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Author Topic:   How to defend agains planes?

DutchMan posted 04-23-99 03:53 AM ET
Can someone explain me why my Sam Fusion Shock Troops are no match for the Fusion Penetrators?
Situation is as follows:
I got the Sam STroops (10-4-1*2) in a base with Perimeter Defence. I am attacked by Penetrators (10-1-1*2). The attacker seems to blast away my defender in an eye-blink.
What do I do wrong, any hints?
kjoebert posted 04-23-99 04:18 AM ET
Sam units can attack air units, they don't help you on defense. For better defense against air units, build AAA defenders. Also an aerospace complex will definetely help a lot!
DutchMan posted 04-23-99 06:01 AM ET
I begin to think that I don't understand the battle-model.
When I am being attacked, it is my defence-rating that keeps me alive, but to be able to stop the attacker I need to strike back, right?
I thought that my Sam STroops (10-4-1*2) would blast away the Penetrator (10-1-1*2). The penetrator's strike strength is 20 (10 X 2 for being a plane, right?). My defence strength is 8 (4 X 2 for having perimiter defence). So my defender get hit, on avarage, 3 out of 5 times, right? But the plane get hit once, on avarage, 9 out of 10 times.
If this is true my Sam STroop win almost every baatle against the Penetrator when attacked. This certainly not the case, whenever attacked my Sam STroop is blasted away by the planes.
Can someone explain me where my thoughts went wrong?
Is the defending unit not always the attacking unit? Is the fire power of a defending unit not important, if so how does he get rid of the attacker?
Plato90s posted 04-23-99 06:28 AM ET
1) Perimeter Defense does not apply to anti-air attacks. Tachyon Fields do, but perimeter defense is purely ground defense.
2) When on defense, the rating that matters is the armor, not the weapon.
3) The exception to the rule is when you have an air-superiority aircraft [copter or needlejet]. The SAM aircraft can use its weapon rating instead of the armor rating when defending against incoming attacks.
4) To use ground units in defense against attacking aircraft, build Aerospace Complex [equivalent to perimeter defense, but only in anti-air] and the AAA tracking option.
sandworm posted 04-23-99 09:42 AM ET
I know this works with SAM jets, and should work with ground SAM units - place the unit "on alert" (shift-L?) when a jet moves adjacent to the base/bunker/square with the SAM unit, the SAM should automatically attack with its offensive rating.
Might be worth trying. I usually stick to AAA and Aerospace w/ a healthy dose of interceptors (usually about 1/2 my air force) "on alert"
jhankla posted 04-23-99 09:17 PM ET
I was next to University and he loved jets so I built aerospace complexes and put AAA units out on the border on alert. Darn jets never got within one space of my base and the dumb AI just wouldn't stop him from coming! Drained his reserves in a hurry and allowed me to introduce them to the University of Hard Knocks! A great tactic for those on the border with a power! They take a licking and keep on coming and coming until their drained!
Plato90s posted 04-23-99 10:03 PM ET
You can arm ground units with SAM option, but they will not scramble to defend the city perimeter the same way aircraft will. That function is limited to aircraft & copters. Also, missle attacks will not trigger a reaction.
A needlejet coming within 1 square of your base won't trigger a defensive reaction either if it simply ends its turn near the city. The combat air patrol is scrambled only when there is an attack.
Finally, you don't need to put the SAM aircraft on alert. Even a SAM aircraft on hold will scramble to defend.
Dutch Boy posted 04-24-99 09:23 PM ET
Finally a fellow Dutchman, how nice
Two questions :
1. Are you a IT proffesor or an IT professional (and either way, how can I make tons of money, I am currently a economics student in Rotterdam).
2. I fyou feel like it, take a look in NON-SMAC related, there's a little US vs. rest of the world going on and it's just me and this idiot from Fryslan defending the Dutch honor. (check something like OK, you wimpy countries etc. etc.)
Oh and the best thing against air attacks is to destroy them on the ground using your own air force or to keep tons of interceptor (planes with Anti-aircraft abilty at your city, make sure they're superior in attack value to the enemies though) or build AAA-whatever guys and an aerospace complex.
presence posted 04-25-99 11:37 AM ET
Building a sensor near the base never hurts, either.
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Author	Topic: How to defend agains planes?
DutchMan	posted 04-23-99 03:53 AM ET Can someone explain me why my Sam Fusion Shock Troops are no match for the Fusion Penetrators? Situation is as follows: I got the Sam STroops (10-4-12) in a base with Perimeter Defence. I am attacked by Penetrators (10-1-12). The attacker seems to blast away my defender in an eye-blink. What do I do wrong, any hints?
kjoebert	posted 04-23-99 04:18 AM ET Sam units can attack air units, they don't help you on defense. For better defense against air units, build AAA defenders. Also an aerospace complex will definetely help a lot!
DutchMan	posted 04-23-99 06:01 AM ET I begin to think that I don't understand the battle-model. When I am being attacked, it is my defence-rating that keeps me alive, but to be able to stop the attacker I need to strike back, right? I thought that my Sam STroops (10-4-12) would blast away the Penetrator (10-1-12). The penetrator's strike strength is 20 (10 X 2 for being a plane, right?). My defence strength is 8 (4 X 2 for having perimiter defence). So my defender get hit, on avarage, 3 out of 5 times, right? But the plane get hit once, on avarage, 9 out of 10 times. If this is true my Sam STroop win almost every baatle against the Penetrator when attacked. This certainly not the case, whenever attacked my Sam STroop is blasted away by the planes. Can someone explain me where my thoughts went wrong? Is the defending unit not always the attacking unit? Is the fire power of a defending unit not important, if so how does he get rid of the attacker?
Plato90s	posted 04-23-99 06:28 AM ET 1) Perimeter Defense does not apply to anti-air attacks. Tachyon Fields do, but perimeter defense is purely ground defense. 2) When on defense, the rating that matters is the armor, not the weapon. 3) The exception to the rule is when you have an air-superiority aircraft [copter or needlejet]. The SAM aircraft can use its weapon rating instead of the armor rating when defending against incoming attacks. 4) To use ground units in defense against attacking aircraft, build Aerospace Complex [equivalent to perimeter defense, but only in anti-air] and the AAA tracking option.
sandworm	posted 04-23-99 09:42 AM ET I know this works with SAM jets, and should work with ground SAM units - place the unit "on alert" (shift-L?) when a jet moves adjacent to the base/bunker/square with the SAM unit, the SAM should automatically attack with its offensive rating. Might be worth trying. I usually stick to AAA and Aerospace w/ a healthy dose of interceptors (usually about 1/2 my air force) "on alert"
jhankla	posted 04-23-99 09:17 PM ET I was next to University and he loved jets so I built aerospace complexes and put AAA units out on the border on alert. Darn jets never got within one space of my base and the dumb AI just wouldn't stop him from coming! Drained his reserves in a hurry and allowed me to introduce them to the University of Hard Knocks! A great tactic for those on the border with a power! They take a licking and keep on coming and coming until their drained!
Plato90s	posted 04-23-99 10:03 PM ET You can arm ground units with SAM option, but they will not scramble to defend the city perimeter the same way aircraft will. That function is limited to aircraft & copters. Also, missle attacks will not trigger a reaction. A needlejet coming within 1 square of your base won't trigger a defensive reaction either if it simply ends its turn near the city. The combat air patrol is scrambled only when there is an attack. Finally, you don't need to put the SAM aircraft on alert. Even a SAM aircraft on hold will scramble to defend.
Dutch Boy	posted 04-24-99 09:23 PM ET Finally a fellow Dutchman, how nice Two questions : 1. Are you a IT proffesor or an IT professional (and either way, how can I make tons of money, I am currently a economics student in Rotterdam). 2. I fyou feel like it, take a look in NON-SMAC related, there's a little US vs. rest of the world going on and it's just me and this idiot from Fryslan defending the Dutch honor. (check something like OK, you wimpy countries etc. etc.) Oh and the best thing against air attacks is to destroy them on the ground using your own air force or to keep tons of interceptor (planes with Anti-aircraft abilty at your city, make sure they're superior in attack value to the enemies though) or build AAA-whatever guys and an aerospace complex.
presence	posted 04-25-99 11:37 AM ET Building a sensor near the base never hurts, either.