Sticking core guard posts on CSGs?

[KDR_11k]

I'm not too happy with the massive difficulty wall that is going from regular combat to a HW assault so I suggest somehow sticking core guard posts on CSGs.

The details need working out though. Special CSG post variants that are the CSG and a core post in one? Perhaps only vulnerable after the command station is destroyed? A separate core post next to the CSG that shields the local command station? How about the ring autodestructs? Could there be trouble with a CSG appearing next to "natural" core posts and killing them during the ring destruction? Should this be restricted to a plot or always on? Should some of the A ring CSGs get brutal posts?

[keith.lamothe]

One surface issue: what if CSGs are off?

Also, what difficulty are you playing where the difficulty difference between taking a nasty mkIV world and an AI HW is that big?  On < 8 if anything that difference should be substantially smaller now than it was in 6.0 because now mkIV guard posts (and guardians) hurt.  Is it a strategic-reserve problem?  Or mainly the brutal posts?

[KDR_11k]

Tried 7-8 so far. Last time (I don't often get to the HW) the strategic reserve was simply an untouchable wall, my only hope was to stay the heck away and try (cloaked) guerilla attacks on the core posts in the time it takes the reserve to catch up to me. Kinda like the SF (basically a time limit on your attack, when they show up you better run) but with no response delay.

[Tridus]

I kind of like the idea of mixing up the guard posts more, because it is pretty jarring that the AI has these super powerful posts that it doesn't bother to use to defend stuff like advanced factories that you'd think it would care about.

That said, it shouldn't be every CSG ring. The E network for example tends to be on low priority low interest planets, and having random core guard posts there would just be odd. Plus I've seen E CSGs spawn VERY close to my homeworld, and you really don't want a core guard post next door at the start of the game when you probably can't deal with it.

It'd make a lot more sense for the A network, since those are on advanced research systems, and possibly B,C,D, which tend to be on some other high priority things. Perhaps one core non-brutal post that protects the command station (which in turn protects the CSG since you have to take the system to destroy it). Maybe even only give it a chance to spawn one so it's something that you only see occasionally.

IMO sticking the brutal posts randomly around the map would just be going overboard.

[keith.lamothe]

Tried 7-8 so far. Last time (I don't often get to the HW) the strategic reserve was simply an untouchable wall, my only hope was to stay the heck away and try (cloaked) guerilla attacks on the core posts in the time it takes the reserve to catch up to me. Kinda like the SF (basically a time limit on your attack, when they show up you better run) but with no response delay.

Odd, I don't know why it would be so nasty on that level.  Was there some specific type of unit in the SF that was hammering you (SBS, TDL, etc) or was it just too-many and too-high-mark even just with the triangle units?

[KDR_11k]

Just the fact that it's a massive wall of MkVs where even the unit count exceeds what I can bring with Mks I-IV and of course the higher marks being the killing blow. Maybe my lack of harvester upgrades was a problem because I took a long time to rebuild after a total wipe so I couldn't kill the reserve ships faster than they rebuilt.

[keith.lamothe]

Just the fact that it's a massive wall of MkVs where even the unit count exceeds what I can bring with Mks I-IV and of course the higher marks being the killing blow. Maybe my lack of harvester upgrades was a problem because I took a long time to rebuild after a total wipe so I couldn't kill the reserve ships faster than they rebuilt.

Odd, I'm not sure why it would be throwing that many units at you; I finished a 7.6 game and a 7 game relatively recently and while the reserve was more than a speed bump I was able to wear it down without wiping.  This was after I stopped playing carefully

[TechSY730]

Just the fact that it's a massive wall of MkVs where even the unit count exceeds what I can bring with Mks I-IV and of course the higher marks being the killing blow. Maybe my lack of harvester upgrades was a problem because I took a long time to rebuild after a total wipe so I couldn't kill the reserve ships faster than they rebuilt.

What AI type was it? If it was reservest or "The Core" or something, that might explain it. (And this was difficulty 7-8 right? With no handicaps?)

Otherwise, you may have an, yet another, "AI is much more than intended" style bug.

[keith.lamothe]

Otherwise, you may have an, yet another, "AI is much more than intended" style bug.

Quite possible

Actually, a save from before or during the HW assaults in question would be helpful in letting me check whether the SR numbers are where they should be.

[Burnstreet]

in certain circumstances, the HWs are much much stronger than anything else.
In my current game, my none-Core-World offensive was 95% only the planes. On the homeworlds, they died in seconds due to being severely outnumbered. I had expected this, though, especially with planetar tachion on HWs now.

If you still have a superterminal, you can use it to kill 10% of the SR before even entering the core/homeworlds. In my case at 7/7, ~100 AIP it is enough to just park the mercenary Neinzul Enclave there to keep the SR at 90%.