Author Topic: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.  (Read 2779 times)

Offline Benkyo

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Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« on: January 28, 2010, 06:21:10 pm »
So I have a turtle AI with core + mark II forcefields and a cluster of defenders. The homeworld and surrounding planets have mass drivers, missile defence and (1) co-processor.

I have a solid raiding force that can get to the AI command intact and a raid starship that can rush the forcefield to draw out all the defenders. The problem is that electric shuttles don't move.

My bombers die quickly if they attack the forcefield, or their attacks seem to disappear ineffectually if I try and position them just out of mark IV shuttle range - I think only the mark IV bombers should be able to hit the force fields and stay comfortably out of range, but I don't notice any drop in the force field strength.

Any tips?

I've played this game quite extensively, and experimented with all the recommended methods of force-field busting but core force fields frustrate me every time. They are the only thing standing between me and my enjoyment of AI War.

Offline x4000

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2010, 08:53:31 pm »
My suggestion would actually be to use the raid starships to target the shuttles under the force field -- they can do so directly, if you didn't know, since they are immune to force fields.  So if you use the raid starships to clear out those electric shuttles, then the bombers will have an easy time of it.  You can also use something very long-range like sniper turrets, if you give supply to that planet and then build a beachhead.  When faced with overwhelming odds under a force field, that's been a tactic of mine in the past in order to take out key targets there.

The turtles are abnormally strongly defended based on the fact that they are, well, turtles and don't attack you.  So it would not be that hard in normal circumstances, all those waves that they would have sent against you are instead used on defense.  I'd suggest raiding the mass drivers on the adjacent planet and the home planet in order to punch a path for your raid starships, if you can.

Here's a trick you can use to target really large force fields, as well: don't target it directly with your bombers, but target something under it closer to the edge.  Your bombers will have the normal hit percent to that unit, but will damage the force field instead since the shots are then blocked by the force field.  That's a better way of keeping them far out of range of the stuff under force fields in general, compared to attacking the center of the force field itself, which can be far away and frustratingly hard to hit if there are a bunch of defenders -- I feel ya there.

Hope that helps!
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Offline Benkyo

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2010, 07:55:03 am »
Thanks for the tips! I'm a bit tied up playing Solium Infernum right now, but I'll have another crack at those homeworlds soon.

I only have rank II raid starships, hope they're up to the task.

Taking out the mass drivers will leave the AI significantly more time to reinforce - the drivers are pretty far out - but as long as the number of shuttles doesn't increase too much...

Offline x4000

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2010, 09:26:02 am »
You may want the very latest beta, 3.023 or greater, too. That has some balance nerds to shuttles in general which should make your raid starships have an easier go with them.
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Offline RCIX

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2010, 11:48:57 pm »
That has some balance nerds
You hopped in a shuttle? ;) ;D
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Offline x4000

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2010, 11:54:35 pm »
That has some balance nerds
You hopped in a shuttle? ;) ;D

Sometimes when I type replies on the iPhone, it autocorrects with hilarious consequences.  The other day it made one something about "ships killed with a shovel," which fortunately I caught. ;)
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Offline RCIX

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Re: Core force fields with markIV electric shuttles.
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2010, 12:05:14 am »

Sometimes when I type replies on the iPhone, it autocorrects with hilarious consequences.  The other day it made one something about "ships killed with a shovel," which fortunately I caught. ;)
:)
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