How to keep my CapShips alive during combat ?

from Sins Forums

After few recent online games, I found out that I always lose my CapShips in the first larger combat. Losing lvl 5-6 Progenitor (I usually play as Advent) right in first contact with the enemy player means nasty disadvantage in further fighting. My opponents usually know when to start escaping when I focus fire on their Caps. I either escape too late or too soon (and get no exp). Therefore I'm asking you guys (who should have more experience than I do) - what do you do to keep your Caps intact or how do you know it's right time to run away ?

strategy
5,579 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Support cruisers, the advent dominator is good, but it needs to be researched.

More importantly, the progenitor has Shield Restore, which is arguably the best ability in the game. Park it in the middle of your fleet and spam that ability whenever you take heavy damage and you should be able to tank any fleet, assuming yours is the standard lrf, flak composition.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting CaptainAanderson, reply 1
Support cruisers, the advent dominator is good, but it needs to be researched.

More importantly, the progenitor has Shield Restore, which is arguably the best ability in the game. Park it in the middle of your fleet and spam that ability whenever you take heavy damage and you should be able to tank any fleet, assuming yours is the standard lrf, flak composition.
End of CaptainAanderson's quote

eventually with experience you learn how much dmg your cap can take. what Anderson said is good for the most part but eventually you will lose your cap anyways if you dont run it. As soon as you see a vasari egg nano bombing you cap you should move it to the edge of the grav well so it can jump out easily. Vasari will kill a projen that is spamming sheild restor because of nanoes. for vasari get your egg near the edge of the grav well if it is being focusfired. eggs are slow and big so if you wait too long you will lose it.

Other than that just play more and you will learn how much your cap can take and when is the best time to get it out of there.

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

you basically have to watch the caps. Don't let them run head long into the battle alone (most caps will do that). Try NOT to let a cap get stuck within your flet (your own ships can impede your retreat).

With TEC do the same but keep Hoshi's near it.

Guradians for Advent help.

Overseers with Vasari help. They are the most direct, however the lack of a decent firing arc hurts.

I personally always have the battleships sitting at the edge waiting to run. When fleets get huge, the caps are gonna die easily. You have to watch you prized posessiions very very carefully.  

 

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

three more advices:

a) Scout ahead and get info wether the enemy is hiding a part of his fleet at the next gravwell. If so, do not let yourself get drawn into conflict at the edge of the combat gravwell towards the enemy. This will also help you in fleeing right in time.

b) Always max repair. Advent: Progen. Shield Repair, Hangar Shield Bestowal, Domina Subjugator Hull repair and +30 hull repair from Repair bay (if possible)... Tec: Hoshiko (20) and upgraded repair bay, if possible Dunov shield regen (helps lvl 6+ marza survive if MB got broken), combine with docking boons bonus (rare occasisons). ... Vasari: worst repair bay (15), but good repair cloud from Skirantra (20-25-30), btw use that to tank Malice and lum sidebeams, OVerseer with lots of antimatter. Only good thing for Vasari: larger cap fleets should have at least 1 Antorak Marauder with speed upgrade to get out if PJI is placed or escape is needed quickly...

c) if a cap has to flee, try destroying starbase first to avoid further hull damage.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

In almost every RTS game, the key is to be proactive rather than reactive.  You must anticipate that your enemy is going to go after your capital ship and counter-act this ahead of time.  If the focus fire has already started, it may already be too late to save your capital ship.

Bombers are the biggest offenders for killing capital ships.  For this reason, picking the Kol, Halcyon, or Kortul (depending on your faction) as a second capital ship and specializing them to take down enemy strike craft is often a good idea.

As has already been mentioned, repair is your biggest friend.  It won't save a capital ship from going down in some cases, but it's the best thing you've got!

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

you actually cant make sure your capital ship goes down after the fleet does,thats one of the reasons I whine so much - caps are too fragile againt LRF fire

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

DOn't send into combat and they won't get killed.  B)

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

If you don't send your capital ships into combat, you won't get high level abilities and their special abilities won't help you out in battle.  It's well worth the risk, you just have to learn how to keep on your toes to keep your capital ship alive.  Knowing when and how to run takes experience, that's all.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

well,not sending them into battle actually is a good tip - keep your capital ship on hold position at the end of the gravwell,ready to jump away.it will still get exp and maybe will stay alive :-D

 

thats how you get marzas to 6 >]

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

I dought a player will let you simply park a capital on the edge....

 

Keep an eye on strikecraft, they are the easiest to overlook, and pack the most damaging punch (being able to chase your fleeing ship better than frigs)