Hacking Response - How does it work?

[ZaneWolfe]

My prefered hacking setup is somewhat unusual, but I have found that it is entertainingly simple when done properly. It also has the advantage of being nearly entirely automated. I start with two HWs is my games, so I get to choose 2 bonus ships. I typically make sure I get my favorite, the Spire Blade Spawner. I toss a full cap of those, I-III, along with a full cap of Nienzul Enclaves I-III. Throw in a few Scout Starships, any mark will do but MKIV is best. This is the Hacking Team.

Then I go in and clear the entire planet with my main fleet, except for the command station. After its all clear the main fleet leaves and the Hacking Team goes in with the Hacker. The Hacking Team stays camped on the closest wormhole leading into my space, while the Hacker does its job and I go do something else.

The Hacking Team will kill practically anything that can spawn in a easy to moderate difficulty hack. And even the few pesky Raider starships that spawn will have to get through them to reach my space. The scout starships prevent any sniper shots from taking out the SBSs, while the natural radar dampening will protect the Enclaves. Even if something long ranged like a Z-bombard is spawned, the radar dampening covers the Enclaves still. And with so many targets being spawned the AI will have some trouble hitting the SBS's, since both the Enclave drones and the Blades count as valid targets. A tach pulse will only reveal the hacking device, its still covered from being sniper'ed. And again, pure target saturation works as additional cover.

Now, as for the counter-attack spawns that can result, I used to have issue with those. I have determined a solution for that as well. They work just like a Warp Counter Attack guardpost would. So, if there is enough distance between me and the closest AI Warp Gate, they can NOT spawn inside my territory. Which means they have to get through the front line defenses. By the time I am starting to hack things that can cause that, I already have defenses up that can handle a normal wave. So at worst the spawns get added into the threat fleet. (Unlike Warp Counter Attack guardpost, the hacking response spawns do not seem to be bugged. For those that don't know, for some reason even if there is over 7 jumps between your space and the nearest AI Warp gate, sometimes you still get some counter attacks that spawn deep in your own space. No idea why, seems to be a bug.)

As said before, this setup is designed to automate hacks of a very low to moderate level. But as you add in more automated systems it gets even better. I've done it using the same Hacking Team throwing in MSD set to Nienzul Railpods and Autobombs. It's hard on the economy, but between the Blades, Drones, and the Mobile Space Cannon, really nothing gets close to being a threat until you hit the negatives in Hacking Progress. And if you like to use the Fallen Spire like me, you can back the Hacking Team and MSC up with the FS fleet. Then even negative HP might not be an issue.

For the curious, the initial Hacking Team, SBSs and Enclaves, can be built with 10,500 knowledge. Easily within the starting K with just a bit from a single HW. The Hacking Team also makes for a great team to clear out worlds in the early game. The radar dampening of AI guardposts is of no use against Blades or drones. And neither of the two will auto target anything that would cause AIP.

[Draco18s]

I typically make sure I get my favorite, the Spire Blade Spawner. I toss a full cap of those, I-III, along with a full cap of Nienzul Enclaves I-III. Throw in a few Scout Starships, any mark will do but MKIV is best. This is the Hacking Team.

Lightning Torpedo Frigates would work just as well.  AI units will stop and shoot at them, if they're the only thing in range.  And if destroyed, they explode anyway.

[ZaneWolfe]

I typically make sure I get my favorite, the Spire Blade Spawner. I toss a full cap of those, I-III, along with a full cap of Nienzul Enclaves I-III. Throw in a few Scout Starships, any mark will do but MKIV is best. This is the Hacking Team.

Lightning Torpedo Frigates would work just as well.  AI units will stop and shoot at them, if they're the only thing in range.  And if destroyed, they explode anyway.

Yeah you could replace the SBS's with Torpedo Frigates, but not the Enclaves. They are needed because nothing can beat them for pure target saturation. Only thing that can really stop them is Eye's and even then only Nuke or Plasma. Threatening eyes don't do too much, Ion can't kill fast enough, and Raid get overwhelmed more often than not. Sentry Eyes are about 50/50. Sometimes they stop the Hacking team, and other times they can't do enough.

[Toranth]

I typically make sure I get my favorite, the Spire Blade Spawner. I toss a full cap of those, I-III, along with a full cap of Nienzul Enclaves I-III. Throw in a few Scout Starships, any mark will do but MKIV is best. This is the Hacking Team.

Lightning Torpedo Frigates would work just as well.  AI units will stop and shoot at them, if they're the only thing in range.  And if destroyed, they explode anyway.

SBSs and TDLs are considered "cheese" and actually increase the hacking response above what it otherwise would be.  It's usually worth it anyway, at least for the first few hacks, but those (and Riot IIs and IIIs) can produce more AI response than they add benefit at high AI response levels.

And the AI won't usually stop to shoot at LTF torpedoes, but they can absorb some shots, and the AoE greatly helps when all the spawned AI units appear in the exact same spot.  Enclaves and LTFs are the core of my early game hacks.

[Kingpin23]

I still dont understand how hacking works.

I make a hacker then I send him to Ai world and start hacking there. Takes 15 seconds or something.
Immediatly the Ai starts spamming sending ships to my homeworld. I dont have to defend the hacking ships the Ai isnt attcking them . And it wont stop. At this point I'm thinking not using hacking at all.

Isnt it more easier to conquer a world then place a science lab there?
And how long will the ai spam ships?

[Chthon]

I still dont understand how hacking works.

I make a hacker then I send him to Ai world and start hacking there. Takes 15 seconds or something.
Immediatly the Ai starts spamming sending ships to my homeworld. I dont have to defend the hacking ships the Ai isnt attcking them . And it wont stop. At this point I'm thinking not using hacking at all.

Isnt it more easier to conquer a world then place a science lab there?
And how long will the ai spam ships?

Hacking can do a number of things that you can't ever do after you conquer a system.
1.  Increasing the variety of units available to choose from an ARS.
2.  Receiving bonus unit types in use by the AI from a backup center
3.  Preventing the AI from ever spawning Mk I-IV of a ship type from a backup center (MkV will still be available at very high AIP or core worlds)  Note:  Design corruption is per AI.  If you corrupt a design for one AI, the other can still use it.
4.  Destroying a notable "problem" in AI system that could complicate your conquest of said system.  (Eyes, shields, Raid Engines, etc.)  doing so this way costs no AIP, even if destroying the structure normally would incur it.
5.  Allowing you to have permanent access to new ship types/advanced construction designs (Mk IV) without the need to defend the structure from AI attack.  Doing this allows you to build the hacked ship types from any constructor anywhere, even if the source constructor is destroyed.  This includes Advanced Factories, MkIV Starship Fabs, any MkV construction center, and any experimental ship construction center.  It does not include Core Turret Controllers which at current cannot be hacked.  Normally if you take such a structure you must defend it to retain the ability to construct that ship design.

AI will spam ships the moment there is a hacker in the system, and will usually stop once all hacking is complete.  Some hackers will finish a hack and immediately begin a new hack.  These must be self-destructed after the desired outcome if you wish the hacking response to stop.  Others simply stop after a hack and the response stops as well.  To tell the difference, look for a timer under the hacking object.  If you see one, it is generating a response, and is attempting a hack.  If you do not see one, there is nothing for that hacker to do, and it is sitting idle.

Edit:  Just an afterthought, I will be playing some AI War on Twitch.tv tonight.  If you have any further questions about hacking or anything else, feel free to come by and ask.  Just be respectful of me and the other viewers and we'll get along fine. www.twitch.tv/chthonicone/

[Vinraith]

I still dont understand how hacking works.

I make a hacker then I send him to Ai world and start hacking there. Takes 15 seconds or something.
Immediatly the Ai starts spamming sending ships to my homeworld. I dont have to defend the hacking ships the Ai isnt attcking them . And it wont stop. At this point I'm thinking not using hacking at all.

Isnt it more easier to conquer a world then place a science lab there?
And how long will the ai spam ships?

What this thread has taught me (and you should read the whole thing, as it's been hugely informative) is that you have to treat hacking like a major assault, just without the whole "killing the command station" part. It requires moving in in force, establishing a beachhead, and then holding position for the duration of the hack. It's practically "mini-defender mode."

As mentioned above, it does any number of things that simply cannot be accomplished by taking a system, so this isn't an either/or thing.

[Kingpin23]

Thanks guys.

I didn't see hacking as a big attack but now I understand you have to plan more carefully before you
Use it.  Have to experiment some more and see what works best for me.

Twitch stream was great btw. Learned some things watching u play.

[Chthon]

Thanks guys.

I didn't see hacking as a big attack but now I understand you have to plan more carefully before you
Use it.  Have to experiment some more and see what works best for me.

Twitch stream was great btw. Learned some things watching u play.

Oh hey, thanks for coming, didn't even realize someone was there XD  Feel free to lurk if you want, but don't be afraid to just chat too, as that's why I stream honestly.  I like to chat with people while I play.

[Bognor]

It does not include Core Turret Controllers which at current cannot be hacked.

I haven't actually tried it, but based on the patch notes, Core Turret Controllers should be hackable now, just like Fabricators.

[Toranth]

It does not include Core Turret Controllers which at current cannot be hacked.

I haven't actually tried it, but based on the patch notes, Core Turret Controllers should be hackable now, just like Fabricators.

Yes, they can be hacked.  In fact, finding and hacking a few of them is my first and foremost goal at the start of every game.

[Vinraith]

It does not include Core Turret Controllers which at current cannot be hacked.

I haven't actually tried it, but based on the patch notes, Core Turret Controllers should be hackable now, just like Fabricators.

Yes, they can be hacked.  In fact, finding and hacking a few of them is my first and foremost goal at the start of every game.

Interesting. I haven't played that much since core turret controllers came in to existence, and haven't ever gotten one. Are they really that useful? How do you use them, since they can't be put on a world with normal turrets as I understand it?

[Bognor]

It does not include Core Turret Controllers which at current cannot be hacked.

I haven't actually tried it, but based on the patch notes, Core Turret Controllers should be hackable now, just like Fabricators.

Yes, they can be hacked.  In fact, finding and hacking a few of them is my first and foremost goal at the start of every game.

Interesting. I haven't played that much since core turret controllers came in to existence, and haven't ever gotten one. Are they really that useful? How do you use them, since they can't be put on a world with normal turrets as I understand it?

They're only incompatible with lower-mark versions of that type of turret.  For example, Core Sniper Turrets can't be on a world with ordinary Sniper Turrets.  But a controller allows you to put an entire half-cap of mark V turrets on every single one of your worlds, energy permitting, which is godly for Snipers.  In my last two games the AI has had Munitions Boosters, so I've leeched enough to put a Mark II on every one of my planets in a cluster with my Core Snipers, buffing them to 200% damage.  Essentially, I've got 10 5 mark-cap's worth of sniper turret firepower on every planet.  You can also build the turrets on any planet on which you've got supply, potentially softening up CPAs by beachheading adjacent planets.

[Vinraith]

They're only incompatible with lower-mark versions of that type of turret.  For example, Core Sniper Turrets can't be on a world with ordinary Sniper Turrets.  But a controller allows you to put an entire cap of mark V turrets on every single one of your worlds, energy permitting, which is godly for Snipers.  In my last two games the AI has had Munitions Boosters, so I've leeched enough to put a Mark II on every one of my planets in a cluster with my Core Snipers, buffing them to 200% damage.  Essentially, I've got 10 mark-cap's worth of sniper turret firepower on every planet.  You can also build the turrets on any planet on which you've got supply, potentially softening up CPAs by beachheading adjacent planets.

Wow, that's freaking amazing! OK, I'm sold...

[Toranth]

They're only incompatible with lower-mark versions of that type of turret.  For example, Core Sniper Turrets can't be on a world with ordinary Sniper Turrets.  But a controller allows you to put an entire cap of mark V turrets on every single one of your worlds, energy permitting, which is godly for Snipers.  In my last two games the AI has had Munitions Boosters, so I've leeched enough to put a Mark II on every one of my planets in a cluster with my Core Snipers, buffing them to 200% damage.  Essentially, I've got 10 mark-cap's worth of sniper turret firepower on every planet.  You can also build the turrets on any planet on which you've got supply, potentially softening up CPAs by beachheading adjacent planets.

Wow, that's freaking amazing! OK, I'm sold...

The unit cap on Core Turrets is half the normal turret cap, meaning you get 2.5 mark-I-cap-equivalents out of a cap of Core Turrets.  So Mk I + Mk II is slightly better than Core, and Mk I-III is more than twice as good.
But yeah, Core Turrets can go on every planet, so you can actually have both a whipping boy AND enough defenses on other systems to reduce your worries about stray ships, threatfleet, etc.