Air Defense puzzle posted at 'poly

[gwillybj]

Hot Rats has this question over at 'poly:

I just tried to drop a marine by a Gaian base and received a message similar to "Air Defenses prevent you from drops into "base-name". This applied wherever I tried within Gaian territory. I had a vendetta with Deirdre.

The thing is, Deirdre has no airbases, in fact she has not researched Doctrine Air Power. She has no Secret Projects. What gives her this ability? Grateful for any ideas.

[Seleuceia]

That message comes up if there is an interceptor in range...if she doesn't have doctrine: air power (and presumably then not MMI either), she obviously could not have built any conventional interceptors...

That brings up 3 possibilities:
1) Did she acquire an interceptor via probe teams?  Maybe she mind controlled a base that had one in it?  Seems highly unlikely though...
2) Does she have locusts of chiron? This may be a stupid question -- I can't remember if locusts of chiron can intercept or not, and I also don't remember if you can attack them without having air superiority...however, if the answer to both is yes then perhaps she captured one...
3)  Is there another faction you are at war with that has interceptors in range?  I'd think it would have to be a pact brother or pact sister of Deidre....

Otherwise, maybe it is just a bug?

[Yitzi]

If it's anywhere in Gaian territory...not sure, but if there's a savegame attached (and whoever it is is willing to give me their password), I might be able to figure it out...

[gwillybj]

2) Does she have locusts of chiron? This may be a stupid question -- I can't remember if locusts of chiron can intercept or not, and I also don't remember if you can attack them without having air superiority...however, if the answer to both is yes then perhaps she captured one...

Locusts do have the SAM flag on; they can intercept.
They are a "Gravship" (an air unit); you must have a SAM unit to attack one.

[Geo]

IIRC, a Unity scout chopper also has the SAM flag. So if she has one near the target tile...

[Yitzi]

IIRC, a Unity scout chopper also has the SAM flag. So if she has one near the target tile...

But everywhere in Gaian territory?

[Geo]

I assume only within movement range. Could be up to the basic movement points of the chopper.

[Seleuceia]

Just tested in game to make sure....

Locusts of Chiron can intercept...land units can also attack them without needing Air Superiority...this means that Deirdre, even without Doctrine: Air Power, could have captured a Locusts of Chiron unit and then be using them as interceptors...she also could have researched (or acquired) Centauri Genetics and have built some herself...

[Petek]

For the record, the problem at 'poly was caused by the original poster not having the most recent official patches.

[Geo]

Case closed.