Does anyone steal energy with the probes?

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Author Topic:   Does anyone steal energy with the probes?

Hunterseeker posted 09-30-99 02:02 PM ET
Although I use probes a lot in my games, I rarely use the tap energy grid option, because you get so small an amount from it.
Is there any special strategy for using it?
Schoop posted 09-30-99 02:05 PM ET
I only rarely use it either--only when I'm way far ahead of the target in tech and have nothing better to do with that probe this turn.
TNSe posted 09-30-99 03:45 PM ET
I agree, I don't set out to steal the energy. But if my probe is outside an enemy's colony, and I don't like the odds for something, stealing energy is a nice way to get the probe home.
But the weirdest thing I've done with a probeteam is to "Assassinate Prominent Researchers"... Poor Hive lost their research points ... bwahahahahahhahahah
TNSe
MOfTheUniversity posted 09-30-99 05:22 PM ET
I like mind control. "University Base is ours now." Hehehehe.
MOfTheUniversity posted 09-30-99 05:25 PM ET
Of course, mind control wouldn't work at University HQ, but you get the idea. The only thing I've ever seen enemy probe teams do is Procure Research Data.
Ned posted 09-30-99 06:04 PM ET
I drain energy all the time, especially against Morgan and Diedre. I normally get over 100 credits a probe. Of course, I am ahead in tech at this point.
mcostant posted 10-01-99 03:52 AM ET
Hunterseeker, I recommend to check energy stored by enemy faction (if you're the Governor or have infiltrated the Datalink) before try to steal.
If the energy level is low, you can't gain alot. I also suggest you to try to steal from base more populated, because your gain will be higher (larger bank account? ).
Of course you can have better priority in probe use, but usually I find that stealing energy has a better chance to succed (my approx. calculation, not a granted formula) than more difficult tasks, as Assassinate prominent researcher.
In my opinion, if you have plenty of probe you can starve a faction also draining energy (no chance to hurry building ).
I've found that subvert units or mind control bases is usually too far expensive for me (only happen one - two time in a game) against what I often read by other players' posts. I usually spend my energy "hurrying & upgrading" instead, also avoiding worst consequence of that @$?�# "Market crash" event.
Zen posted 10-01-99 07:26 AM ET
To drain or not to drain depends on how much energy your target faction has amassed. A rich faction (Morgan) has of course more energy than a poor one (Hive).
I'm usually playing the scientist-builder so I already have enough techs and cash therefore I primarily use my probes to Mind Control cities and Subvert units. And I like that . Miriam is a pain though since she's immune to probes.
Biddles posted 10-01-99 08:26 AM ET
MOfTheUniversity: "The only thing I've ever seen enemy probe teams do is Procure Research Data."
If you play on the higher difficulty levels you see the AI do a lot of stuff with probe teams.
For example: In one game the PK's and the Morgans' were at war. PK mind controlled a city. Next turn Morgan mind controlled city back. Next turn PK mind controlled...
This went on for about five turns.
I have also had probe teams steal my units and use them to attack the rest of the units in an attacking force. Ihave seen them infiltrate datalinks and i think they stole energy once. Never seen them use thought control or assassinate researchers though.
- Biddles
NoviceCEO posted 10-01-99 08:53 PM ET
Even though I'm a really poor player, I think that using probes to steal energy can be a good startegy. First of all, you can steal energy from morgan and frame his pact brother, the hive, that's really huge. Another use it is to get that poor hardened probe and steal some energy to gain some morale.
At last I nice to steal energy when the faction is really low on money. I'm on a game now and we have a FFA going on. Yang has only 100 credits and a -1 income. I'm getting some probes (when I can) to steal energy from him. It gives only 7 or 9 energy per time, but that's a lot of credits for him in that situation. By the way, anyone knows what happens when you get below 0 credits?
Biddles posted 10-01-99 10:01 PM ET
NoviceCEO, when you get below zero credits the computer sells off a base facility at random. It does this, and you get cash. If you still go to zero it sells another and so on until you can cover the cost of supporting them.
- Biddles
MajiK6pt5 posted 10-01-99 10:43 PM ET
ahhh...I play on Librarian and have found the AI to assasinate prominent researchers, use mind control, destroy base facilities...you name it, they've done it
MajiK6pt5 posted 10-01-99 10:43 PM ET
oh, sh*t...I mean I play on Thinker
MOfTheUniversity posted 10-02-99 12:44 AM ET
Well, one good thing is to have probe teams steal energy until you can afford to mind control . I tried that once, but I kept wasting energy on capturing enemy units. I was trying to play a game that was sort of like my challange to use only probes but I gave up. Too much work. I've noticed that elite infantry probes MK3 (Plasma Steel) are better than elite rover probes because who needs 3 moves when you have no armor? I'd rather move slower and be able to defend yourself than to move faster and not. If you've got units on alert at a base, fungus surrounding it, and no roads leading to it, then you're pretty safe from rover probes... but not infantry probes!!!
-MOfTheUniversity
Thoughts on probe teams
MOfTheUniversity posted 10-02-99 12:55 AM ET
I never frame - odds aren't good enough. I don't know how you can fool an enemy with untraceable capture - they see enemy probe team on radar, the unit doesn't report going into combat, they lose contact with unit, what do they think happened? Same with framing another faction - they see a University probe team enter their base, and the base reports that the Hive has downloaded their files on Centauri PSI!
NotLikeTea posted 10-02-99 11:22 AM ET
I find that energy sapping causes more probe casualties than other activities.
This is not supported by the success percentages given. Anyone else notice this, or is it a fluke?
Ned posted 10-02-99 06:18 PM ET
Assuming you are trying to steal technology from a very powerful neighbor or ally and frame an enemy, one really needs commando or elite probe units. I find the AI will let your steal a small amount of energy and frame someone with a disciplined probe. Most often, your probe is then promoted. Keep this up until you have an elite probe. Then steal technology with more confidence in the frame.
NoviceCEO posted 10-02-99 06:40 PM ET
MOfTheUn, in the newest versions the probe teams' aren't identified at first. I'm not sure but if you have an infiltrator, you can see the probe's identification by viewing its square. But another faction will rarely believe on the frame if it sees a probe coming from your territory.
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Author	Topic: Does anyone steal energy with the probes?
Hunterseeker	posted 09-30-99 02:02 PM ET Although I use probes a lot in my games, I rarely use the tap energy grid option, because you get so small an amount from it. Is there any special strategy for using it?
Schoop	posted 09-30-99 02:05 PM ET I only rarely use it either--only when I'm way far ahead of the target in tech and have nothing better to do with that probe this turn.
TNSe	posted 09-30-99 03:45 PM ET I agree, I don't set out to steal the energy. But if my probe is outside an enemy's colony, and I don't like the odds for something, stealing energy is a nice way to get the probe home. But the weirdest thing I've done with a probeteam is to "Assassinate Prominent Researchers"... Poor Hive lost their research points ... bwahahahahahhahahah TNSe
MOfTheUniversity	posted 09-30-99 05:22 PM ET I like mind control. "University Base is ours now." Hehehehe.
MOfTheUniversity	posted 09-30-99 05:25 PM ET Of course, mind control wouldn't work at University HQ, but you get the idea. The only thing I've ever seen enemy probe teams do is Procure Research Data.
Ned	posted 09-30-99 06:04 PM ET I drain energy all the time, especially against Morgan and Diedre. I normally get over 100 credits a probe. Of course, I am ahead in tech at this point.
mcostant	posted 10-01-99 03:52 AM ET Hunterseeker, I recommend to check energy stored by enemy faction (if you're the Governor or have infiltrated the Datalink) before try to steal. If the energy level is low, you can't gain alot. I also suggest you to try to steal from base more populated, because your gain will be higher (larger bank account? ). Of course you can have better priority in probe use, but usually I find that stealing energy has a better chance to succed (my approx. calculation, not a granted formula) than more difficult tasks, as Assassinate prominent researcher. In my opinion, if you have plenty of probe you can starve a faction also draining energy (no chance to hurry building ). I've found that subvert units or mind control bases is usually too far expensive for me (only happen one - two time in a game) against what I often read by other players' posts. I usually spend my energy "hurrying & upgrading" instead, also avoiding worst consequence of that @$?�# "Market crash" event.
Zen	posted 10-01-99 07:26 AM ET To drain or not to drain depends on how much energy your target faction has amassed. A rich faction (Morgan) has of course more energy than a poor one (Hive). I'm usually playing the scientist-builder so I already have enough techs and cash therefore I primarily use my probes to Mind Control cities and Subvert units. And I like that . Miriam is a pain though since she's immune to probes.
Biddles	posted 10-01-99 08:26 AM ET MOfTheUniversity: "The only thing I've ever seen enemy probe teams do is Procure Research Data." If you play on the higher difficulty levels you see the AI do a lot of stuff with probe teams. For example: In one game the PK's and the Morgans' were at war. PK mind controlled a city. Next turn Morgan mind controlled city back. Next turn PK mind controlled... This went on for about five turns. I have also had probe teams steal my units and use them to attack the rest of the units in an attacking force. Ihave seen them infiltrate datalinks and i think they stole energy once. Never seen them use thought control or assassinate researchers though. - Biddles
NoviceCEO	posted 10-01-99 08:53 PM ET Even though I'm a really poor player, I think that using probes to steal energy can be a good startegy. First of all, you can steal energy from morgan and frame his pact brother, the hive, that's really huge. Another use it is to get that poor hardened probe and steal some energy to gain some morale. At last I nice to steal energy when the faction is really low on money. I'm on a game now and we have a FFA going on. Yang has only 100 credits and a -1 income. I'm getting some probes (when I can) to steal energy from him. It gives only 7 or 9 energy per time, but that's a lot of credits for him in that situation. By the way, anyone knows what happens when you get below 0 credits?
Biddles	posted 10-01-99 10:01 PM ET NoviceCEO, when you get below zero credits the computer sells off a base facility at random. It does this, and you get cash. If you still go to zero it sells another and so on until you can cover the cost of supporting them. - Biddles
MajiK6pt5	posted 10-01-99 10:43 PM ET ahhh...I play on Librarian and have found the AI to assasinate prominent researchers, use mind control, destroy base facilities...you name it, they've done it
MajiK6pt5	posted 10-01-99 10:43 PM ET oh, sh*t...I mean I play on Thinker
MOfTheUniversity	posted 10-02-99 12:44 AM ET Well, one good thing is to have probe teams steal energy until you can afford to mind control . I tried that once, but I kept wasting energy on capturing enemy units. I was trying to play a game that was sort of like my challange to use only probes but I gave up. Too much work. I've noticed that elite infantry probes MK3 (Plasma Steel) are better than elite rover probes because who needs 3 moves when you have no armor? I'd rather move slower and be able to defend yourself than to move faster and not. If you've got units on alert at a base, fungus surrounding it, and no roads leading to it, then you're pretty safe from rover probes... but not infantry probes!!! -MOfTheUniversity Thoughts on probe teams
MOfTheUniversity	posted 10-02-99 12:55 AM ET I never frame - odds aren't good enough. I don't know how you can fool an enemy with untraceable capture - they see enemy probe team on radar, the unit doesn't report going into combat, they lose contact with unit, what do they think happened? Same with framing another faction - they see a University probe team enter their base, and the base reports that the Hive has downloaded their files on Centauri PSI!
NotLikeTea	posted 10-02-99 11:22 AM ET I find that energy sapping causes more probe casualties than other activities. This is not supported by the success percentages given. Anyone else notice this, or is it a fluke?
Ned	posted 10-02-99 06:18 PM ET Assuming you are trying to steal technology from a very powerful neighbor or ally and frame an enemy, one really needs commando or elite probe units. I find the AI will let your steal a small amount of energy and frame someone with a disciplined probe. Most often, your probe is then promoted. Keep this up until you have an elite probe. Then steal technology with more confidence in the frame.
NoviceCEO	posted 10-02-99 06:40 PM ET MOfTheUn, in the newest versions the probe teams' aren't identified at first. I'm not sure but if you have an infiltrator, you can see the probe's identification by viewing its square. But another faction will rarely believe on the frame if it sees a probe coming from your territory.