Singularity Laser-Statis or Psi-Psi?

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Author Topic:   Singularity Laser-Statis or Psi-Psi?

Lambo posted 07-26-99 03:01 AM ET
which is better? singularity laser and statis generator or Psi attack and Psi defence? or maybe a mix of the both?
korn469 posted 07-26-99 09:20 AM ET
singularity lasers have an attack of 24. statis generators have a defnse of 12. psi attack and psi armor bypass attack/defense and makes the unit enage in psi warfare.
if you have a high morale defender trying to fight against a low morale 24 attack unit with blink and nerve gas (36 attack) then psi armor would be a good thing to have (especially if you have the dream twister or the other psi SP i can't remeber its name)
however if it's the same situation except you have a low morale defender and you're against a high morale unit and they have the psi special projects then psi armor would be a bad thing to have.
psi armor is more effective than psi attack because of the game's 2-1 attack/defense ratio with conventional weapons. usually you will have better weapons and with nerve gas you should always have an attack advantage with normal weapons. once you get the blink special ability, psi attack is pretty much useless compared to your high tech weaponry.
korn469
Roland Sennholz posted 08-27-99 07:17 PM ET
korn469, The other Psi SP is called the Neutral Amplifier.
Plato90s posted 08-27-99 11:27 PM ET
But once the enemy start using psi armor, you don't bother using true attack units any more. After all, a 1-1-1*4 scout can do just as well in Psi combat as that 24-12-1*4 Singularity Assault Squad.
Krushala posted 08-28-99 11:37 AM ET
My psi units never do very well. Yes they usually win, but they are so injured in the process they have to return to base for healing. Singularity or quantum laser is the only way to go. Don't put armor on them though way too expensive. you can attack units and bases repeatedly.
Plato90s posted 08-28-99 08:49 PM ET
Once you get Singularity Laser tech, it doesn't matter. A 24-12 unit costs the same to build as a 24-1 unit. When the armor value is less than or equal to 1/2 of the attack value, no additional cost attaches to the unit.
Now, there is a difference in upgrade cost. A 24-12 unit will be more expensive to upgrade to than a 24-1 unit, even though they have the same production cost.
But I agree on Psi combat. Even a winning unit often takes too much damage to make it worthwhile for a long campaign.
Zakharov_54 posted 08-28-99 10:13 PM ET
After you conquer everybody (w/ the no come-back option on in the rules section), your real enemy are the mind-worms if your bases are producing a lot of eco-damage.
However, when you're actually fighting everybody, you should probably use a little of both. What you might also do is put psi-attack with stasis armor. This way you bypass ~there~ defenses w/out sacrificing yours.
Charon posted 08-29-99 11:00 AM ET
I've always liked Singularity Laser and Psi defense with high morale (Commando, elite) and The Neural Amplifier on a gravship.
Scribe of the Bubbas posted 08-29-99 09:40 PM ET
Question: do things like perimeter defense and sensors have any effect on psi combat?
Zoetrope posted 08-30-99 08:21 AM ET
Scribe: Sensors, yes. Perimeter defence, no: my mindworms chew up Yang's base defenders quite well. (The funny thing is that he lets them walk right up and take bites out of him! Guess his obsession with controlling or extirpating human rivals is his blindspot.)
Trinity posted 08-30-99 11:38 AM ET
Lambo -
you mean you really played the game that long?
dilbert posted 09-01-99 06:52 PM ET
Sensors, Trance, and Neural Amp together will make psi combat quite useless. Locusts are also vulnerable against Aerospace Complex.
The benefit of Psi units is that they are much cheaper toward the latter stage of the game, thus they are ideal to hold captured bases.
Schoop posted 09-01-99 07:07 PM ET
Psi-Attack would be much more useful if it could be combined with the special ability "Empath Song." (+50% attack in Psi combat) But alas, it cannot, so I find myself usually sticking to conventional offensive weapons. The Dream Twister just doesn't cut it for me.
Psi-Defense on the other hand, is useful, especially if you have the Neural Amp. I often mix in a few Psi-Defense units into either an offensive force or defending cities.
Being a Babylon 5 fan, I couldn't resist designing this unit:
Psi Cops (1e-?-1*2 Police)
Hand Weapons, Psi Defense, Non-Lethal methods, Empath Song, whatever reactor, Infantry Chassis
great for base defense, especially if Police are allowed, and for smacking down Mind Worms that wander too close to your base.
sandworm posted 09-02-99 12:58 PM ET
psi armor is a cheap way to give a little better defense to your offensive units. They may not always win, but they make counterattacks from your other units easier. If I have command centers or command nexus I often start using psi armor on garrisons, too.
Anyone know how conventional missile attacks are resolved against psi armor. I'd assume it acts as if there were no armor at all, but assuming things like that about SMAC usually gets me into trouble. (So does complaining)
Compugasm posted 10-05-99 12:11 PM ET
Yeah, they are destroyed. Until units and bases are equip against missle attack. Mindworms can't be fitted with those things.
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Author	Topic: Singularity Laser-Statis or Psi-Psi?
Lambo	posted 07-26-99 03:01 AM ET which is better? singularity laser and statis generator or Psi attack and Psi defence? or maybe a mix of the both?
korn469	posted 07-26-99 09:20 AM ET singularity lasers have an attack of 24. statis generators have a defnse of 12. psi attack and psi armor bypass attack/defense and makes the unit enage in psi warfare. if you have a high morale defender trying to fight against a low morale 24 attack unit with blink and nerve gas (36 attack) then psi armor would be a good thing to have (especially if you have the dream twister or the other psi SP i can't remeber its name) however if it's the same situation except you have a low morale defender and you're against a high morale unit and they have the psi special projects then psi armor would be a bad thing to have. psi armor is more effective than psi attack because of the game's 2-1 attack/defense ratio with conventional weapons. usually you will have better weapons and with nerve gas you should always have an attack advantage with normal weapons. once you get the blink special ability, psi attack is pretty much useless compared to your high tech weaponry. korn469
Roland Sennholz	posted 08-27-99 07:17 PM ET korn469, The other Psi SP is called the Neutral Amplifier.
Plato90s	posted 08-27-99 11:27 PM ET But once the enemy start using psi armor, you don't bother using true attack units any more. After all, a 1-1-14 scout can do just as well in Psi combat as that 24-12-14 Singularity Assault Squad.
Krushala	posted 08-28-99 11:37 AM ET My psi units never do very well. Yes they usually win, but they are so injured in the process they have to return to base for healing. Singularity or quantum laser is the only way to go. Don't put armor on them though way too expensive. you can attack units and bases repeatedly.
Plato90s	posted 08-28-99 08:49 PM ET Once you get Singularity Laser tech, it doesn't matter. A 24-12 unit costs the same to build as a 24-1 unit. When the armor value is less than or equal to 1/2 of the attack value, no additional cost attaches to the unit. Now, there is a difference in upgrade cost. A 24-12 unit will be more expensive to upgrade to than a 24-1 unit, even though they have the same production cost. But I agree on Psi combat. Even a winning unit often takes too much damage to make it worthwhile for a long campaign.
Zakharov_54	posted 08-28-99 10:13 PM ET After you conquer everybody (w/ the no come-back option on in the rules section), your real enemy are the mind-worms if your bases are producing a lot of eco-damage. However, when you're actually fighting everybody, you should probably use a little of both. What you might also do is put psi-attack with stasis armor. This way you bypass ~there~ defenses w/out sacrificing yours.
Charon	posted 08-29-99 11:00 AM ET I've always liked Singularity Laser and Psi defense with high morale (Commando, elite) and The Neural Amplifier on a gravship.
Scribe of the Bubbas	posted 08-29-99 09:40 PM ET Question: do things like perimeter defense and sensors have any effect on psi combat?
Zoetrope	posted 08-30-99 08:21 AM ET Scribe: Sensors, yes. Perimeter defence, no: my mindworms chew up Yang's base defenders quite well. (The funny thing is that he lets them walk right up and take bites out of him! Guess his obsession with controlling or extirpating human rivals is his blindspot.)
Trinity	posted 08-30-99 11:38 AM ET Lambo - you mean you really played the game that long?
dilbert	posted 09-01-99 06:52 PM ET Sensors, Trance, and Neural Amp together will make psi combat quite useless. Locusts are also vulnerable against Aerospace Complex. The benefit of Psi units is that they are much cheaper toward the latter stage of the game, thus they are ideal to hold captured bases.
Schoop	posted 09-01-99 07:07 PM ET Psi-Attack would be much more useful if it could be combined with the special ability "Empath Song." (+50% attack in Psi combat) But alas, it cannot, so I find myself usually sticking to conventional offensive weapons. The Dream Twister just doesn't cut it for me. Psi-Defense on the other hand, is useful, especially if you have the Neural Amp. I often mix in a few Psi-Defense units into either an offensive force or defending cities. Being a Babylon 5 fan, I couldn't resist designing this unit: Psi Cops (1e-?-1*2 Police) Hand Weapons, Psi Defense, Non-Lethal methods, Empath Song, whatever reactor, Infantry Chassis great for base defense, especially if Police are allowed, and for smacking down Mind Worms that wander too close to your base.
sandworm	posted 09-02-99 12:58 PM ET psi armor is a cheap way to give a little better defense to your offensive units. They may not always win, but they make counterattacks from your other units easier. If I have command centers or command nexus I often start using psi armor on garrisons, too. Anyone know how conventional missile attacks are resolved against psi armor. I'd assume it acts as if there were no armor at all, but assuming things like that about SMAC usually gets me into trouble. (So does complaining)
Compugasm	posted 10-05-99 12:11 PM ET Yeah, they are destroyed. Until units and bases are equip against missle attack. Mindworms can't be fitted with those things.