KOTH: Attack of the Clones

geoschmo · #1 January 31st, 2003, 09:42 PM

Well yes, playing a defensive game and being deficent in agg/def is a bad combination. You can get by with a lower agg/def and a higher rate of construction, but you have to press the attack early and often to get the full use of your advantage. Swarm the opponent before he has a chance to get a lot of colonies and ships, and before he can get the ECM and sensors that in addition to his racial bonus make the fights really lopsoded. Otherwise you are just waiting till they get better ships and can...well I don't have to tell you, you've seen it yourself.

Geoschmo

spoon · #2 January 31st, 2003, 10:02 PM

Another thing you can try is lowering your Def to 75, and just focus on attack skill. With those extra points, you might be able to eek out an advantage in another area...

Fyron · #3 January 31st, 2003, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by spoon:

quote:
Originally posted by Stone Mill:

20/20/berserker is now the new fundamental start point.

I suspect that 20/20/Merchant might do ok, too. Or 20/20/Warrior.

The merchant would be at a 12-17% disadvantage in each area, and so would have a hard time overcoming that, esp. if the berzerker has lots of research and pushes for ECM, Combat sensors, and Training.

Quote:

Another thing you can try is lowering your Def to 75, and just focus on attack skill. With those extra points, you might be able to eek out an advantage in another area...

If you do that, your ships will not hardly ever be missed, and they will die very quickly.

[ January 31, 2003, 20:13: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

spoon · #4 January 31st, 2003, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
The merchant would be at a 12-17% disadvantage in each area, and so would have a hard time overcoming that, esp. if the berzerker has lots of research and pushes for ECM, Combat sensors, and Training.

Merchant will have expanded quicker, and would have higher research. It's possible that he could overwhelm a bezerker.

Quote:

quote:
Another thing you can try is lowering your Def to 75, and just focus on attack skill. With those extra points, you might be able to eek out an advantage in another area...

If you do that, your ships will not hardly ever be missed, and they will die very quickly.

Again, you would have to rely on numbers... Make a 120/75/Merchant with +15% Maint Reduction (total +20%) and you might have a chance. 20/20/Bezerker is probably better overall, but this design would be competitive, I think.

Fyron · #5 February 1st, 2003, 02:14 AM

How would a merchant have expanded more quickly? Sure, he can support a few more ships, but most of those early ships dont stick around for long, as they are colony ships.

The 125/75 with 20% maint redux would lose ships too quickly. Sure, you've got more of them, but they can't be missed. And, you get 12 less attack (+10 berzerk, -2 merchant).

Stone Mill · #6 February 1st, 2003, 02:56 AM

Nice thinking Spoon, but Fyron is right... your opponent could sit at maximum range and pick you to pieces, while some of your shots would still miss.

If you have faith in that idea, try it and let us know first hand.

Stone Mill · #7 February 1st, 2003, 03:05 AM

Geo-

For the record, when I mention playing definsively, it does not mean I don't give my foe anything to worry about. It means I don't waste ships on minefields, and don't commit ships to fights I can't reasonably win. I like to invite the other player to make these mistakes.

What you say is true; but it is true whether you play agressively or defensively. Your ships need to be able to effectively compete, whether early or later in the game.

Being able to constrain your oponnent's expansion takes a bit ok luck, after all. One shouldn't enter a contest hoping for such things with a weak hand.

[ February 01, 2003, 01:10: Message edited by: Stone Mill ]