Ok, I have done some real game (not simulator) testing of the "Uber-Munchkin" strategy. As expected it does not quite live up to it's high expectations.
First of all, there is no way to get 30% defesive characteristic. It tops out at 25. I created an uber race with bezerkers, and +25% defense.
For my control race I used a straight default, no advantages or disadvatages.
I decided to handicap myself and not use seekers, fighters, mines or organic armor ramming ships.
I calculated the amount of research points required to get DUC IV, PDC III, and ECM I. With the same number of research points my control race could get Destroyers, Combat Sensors I, and DUC III. This is what I designed my munchkin killers with. My destroyers could hold 6 DUC III's.
In one on one comabt the destoyers decimated the escorts. 9 kills to 1. The one escort that survived is what I would call heavily damaged. (more than 50%) Of the 9 frigates that won their battles, only 2 were heavily damaged.
In fleet action, 10 vessels per side, once again the destoryers won convincingly. In several combats, the best the escorts could manage was 2 kills and 8 heavily damaged. And that I consider a statistical fluke, because most of the results were at the other extreme end, with most or all of the escorts killed, and mild damage to the destroyer fleet.
The only positive point to this strategy is that the escorts can be built fast. One per turn on the homeworld. The frigates take two turns. However the munchkins need this as because even with a 4 to 3 numerical disadvantage, the destoryers come out on top the large majority of combats. It's only when the escorts can acheive a 2-1 numerical advantage do they start winning consistantly.
I must point out that this test was done using the 6 engine, 1 DUC IV Version of the Uber-Munchkin. I don't consideer the 3 engine Version even a legitimate option. They would have more firepower, but it would take so long to get a decent fleet to the enemy's worlds, they would have battle cruisers waiting for you.
So even without all the creative counters proposed, this can be defeated by a low tech "brute force" defense.
Geoschmo
[ 22 March 2002: Message edited by: geoschmo ]
Re: In Review: Best Fleet Strategy
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