Does anyone else do this?

from Sins Forums

I've been using this same strategy since the game was released, and it always works just fine for me against normal/hard AI's and against friends over LAN.

I always play as Advent, though occasionally Vasari on maps with larger star systems. I start the game and I build a progenitor right off the bat and I start capping planets. Usually within 10 minutes I have a Radiance built and I send that to cap more planets with a colony ship. I pay close attention to who my enemies and allies are friends and enemies with (by building many scouts) then ally with whoever seems to be attracting the least attention. I start build starbases and temples of communion as fast as possible and build 1 new capital ship every hour till the games 4th hour. At which point i'll have all the research, except logistics done, and research the supply and command techs until I have 9 capital ship slots. I'll make sure I have 2 of every cap ship except the revelation. Then I start invading enemies and using pirate bounties to keep larger fleets occupied. At this point I have the most powerful economy in the game. I'll continue to spread outwards slowly 2 planets at a time until I have 100000 crystal and metal and 500000 credits. Then I finish all the logistics techs and build a full fleet with 16 cap ships and at least 15 of everything else. I then go to war with every AI and start invading them all. I have never lost doing this and I'm wondering if any else plays like this.

strategy
4,150 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

While this strategy may work against the AI and your friends (and is similiar to the one I used at first), you will probably get eaten alive on competitive multiplayer. You've got your expansion strategy down more or less, though I'd have to see it to know if you're doing it at a decent pace. Most online games have locked teams, though scouting well is still an invaluable skill. You don't want to invest too heavily in starbases unless you or your team has over half the map under your control, as otherwise you'll be outproduced and your turtle strategy will be set up for failure. Pirates are usually turned off in Multiplayer because they are a joke with entrenchment, a single unupgraded starbase is enough to completely dispose of them. Also, you will probably not end up with that big a stockpile of resources, as most of your enemies will have next to no reserves because they've been spending them on fleets. And if you haven't been matching their investment, you'll need smart macro strategies or good luck to withstand them.

 

I recommend you download some replays of online matches (you can find links to them on some posts throughout the forums) and watch the pace. Your strategy is not bad, its just not well matched for the ones your enemies will most likely be using. Its like doing the wrong play in a football game, your players and overall strategy can be excellent, but if you aren't prepared to play to counter your enemy, it will be all for naught.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

The biggest problem I see with this plan is that it's far too rigid.  You can plan up to the 10 or 15 minute mark, but after that your approach should be based on your specific situation, not a preconceived build order.  Smart enemies will be scouting you and looking to disrupt you.  Don't be surprised if major fights break out before the 20 minute mark.

Now, against computers, the general rule of thumb is that if you survive for one hour, you've won.  The computer is atrocious in the late game.  Beyond the fact that it won't build superweapons, is terrible at building a powerhouse economy, and builds all the wrong units and capital ships, it just doesn't know how to command a battle.  It will frequently send its attacking fleets directly into a death trap, and then when defending... well, suffice to say it does just about nothing right.  The end result is that if the AI hasn't killed or crippled you by the one hour mark, it's never going to.

A four hour game is virtually unheard of.  Maybe in a huge multistar free for all, but otherwise games are highly unlikely to run for more than 3 hours.  Most games could be called (that is, it's fairly obvious who the winner will be) within the first hour.  As a result, the majority of your strategic planning should be for within the first hour.  That is where the most critical fighting will be. 

 

 

Then I start invading enemies and using pirate bounties to keep larger fleets occupied.
End of quote

This is actually a bad thing to do against human players.  They won't send their entire fleet to deal with a pirate raid, they will leave one capital ship on defense duty to ward them off.  The pirates won't kill anything (pirates are actually very weak units stats-wise) and will only serve to level up the defending capital ship.  After the first raid, pirates simply aren't dangerous anymore and bounties are a waste of your money.

 

At this point I have the most powerful economy in the game.  I'll continue to spread outwards slowly 2 planets at a time until I have 100000 crystal and metal and 500000 credits.
End of quote

Everything at this point and beyond is moot.  If you can afford to build up that much excess cash, you already have such a massive advantage over your enemy that you should have won A LONG time ago.  A human player would have already surrendered to you on the grounds that you just have such a powerful economy... but more likely he will have attacked early and prevented you from ever getting it in the first place (hence the danger of planning too far into the future).

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

After the first raid, pirates simply aren't dangerous anymore and bounties are a waste of your money.
End of quote

What about using it to take advantage of the Advent bonus?  I mean really abuse it:  use it to feed your teammates some extra cash.   If you know you're about to attack Yellow, stick a 3000 bounty on Yellow.  Your teammates attack Yellow and kill stuff, they collect your cash + 25% interest.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

What about using it to take advantage of the Advent bonus?  I mean really abuse it:  use it to feed your teammates some extra cash.   If you know you're about to attack Yellow, stick a 3000 bounty on Yellow.  Your teammates attack Yellow and kill stuff, they collect your cash + 25% interest.
End of quote

Or how about just using Karmic Retribution?  Free bounty on the enemy. 

You know, I've never actually gone and measured actual the potential of these abilities.  It may actually be possible to abuse with these upgrades.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

thats fucking true but you need to battle to get that and you need an advent eco

 

thing is you better feed then hope you kill enough ships to actualy get the bounty ^^