Mines

from Sins Forums

I've seen several threads on Lrm's, cap's, lf, unit guides, and others of the sort, but none have mentioned MINES.

Personally, I was ecstatic when i learned that mines would be available for use in entrenchment, in my head i envisioned massive, thick fields of mines ripping to shreds any ship daring to enter. The strategic possibilities were endless, especially with the vasaari's mobile minelayer ships- completely blocking off a world from invasion, discouraging enemies from using or passing through un-colonizable worlds, preventing enemies from using moving through THEIR OWN WORLDS.

In reality,  mines are significantly different from that fantasy.

First, I find them expensive, at about 500 creds per group of ten, not to mention the research and labs required, as well as the minelayer ship required by the vasaari. it costs about 2500 creds to sufficiently protect one phase lane for me.

second they're not that strong, maybe taking an entire minefield to destroy 2-3 ships, and thats just scouts and Lf. that means that for the price of two lrf you can kill a ship or two.

you also can't set how widespread the mines are when you lay them, ie how close to each other they are- the computer does that for you.

not to mention that scouts can spot and destroy them quite easily

About the only use i can see for mines is denying your enemy inteligence- static scout destroyers.

If anybody knows any other ways mines can be used, or corrections to my claims of the mines weaknesses, please, post them

strategy
4,428 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

When i said "minefield" in point two, i meant one group of ten that you purchase

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I agree. mines had a lot of potential - unlike starbases which have their uses - albeit limited. I remember back in beta using vassari mine layers to cut up gravity wells and literally sculpt the battle feild forcing the enemy fight where I wanted them to or lose more ships fighting the way they wanted. Advent mines were awesome - I remember cranking out a mothership two carriers and some ilums and laying waste to pirate bases right of the bat. Advent mines were particularly good a defending against early rushes, early pirate attacks, and setting traps. Ofcourse the ability to lay them infinitly made the game unplayable rather quickly. Unfortunatly the mechanics of laying mines and their cost make them a non option in most games. They're most useful strateigically in the early game as their effectiveness in severly dampened by armor and sheild upgrades in the later game. In vast quantities they can soften up enemy fleets late game a bit but the only reason to buy them is that its the only thing left you can buy to strengthen defenses. Unfortunatly their cost in the early game makes them a non option - with the possible exeption of the advent using a feeder.

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

The patch stat change thread now addresses this issue. I agree with a limit on the number of mines per grav-well. Combining that with high cost is too much.  Hopefully this will be changed.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

The only use of Vasari mines I had found is to:
- build 3 weapons labs (2 at start, third as you scuttle the cap factory).
- rush research ruiner
- use the cap to engage rebel ships around heavily defended planets (desert/terran)
- jump a ruiner, lay two minefields, jump out
- drag the rebels into the minefield with your cap.

Quick XP and Terran/Desert clearing to be able to build something there.

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Of course, this "trick" is generally useless and fun at best. Going 2-civilian + EGG and chain colonizing one planet after another for sheer tax income and leaving the rebels to defend them involuntarily is much more profitable anyway.

So yeah, mines suck now.