Breaking Helm's Deep

[Wordsmith]

DISCLAIMER: I am a newbie. This is probably a very stupid question.

ACTUAL CONTENT: In a recent 7/7 game - the game that I've logged the most time on and gotten the furthest into - I've been able to figure out ways to break through AI worlds that I initially dismissed as impenetrable. Raid Starships, Transport Ships, Cloaker Starships, Riot Starships, establishing beachheads... I've learned a lot from this game, and the fact that I'm being forced to find new ways to apply what I have at my fingertips to overcome new challenges is awesome. But I've finally hit something that I flat-out don't think I can deal with.

One of the AI worlds bordering my current expanse of territory is a Mark IV world. That in itself wouldn't be too bad. I've dealt with Mark IV worlds before (generally just neutering/gate-raiding them). But this one has... quite impressive defenses.

• Mark IV EMP Guardian
• Mark IV Fortress
• Mark IV Ion Cannon
• Orbital Mass Driver
• Core Warhead Interceptor
• Zenith Dyson Sphere
• Barracks

There are also multiple Mark IV Starships present - including several AI Spirecraft - and an impressive fleet comprised of various Mark levels, including quite a few Vorticular Cutlasses (which wouldn't be notable save that I have invested heavily in Tackle Drone Launchers, and Cutlasses are immune).

It's also worth nothing that the Ion Cannon and EMP Guardian are all camped out well within range of the Fortress, and the Dyson Sphere is parked at the edge of the system with all of its pods launched heading straight for the Fortress (and, of course, dying before they even come close). The Command Center and Warp Gate may also be very close to this Fortress, but I'm not entirely certain about that and don't have the game open to check.

So my question is... how do I deal with this? Do I attempt some sort of gate-raid or neutering as usual, despite the fact that the Orbital Mass Driver is positioned perfectly to destroy any of my incoming Raid Starships? Do I swamp the place in my fleet ships and hope that the Ion Cannon just can't keep up? Or do I just barricade the wormhole as best I can and hope it doesn't get angry at me?

[chemical_art]

You have a couple of options:

A) You launch a cap of raiding starships (in a transport, if possible) to attack the OMD. The OMD will fall quickly to the raid starships, then they can quickly run to attack the ion cannons, then retreat and deal with blowback from any freed defenders. Proceed to whittle the enemy with either the hammer of your fleet, or attack from a different direction to said world and chew away at the ai piecemail before retreat before the whole ai response arrives.

B) If for some reason you can't stomach the loss of raid starships, get a EMP missile to the world. The core warhead intercept does not have infinite range, so by some means have the EMP get away from the post if necessary (transport) then unload the missile, then delete it (activating the missile). The ai will mostly be immobilized, allowing your raids to hit the OMD and ion cannons before retreating, then doing what you would do with the rest of A.

[Wordsmith]

You have a couple of options:

A) You launch a cap of raiding starships (in a transport, if possible) to attack the OMD. The OMD will fall quickly to the raid starships, then they can quickly run to attack the ion cannons, then retreat and deal with blowback from any freed defenders. Proceed to whittle the enemy with either the hammer of your fleet, or attack from a different direction to said world and chew away at the ai piecemail before retreat before the whole ai response arrives.

B) If for some reason you can't stomach the loss of raid starships, get a EMP missile to the world. The core warhead intercept does not have infinite range, so by some means have the EMP get away from the post if necessary (transport) then unload the missile, then delete it (activating the missile). The ai will mostly be immobilized, allowing your raids to hit the OMD and ion cannons before retreating, then doing what you would do with the rest of A.

A. definitely seems like the better option. As the planet has an Advanced Research Station on it, taking it is kind of important. Even more so since it's the first I've found thus far. Thanks for the advice!

[Faulty Logic]

Mark IV EMP Guardian

They can't immobilize ships on their world. If you don't care about your bordering planets that much, you can ignore it. And they are fairly squishy.

Mark IV Fortress

There are no mkIV fortresses. If there is a normal fort (mkI, II, or III) then you should be able to work around it by not entering its range, then sending multiple bomber waves at it. 

If it is a superfort, get ready for pain. Hack until you have bombers I-III, then send wave after wave of them. Expect horrific casualties. (This is assuming that you have neither golems nor spirecraft).

Mark IV Ion Cannon
Orbital Mass Driver

Kill these with raid starships.

Core Warhead Interceptor

Not important.

Zenith Dyson Sphere
Barracks

The Dyson Sphere is actually your friend in terms of conquering this world. When you destroy the AI command station, the Dyson starts spawning player-friendly gatlings.

The Barrack ships won't do much against your TDLs.

quite a few Vorticular Cutlasses

Fighters kill these pretty quickly. Have at least mkII unlocked.

I (and others) can help you more easily and more effectively if you post a save.

[Bognor]

Zenith Dyson Sphere
Barracks

The Dyson Sphere is actually your friend in terms of conquering this world. When you destroy the AI command station, the Dyson starts spawning player-friendly gatlings.

Note you'll need to capture the system (build a command station) to get the benefit of the ARS.  As soon as start building the command station, the Sphere will immediately turn hostile and start churning out player-hostile gattlings.  But when the station is built, you'll instantly get the ARS unlock, and can then scrap the station to return the Sphere to friendly status.  It's worth rush-building the station to minimise hostile gattling spawns.  If you're lucky, the hostile gattlings will be dealt with by friendly gattlings still in the system.

[Wordsmith]

Mark IV EMP Guardian

They can't immobilize ships on their world. If you don't care about your bordering planets that much, you can ignore it. And they are fairly squishy.

I'll have to take your word on that. Unfortunately, this particular planet borders my designated whipping boy; an EMP Guardian going off there means I'd lose my main military bastion, most likely. And the REF tab seems to be of the impression that my Raid Starships would lose outright to this particular Guardian.

Mark IV Fortress

There are no mkIV fortresses. If there is a normal fort (mkI, II, or III) then you should be able to work around it by not entering its range, then sending multiple bomber waves at it.

Could be either a Mark III and I'm just remembering wrong or a SuperFortress, then. Either way, I distinctly remember that it's very high-level and very powerful.

The issue with not entering its range is that the Ion Cannon Mark IV is under its protection. I'm going to have to enter its area of attack at least once, with my Raid Starships, in order to destroy that before I can send in the Bombers.

If it is a superfort, get ready for pain. Hack until you have bombers I-III, then send wave after wave of them. Expect horrific casualties. (This is assuming that you have neither golems nor spirecraft).

I have Spirecraft enabled, and I have several Mark I and II Implosion Artillery craft. However, I have no Golems as of yet, though they are enabled.

Mark IV Ion Cannon
Orbital Mass Driver

Kill these with raid starships.

My issue with that was that I was under the impression that a Mass Driver is essentially an Ion Cannon for Starships. Now that I know it's just heavily damaging, not instant death, I do plan on doing that, yes.

Core Warhead Interceptor

Not important.

Except in that it cuts off a particular set of options. I agree that it's not particularly threatening, but I felt that it was important to list so that people would know why I wasn't just bombing the place.

Zenith Dyson Sphere
Barracks

The Dyson Sphere is actually your friend in terms of conquering this world. When you destroy the AI command station, the Dyson starts spawning player-friendly gatlings.

The Barrack ships won't do much against your TDLs.

Again, listed more for completeness than anything else. But at least until the planet is under my control, the Dyson Sphere is hostile to me as much as to the AI.

ETA: And thanks to everyone for the advice!

[Faulty Logic]

I have Spirecraft enabled.

Then it gets easy. Turn two reptite into rams, deliver rams to the fortress under cloak (you can take out the OMD/IonIV/Warhead interceptor this way also), and then mop up. Note that you should kill the tachyon guardians first.

[Wordsmith]

I have Spirecraft enabled.

Then it gets easy. Turn two reptite into rams, deliver rams to the fortress under cloak (you can take out the OMD/IonIV/Warhead interceptor this way also), and then mop up. Note that you should kill the tachyon guardians first.

Sounds good to me. What's the most efficient way to give the Rams cloak, though? Cloaker Starship, or what?

[Faulty Logic]

Yes, cloaker starships. I don't think it's possible any other way.

[zoutzakje]

you could also use clocker starships to assist the raid starships. Put the raid starships in "off" mode (select them, then click on the pause button in the lower left part of your screen) and enter the world with cloackers covering those raids. You do this so that the raids don't automatically start to shoot stuff and lose the cloacking cover. Make sure the tachyon guardian there is already dead, or transport the ships past it. Use group move (g+click) to get your raids and cloackers close to either the Ion or the OMD. Pause the game, put the raids online again and order the attack. Might take you a few tries, but it works. Keep in mind that Raid Starships are usually suicide units anyway. They don't have to survive as long as they get the job done.
Keep an close eye on the EMP guardian, as it might decide to attack you after killing the Ion and OMD. Might be wise to get your fleet in already so you can kill it and avoid an EMP trigger. After that just use bombers to take down the fort.

If the fort is protected by to many ships and you really really want to take that world out (ARS + Dyson Sphere right? so yeah, kinda important), then you might want to consider getting it out of support. Destroying the command center and all bordering AI command centers should do that trick. It could be AIP expensive, but it will render the fort completely useless.

Luckily you got spirecraft enabled so rams + cloackers should also do the trick. You could even easily take out the fort with them.

If you decide you're better off leaving that mk IV world alone, but you do own one of it's bordering planets, then you might want to place a warp jammer command station there. This is to avoid mk IV ships from building up there.

hope this helps a bit =)