Beachheading

[LordSloth]

I just needlessly failed to clarify, Kahuna, but that was referring to TechSY' post below mine. Thing is, I didn't feel like a two word post, when he already pretty much answered my intended question. I was interested in 'set it and forget it' defense against bombards, not a chokepoint or general counter. For general use, I've taken lately to Riots+Fighters+Heavy Bomber Starships. That takes care of -that- quite nicely.

I certainly don't have any objections to trying out Enclaves, and I might try a two-mark forcefield defense. If I place my turrets just under the FF by a matter of pixels... Or free-roam miniforts, we'll see what happens. I'm -really- curious about trying out the enclaves, however.

[Kahuna]

I was interested in 'set it and forget it' defense against bombards

Oh ok. Well in that case I kind of answered that already. I didn't make it very clear though.

Park 5 Engineers and 10 Remains Rebuilders under the Force Field.

If you have Remain Rebuilders under the Force Field you can just "forget it". A couple of Zombards wont destroy the beachhead. The Rebuilders rebuild faster than Zombards destroy. You will have to clean the Zombards once in a while though. Lets say.. when there's 10 or 20 Zombards send Mark I Heavy Bombers to clean them up. Of course rebuilding costs resources but this does work.

[LordSloth]

Yes, I quite enjoyed the other ideas as well. I do forget that turret K costs have been reduced, I should have a few new options.

I'm uncertain of the use of Heavy Bomber Starships for this role, simply because I'm more fond of Plasma Siege and Heavy Bombers than even the Zenith or Spire Starships. That said, not all AI types warrant unlocking higher mark Heavy Bombers so that is a good idea when I'm not facing a Fortress Baron and Turtle. I plan on switching to the Spire Hammer and something undecided AI, so I shouldn't be depending extremely heavily on Heavy Bombers any more, maybe just bringing along some MK2s with my mobile forces.

Something I have found fun in the past, not -especially specced for zombards or maximum efficency, but has some hilarity: Plasma Siege Starships, Riot Starships (tractor+shield), Zenith Spacetime Manipulators, Spider Turrets. You can do some wonderfully trollish although not micro-free stuff with lightning fast 200+ speed units. Annoying Zombards? Haul them to your turrets. Annoying bombers? Haul them away from the forcefield. Particularily best for hacking an ARS or other similar fun, you can throw in some minirams, cutlasses, vampires, shredders, autobombs for additional ludicrous. Be sure to enable autokiting for your 'slow' plasma siege starships.

[Kahuna]

In my current game I just scouted AI 2's Homeworld and I saw this when I read AI Home Command Station's description.. "Counters Missiles".. as soon as I read that I remembered this thread

Unless something has changed, you can't actually use Missile Turrets on Fortresses as they actually have some kind of Counter Missile ability, even though it isn't listed.  I tried to do this against a Mark III Fortress on a homeworld once.  The fortress fired out counter shots eating all my missile turret's missiles .

Like boom! Immediate flashback.. so.. here it is..

Boom! Mystery solved!

[Kahuna]

Wow. I finally had the energy to REALLY test this strategy in action.
I knew this strategy would work.. and it did. Just didn't have the time to really test it.
I just stopped a 5732 ship CPA without Warheads or super weapons. Did it 3 times in a row. Stop the CPA ---> load and stop again.
This means I've (probably?) overcome the biggest challenge in 10/10 games (CPAs). (Biggest challenge with the settings I play with. No superweapons, champions or fallen spire)



Order of arrival (CPA fleets)
1. Red
2. Orange
3. Green

Step 1: Clean, repair and rebuild Major III and fleet and send scouts to Wolfs Nebel and Qoppa Eta.
Step 2: Unlock Mark III Missile Turrets and build at least 30 on Swirling Mist and Kratar. Also build 30 Mark II Laser Turrets on Kratar.
Step 3: Pop the Distribution Node on Swirling Mist (using distribution nodes can be avoided by saving up resources before the CPA arrives/is announced).
Step 4: Mark I Raiders delay the Orange CPA fleet
Step 5: Stop the Red CPA fleet.
Step 6: Load Bombers into Assault Transports and pop the (Orange) Carriers coming from Wolfs Nebel. Fall back to Swirling Mist. Manually target Medium and Ultra Light Guardians with the Missile Turrets. Use Tranports to tank the damage.



Step 7: Watch as defenses will auto stop the Green CPA fleet.