How to handle early hi-Mk enemy planets?

[syndicatedragon]

What's the best way to handle a Mk4 AI planet that is adjacent to your home world? I gather that I need to do something about it relatively quickly, before it gets too many reinforcements. However, I'm not sure the best way to handle it without getting a lot of Mk4 ships heading back to my home world.

Just for fun, there's a Mk3 adjacent to the Mk4 which also has a Mk3 Ion Cannon on it. I'm sure that will be fun, too.

[Wanderer]

Typically I go after them hard and fast, and they're my first target... if for nothing else then a good nerfing.  Typically your entire fleet won't set off the MK IV entirely, so you'll end up just fighting from post to post.

Make sure you build off your bomber SSs while you're engaged, too.  They'll help you deflect any MK IV Guardians you wake up and can't kill before they hit your homeworld.  Also, a decent turret battery on the homeworld (figure 20 of each) will slow/stop most of the drifter traffic you'll awaken.

[PokerChen]

If you're playing at difficulty <~8, there's time to take a coupleof planets before your assault, for two reasons:
 - diffuse AI reinforcements across more planets (depending on how well connected your planets are, generally take ones with 3+ connections as the AI gains more reinforcements for each early planet you take).
 - more knowledge to unlock mark-II ships. Having m-II against m-IV is like having m-I against m-III.

And yes, you really want something to take out m-IV guardians, especially laser and zombie guardians.

[Bognor]

I thought guardians don't spawn on planets adjacent to player homeworlds...?

syndicatedragon: See also the wiki article What Is The Risk Of Not Destroying A High-Level AI Planet Next To My Home Planet?, which was written quite a few versions ago.

[syndicatedragon]

My homeworld has two adjacent planets. I took the normal planet which has 4 other adjacent planets. Now I guess I'll go after the Mk4. I've turreted the Mk4 wormhole (probably inadequately but...). Is there anything should I bring with me besides my whole fleet? I have a couple bomber SS and a Flagship. Should I leave the bombers at home for defense?

For the Mk3 with Mk3 Ion, I guess I should build up some SS to take that out first?

[PokerChen]

I say bring everything. There's a good reason that the game automatically gave you fighters, bombers, missile frigates, AND turrets.

If you like to test thing out for yourself, try leaving something at home.

[barryvm]

You could also build a sizeable group of towers at your side of the mk IV wormhole.
If your fleet risks being overwhelmed at any point you could retreat/rebuild while the guards are dealing with your turrets (turrets don't usually do much damage to mk IV ships, so you will have to deal with them later on, you just have more time)
You can also try to bait the guards surrounding a guard post with a group of fast ships (raid starships are excellent for this) and lure them to your fleet.
They will string out into several groups and will not be able to attack in a coordinated way, doing far less damage to your fleet.

[Kahuna]

I started a new game against 2 Doom AIs yesterday and I got a MarkIV AI planet next to my home world with Gravity Drill and Snipers
-_________-
I think there were Ion Cannons too.. That's half impossible unless you have snipers, zenith bombards or raptors.