In need of some strategic help

[Samurai99]

Hello,

My neighbor is attacking me with what I consider a most diabolical design. Her dreadnought-size ships are loaded out with Shield Depleters and Shard Cannons (which are skipping my armor). To top it off, they have the Religious Talisman.

So, her depleters take away my shields and her cannons rip through the guts of my ships, both with 100 percent accuracy. (BTW, I know some consider the Talisman an unbalancing factor, which is all fine and good, but in this situation they're a reality I have to deal with.)

What do I do?

The only avenue I can think of is to build a "yabusame" ship with Seeking Parasite V's,
which have a range of 16. Assign this class the strategy of maximum weapons distance and hope for stand-off battles. (I say "hope" because we're using strategic combat.)

In the same vein, I'm pondering battleship rather than dreadnought to have speed 6 in battle, to help them keep their distance.

Additional thoughts:
- A minimal amount of shielding -- since it's worthless against her dreadnoughts -- and use the extra space for more Parasite launchers, but leaving some to help against fighters;
- Don't bother with ECM or Scattering and Stealth Armor because the Talisman seems to negate any bonus these provide.

Think this has any chance of working?

Also, any suggests for alternative designs and/or strategies would be most welcome.

[Taz-in-Space]

I agree with losing the armor if she is using shard cannons. I would keep the ECM since it is only 10K in space, as a hedge against any ships without the talisman.
You might try using fighters. A large number of fighters may cause her problems especially if she lacks good point defence.
Specialty weapons like engine or weapon destroyers might suprise her as well.

[oleg]

You are in deep trouble indeed. The only hope is to swarm her with missiles. Organic is an ideal for this of course: Your ships ahould cost 50% organic/50% minerals. Hence you should be able to build ships twice as fast. Just keep coming

[smitty]

Cool! Is this a game that was not started at a high tech level available? What turn # are you on?

[tesco samoa]

Battle ships with APB Set to max range.

And some ships with engine depleter missles, and regular missles

And Fighters...

Force her to spend space on PDC's

If your on the offensive.

If not... Then make all the battles take place above warp points.

Where you move to a warp point and wait to be attacked.

That way you start the battle side by side and your ships can inflict damage.....

Also if your ships are just dying anyways... Set them to ram... ( or at least Point Blank ).... Better to die seeing the whites of their eyes than not.

P.S. Do not put everything into missles and fighters... as when they adjust your screwed...

Just alittle to force her to change her ships...

[rdouglass]

It sounds like you're organic... I'd agree with the fighters. Swarms of 'em with those small 'lightning' weapons can be a very strong 'deterrent'...

[mxlm]

I've only played organic once, but I thought shard cannons could target fighters. If they can, then the opponent won't need PDC, as they'll have a 100% hit rate with shard cannons on the fighters.

[Baron Munchausen]

Units, units, units! Mines will do lots of damage without the formality of combat, and will still force her to use space in at least some of her ships for mine sweepers once she's got the first minefield reports. Satellites, drones, and fighters are all 'solid'. Individual components (armor or otherwise) are not counted in unit damage. The shard cannon is just a wimpier APB against units.

Other than leaning as heavily as possible on units, yes, seekers at max range are a good strategy. Especially in combination with fighters and drones. Over load those PDCs!

[Q]

For your counter attack I would pick battle cruisers with seeking parasites and maximum weapon range as strategy, without any useless components againts this enemy (armor, shields, ECM, combat sensors) in combination with a lot of fighters.
For defense I would use all kind of units but less ships/bases.
Good luck!
And mxlm, yes shard cannons can target fighters but they do little damage compared to PDC.

[ April 05, 2003, 07:25: Message edited by: Q ]

[Atrocities]

Fighters and Ramming ships. And everything else everyone else said too.

Tis very hard to overcome the RT, but if you can find her ship yards or production worlds, go after them with all you have. Force her onto the defensive. Mine the hell out of every WP planet and sector you can. Force her to have to produce other ships.

Additionally, use drones if you can to attack her ships from a sector away or so. Target her worlds and if you have to, lay a trap.

Build a starkiller and cloak it next to a star. When her ships enter that area, even if you have worlds, take them out. (Last ditch effort, but very effective in the end game. )