How Do You Defend Against

[Renegade]

How do you defend a planet from invasion in PBW?

Here is what I have noticed:
1. Even though my designs prove themselves in battle simulations, they are consistently defeated by ships that should not be able to do so. Not by numbers, or greater skill level as my Fleet and ship Skill level is 20% and my ships are Battleships armed with PPB V backed up by DUC IV's. They are equipped with combat sensors and PDC's as well as an EMC and a Multi Targeting component.

I have noticed that the AI always defaults to allow certain weapons that should not be able to destroy a well defended/shielded ship to do so with great easy in combat but not in simulated combat.

I have also noted that despite having multiple well designed weapon platforms, troops, deployed mines, and even deployed satellites do nothing to prevent planet capture.

Granted I am semi new to multi player and I do have a lot to learn. I maxed out Aggressiveness and defensiveness and then researched military science to max. I placed my fleets in orbit over a planet that has both ship and fleet training facilities and then let them train to max 20% before sending them out to fight. I have fleets of 100 ships, mostly BC and BB with some Destroyers and LC as support.

I also noted that no more than 5 mines took out one of my smaller fleets at a Warp Point. 5 small mines that is. WTF gives with that?

How do you defend against poorly equipped ships kicking the crap out of your well armored, defended, and skilled ships?

[SpaceBadger]

Probably something to do with your fleet formation and the strategies of your fleet and ships. I figure you're using simultaneous turn resolution, so you don't see the actual combat as it happens? You can still watch the combat to try and figure out what went wrong - look for a "Combat Replay" button that goes with each log entry for combat. (So if you get a log entry telling you that 8 of your fine battleships were destroyed by 4 enemy escorts, click the Combat Replay button to watch the combat and figure out what went wrong.)

What formation are you using? Have you set ships to break formation in combat? What strategies are your ships assigned?

I'm also a newbie and have been going through some of the same frustration of apparently superior ships being defeated by apparently inferior ships - the replay has been a big help in trying to figure out how it happens.

SpaceBadger

[primitive]

Originally posted by Renegade:

I also noted that no more than 5 mines took out one of my smaller fleets at a Warp Point. 5 small mines that is.

How do you know that ?
There are many "rotten" trics in PBW. Could it be that another player also had minefields on the same location ?

I have lost many battles in PBW, but I have never noticed any "cheating". Ususally its due to choosing the wrong tactics (the defaults really sucks) or badly designed fleets (who need PDC anyway ), but sometimes its just bad luck (like having my wall formation lining up inside my foes inverted arrowhead <-).

BTW:
Choosing Berzerker or Warrior for your race gives additional bonuses. The simulator do not consider racial bonuses or training.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

hi, welcome to the forums. cheese?

it's a great game once you figure out what your doing.

[Ruatha]

I want to repeat primitives question;
How do you know that it was 5 small mines? Did your opponent tell you so?
You can't see minefields before you hit them, so I don't see how you know what mines there where?

[tesco samoa]

your sweeper would get them as it sweeps one set then the next

[Arkcon]

Hmmm...lots happening here. Regarding planet capture, basically, I've seen a small transport, fully loaded, conquer any medium non-breathable with a couple of weapon platforms. Even the AI can do this, so that proves how easy it is.

A medium transport, fully loaded, backed up with maybe 6 LC's will survive an attack on a large breathable and will conquer it.

See, if the planet has no weapon platforms, and is loaded with troops, and is attacked by a lone troop transport -- then your troops will help the militia defend against the assault.

But, if the plant has WP and troops, and is attacked by a fleet of attack ships with a troop transport -- then the attack ships will destroy all planet cargo first, then WP, then the transport drops troops unopposed.

Capturing planets is pretty easy. It just takes time and micromanagement. Your opponent was probably working on this invasion scheme back when you had the trade alliance, you know, when he picked out which planets would become his when war was declared.

[ September 30, 2003, 15:48: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Arkcon:
Hmmm...lots happening here. Regarding planet capture, basically, I've seen a small transport, fully loaded, conquer any medium non-breathable with a couple of weapon platforms. Even the AI can do this, so that proves how easy it is.

Are you talking about colonized worlds? I never quite found the troops needed to conquire a homeworld or breathable that is full to the brim with population.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by DavidG:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arkcon:
Hmmm...lots happening here. Regarding planet capture, basically, I've seen a small transport, fully loaded, conquer any medium non-breathable with a couple of weapon platforms. Even the AI can do this, so that proves how easy it is.

Are you talking about colonized worlds? I never quite found the troops needed to conquire a homeworld or breathable that is full to the brim with population.

---

I am pretty sure he is talking about colonies as he mentioned "non-breathable".

As far as capturing a full homeworld, a medium transport should do it. 200-300 small troops with level three weapons ought to be able to take care of the militia on a medium sized homeworld. The large ones might take 400, which I think will still fit in one medium transport. Unless the enemy has taken the time to build a lot of troops of his own. That can make it much more difficult.

[Arkcon]

Geo's right. With max population, a medium world will probably be taken by a medium transport full. And a large one will take a homeworld, esp from an AI, minimal support will be needed to take out the tons of CSM I platforms.

Really, the best defence against a troop invasion is to hit the fleet in space with anything.

I am totally being raped in a current PBW game. My enemy took high aggressive and defensive. I truly, never hit his ships, and he never misses mine. If I could save the combat summary I would love to show you the carnage.

Anyhow, after losing half a dozen battleships, repeatedly, to the same fleet, I had some old obsolete LC's and I gave them the targeting weakest, no weapons, farthest.

This suicide squadren ignored the warships, which had to wheel around in formation to destroy them.

Before his attack ships could reach me, my obsolete ships destroyed his repair ships, troop transports, mine sweepers, and sensor ship. That truly made a hopeless game a lot of fun.

If that fleet made it to a planet of mine, well, they'd all be speaking whatever language his race uses now.

Always remember that any planet located one month's travel away from a warp point is a sitting duck. Don't put anything there you wouldn't want to lose -- space port, resupply depot, racial facility.

[ September 30, 2003, 19:14: Message edited by: Arkcon ]