Force Field Generators

[Bud Backer]

Hello,

Another topic I searched about but didn't quite get information that I understood was about using Force Field Generators. The game advises to put them "on the enemy side of a wormhole" to prevent the AI to cross through it.

I don't understand.

To put it on the enemy side of a wormhole, don't I have to have a command ship in their system to make it? Which doubtless it won't last long enough to make the Force Field Generator. I assume that what is meant is to put it on my own planet at the wormhole leading to the enemy?

I don't understand how it will prevent the AI to move through the wormhole. Won't the AI simply destroy the Generator? I've seen it take down things like that in seconds so it seems like hardly a speed bump.

What am I missing?

[Arkillion]

Any units who is not immune to force fields ( very few are) will get blocked by it and won't get trough. You need to bring a builder (in the CONST tab ) to be able to build without a station. Yes they may destroy it in a matter of seconds but it heavily depend on what difficulty and AI options are on ( such as exo-waves).

Pro tip: Send a cloaker starship with your builder to make it last far longer, since the AI tend to focus it down pretty fast normally.

[Aklyon]

You can make mobile builders, they can build anywhere in supply. Ships without forcefield immunity have to destroy the FF before they can get into it. Ships with forcefield immunity for movement just ignore them entirely. Mobile builders can also make turrets. And mines. They can build almost anything a station can.

Basically, if you want to delay ships, you put a forcefield over the wormhole leading in. If you want to stop ships, you need sufficient firepower to complement the shield.

[Bud Backer]

Thanks for the tip.

From what I understood from reading here and the wiki, they are otherwise to be used to put something valuable IN but put all defenses OUT?

[Arkillion]

Yes, since stuff inside do 75% less damage, except flak and lightning turrets.

[Aklyon]

Yes, since stuff inside do 75% less damage, except flak and lightning turrets.

Railpods also seem to be unaffected by forcefields.

[Bud Backer]

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

[Bognor]

Yes, since stuff inside do 75% less damage, except flak and lightning turrets.

Railpods also seem to be unaffected by forcefields.

There are many units that retain most or all of their effectiveness when under Force Fields, including Spirecraft Attritioners, Spirecraft Implosion Artillery, Spire Maws, Zenith Paralyzers, Botnet Golems, Riot Control Starships, Gravity Turrets, Tractor Turrets, Neinzul Enclave Starships, Spire Blade Spawners, Tackle Drone Launchers, and Lightning Torpedo Frigates.  Champions may fit into that category, depending on what modules they mount.

[Arkillion]

Yes, since stuff inside do 75% less damage, except flak and lightning turrets.

Railpods also seem to be unaffected by forcefields.

There are many units that retain most or all of their effectiveness when under Force Fields, including Spirecraft Attritioners, Spirecraft Implosion Artillery, Spire Maws, Zenith Paralyzers, Botnet Golems, Riot Control Starships, Gravity Turrets, Tractor Turrets, Neinzul Enclave Starships, Spire Blade Spawners, Tackle Drone Launchers, and Lightning Torpedo Frigates.  Champions may fit into that category, depending on what modules they mount.

I didn't go into details since most these are not the kind of stuff you'll go into when starting AI war

[Bud Backer]

Yes, since stuff inside do 75% less damage, except flak and lightning turrets.

Railpods also seem to be unaffected by forcefields.

There are many units that retain most or all of their effectiveness when under Force Fields, including Spirecraft Attritioners, Spirecraft Implosion Artillery, Spire Maws, Zenith Paralyzers, Botnet Golems, Riot Control Starships, Gravity Turrets, Tractor Turrets, Neinzul Enclave Starships, Spire Blade Spawners, Tackle Drone Launchers, and Lightning Torpedo Frigates.  Champions may fit into that category, depending on what modules they mount.

I didn't go into details since most these are not the kind of stuff you'll go into when starting AI war

It's all good.

Too much info isn't always a bad thing; while I won't delve into all that right away, I'll be coming back eventually and checking again what people said because I may by then have a clue how to use the info.

[Kahuna]

Building a Force Field on an AI planet alone wont do anything. Waste of time and resources. It's better to build a real beachhead or nothing.

[Bud Backer]

Building a Force Field on an AI planet alone wont do anything. Waste of time and resources. It's better to build a real beachhead or nothing.

Well, that was my thinking too, but I figured I was totally missing something!

[Aklyon]

Building a Force Field on an AI planet alone wont do anything. Waste of time and resources. It's better to build a real beachhead or nothing.

Well, that was my thinking too, but I figured I was totally missing something!

On a neutral planet, you might've. But on an AI planet, Kahuna is right, since if you just put the forcefield on the wormhole it'll attract ships while the wormhole post tinks it to eventual, glacially slow death.

[Bud Backer]

Building a Force Field on an AI planet alone wont do anything. Waste of time and resources. It's better to build a real beachhead or nothing.

Well, that was my thinking too, but I figured I was totally missing something!

On a neutral planet, you might've. But on an AI planet, Kahuna is right, since if you just put the forcefield on the wormhole it'll attract ships while the wormhole post tinks it to eventual, glacially slow death.

An, now that makes sense!!

But it begs another question:

Are there "naturally occurring" neutral planets, or are they only the ones where I've destroyed the AI presence (or he mine) and no one rebuilt?

[Arkillion]

Only planet you destroyed, or lost