1st Diplomacy game

from Sins Forums

Hey fellas,

 

I started my first Diplomacy game and have discovered the utility of starbases. The AI does tend to lose ships against them but I find I still need a fleet handy to ensure they don't occasionally overpower them.

I have destroyed three Orkulus starbases and these things are a bastard even in AI hands. The real trick is that the AI has put one on my only jump lane in and also covered the area with heaps of mines so I would jump in on top of them.

How do you counter this? I tried jumping in a fair few flack frigates and scout frigates to uncover and fire on the mines which kinda worked, but is there a better way?

strategy
8,142 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

nope, that is the best way

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Well, the best way is to scout the system, figure out where the mines are, and line up your jump so you don't hit any.  Using a scout/flak combo to clear an entry location is also perfectly viable.  It may feel annoying, but given the immense cost of setting up a sufficiently large minefield this is actually disproportionately easy to do.

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Kol with Adaptive Forcefield. Or Kortul with Power Surge.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Darvin3, reply 2
Well, the best way is to scout the system, figure out where the mines are, and line up your jump so you don't hit any.  Using a scout/flak combo to clear an entry location is also perfectly viable.  It may feel annoying, but given the immense cost of setting up a sufficiently large minefield this is actually disproportionately easy to do.
End of Darvin3's quote

No can do, the whole quarter is covered. That's why I had to attempt to thin out the mines.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Kol with Adaptive Forcefield. Or Kortul with Power Surge.
End of quote

Why pay the massive cost of a capital ship when you can get a much more efficient clearance with a minor expenditure.

No can do, the whole quarter is covered. That's why I had to attempt to thin out the mines.
End of quote

Then punch a tiny hole and break through.  They spent thousands upon thousands of credits, you make a tiny hole and render the whole thing worthless.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Why pay the massive cost of a capital ship when you can get a much more efficient clearance with a minor expenditure.
End of quote

 

Well, Im not suggesting you buy one just for mineclearing but if you have one its 1000% better at clearing mines than flak and scouts.

Besides what Vasari player wouldnt have a Kortul?

Kol, I know is a mix bag of feelings but I find the brick more useful than it seem. Like a Transformer, Its more than meets the eye. LOL

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Well, Im not suggesting you buy one just for mineclearing but if you have one its 1000% better at clearing mines than flak and scouts.
End of quote

How is it better at clearing mines than scout/flak?  Scout flaks will blast every mine nearby without taking damage.  I can see the argument for Advent homing mines, so you have to micromanage to avoid those, but certainly not the TEC/Vasari variety.

Furthermore, I'm not going to send a capital ship in first to punch a hole in a minefield for the rest of my fleet.  That's a suicide mission; I don't expect the units I send to survive (pleasant surprise if they do, but I don't count on it).  So in that case I would never even consider using the capital ship approach.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

Its not suicide. Far from it. Mines do crap damage. You warp in your BS first mines go off and clear a spot for your fleet/support. Then you set your ships to hold postion and let the enemy come to you. LRF/bombers do their thing, You dont lose any ships b/c they get stupid and get too close to a mine.

Or heck, use the BS as bait. Everyone snips for Caps anyhow, tank it with the tanks and then you can allow your scouts/flak do the hard work if you wish.

 

*shrugs* To each their own. =) In limited time playing the elite ICO 5v5 PUG's. My Kol was far more useful period than I ever though it be. Even more so against a mine fortified postion. I can just walk right through them.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting -Ue_Carbon, reply 8
Its not suicide. Far from it. Mines do crap damage. You warp in your BS first mines go off and clear a spot for your fleet/support. Then you set your ships to hold postion and let the enemy come to you. LRF/bombers do their thing, You dont lose any ships b/c they get stupid and get too close to a mine.

Or heck, use the BS as bait. Everyone snips for Caps anyhow, tank it with the tanks and then you can allow your scouts/flak do the hard work if you wish.

 

*shrugs* To each their own. In limited time playing the elite ICO 5v5 PUG's. My Kol was far more useful period than I ever though it be. Even more so against a mine fortified postion. I can just walk right through them.
End of -Ue_Carbon's quote

That might have worked except for the Orkulus. In that situation the flak/scout was not intended to survive.

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

well, as advent you can use the illuminators' deceptive illusion ability (use it with all your illuminators and send the copies in)

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

Its not suicide. Far from it. Mines do crap damage.
End of quote

It is if the enemy fleet is there, I wouldn't do it.  The mines themselves don't deal too much damage to a capital ship, but some units and a PJI will have a good chance of killing it.  If the enemy fleet isn't there... well, we're pretty much arguing over the best way to cut grass.  So long as you don't stick your hand in the blade, you're gunna be fine.

well, as advent you can use the illuminators' deceptive illusion ability (use it with all your illuminators and send the copies in)
End of quote

Forgot about that one; that's a nice one.

Do envoys with diplomatic immunity still work?  I can't remember now...