, I can suggest that you look at your balance of PDC to weapons. You state that you don’t think he has missiles, so can you redesign your ships to something more appropriate? When I started, I used too much PDC and would find that it was either wasted space or overkill. It also cut down my offensive power, which cost me a few battles.

Sure, you don’t want to shape your ships to match his, only to find he has changed, but if he has sunk a lot of research into something, he will have a tough time quickly switching over to something equally dangerous. You do need to try and come up with something that will counter his ships, even if it is effective for only one generation.

Of course, this is advice for after the battle, so it is not much use now.

[dumbluck]

quote:

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Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Mines would make for a nasty surprise, but you'll need an extra turn to launch them

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By this he means that on the next turn, you will gain mines tech. You can design mines, and put one turns worth at the top of your build que. Hit end turn. Next turn, the mines will be there (assuming the colony still is), and you can give the planet _the order_ to launch them. hit end turn. Next turn, the mines have been launched, hopefully before the enemy fleet arrived. Otherwise they will do you no good. (Mines only "attack" when enemy ships MOVE INTO the sector. Enemy ships already in sector WILL NOT TRIP THE MINES. Also, IIRC, IF more enemy ships enter the sector, ONLY the new ships are hit w/the mines. The ships that were there before the mines ARE STILL IMMUNE FROM THEM.

quote:

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If you can get 24 mines in orbit, you can expect about half of his ships to be hit, and half of those badly hurt.

You could try doing some quick research into planetary weapons (napalm). If you wipe out the planets, his ships will crumble on their own. With napalm, you should be able to do suicide runs on the colonies, taking out the population before the defenses can fry your ship. A heavily armored decoy ship (must have some guns) plus a bunch of Napalm Escorts would probably work the first time, but your opponent would quickly change his strategy to target the smaller ships first. You can then reverse the tactic, and catch him again.

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See this thread for a more detailed discussion:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...23&t=003805&p=

And here's a general PBW tips thread:
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...23&t=003921&p=

Hope that is a little more helpful than my Last post.

[geoschmo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Saxon:
{snip}I don’t know how to keep your ships close to your planet and would love to hear if anyone else knows.{snip}

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Try building a base and fleet the ships with the base, and make the base the fleet leader. As long as the ships don't have permission to break formation they should remain with the base, which will be next to the planet. Of couse I don't think they will move around to the side of the planet the enemy is on, so this might not be a good thing.

Geoschmo

[dogscoff]

(Desperate suggestion)

You could retrofit all your defense ships to have just one ion engine - that might keep them close enough to your planet. You'd also have more room for weapons=-)

Of course this come swith some obvious disadvantages too...

[Skulky]

Thanks so much guys,

I combined several tricks, I renamed a ship Bubonic that was heading towards one of his systems and he sent his entire fleet after it for obvious reasons. I think thats a little overkill but did i mention he only has 6 planets? I sent a 2 organic missle 1 and organic armor 1 ship to explore one of those planets (attack) and i was able to wound one of the 3 space yards hovering over his homeworlds. He has 3X3 of these. THey are unarmed but the homeworld has about 6 organic missles to launch, and a lot of short range. planetary bombardment (concentrated) is out hten at least until i can get up a strong enough force to support them. I now have enough time to get those mines in place as it will take him at least 2 turns to get back to my planet after chasing down 'bubonic.' I also retrofitted my ships into Mobile Defensive Bases that had 1 engine and more weapons. They are fully fixed so i'm stoked. I have mine tech and next turn i will have mines and the next turn he will run into my launched mines uhoh. im stopping my discussion of strategy in this thread as my 'friend' may come along and read it.

Thanks again. You saved my unworthy ***.

[Saxon]

Skulky,

That move of renaming the ship Bubonic and bluffing him is delightful! The various ideas posted here didn’t save you, you did it yourself by buying some time to use the ideas. A nice piece of work.