Some Strategies I've Found Useful - Alpha Centauri Forums

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  Strategies and Tactics
  Some Strategies I've Found Useful

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   Some Strategies I've Found Useful

Avaunt posted 04-09-99 01:09 AM ET
I typically use intelligence sources and find bases with small garrisons and hit them quickly. By systematicaly using this strategy from all directions, I shrink the enemy down to a few core bases which can be dealt with in strength.
The key to this strategy is multiple fast small assault groups. The obvious problem is not having the follow-up forces to garrison the newly aquired real estate and continue to press the assault to other vulnerable nearby bases. I'm usually not willing to pay the atrocity cost of killing these bases off so I came up with another idea.
Just give them away! Particularly, to someone that has a truce or treaty with your enemy. Wait until the last minute to do this when you know that next turn you will lose it. This has three great results. First, he's usually amassed quite a few forces in this area leaving another area vulnerable. Second, he is denied the base resources when he needs them most -to sustain a war with you. And Third, by putting another faction right in your enemies territory, the tension between them will rise considerably. Hopefully, this results in a resource draining vendetta between them making them both easier to beat.
My last game is a great illustration of this strategy. I was the Gaians and was embroiled in a fight with the Hive across a small channel between our continents. The Hive had a slight tech advantage, so I couldn't steamrole him. I found a few small garrisoned basses and made a successful assualt with a few missile squads that were dropped off by transport.
I had no hope of holding all three positions, as the Hive was gearing up for a counter attack. At that time, both the Spartans and the Morganites were small but growing quickly fat in their own territories. Neither were involved in the war, and both had treaties with myself and the Hive. So instead of loosing these bases back to the Hive I gave one to the Spartans and one to the Morganites. By fortune, this split the territories where one of the bases was completely bounded by Spartan and Morganite territories. The Hive was very reluctant to cross these new territories and counter attack me so I got to keep this one.
The really sweet result was that the Morganites and the Spartans were very cozy neigbors to eachother. (In fact, this whole area was starting to look like a Twister mat when viewed at extreme zoom ) Very soon after this, their relations began to turn sour and soon the Spartans and Morganites were fighting eachother and pretty upset with the Hive to boot. This quarrel kept up off and on throughout the whole game leaving them both fairly underdeveloped. To stay out of it I placated both the Spartans, Morganites, and PK with techs and inconsequintal Hive bases -with good Techs going to whoever was losing. This helped to keep them balanced and perpetually fighting amongst themselves while I worked over the Hive. (UoP had been devoured by the Hive early on, probably accounting for their early tech advantage and the Believers were my puppet state after a quick early game war)
In the end, I was able to submit the Hive and capitalize on their prolific nature to quickly subdue the PK and as a united force of now four factions, eventually reign over the Spartans and Morganites as Elected
supreme leader.
Obviously, this was the best set of circumstances I could have hoped for to use this strategy. But I believe the principal ideas can have many applications in a variety of situations.

Ken Yoon posted 04-09-99 07:56 PM ET
That "gift" tactic is a good tip.
It is also useful if you have the option for take tech on capture of city.
That way you get techs but don't lose them. Whenever you're about to lose a base, you gift it.
TMEX posted 04-09-99 08:33 PM ET
That's usually a good strategy.
I don't usually give away bases to allies unless absolutely necessary. Early on, if I capture any bases, I'll swap them for some far-flug ones deep in friendly territory. It usually helps to have one there because it acts as a great stopoff point. or, as it often does, ends up being a great staging point for backstabbing your friends late in the game......
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


Hop to:

Contact Us | Alpha Centauri Home

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.18
© Madrona Park, Inc., 1998.

Author	Topic: Some Strategies I've Found Useful
Avaunt	posted 04-09-99 01:09 AM ET I typically use intelligence sources and find bases with small garrisons and hit them quickly. By systematicaly using this strategy from all directions, I shrink the enemy down to a few core bases which can be dealt with in strength. The key to this strategy is multiple fast small assault groups. The obvious problem is not having the follow-up forces to garrison the newly aquired real estate and continue to press the assault to other vulnerable nearby bases. I'm usually not willing to pay the atrocity cost of killing these bases off so I came up with another idea. Just give them away! Particularly, to someone that has a truce or treaty with your enemy. Wait until the last minute to do this when you know that next turn you will lose it. This has three great results. First, he's usually amassed quite a few forces in this area leaving another area vulnerable. Second, he is denied the base resources when he needs them most -to sustain a war with you. And Third, by putting another faction right in your enemies territory, the tension between them will rise considerably. Hopefully, this results in a resource draining vendetta between them making them both easier to beat. My last game is a great illustration of this strategy. I was the Gaians and was embroiled in a fight with the Hive across a small channel between our continents. The Hive had a slight tech advantage, so I couldn't steamrole him. I found a few small garrisoned basses and made a successful assualt with a few missile squads that were dropped off by transport. I had no hope of holding all three positions, as the Hive was gearing up for a counter attack. At that time, both the Spartans and the Morganites were small but growing quickly fat in their own territories. Neither were involved in the war, and both had treaties with myself and the Hive. So instead of loosing these bases back to the Hive I gave one to the Spartans and one to the Morganites. By fortune, this split the territories where one of the bases was completely bounded by Spartan and Morganite territories. The Hive was very reluctant to cross these new territories and counter attack me so I got to keep this one. The really sweet result was that the Morganites and the Spartans were very cozy neigbors to eachother. (In fact, this whole area was starting to look like a Twister mat when viewed at extreme zoom ) Very soon after this, their relations began to turn sour and soon the Spartans and Morganites were fighting eachother and pretty upset with the Hive to boot. This quarrel kept up off and on throughout the whole game leaving them both fairly underdeveloped. To stay out of it I placated both the Spartans, Morganites, and PK with techs and inconsequintal Hive bases -with good Techs going to whoever was losing. This helped to keep them balanced and perpetually fighting amongst themselves while I worked over the Hive. (UoP had been devoured by the Hive early on, probably accounting for their early tech advantage and the Believers were my puppet state after a quick early game war) In the end, I was able to submit the Hive and capitalize on their prolific nature to quickly subdue the PK and as a united force of now four factions, eventually reign over the Spartans and Morganites as Elected supreme leader. Obviously, this was the best set of circumstances I could have hoped for to use this strategy. But I believe the principal ideas can have many applications in a variety of situations.
Ken Yoon	posted 04-09-99 07:56 PM ET That "gift" tactic is a good tip. It is also useful if you have the option for take tech on capture of city. That way you get techs but don't lose them. Whenever you're about to lose a base, you gift it.
TMEX	posted 04-09-99 08:33 PM ET That's usually a good strategy. I don't usually give away bases to allies unless absolutely necessary. Early on, if I capture any bases, I'll swap them for some far-flug ones deep in friendly territory. It usually helps to have one there because it acts as a great stopoff point. or, as it often does, ends up being a great staging point for backstabbing your friends late in the game......