Games too balanced

[keith.lamothe]

Ah, sounds good.  Thats what I get for not getting around to reading the latest patch notes yet .

Well, around here the next patch notes are always just around the corner, sneaking up on you

Another relevant change is that the hull types of the main combat-oriented posts were changed to make sure they were vulnerable to a triangle ship type that was not in turn vulnerable to it.  Previously you could still take them down with the triangle counter but ow.

How much of an effect will this have on the later game in terms of reinforcement speed/max reinforcement levels (since that scales somewhat with the number of reinforcement points?)?

It will impact it, but I don't think it will make a huge difference.  Not to the overall number of AI ships generated over time, at least, in most cases.  If it causes problems, can always adjust the reinforcement logic.  But I think having planets vary more in terms of the number of posts is good.

[Winge]

My current game is against a fortress baron AI type on 9/9, so I'm fighting against a whole lot of forts and superforts.  I don't really see what people's problem is when they say they're too hard?  Several very effective measures against them:

Spirecraft Rams (from asteroids) + Cloaker starship
Artillery / Armor Golem
Jumpship'ing in 30-40 tough guys to clear the rest of the system if the fort is blocking the wormhole, then bring in the bombers
Bombers first, then Champion + blob zerg using the projected shadow shield (non-group move to get there faster)
Some systems I can just set a fleet of bombers at them and go do something else while they nuke it

I like the beam turret idea someone posted above, I'm going to try that soon.

I really like the current AI fort mechanics, they require more thinking and interaction with the system.  I can't just shift-g-rightclick from guard post to guard post when there are forts around.

Note:  there's nothing wrong with the options you mention...but not every user has those in every game.  Everything you mentioned requires not only the expansion, but also something else enabled (Champion, Golems, Spirecraft, etc).  Most games, I don't have any of those available; I tend to lean towards a 'vanilla' game.  Unless by Jumpship you meant transport...that might also work, in a pinch.

@Kahuna,
How do you get those built?  I'm guessing that you specify Mk II for their Radar Dampening, but I'm still not sure how you would finish them before getting hosed by defenders.  The AI is usually pretty...aggressive...towards anything I do on their planets.  As it should be 

[LaughingThesaurus]

I'm right with you on that Winge. I like Complex ships and all of that jazz, I keep all expansions enabled, but I'm kinda keeping minor factions off until I've dealt with the actual main AI stuff that gets thrown at me well enough that I conquer the galaxy once and for all. So, for me, the only option on that big fancy list for dealing with forts is 'right click it with bombers, and do something else while occasionally reinforcing'. Fortress barons are worse than turtles to fight against when that's your only really reliable option. I'm actually not against going champion, but I usually avoid it for the sake of avoiding micro. Champions at least don't pile on the exos, which I am not quite ready to deal with yet.

[Poko]

Ah, I see what you mean.  Without the expansions, options are indeed limited.  The "Bombers first, then Champion + blob zerg using the projected shadow shield (non-group move to get there faster)" idea can still work even without champions, you'll just take slightly higher losses (still very low).  When a fort has a couple hundred bombers to target and you add a few hundred more ships it tends not to be able to kill much.  The key is to get the bombers in there first so it already has a group of targets, and not to group move everyone else or the missile frigates will get everyone killed with their slow speed.  If there's a dangerous guard post, send the rest of the fleet right behind the bombers.

[Kahuna]

@Kahuna,
How do you get those built?  I'm guessing that you specify Mk II for their Radar Dampening, but I'm still not sure how you would finish them before getting hosed by defenders.  The AI is usually pretty...aggressive...towards anything I do on their planets.  As it should be 

Well you do need to kill the guards with your fleet first. Since this only works on planets with supply it means the planet is in range of Transporters. Load 10 or 15 Engineers and at least 2 Mobile Builders into the Transport. A couple of Cleanup Drones if there are Minefields.

First clean the aggressive defenders with your fleet and then bring the Transport with the Engineers and stuff. Build Sniper and Missile Turrets first. At least 10 both of them. 20 is pretty good. Then just build the turrets which kill the fort. This will take a while because you wont be able to use Engineers to build them because the fort would kill them. So just let the turrets auto build and do other stuff while the Fort is being killed. When Snipers and Missile Turrets have killed all "afk guard" next to the fort send bombers if you want to kill it faster. Though if you "have" to use turrets to kill the fort you might not want to use bombers.. depends.