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Author Topic:   Armor

MOfTheUniversity posted 09-14-99 06:43 PM ET
Give ALL of your non-combat units armor except Probe Teams (costs too muct to give a Rover armor) and Colony Pods (they don't last long enough anyway). Do this in the Unit Design Screen, build a few and watch the Impact Rovers blow up !
mcostant posted 09-15-99 11:43 AM ET
It's been already suggested to add Trance to Formers and Supply crawlers, because mindworms love to eat these "sitting ducks" and often it isn't cost-effective to simple rebuild them, because of "building queue disruption" and time spent to move again the new unit in position and at work.
You can also use Armoured Formers and Crawlers to exercise a Zone Of Control to slow down enemy attack, until your reinforce come into defence and counterattack.
I suggest you look also at Apolyton's Strategy Forum for the Velociryx's Strategy Guide Thread)
Velociryx posted 09-15-99 12:06 PM ET
Hey man, and thanks for the plug! I have decided to branch a bit.....this is my first post on this forum group....good discussions, from what I have seen so far!
-=Vel=-
MOfTheUniversity posted 09-15-99 01:14 PM ET
Well... trance is good, but you can't put that special ability on formers. However, I put Deep Radar on Transports (They're handy for exploring land and sea). I used to have trance Impact Rovers driving around my territory, but they cost too much and don't work well. I used to have Trance cruisers going around the sea, but Isles of the Deep aren't too common. The only place where trance is useful is in garrison units.
Hydro posted 09-15-99 03:20 PM ET
Univ,
Trance and a bit of armor is VERY useful for early foils when sea pod popping. This turns a sure kill by an IoD to a maybe live. I almost always either build them with synthmetal/trance or better or upgrade them ASAP (especially slow Unity foils).
If you play with the unit design you will find that later/advance formers and other normally combat and non-combat units with some special abilities get some armor for FREE. Try it.
Also, putting a bit of armor on formers (in my case as an upgrade when I have more energy in mid game) is useful since you get rid of the 50% non-combat penalty. This means that your poor former/crawler may live against a worm or attacker, or the worm/attack will be damaged and easier for you to kill. I like the idea of my crews going down fighting. Several times I have had attackers DIE when attacking plasma armored formers blocking in wooded areas! Very satisfying!! They can also be useful last-ditch defenders if you get surprised when Miriam pulls up with a fusion transport loaded with rovers...
Hydro
P.S. - I will give credit for these ideas largely to Vel. His strategy guide really is great.
Zoetrope posted 09-20-99 05:04 AM ET
MOTU: Formers can have Trance. Once Fusion reactors are available, Armored Trance Rover Formers are much less expensive, so i build a lot of them. If the game lasts until Hovertanks, i start producing Armored Trance Hover Formers.
pilotdaze posted 09-20-99 11:30 PM ET
I think every unit available deserves armor.
In fact most of my air units are well suited
for aerial combat. I usually research the next reactor technology because it is the biggest help you can get.
mcostant posted 09-21-99 04:43 AM ET
pilotdaze, I'm far from game now, but I'm not sure about the real use of armour on plane.
I remember someone here in Forum stated that plane to plane combat are Weapon against Weapon, using SAM ability as plus/minus, but not taking account of armour (I'm lazy, I never checked that )
May be when plane are on airfield (in base) and attacked by ship or ground troup the armour is taken in account. Or may be I'm simly out of my mind. Next time I'll check this during my current game (only the former statement about armour effect, not my mind ).
Beta1 posted 09-21-99 08:16 AM ET
To clear up mconstants point about armoured planes:
Interceptor (Air superiority ability) v bomber (non-air superiority) is worked out as usual weapon v armour
Interceptor v Interceptor is weapon v weapon
Air v any grounded plane is weapon v armour (+some -ve modifier for being grounded i think)
At least that was the conclusion we arrived at many moons ago (pre V4)
So armour works on bombers but dosnt really make so much sense on interceptors (unless you like to leave them parked on the ground undefended)
Beta-1
mcostant posted 09-23-99 04:07 PM ET
Thanks Beta, very good explanation. I'll re-think my previus No-Armour-Thanks attitude at Unit Workshop, at least with bomber, because I don't like to keep plane parked at the airfield
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Author	Topic: Armor
MOfTheUniversity	posted 09-14-99 06:43 PM ET Give ALL of your non-combat units armor except Probe Teams (costs too muct to give a Rover armor) and Colony Pods (they don't last long enough anyway). Do this in the Unit Design Screen, build a few and watch the Impact Rovers blow up !
mcostant	posted 09-15-99 11:43 AM ET It's been already suggested to add Trance to Formers and Supply crawlers, because mindworms love to eat these "sitting ducks" and often it isn't cost-effective to simple rebuild them, because of "building queue disruption" and time spent to move again the new unit in position and at work. You can also use Armoured Formers and Crawlers to exercise a Zone Of Control to slow down enemy attack, until your reinforce come into defence and counterattack. I suggest you look also at Apolyton's Strategy Forum for the Velociryx's Strategy Guide Thread)
Velociryx	posted 09-15-99 12:06 PM ET Hey man, and thanks for the plug! I have decided to branch a bit.....this is my first post on this forum group....good discussions, from what I have seen so far! -=Vel=-
MOfTheUniversity	posted 09-15-99 01:14 PM ET Well... trance is good, but you can't put that special ability on formers. However, I put Deep Radar on Transports (They're handy for exploring land and sea). I used to have trance Impact Rovers driving around my territory, but they cost too much and don't work well. I used to have Trance cruisers going around the sea, but Isles of the Deep aren't too common. The only place where trance is useful is in garrison units.
Hydro	posted 09-15-99 03:20 PM ET Univ, Trance and a bit of armor is VERY useful for early foils when sea pod popping. This turns a sure kill by an IoD to a maybe live. I almost always either build them with synthmetal/trance or better or upgrade them ASAP (especially slow Unity foils). If you play with the unit design you will find that later/advance formers and other normally combat and non-combat units with some special abilities get some armor for FREE. Try it. Also, putting a bit of armor on formers (in my case as an upgrade when I have more energy in mid game) is useful since you get rid of the 50% non-combat penalty. This means that your poor former/crawler may live against a worm or attacker, or the worm/attack will be damaged and easier for you to kill. I like the idea of my crews going down fighting. Several times I have had attackers DIE when attacking plasma armored formers blocking in wooded areas! Very satisfying!! They can also be useful last-ditch defenders if you get surprised when Miriam pulls up with a fusion transport loaded with rovers... Hydro P.S. - I will give credit for these ideas largely to Vel. His strategy guide really is great.
Zoetrope	posted 09-20-99 05:04 AM ET MOTU: Formers can have Trance. Once Fusion reactors are available, Armored Trance Rover Formers are much less expensive, so i build a lot of them. If the game lasts until Hovertanks, i start producing Armored Trance Hover Formers.
pilotdaze	posted 09-20-99 11:30 PM ET I think every unit available deserves armor. In fact most of my air units are well suited for aerial combat. I usually research the next reactor technology because it is the biggest help you can get.
mcostant	posted 09-21-99 04:43 AM ET pilotdaze, I'm far from game now, but I'm not sure about the real use of armour on plane. I remember someone here in Forum stated that plane to plane combat are Weapon against Weapon, using SAM ability as plus/minus, but not taking account of armour (I'm lazy, I never checked that ) May be when plane are on airfield (in base) and attacked by ship or ground troup the armour is taken in account. Or may be I'm simly out of my mind. Next time I'll check this during my current game (only the former statement about armour effect, not my mind ).
Beta1	posted 09-21-99 08:16 AM ET To clear up mconstants point about armoured planes: Interceptor (Air superiority ability) v bomber (non-air superiority) is worked out as usual weapon v armour Interceptor v Interceptor is weapon v weapon Air v any grounded plane is weapon v armour (+some -ve modifier for being grounded i think) At least that was the conclusion we arrived at many moons ago (pre V4) So armour works on bombers but dosnt really make so much sense on interceptors (unless you like to leave them parked on the ground undefended) Beta-1
mcostant	posted 09-23-99 04:07 PM ET Thanks Beta, very good explanation. I'll re-think my previus No-Armour-Thanks attitude at Unit Workshop, at least with bomber, because I don't like to keep plane parked at the airfield