Tactical Combat OFF

AIL · May 11, 2002, 14:23

Anyone tried winning on Impossible with Tactical Combat turned off?
You cannot retreat or maneuver them out nor design better ships it's simply better tech and more ships that win...

I could not win with that yet...

But I think as lager the Galaxy is as bigger are the chances to win... However I am to lazy to play something bigger than medium

Cptn. Proton · May 11, 2002, 15:15

mmmh... good idea :P
That would give the computer much better chances as tactic screen is one of the biggest advantage of a (good) human player...

brb in 8 hours ;-) *g*

AIL · May 11, 2002, 15:21

Tell me what settings you have played with when you have finished (Race, Size, Starting Age, Opponents...)

vmxa1 · June 1, 2002, 18:08

Well for me I have done nearly all settings.
Lately played some Impossile on Huge and Small maps with max races. Used prewarp and Adv tech.
Most common is Hard level on small Universe with 5-8 players, adv tech, Organic rich. Custom race:
Most all values, but default for me is Dict, Ceative, Low G, Ground Combat-10 and some boost for research or Production and LHW.
Played with no positive traits to get 340% score boost, but did not like it.

AIL · June 1, 2002, 18:36

How where your experiences? I found it much harder that way since the Alien-Ships upgraded automatedly to the best tech they have and you cannot retreat...

moomin · June 2, 2002, 09:14

Tactical combat off is a huge obstacle, no doubt about it. It make the game a magnitude or so more difficult. Still, it's possible to beat Impossible with tac off - but you need to play very agressively from turn one. Expand, expand, expand and expand. And beyond the first free col ship, let the AI clog its queues with your colony ships while you build fleets.

Spaced Cowboy · June 3, 2002, 09:59

Quote:

Originally posted by moominparatrooper
let the AI clog its queues with your colony ships while you build fleets.

Can you offer more info? Are you implying colony ship capture?

Garth Vader · June 3, 2002, 11:11

No he probably means capturing enemy colonies.

moomin · June 3, 2002, 16:25

Yup. Let the AI settle. Then move in.

AIL · June 3, 2002, 16:52

Thats exactly what they did with me!

I colonized a 3rd and a 4th planet thinking lol poor AI still only one system and then they came destroying one and capturing the other colony...

moomin · June 3, 2002, 17:13

That's no way to play the game, AIL

Now that the AI taught you a valueable lesson, go show it you're a great student!

vmxa1 · June 3, 2002, 21:30

That is what gets the AI into trouble, build a colony and not defending it. I never leave a colony undefended, spread fast, but not to over reach. I may send a crew to just destroy their weak colonies, if I can't hold it.

moomin · June 4, 2002, 06:02

I destroy most colonies I strike at in wars, because I've already reached my self-imposed 10 colony max. Gnocidal sweeping throw the galaxy is fearfully effective and keeps the worst MM at bay. It also stretches the valuable time span the AIs are competitive some little time compared to outright takeover.

Spaced Cowboy · June 4, 2002, 09:19

So for early/continued stike ability, what research priorities do you set? Ship range? Weapons? Planet bombardment? Ship speed?

This is without creative by the way!

Spaced Cowboy · June 4, 2002, 09:20

Moom,

I am getting the idea that you stike very early on with fleets of smaller ships. Care to expand?

moomin · June 4, 2002, 11:40

All you need for early war are missile frigates. Load the to the brim with nukes and send them away. As soon as you get MIRV, load that. Most games can be won by MIRV nuke destroyers if you just attack soon enough.

AIL · June 4, 2002, 14:03

Erm hallo? Aren't we talking about Tactical Combat off???? There is no MIRV since you always equip your newest weapon!

aaglo · June 5, 2002, 07:54

Hooo! this is new, it never even accured to me to try a game with tactical combat OFF... this will definitely increase the difficulty of the game...

Spaced Cowboy · June 5, 2002, 08:38

Are you saying that with TC off, you do not get to design your own ships?

aaglo · June 5, 2002, 08:47

Yes. the 'AI' does it for you...

moomin · June 5, 2002, 15:10

Oh, with Tac off, it's another game, I agree.

Spaced Cowboy · June 6, 2002, 08:52

Similar to SE4, that is, much more difficult without tactical combat. But, it sounds like no one is playing that way.

Q: Have you played this way and have you (50%) won at impossible?

moomin · June 6, 2002, 09:19

I have won at impossible with tac off several times, but I can't really give you a number - certainly lower than tac on. But I don't play tac off all that much since I love pulverizin' the hapless enemy myself

Spaced Cowboy · June 6, 2002, 10:37

Any changes to strategy with tac off?

vmxa1 · June 6, 2002, 12:21

I have not played with tac off since the first month I got the game.
Yup, SE4 is really a bugger with out you doing the combat. The bad news is the combat is very tedious. The more ships you have the more work it is. Planetary attacks can be disasterous with the AI doing it for you. At least in Moo2, you can use auto much of the time.

moomin · June 6, 2002, 13:16

Moo2 auto combat is excellent. As soon as your fleet is all beam-boats, you can stop fighting it out yourself. I reall, really like that.

Garth Vader · June 6, 2002, 13:48

Depends on how close it is. AI doesn't shoot at missiles enough, and it will fire at a planet doing small damage leaving a battlestation with achilles and quality weapons which could be easily killed.

moomin · June 6, 2002, 14:09

That's why I had that beam-boat provision. Once you start building your own the battles won't be close, cause the AI design is so frickin' clueless.

Garth Vader · June 6, 2002, 15:19

I don't know, I design my own and use all beams but the AI can still screw up a battle. Not usually so that I'll lose, but so that I will lose a ship when I can do the battle so I lose nothing.

moomin · June 6, 2002, 15:30

Well, it'd be boring if it was quite as good as you, wouldn't it?

In mid-game I usually have enough of an overkill not to lose anything in autocombat. Only reason not to use it is if I want to take a planet without the stupid computer blasting it back to the stone age...