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Author Topic:   Demon Boils vs. Psi Copters

akathisia posted 07-21-99 09:01 AM ET
On v. 4.0, toward end game on the 4th difficulty level, Demon Boils were springing up in bunches, and I would go after them with my Copters. And then I noticed my Singularity Copters with attack of 9.4 were getting killed after only killing 2 Boils (defense of 3.0) Each hit to me was taking away 4 (or more) hit points! Has it always been this way? Its the first time my ecology damage has been so high (100+ minerals in 8 bases)that I was getting overrun with Boils.
BTW, is the AI on 4.0 any better or am I having an unlucky streak? I had been playing on 5th level, no problems on 3.0. Now I'm getting pasted on 4th level with 4.0. I transcended with only 4 turns left last game (and I bought the AoT almost full price to do it)
Plato90s posted 07-21-99 10:04 AM ET
It's normal. Psi combat always causes more damage each time an unit is "hit".
Vinny posted 07-21-99 04:52 PM ET
I never usually play games out to the end, but with mindworm combat 1 or 2 attacks is about all you get. Try making ALOT of 1-1 clean empath copters. They shouldn't be too expensive as they are crap for regular combat. Not to mention that if you have high eco damage, those bases must have a large mineral output .Since they're clean start making stockpiles in the bases with the most eco damage. And do the obvious: when the copters are really damaged bring them back home!
akathisia posted 07-21-99 06:33 PM ET
Fortunately, I had 30 plus LoC's hanging around patrolling my borders ready to jump into the fray. I did eventually catch on and built a whole lot of cheap Copters to be worm food.
I forget what my SE was but I was allowed to support up to base for free and had a +4 Planet rating. Gotta love that Manifold Nexus.
Beta1 posted 07-22-99 04:02 PM ET
No, No, No Going after worms with air units is a waste of effort. 2 reasons:
1: attacking air units destroy 1 unit only and dont cause collateral damage.
2: Mind worms having no armour really really really dont like collateral damage.
What you need to do is go after the swines with elite ground units. OK you dont get as many attacks BUT you regularly wipe out the whole stack in one go. My fav is elite drop hovertanks +empath.
Or if you want really devious ways to take out stacks of worms check out the old threads on self destructing units. (Laurens started them I think)
Beta1 posted 07-22-99 04:12 PM ET
Apologies it was Rackam who came up with this one.
I have resurrected one of my earlier threads on the subject.
Beta-1
Is only too pleased to blow things up - even if their on his side
akathisia posted 07-22-99 04:38 PM ET
I did know about the no-collateral-damage aspect of air units, but you have to make do with what you have. I had a lot of LoC's lying around and a big area to cover, all forested, no MagTubes (and no Hovertanks and no Drop yet) and I needed to rapidly get from one base to another to handle the threat. I even used Conventional Missiles from faraway bases at one point. I will look for the thread of self-destructing units though.
When all you have is a nail, anything can be a hammer. -akathisia
Plato90s posted 07-22-99 08:17 PM ET
There is a very strong reason to use Psi copters. Locusts of Chiron.
Due to the air unit no-collateral damage rule, you can't wipe out an entire stack of locusts with one attack. I agree that you should attack mindworms with land units, but you can usually scrape up a land unit at any time. Dealing with a stack of a dozen locusts require copters.
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Author	Topic: Demon Boils vs. Psi Copters
akathisia	posted 07-21-99 09:01 AM ET On v. 4.0, toward end game on the 4th difficulty level, Demon Boils were springing up in bunches, and I would go after them with my Copters. And then I noticed my Singularity Copters with attack of 9.4 were getting killed after only killing 2 Boils (defense of 3.0) Each hit to me was taking away 4 (or more) hit points! Has it always been this way? Its the first time my ecology damage has been so high (100+ minerals in 8 bases)that I was getting overrun with Boils. BTW, is the AI on 4.0 any better or am I having an unlucky streak? I had been playing on 5th level, no problems on 3.0. Now I'm getting pasted on 4th level with 4.0. I transcended with only 4 turns left last game (and I bought the AoT almost full price to do it)
Plato90s	posted 07-21-99 10:04 AM ET It's normal. Psi combat always causes more damage each time an unit is "hit".
Vinny	posted 07-21-99 04:52 PM ET I never usually play games out to the end, but with mindworm combat 1 or 2 attacks is about all you get. Try making ALOT of 1-1 clean empath copters. They shouldn't be too expensive as they are crap for regular combat. Not to mention that if you have high eco damage, those bases must have a large mineral output .Since they're clean start making stockpiles in the bases with the most eco damage. And do the obvious: when the copters are really damaged bring them back home!
akathisia	posted 07-21-99 06:33 PM ET Fortunately, I had 30 plus LoC's hanging around patrolling my borders ready to jump into the fray. I did eventually catch on and built a whole lot of cheap Copters to be worm food. I forget what my SE was but I was allowed to support up to base for free and had a +4 Planet rating. Gotta love that Manifold Nexus.
Beta1	posted 07-22-99 04:02 PM ET No, No, No Going after worms with air units is a waste of effort. 2 reasons: 1: attacking air units destroy 1 unit only and dont cause collateral damage. 2: Mind worms having no armour really really really dont like collateral damage. What you need to do is go after the swines with elite ground units. OK you dont get as many attacks BUT you regularly wipe out the whole stack in one go. My fav is elite drop hovertanks +empath. Or if you want really devious ways to take out stacks of worms check out the old threads on self destructing units. (Laurens started them I think)
Beta1	posted 07-22-99 04:12 PM ET Apologies it was Rackam who came up with this one. I have resurrected one of my earlier threads on the subject. Beta-1 Is only too pleased to blow things up - even if their on his side
akathisia	posted 07-22-99 04:38 PM ET I did know about the no-collateral-damage aspect of air units, but you have to make do with what you have. I had a lot of LoC's lying around and a big area to cover, all forested, no MagTubes (and no Hovertanks and no Drop yet) and I needed to rapidly get from one base to another to handle the threat. I even used Conventional Missiles from faraway bases at one point. I will look for the thread of self-destructing units though. When all you have is a nail, anything can be a hammer. -akathisia
Plato90s	posted 07-22-99 08:17 PM ET There is a very strong reason to use Psi copters. Locusts of Chiron. Due to the air unit no-collateral damage rule, you can't wipe out an entire stack of locusts with one attack. I agree that you should attack mindworms with land units, but you can usually scrape up a land unit at any time. Dealing with a stack of a dozen locusts require copters.