Invasion Inoculation

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

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Originally posted by Loser:
They can shoot the troops form orbit?

dang....

What's the use of defensive troops under any circumstances, then?

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Yes, this is a problem in my mind. Troops never get to fight troops because defending troops are always destroyed from space. I wish MM would either store troops differently from other cargo or at least allow an option to change their status from 'cargo' to something else' -- call it 'dug in' or 'dispersed' or something like that. When in this special state they should not be damaged like cargo but like population. As a 'balancing' factor I guess they should not be easily removable from the planet when in this state. Maybe you need a turn to move them from 'dug in' back to cargo so they can be loaded up for transport.

[Loser]

How much damage does militia do?

How much militia do you get for how much population?

If a certain amount of militia is destroyed, but the planet is not lost, how long does it take to get that militia back?

When a planet is taken, does the invader get the whole population's worth of militia if he is attacked the very next turn?

Are the numerical answers to these questions modable?

[Suicide Junkie]

Not to mention the fact that militia DONT regenerate.

If you dropped weaponless troops, with enough shields that the militia couldn't even kill one per turn, then you'd be able to get the perpetual combat you desire.

Of course, the enemy ships would likely shoot the planet to kill those troops, and then send their own in.

[Suicide Junkie]

The exact damage and hitpoints, and number per x million people are all found in settings.txt

Militia are fully restored to the amount in settings.txt the instant there are no foreign troops on the surface.
This could be as often as between troop transport drops in the same combat turn, or only after a year of fighting a stalemate.
The instant a ceasefire happens, the militia are restored.

[capnq]

quote:

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Troops never get to fight troops because defending troops are always destroyed from space.

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Only if the attacker is patient. With a "heavily-enough" armored/shielded/PDC'd transport, one can get troops dirtside without completely suppressing the defenses.

I know I've seen ground combats with defending troops and militia, and I've even captured at least one planet that still had functional weapons platforms on it.

[Loser]

Great, so my AMCE Troop Inoculation will innoculate against the most patient troop-landing player (already more patient than the glass-happy masses).

Oh well.... I still want to see what happens to ground comabt when a treaty is made...

[Bman]

Do you know how to get your troop transports to do this in strategic combat? My transports always run to the corner until my other ships have destroyed all the planetary defenses. I'd actually like it if they would zoom in and take the planet without waiting for this sometimes...

quote:

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Originally posted by capnq:
Only if the attacker is patient. With a "heavily-enough" armored/shielded/PDC'd transport, one can get troops dirtside without completely suppressing the defenses.

I know I've seen ground combats with defending troops and militia, and I've even captured at least one planet that still had functional weapons platforms on it.

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[Phoenix-D]

send the transports in alone and hope.

Phoenix-D

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

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Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
send the transports in alone and hope.

Phoenix-D

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No, the 'capture planet' strategy will not work unless the planet has had its weapons removed by other forces. The transport will just run away. I suppose you could build a very heavily armored/shielded transport and put ONE weapon in it to make it attack the planet with the other ships. Would it drop the troops before the planet's weapons were gone even if it were close enough? Dunno... better give it a short range weapon. But if you give it a planetary weapon I think it will be a priority target for the defenses.

If this does work, then a whole new method of attacking planets might open up. Build whole fleets of planet capturing ships that are a mix of weapons and cargo bays and send them all in. If even one survives then some troops get dropped on the planet. If the numbers dropped by a single ship are enough to survive the 10 rounds of ground combat then they can build up as other ships get close enough to drop theirs.

[TerranC]

Well, BM, I kinda use that strategy all the time At least in AI games.

What I do is get a large transport, fill the cargo with only necessary space, At least 4 crystaline/organic armor and 4 shiled generators, One EMC, Solar Sail, and one or two point defense for those missle worlds.

And scream Geronimo.

The Solar Sails are a big help as with it's bonus combat speed, it can speed down to the planet fast with taking about two shots from the weapons platforms.

Although this usually succeeds, not all the time; I found out in simulations that Wave motion guns and Graviton Hellbores do a good job of killing my Heavy Armoured transports before they get in.

Also, the transports failed two times after I let the strategic combat let it run into the homeworld Guess what happened. The second time, I commandered the ship, but didn't see the massive drones coming in and died.

But still effective.

Edit: sorry, can't spell.

Another Edit: Don't be fooled that that kind of transport can survive Homeworlds or Heavy Defended Military worlds: for those worlds, I have sent 4-5 Warship escorts with the transport to take down or capture bases and ships and also to distract the Weapon platforms.

[ 30 April 2002: Message edited by: TerranC ]

[ 30 April 2002: Message edited by: TerranC ]