46 replies to this topic

[Moustachio86]

By the time you have a fleet filled with capital ships you should be expecting casualties. Since the A.I. targets caps first, they die first. This is why the makos are always the last to pop. Marathons are cheaper than most capital ships, build quick and come with a nuke. You don't build them in huge numbers anymore but they outnumber every other capital ship in my fleet 2:1 at least. That's double marathons to every other type, not in total. In a big battle, you have to treat them as disposable nukes. Fire and forget.

[Defender0]

the A.I. targets caps first

we could technically fix this with armor and damage types (lavo, please explain how)

[Moustachio86]

To be honest I'm not worried. I'd call it realistic, especially for the UNSC, if your first volley is your strongest then you want to make it count.

[Lavo]

we could technically fix this with armor and damage types (lavo, please explain how)

Nah that wouldn't work. Plus, this is smart behaviour on the AI's part, so it does not warrant a change.

[Defender0]

Nah that wouldn't work. Plus, this is smart behaviour on the AI's part, so it does not warrant a change.

ok, ill go back to my corner now...

[Dianno5741]

Yeah, The whole "they target them first WAAAAAAAAAAA" argument fell on its ass because its smart gameplay. Marathons die first. Important ships in general die first. Thats why the Super Cruiser at Battle of Reach fuckin decked the Trafalgar first and not some pissant Charon/Paris.

 

This also means you need to think like a UNSC Admiral. Dont send your Marathons to a fight where they are not needed because you know theyll die. Early Marathons are like Carriers during the 1942-1943 U.S. Pacific Campaign. Only commit them where you need em or else you could end up in serious pain.

[Kevik70]

Actually the AI likes targeting things out front first....... so capitals ships moving in to use abilities and just about every charon and paris you have. I noticed after large battles all my standard frigates were dead and half the capitals but the destroyers and most cruisers are just fine.

[Deathscythe1992]

Actually the AI likes targeting things out front first....... so capitals ships moving in to use abilities and just about every charon and paris you have. I noticed after large battles all my standard frigates were dead and half the capitals but the destroyers and most cruisers are just fine.

Keep in mind that we don't have the same version they do.  The two beta versions are radically different at this point.

[m468]

Way.....Way....Way.... different...... 

[VDNKh]

As in they're two different game now.

[Kevik70]

Keep in mind that we don't have the same version they do.  The two beta versions are radically different at this point.

True enough but covenant ships still shouldn't go out of their way to hit a few UNSC Capital ships hiding in the back, if they do it would exploitable to some degree.

[m468]

That's what the Covie player must do to keep from getting nuked to death by a smart UNSC player the balance between the two is a complex one. It is what one would expect from canon. Nukes play a major role in UNSC victories. Just remember your capitals WILL be targeted and thus you HAVE to use your frigates to protect them as they move to fire their nukes. That's a very basic tip the rest...... well that's still classified tier one by ONI   

[Fleet ADM. Drian]

If it wasn't for nukes I would have already lost to the flood, stupid AI's keep losing their capital ships to the flood and I have to spam Paris to dispose of uber armored UNSC cap ships.

[m468]

Just wait for the new flood... The video on Moddb doesn't show half of it.

[Moustachio86]

Just wait for the new flood... The video on Moddb doesn't show half of it.

Agreed. There's been far too much *jaws theme* about the flood recently but in essence: the new flood is not just rampaging pirates. It is your main enemy of that match. Popping a few nukes off and hiding behind your defences will not work anymore. 

[SPECTRE]

Are the flood thier own faction now? i remember early on in the mod when there was the flood infection ability i got steamrolled alot

[Moustachio86]

No. They replace pirate. That said, the way they behave makes them like an independent faction. They just don't have the same... playstyle.

[Antigeist]

No. They replace pirate. That said, the way they behave makes them like an independent faction. They just don't have the same... playstyle.

Are there any ships the Flood can't capture? I.e. will they be able to take over the Infinity or assault carriers, whether or not the CAS becomes a titan? Because I can't help but feel like that would basically be game over if the Flood could capture a titan. 

 

However, that being said, it doesn't immediately strike me as a terrible idea. And it wouldn't really make sense that the Flood couldn't capture the Infinity. As an Eve player, the guiding principle is: "Don't fly anything you can't afford to lose." Here, if the Flood could capture titans, I suppose you could alter that to, "Don't fly anything that you can't afford to let the Flood take control of." You might have the Infinity but be forced to keep it in reserve as a last ditch effort against the flood to make sure they don't take it earlier on and seal your fate.

 

If playing against the flood with multiple people essentially turns into a "Comp-stomp the flood before we fight each other" game, seems like it might create some awkward, but fun, tension. You want to build your fleet, including the Infinity, for the imminent fight against the enemy who you know will stab you in the back the first chance they get, but you also don't want to risk incredibly powerful assets falling into the hands of the Flood.

[Moustachio86]

Are there any ships the Flood can't capture? I.e. will they be able to take over the Infinity or assault carriers, whether or not the CAS becomes a titan? Because I can't help but feel like that would basically be game over if the Flood could capture a titan.

However, that being said, it doesn't immediately strike me as a terrible idea. And it wouldn't really make sense that the Flood couldn't capture the Infinity. As an Eve player, the guiding principle is: "Don't fly anything you can't afford to lose." Here, if the Flood could capture titans, I suppose you could alter that to, "Don't fly anything that you can't afford to let the Flood take control of." You might have the Infinity but be forced to keep it in reserve as a last ditch effort against the flood to make sure they don't take it earlier on and seal your fate.

If playing against the flood with multiple people essentially turns into a "Comp-stomp the flood before we fight each other" game, seems like it might create some awkward, but fun, tension. You want to build your fleet, including the Infinity, for the imminent fight against the enemy who you know will stab you in the back the first chance they get, but you also don't want to risk incredibly powerful assets falling into the hands of the Flood.

The flood at the moment cannot capture some ships but they are sentinels for lore, rather than gameplay purposes. I have a loose understanding of how the flood works and at the moment Infinity would definitely be a valid target. This may be addressed later on, as far as I'm aware it's the first time someone has brought it up. I have a feeling it may be decided that if the flood jump into the system, you just evac the infinity ASAP or else you lose it. Easier said than done given the new infection system.

That's the general idea, as an almost entirely single-player play tester I don't get much of a game against the flood. You either win because they killed everyone else or you lose. It's very difficult to actually win against them but it can be done. For multiplayer it adds a whole new layer of scheming and conniving, I think Defender is the one of the best to make testament to that.

[sloosecannon]

Are there any ships the Flood can't capture? I.e. will they be able to take over the Infinity or assault carriers, whether or not the CAS becomes a titan? Because I can't help but feel like that would basically be game over if the Flood could capture a titan. 

 

However, that being said, it doesn't immediately strike me as a terrible idea. And it wouldn't really make sense that the Flood couldn't capture the Infinity. As an Eve player, the guiding principle is: "Don't fly anything you can't afford to lose." Here, if the Flood could capture titans, I suppose you could alter that to, "Don't fly anything that you can't afford to let the Flood take control of." You might have the Infinity but be forced to keep it in reserve as a last ditch effort against the flood to make sure they don't take it earlier on and seal your fate.

 

If playing against the flood with multiple people essentially turns into a "Comp-stomp the flood before we fight each other" game, seems like it might create some awkward, but fun, tension. You want to build your fleet, including the Infinity, for the imminent fight against the enemy who you know will stab you in the back the first chance they get, but you also don't want to risk incredibly powerful assets falling into the hands of the Flood.

There are a few ships that can't be captured, namely sentinels. The flood capture everything else, even militia ships. so yes, once the Infinity is in, you do NOT want it falling into flood hands. That will most certainly ruin your day