posted 05-19-99 07:55 AM ET            

And I agree completely with eborg: use the mobility of needlejets to your advantage. Once you've established control at the new base, the jets can take out extraneous roads, making your job of protecting against probes and counterattacks that much simpler. They can also destroy sensors at the next target to reducing its defense, and pick off probes and rovers coming to say hello.

posted 05-19-99 09:56 AM ET            

Always attack from the flank with needlejets. The enemy ground units have to obey thier zone-of-control rules. This prevents reinforcements or regarrisoning (is that a word?) a freshly emptied base. Also, I take the long way to attack. The deep radar grants sometimes valuable intelligence. They also work nicely for cloaking friendlies because they cannot be attacked by units without "Air superiority." I will park one next to a base where I am setting up my one move infantry.

Also, did you ever notice that the AI will build many planes and they will usually stick together. I'll create a screen or a "V" blocking the route to their nearest base with 3 or four units and they usually have trouble finding the way home. They won't fly around the screen, nor will they attack. The AI's only priority is getting back to refuel. I've seen a dozen or more needlejets go down in flames right in front of me.

posted 05-19-99 02:44 PM ET            

defence or offence?

posted 05-19-99 09:30 PM ET         

In the open, needlejets usually win even against AAA units.

posted 05-20-99 02:18 AM ET         

I was playing democracy, free market, knowledge and discovered that my airplanes gave me two peace (pacifism) symbols even when they were in bases.

I wanted to keep planes on alert in my bases so they would automatically attack enemies on sight. I gave up on them because of the pacifism problem.

posted 05-20-99 08:54 AM ET            

The stationing of AAA units in bases with an coupled with Aerospace Complex calls for an attack with multiple kinds of units. If you have some worms running around at the same time Rovers and needlejets are going after the cities, it won't be so easy for the AI to choose a single course of action (i.e., Must Build AAA and Aerospace). Bombardment units are also very useful as part of this tactic, for two reasons: it's one more kind of unit the AI must build to defend against (trance or ECM or AAA or battery!?!), and the batteries will soften up the folks inside to help out your other attackers.

posted 05-21-99 11:09 PM ET         

Second, my needlejet techniques are to spread them out when attacking a base. Damaged ones can be used to bomb sensors (which are annoying). Spreading them out both prevents collateral damage if they have interceptors and prevents them from bringing more troops in to defend. Try and have a base with an aerospace complex nearby, since repairing them becomes a priority if you're invading.

If you have problems with the enemy building AAA, attack them with other units. Mind worms will make them build trance/empath and attackign with boats/artillery usually makes them try and build artillery. You can also try using a probe team to take out their aerospace complex or perimeter defense.

posted 05-22-99 01:12 AM ET         

Also, I have never observed air units to take collateral damage. When working through a stack of needlejets, my attacking SAM units never do any collateral damage.

posted 05-23-99 03:15 AM ET            

Multiple attacks rule!! As soon as i get the tech' to build them, i do so. This is my main conquering unit. I send one or two in to the city i wish to take over, and empty it of units with multipy attacks. The short range is not significant,for as soon as they have one move left, i tell them to wait. Then when i take the city, they can enter and re-fule. This works great with drop-infantry two. Send in copters, clear city, drop in. I have conquered so many factions with just one drop pod infantry and two copters! Of course, having a good weapon is a great help. Copters would have to be my favorite unit when i am on the move.

posted 05-24-99 02:47 PM ET            

While they might get worn down to their red hit zone from assaulting CITIES, I rarely find that a problem when dealing with the initial rush of land units that head for your beachhead city. A couple of choppers to fly across the killing fields and quasinart those land units is an incredibly effective Offensive Defense strike.

Needlejets are nice to reach out and raid my next targets for takeover, as well as general harassment (attacking, bombing enhancments, etc). When the computer becomes irritating with Interceptors, I make a few Top Weapon-Top Armor-Jets with Air Superiority and Clean (if available). These guys fly cover, like long range Ally fighters did for the Ally bombers in WWII. They park over bombing/attack square (when interceptors are about), then the attacking bomber attacks. Stacking all the regular jets with an armed and armored interceptor gives me a defender that regularly survives two attacks from the computer air defensive actions. Bombers fly home and refuel. Interceptor rebuilds its hits. Its twin unit does the same for the next sortie. I give them Air Superiority to shoot down those AI air units moving around in the target's lines.

The computer builds its units with a STRONG eye on what you build. If you only build a few jets because they survive well in your game, it won't build AAA units until you knock the snot out of its cities AND its the cheapest defender in its design choices or you have CONSISTANTLY knocked the snot out of that city (or neighbors) with Air units. If you are rolling off LOTS of Air units, it will pre-emptively build AAA units. If you build lots of rovers, it will build ECM forces for the same reasons (remember though... ECM is FREE to units that Defense out rank its weapons, so it builds more of these than anything else. Free ability). Lots of Worms in your build ques, and the computer will build lots of Trance.

I find Conv. Missiles useful to bomb those core cities of my LARGE (AI) opponents that are trying to build Secret Projects I want, or Planet Busters. The Computer will automatically switch production to a defender if you get rid of the defenders in a city. When a sustained war effort going on, most inner core cities won't have but a couple of units as defenders, plus transients going to the front. This allows me to make sure that I don't loose a city or two to Planet Busters before I can discover Orbital Defense pods. Of course, you need to know what he is building WHERE to do this, but that is what Probe teams, Empath project, and/or Governorship is for.

posted 05-25-99 01:20 PM ET         

Also, to get around the AI building units specifically against my units I usually build a chopper in most every city once I get the prototype done. Once complete I have a big army and go to war before the AI can react.

posted 07-07-99 06:25 AM ET            

master k

posted 07-07-99 08:33 AM ET            

Like to add to series II's fav combo design:

posted 07-12-99 02:58 AM ET            

Yes, choppers rules. They multiple attack saved me many times, both in offence and defence. I usually build massive air force (of choppers, naturaly), and few dropsomethings, as long it's land unit. I move my force to the enemy base, but destroy only sensors. The whole idea is to take out a base in SINGLE turn. Before that I soft him with probe teams, so I can build adequate attack force.
Anyway, I destroy ONLY sensors, and take base using chopper's multiple attack ability, and when defence is destroyed, I use dropsomething to take the base. Then I get choppers into the base for refuel.
Later in the game for land units I use only hovertanks.
The beauty of this tactic is that, if I see that I will loose (and I never do), the most of my choppers can retreat to the homebase, no matter of fuel quantity. In home base there is a nice Aerospace complex waiting for them.

So, conclusion: Needlejets are cool, but useless. I build few while I wait for the choppers, the rulers of Alpha Centaury skye. Period.

posted 07-12-99 02:59 AM ET            

Yes, choppers rules. They multiple attack saved me many times, both in offence and defence. I usually build massive air force (of choppers, naturaly), and few dropsomethings, as long it's land unit. I move my force to the enemy base, but destroy only sensors. The whole idea is to take out a base in SINGLE turn. Before that I soft him with probe teams, so I can build adequate attack force.
Anyway, I destroy ONLY sensors, and take base using chopper's multiple attack ability, and when defence is destroyed, I use dropsomething to take the base. Then I get choppers into the base for refuel.
Later in the game for land units I use only hovertanks.
The beauty of this tactic is that, if I see that I will loose (and I never do), the most of my choppers can retreat to the homebase, no matter of fuel quantity. In home base there is a nice Aerospace complex waiting for them.

So, conclusion: Needlejets are cool, but useless. I build few while I wait for the choppers, the rulers of Alpha Centaury skye. Period.

posted 07-12-99 03:00 AM ET            

Gustav: Where are you from ?