Subjagator

Join Date 09/2008

Returning Armada

Any tips?

I just played my first game as Vasari and decided to try the returning armada strategy. It was a 1v1 small random map vs hard agressor who turned out to be vasari as well. I built 1 war lab to get my missile frigate thingy and then rushed straight to 8 other labs for RA. I was getting my ass handed to me for quite a while because I had very little resources left for ship building. I think I actually got lucky as I managed to keep JUST enough planets to have 9 logistics slots. Once I had returning armade researched I spammed those phase gate thingies and maxed out my fleet cap. Anyone have any advice on if I rushed too fast or any tips that will make it more viable. I also play 2v2 sometimes with my friend and I am wondering if this would be more or less viable in a 2v2 strategy. I also have all the options set to fast income and research rate and pretty much everything on high/fast.

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It can be viable - I won a game I had almost lost by getting RA up. The other player attacking me played dumb and had a fleet battle with superiour numbers vs my fleet. He should have killed my phase stabalisers and moved some of his fleet onwards to my other planets to kill my research centres. Since he didn't, I spammed stabalisers and my fleet finally killed his (my allies were getting beat up badly during this time as it was a 3v3 game that ended up as 3 1v1 games with a bit of 2v1 thrown in if possible).

But a good player in a 2v2 game will probably pwn you before you get half way since you lack a fleet. I've seen larger games where one Vassari player sits back to rush RA while the others protect him. That can work, except if both teams try to do it, which can become interesting...

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Normally, I wouldn't go RA if it's a small map.

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I do not count on RA to have a fleet because, as Hack78 said, you WILL get owned if your opponent realizes you do not have a fleet. My approach is slower but in my opinion has a higher chance of succes.

I use what you would call guerrilla tactics to destroy assets a normal player would overlook, such as construction ships. structures not yet built and the like. I guarantee he will be absolutely pissed, will subestimate your measly force of five frigates and will try to find you, but that is where your capital ship will come in... bwahaha!

I have found that if you launch repetitive short, fast attacks against your opponent's planets, he will play defensively for a while and slow his advancement long enough for you to reach RA level... and terminate him for his mistakes!

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If the game goes the way of the beta RA is not something to rush for.

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RA rushing will not be viable after 1.05. It will take some type of economy to support RA, which will effectively give you cheaper, but not free, ships.

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If I ever find I'm going against someone with RA, here it goes:

I usually bring my fleet back (Or scuttle them, mostly) until I have 20-40 ships. If my enemy is tactically and strategically superior to me, I would use hit-and-run tactics on his planets. I would aim for things like this:

Civ Labs

Military Labs

Crystal/Metal Extractors

Frigate Factory

Yeah. . .

THen I retreat and continue these attacks until he's n00b enough to leave or smart enough to surrender his territory to your control, or better, make an alliance with him, so you can crush him later when he leasts expects it. HA!

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So have any of my fellow beta players run the numbers to find out how much money is saved (on average) each time you manually activate RA, if any? I have a feeling our non-beta friends are in for a bit of a shock.

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You get between 45-90 fleet supply for each activation, so it varies. A simple calculation would say assume you get about 68 fleet supply worth of ships. That is 3 carriers (14 each) 2 HCs (12 each). Each carrier is approximately 800c, 160m, and 140cry. Each HC is 600c, 150m, and 110 cry. So you figure it out, and it's a pretty good deal in the long haul.

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Yeah, I eyeballed it and think level 2 RA is a good value. Level 1 RA not so much because you might get a few ships you didn't really want.

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WHIPperSNAPper2008

Join Date 03/2008

+126

Ah, good. So RA hasn't been completely eviscerated for 1.1 and is still worthwhile.

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Can anyone explain to me how you get capital ships with RA - all I get is frigates and cruisers.....

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Quoting PeterRhodan,

reply 11

Can anyone explain to me how you get capital ships with RA - all I get is frigates and cruisers.....

You don't.

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Can anyone explain to me how you get capital ships with RA - all I get is frigates and cruisers.....

Which is the idea of RA!!!

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Quoting PeterRhodan,

reply 11

Can anyone explain to me how you get capital ships with RA - all I get is frigates and cruisers.....

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TOO!!And what's this about RA being bad? worst thing i've found(and yes i'm past patch 1.05) is that it requires a very few recorses, and you only get 3-4 diffrent kinda ships from it.though they are all pretty good ships it still means you'll be easily countered.Plus i just like building my own ships.

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