What's the best way to defend a base?

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Author Topic:   What's the best way to defend a base?

JT posted 02-08-99 04:58 PM ET
I'd like to know what people think is the best defender there is in the demo. Maybe add your favorite tactic for defending.
sir_penguin posted 02-08-99 08:34 PM ET
I think that the very best defender in the demo is the obvious ECM Plasma Sentinel, but only because I don't know the name for the defender with the silksteel armour. The reason is that a defender's armour rating is the one by which it's strength is calculated while defending. If you want to attack from a base, then get something with a high attack rating, such as the Chaos Gun, and leave it with little armour. With these combined, your base is ready for attack and defense.
Neil M.
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9340
TheHelperMonkey posted 02-08-99 08:44 PM ET
In the demo the best defender is a trained chaos dragon. It starts out at disceplend level has 8 damgage and 4 defense. But it cost 150 and the prtoptype is 300.
SmartFart posted 02-08-99 09:08 PM ET
the best way in defending the base is not to build it at all.when you don't have a base there is no way to lose it.
CEO SmartFart
Wen_Amon posted 02-08-99 10:06 PM ET
Now youre really being a smart fart
JT posted 02-09-99 06:26 PM ET
Come on, Smartfart, really, IF YOU HAVE A BASE, How do you like to defend it?
SmartFart posted 02-09-99 08:18 PM ET
it depends of a position of the base,size,roads and many other things.am a very agressive player in 100 pts game,so attack is my defense.anyway am always trying to patrol around my small bases and connect them with the others (roads) as soon as it possible so i can send reinforcement if necessary.things goes easy after discovering of airpower.but thats only a demo tactic.
CEO SmartFart
ViVicdi posted 02-10-99 04:12 AM ET
The basic defense unit, 1-4-1, works well. ECM makes some people more comfortable, but Rovers are lousy base attackers to begin with, so it depends on whether you can afford it.
I ALWAYS give my defenders Non-Lethal. If you have Neural Grafting, you can go AAA (a GOOD choice), ECM, Trance, or Clean Reactor.
If you armor your needlejets you can fly them into a besieged base. If attacked it gets the perimeter & sensor bonuses just like a ground unit would. If you have Neural Amp 2-3 mindworms can temporarily defend a base.
Build sensors on 2 opposite, base-adjacent squares, so whatever the direction of attack, sensor coverage is assured. (Sensors are best built in forests.) Build sensor coverage in general.
An empty bunker stops 1 attacker's advance. Of course this is a 2-edged sword because counterattacking gets problematic when your opponent is holed up in that free bunker you provided.
Build Citizens' Defense Force (defend newly-captured bases), HK Algorithm (probe immunity), Neural Amp (boost your mindworms' defense), & Maritime Guild (faster ships patrol more area sooner)
In addition you need a "counterattack" option. This one's tricky. Keeping an attack unit IN your city gives you the reduced unrest advantage and increases the number of attacks your opponent must make to capture the base. In other cases, a sparser "zone defense" is appropriate. Finally, the range of attackers you face might require you to diversify your counterattack forces to adapt to your opponents' strengths. (You won't want to use rovers against ECM's, jets against AAA's, etc.)
Try to defend obvious "choke points" in your terrain. Build lots of sensors. Destroy forest roads in strategic places. Plant fungus (unless attacker has XenoDome)!
Ocean bases should still have the standard garrison, but they can only really be defended by controlling the ocean, and that means having lots of ships & jets patrolling around. Also, put sensors on any nearby patches of land.
Lastly, the evolution of the game is of critical importance in choosing your counterattack option. When you get the Bioenhancement Center and if your social choices allow, you can build "Elite" infantry which move at speed 2 (elites in general get an extra movement point.) The increase in speed from 1 to 2 has profound tactical implications. The elite rover's increase from 2 to 3, while nice, is not nearly so important. All of infantry's advantages come to bear when it can move and fight in the same turn -- speed 2 does that.
By far the most difficult target to defend is a newly-captured city. Before you take a city make sure you have built (or almost built) a sensor & brought along some defenders, and remember that ANY artillery bombardment, even in a city, prevents ANY repairs to damaged units, so you need enough defenders to rotate to the nearest base / monolith. As a last resort if you nerve gas or repeatedly wipe out all defenders in a city its population drops & you will eventually destroy the city outright -- obviating the need to defend it.
Chris Pine FIRAXIS posted 02-10-99 10:47 AM ET
1) Strong offense is a good defense. Needlejets are perfect for some base 'defense.' In a turn-based game, send them out every turn just to see if anyone is coming. In a simultaneous (multiplayer) game, leave them in your base and wait until your enemy moves near. You get a split second to attack just before he does, and if he is building units with high attack but low defense, he's gone.
2) No need to defend an empty building. If it's a big war or you have repealed the UN Charter or have lots of sanctions anyway, just blow up your base if you are about to lose it anyway and you know you won't get it back. Don't let your own base be used against you!
sir_penguin posted 02-10-99 07:45 PM ET
How do you blow up your own base? I've wanted to do that, but I couldn't find out how.
Neil M.
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9340
Max posted 02-13-99 12:10 PM ET
According to ViVicdi,
>"An empty bunker stops 1 attacker's advance. Of course this is a 2-edged sword because counterattacking gets problematic when your opponent is holed up in that free bunker you provided."
How do you hole up your unit into bunker?
And how do you blow up your own city to avoid city capture by superior invading forces?
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Author	Topic: What's the best way to defend a base?
JT	posted 02-08-99 04:58 PM ET I'd like to know what people think is the best defender there is in the demo. Maybe add your favorite tactic for defending.
sir_penguin	posted 02-08-99 08:34 PM ET I think that the very best defender in the demo is the obvious ECM Plasma Sentinel, but only because I don't know the name for the defender with the silksteel armour. The reason is that a defender's armour rating is the one by which it's strength is calculated while defending. If you want to attack from a base, then get something with a high attack rating, such as the Chaos Gun, and leave it with little armour. With these combined, your base is ready for attack and defense. Neil M. [email protected] http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9340
TheHelperMonkey	posted 02-08-99 08:44 PM ET In the demo the best defender is a trained chaos dragon. It starts out at disceplend level has 8 damgage and 4 defense. But it cost 150 and the prtoptype is 300.
SmartFart	posted 02-08-99 09:08 PM ET the best way in defending the base is not to build it at all.when you don't have a base there is no way to lose it. CEO SmartFart
Wen_Amon	posted 02-08-99 10:06 PM ET Now youre really being a smart fart
JT	posted 02-09-99 06:26 PM ET Come on, Smartfart, really, IF YOU HAVE A BASE, How do you like to defend it?
SmartFart	posted 02-09-99 08:18 PM ET it depends of a position of the base,size,roads and many other things.am a very agressive player in 100 pts game,so attack is my defense.anyway am always trying to patrol around my small bases and connect them with the others (roads) as soon as it possible so i can send reinforcement if necessary.things goes easy after discovering of airpower.but thats only a demo tactic. CEO SmartFart
ViVicdi	posted 02-10-99 04:12 AM ET The basic defense unit, 1-4-1, works well. ECM makes some people more comfortable, but Rovers are lousy base attackers to begin with, so it depends on whether you can afford it. I ALWAYS give my defenders Non-Lethal. If you have Neural Grafting, you can go AAA (a GOOD choice), ECM, Trance, or Clean Reactor. If you armor your needlejets you can fly them into a besieged base. If attacked it gets the perimeter & sensor bonuses just like a ground unit would. If you have Neural Amp 2-3 mindworms can temporarily defend a base. Build sensors on 2 opposite, base-adjacent squares, so whatever the direction of attack, sensor coverage is assured. (Sensors are best built in forests.) Build sensor coverage in general. An empty bunker stops 1 attacker's advance. Of course this is a 2-edged sword because counterattacking gets problematic when your opponent is holed up in that free bunker you provided. Build Citizens' Defense Force (defend newly-captured bases), HK Algorithm (probe immunity), Neural Amp (boost your mindworms' defense), & Maritime Guild (faster ships patrol more area sooner) In addition you need a "counterattack" option. This one's tricky. Keeping an attack unit IN your city gives you the reduced unrest advantage and increases the number of attacks your opponent must make to capture the base. In other cases, a sparser "zone defense" is appropriate. Finally, the range of attackers you face might require you to diversify your counterattack forces to adapt to your opponents' strengths. (You won't want to use rovers against ECM's, jets against AAA's, etc.) Try to defend obvious "choke points" in your terrain. Build lots of sensors. Destroy forest roads in strategic places. Plant fungus (unless attacker has XenoDome)! Ocean bases should still have the standard garrison, but they can only really be defended by controlling the ocean, and that means having lots of ships & jets patrolling around. Also, put sensors on any nearby patches of land. Lastly, the evolution of the game is of critical importance in choosing your counterattack option. When you get the Bioenhancement Center and if your social choices allow, you can build "Elite" infantry which move at speed 2 (elites in general get an extra movement point.) The increase in speed from 1 to 2 has profound tactical implications. The elite rover's increase from 2 to 3, while nice, is not nearly so important. All of infantry's advantages come to bear when it can move and fight in the same turn -- speed 2 does that. By far the most difficult target to defend is a newly-captured city. Before you take a city make sure you have built (or almost built) a sensor & brought along some defenders, and remember that ANY artillery bombardment, even in a city, prevents ANY repairs to damaged units, so you need enough defenders to rotate to the nearest base / monolith. As a last resort if you nerve gas or repeatedly wipe out all defenders in a city its population drops & you will eventually destroy the city outright -- obviating the need to defend it.
Chris Pine FIRAXIS	posted 02-10-99 10:47 AM ET 1) Strong offense is a good defense. Needlejets are perfect for some base 'defense.' In a turn-based game, send them out every turn just to see if anyone is coming. In a simultaneous (multiplayer) game, leave them in your base and wait until your enemy moves near. You get a split second to attack just before he does, and if he is building units with high attack but low defense, he's gone. 2) No need to defend an empty building. If it's a big war or you have repealed the UN Charter or have lots of sanctions anyway, just blow up your base if you are about to lose it anyway and you know you won't get it back. Don't let your own base be used against you!
sir_penguin	posted 02-10-99 07:45 PM ET How do you blow up your own base? I've wanted to do that, but I couldn't find out how. Neil M. [email protected] http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9340
Max	posted 02-13-99 12:10 PM ET According to ViVicdi, >"An empty bunker stops 1 attacker's advance. Of course this is a 2-edged sword because counterattacking gets problematic when your opponent is holed up in that free bunker you provided." How do you hole up your unit into bunker? And how do you blow up your own city to avoid city capture by superior invading forces?