The AI's response to champions question...

[Cinth]

My last game I had 80,000 threat just from DS ships alone. Wading through that is like walking through a tar pit .

There are plenty of things you can turn on to impede your progress. DS, Hybrids, Golems, Spirecraft, and the AI you choose to play against.

I've taken to cranking up Enclaves and Wardens as well.

Have a need for AI controlled champs wandering the galaxy? There is an AI for that.

Play around with the options we have and see if there still isn't anything that will give you the challenge you want.

[chemical_art]

The issue, though, is that it shouldn't be a walkover.

Saying "you just have unlock minor factions" is like saying in the base game when I unlock 9+ difficulty "9.3 too easy for you? Just unlock hybrids!"

Minor factions are like sprinkling spices on a meal: If it is required to make something good, then its not that the spices are required to enjoy the base meal, its more a matter of the base meal is not good enough and needs to be covered up. It should optimally be used to enhance, not cover up.

[Cinth]

Except AI War is a good curry. You can't have good curry without the spices.

[chemical_art]

AI wars is boring unless if, and only if, you add in a bunch of spices?

Not for me and for many other people 

It's just Champions are a very odd ingredient. FS is an odd ingredient too, but its no longer the base meal but rather a whole new meal.

Ancient shadows needs to decide if it is a spice or a whole new meal as well.

[Faulty Logic]

Champions are golem/spirecraft grade weapons (maybe not quite that powerful, but close); they are just balanced differently.

For the food analogy, they are best considered a side dish.

[Cinth]

And eating just the turkey at Thanksgiving and complaining that the meal didn't suit you is just... well.. wrong :p

[chemical_art]

Champions are golem/spirecraft grade weapons (maybe not quite that powerful, but close); they are just balanced differently.

Champions alone are about equal to golems / spirecraft, yes. One is free and infinite and strong  (and upgradable without cost to anything but very end game), the others cost resources and energy and aip (sort of) and finite but are superweapons.

Except champions come with bonus energy, resources, and starships. Several planets worth toward end game.

Golems and spirecraft cost energy and resources.

[chemical_art]

I do admit I am curious to trying a champion game with spirecraft enabled, and abusing the ease of deepstrikes with spirecraft's lack of direct aip cost in theory and AS extra energy to see if I can cheese my way to beating the ai homeworlds.

[Cinth]

I do admit I am curious to trying a champion game with spirecraft enabled, and abusing the ease of deepstrikes with spirecraft's lack of direct aip cost in theory and AS extra energy to see if I can cheese my way to beating the ai homeworlds.

You won't beat a homeworld without having at least 150 AIP to stop the nemesis ships from over whelming your assault.

Even then... I'm trying to get it changed so nemesis ships will free up if you can cheese the homeworld early

[chemical_art]

I do admit I am curious to trying a champion game with spirecraft enabled, and abusing the ease of deepstrikes with spirecraft's lack of direct aip cost in theory and AS extra energy to see if I can cheese my way to beating the ai homeworlds.

You won't beat a homeworld without having at least 150 AIP to stop the nemesis ships from over whelming your assault.

Interesting, I was seeing using penetrators to use their ability to snipe the frigates outright, then have them retreat with the starships while the champion starts suicide the guard posts. Alternatively, using the champions shield ability and the starships to distract, and using the penetrators to snipe the guardposts and retreat. Either way with a cap of I and II penetrators I have a 280 million burst.

I regret I won't have the time to really test this untill at least mid next week.

[Cinth]

And reserves ships. HWs are a nasty affair.

[chemical_art]

And reserves ships. HWs are a nasty affair.

On my latest 9 / 9 game with the BB I had it dropped to 0% after one wave. I don't fear it 


Yes, I said it. "I don't fear it". The infamous words here that invite more doom for players.

I'm calling you out AI (and, more specifically, your puppeteer that controls you)

[Cinth]

Yeah.. reserves can be tweaked. I think it could regen faster at higher difficulties and not deplete past 100% there as well.

[Kahuna]

What is this "BB"??

[Faulty Logic]

Shadow Battleship.