Looking for ideas to crack fortified high-level systems

[Tyladhras]

It seems to always be that when I go for a high tech system, it usually ends up in a long slug fest with me mostly just out-producing the enemy and crushing them under wave after wave of my own men.  This strikes me as hugely inefficient in terms of both time (and subsequently AI Progress) and cost in resources that are now space dust.

I suspect a lot of it is to do with the tech I unlock early on.  I tend to go for fleet ships (fights/bombers/frigates) and turrets.  Which makes me very defendable but I find pushing out into high-tech worlds quite a slog.

I was mostly wondering what sort of techs people go for early on and what sort of tactics they use for taking out their first few tech III/IV planets.

Much obliged.

[x4000]

What version are you playing on? The 3.7 betas enormously reinvent all this so that it's not such a slog.

[Tyladhras]

I've got the Neinzul expansion if that's what you mean

[x4000]

No, I mean the latest betas, available through our site but not through the in-game updater.  Sounds like you're on 3.189, which is the last "SlimDX" beta.  The new Unity betas are -- to warn you -- a bit less stable, but wholly different and better.  The latest of those is here, if you want: http://arcengames.blogspot.com/2010/10/ai-war-beta-3713-balance-destroyer.html

I think you'll find the balance a lot preferable there, anyway.

[Tyladhras]

"less stable"?

[x4000]

Right.  As in, it's in public beta, it's not done yet, it's an early preview version for players to help us out with feedback and enjoy it early, etc.  We haven't officially released it yet.

[Mánagarmr]

"Less stable" as some unintended surprises can happen, like giant waves hitting you 2 minutes in, melee ships not working properly or getting bumrushed by Hybrids

But for the most part, the work admirably and any bugs that crop up are readily smashed. It's really enjoyable to see the game evolve the way it does.

[Tyladhras]

It looks really interesting and really good fun but unfortunately, I'm the only one really among my friend's group that's really into AI War. A couple of friends like it but aren't really that big on the flavour of RTS that AI War presents so as much as I'd like to try the new version, I'd be shooting myself in the foot on the multiplayer front as I don't think my friends would be so keen to sit through the beta.

So yeah, I suppose I'm looking for advice for version 3.189 for the time being.

[x4000]

Fair enough.

It's been quite some time since I've even thought about the 3.189 versions and such, so I'm quite rusty on thinking in those terms.  But my main advice would be:

1)  Try not to alert those planets before you go after them, and they will be smaller.

2) If you can survive it, try killing their command station early.  Then you have to fight all their guys in your planets, but near your turrets instead of the enemy ones.  Then you can mop up the enemy turrets after that.

[Lancefighter]

If you can cut off AI supply, all turrets and heavy defense shut off.. they are limited by supply as much as you, they just have more command stations :p

[Giegue]

hope to get a Dyson sphere nearby 

[MysteryOne]

If you can cut off AI supply, all turrets and heavy defense shut off.. they are limited by supply as much as you, they just have more command stations :p

Is it possible to cut off AI supply before destroying the target AI planet's command station?
Becouse, you know, their forcefield is seem tough, so if cut off their supply and thus disabling it?
Or is there any difference in cutting AIs' supplies with 'home' command station or other command stations?

(Beside destroying adjacent planets (or destroying adjacent AI command stations))

[x4000]

Nope supply also comes from it's own command station, not just the adjacent ones.

[Lancefighter]

raid starships are fairly cheap and might do the trick, if theres not too much in defenses nearby

[MysteryOne]

Alright, understood. Is the wikia going to be updated after v4.0 is released?