Conquering planets.

[Raging Deadstar]

Originally posted by Abdiel:
That, yeah. But shields do count as shields since small PPBs still ignore them.

My question was: Can you build troops with only shields, and by loading them into the transport in some order, make them get hit first by the militias? I read that it was possible, but haven't managed to do it yet.

Abdiel

I think you must build X ammount of troops with only shields (X being how many you think is nessercary There is no such thing as Overkill (who'll spot the reference? )) And load them on to your trnasport, then load your troops with weapons and they should drop the shielded troops down first and they'll get pounded.

Numerous troop transports loaded with them is the best tactic: superior numbers.

[Abdiel]

thing is, that was what i did. I even tried the reverse. shield troops first in, Last in, it didn't seem to matter. I only lost units with weapons. Even when the shield troops were the first displayed in the ground combat screen, the second box (weapons dudes) numbers dropped only.

bah but not that it matters, one or two lost per planet is a small sacrifice for a brand new load of facilities and everything. and in one turn the new planet could build them back and more!

[Fyron]

Try placing a single weapon on the shield troops. There might be something that makes unarmed troops always hit Last.

[Suicide Junkie]

There is no such thing as Overkill
(Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload")

- 7 Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, rule #37


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As to the troops, try that combat again without the shield-troops.
See if you lose MORE than just the one or two gun-troops.

If so, your shieldies are blocking some damage for you, and are worthwhile.

[ June 28, 2004, 02:52: Message edited by: Suicide Junkie ]

[Raging Deadstar]

Originally posted by Suicide Junkie:
There is no such thing as Overkill
(Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload")

- 7 Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, rule #37

I knew you would SJ

[dmm]

I might be mistaken, but:
1) If your enemy has weapons with a range greater than 1, the AI will do the intelligent thing and attack your vulnerable troops with weapons rather than your harmless shielded troops; and
2) If you don't have many troops, then the "front lines" might contain some weaponed troops, which the AI will kill first, and then continue killing as the weaponed reserves patch the hole.

Regarding shields protecting a planet from ground assault:
I don't know why, but planet shields NEVER work that way in sci fi movies. It's always:
"Rats! Their shields are up. Now we can't bLast them into oblivion with our 1000-dreadnought fleet. Prepare for ground assault!"
It is never explained why the troop ships can get past the planet shield to drop their cargo, but the dreadnoughts can't go past and fire from just inside. I think it has something to do with Newton's Law of Good Theatre.

[Phoenix-D]

Well, attack ships are moving a heck of a lot slower than any KE projectile, and unlike beam weapons they're matter. The shield might just not have the capability to stop both at the same time.