Drone and Anti-Drone Tactics?

Noble713 · #1 January 28th, 2002, 03:20 AM

Has anyone come up with some usable anti-drone tactics? I just downloaded the demo today, built a few drone-carrying DDs, and instantly noticed how much the game has changed. While they bLasted a few ships out of the sky with only a few Drones, they in turn were smahsed by a few Drone LCs that I encountered later.

Things that I've noticed:
1. Point defense doesn't do jack against drones. Most of the shots didn't hit, and the ones that did didn't do any damage (or looked that way at least).

2. Regular weapons don't do jack against drones. With the -50% to hit, if you don't have some quality combat sensors you'll never hit them.

3. Drones work against drones, but usually you need the drones to take out the enemy ships. You rarely have enough room to pack the ship with anti-drone drones AND anti-ship drones.

When the full Version arrives, I'll probably edit drones to split them into 2 types: the current automated warships and far smaller missile-like Versions, possibly to replace capital ship missiles.

In the mean time, any suggestions?

Urendi Maleldil · #2 January 28th, 2002, 03:31 AM

Try building gun drones. Just remember that you have to reset the drone strategy or they will run away.

Or use gun drones with engine killers to cripple enemy ships so they bleed your opponent's resources.

Suicide Junkie · #3 January 28th, 2002, 03:55 AM

quote:
1. Point defense doesn't do jack against drones. Most of the shots didn't hit, and the ones that did didn't do any damage (or looked that way at least).

Since drones are units, you won't see the damage until it has added up to a kill.

Using dedicated PDC ships, you may get some Drone kills.
The drones also pack Ship-sized shield generators, IIRC, so you have a couple hundred shields to cut through before you can score a kill.

Rollo · #4 January 28th, 2002, 11:41 AM

A good way to kill drones is ramming them before they ram you. The warhead doesn't explode if the drone is rammed, so you suffer only about 100 damage. If you use ships with only armor that works quite well. Not sure, if that is a bug or a feature.

Rollo

mac5732 · #5 January 28th, 2002, 05:57 PM

Quick question, I havn't downloaded the Demo yet, waiting for game to obtain surprises,
Question for those of you who played the Demo, How did/does the AI handle the Drone addition as far as use/abilities?

just some ideas mac

Noble713 · #6 January 28th, 2002, 07:35 PM

Well in the quick game I played this weekend, the one AI I encountered (Drushocka) had 2 or more drone-armed light cruisers on the front lines in about 5 years. They engaged my 3 DDs (2 drone ships and 1 CSM/DUC ship) with heavy casualties on both sides. The AI had 1 or 2 LCs with Anti-Proton Beams as well (both died).