The One

Here's another tip Boba: if your units are too stretched out trying to defend both the starport and your own base at the same time (they're usually seperate, aren't they?) build another starport within your base. When you build it, sell the faraway starport amd get the units back to reinforce your own base. I know this uses up a lot of precious base space, but usually its worth it, you don't need too many units and turrets for defence.

The total time taken is T minus 7 which I think makes something like two to three and a half minutes. By the way, you should build up a reasonable defence force (mostly combat tanks) in the half hour before the transports arrive, and then incorporate the advanced tanks like deviators into that force and send it to attack. That way, you don't need to wait for the shipment to arrive every time before attacking.

It is definitely for use against AI's, if a human is careless enough to leave his entrances unguarded, he's not a human. And Boba, the more time you spend on any mission, the more likely it is that someone (invisible engineer by crate, saboteur, fremen) will sneak through and get a sensitive building. Plus, according to me, progress defines your performance in this game, hanging around is one bore of a job.

Some excellent advice on what units to build for what houses (assuming full tech level): Ordos: Get that starport going nice and quick, and get some missile tanks on defence. Use only a few deviators, they're not economical in large numbers. Saboteurs are very useful, get'em fast, they can really disable an enemy base if you chose your targets well. For the rest, combat and siege tanks will do. Atreides: Get sonics on line early, but only make such a number of them so they can stand in a line with little chance of flanking attacks, because they're as dangerous against friendlies as against enemies. Behind them, mostly missiles and sieges are required, though try to keep them well behind. Ornithopters are a must, but be careful about rocket turrets and try and take out a building per strike. Harkonnen: Devastators are a must for offence and defence. Due to their poor range, on defence they are best when supported by missiles and sieges behind them. Death Hands, as the only totally invulnerable unstoppable fighting units in Dune, should be used on crowded bases and areas. Use these orders, and you may find yourself on the non-routed side.

DOHS, if the poor guy has just lost his CY early on in the game when he doesn't have a repair pad or a starport, how do you expect him to build ANYTHING??!! 8)

Any of you guys want a way to finsh a skirmish real REAL early? ??? I have a way: ;D Early on in the game, when you're setting up your base, send your trike to explore a base. Once you've done that (remember, as early as possible), upgrade your barracks and produce a single engineer. Mark this engineer with any number and send him to wait outside (well outside) the entrance nearest the construction yard. When you see no units (or maybe a quad or a combat tank) guarding the CY (usually happens early on) send the engineer and capture it. Save the game before, so you can try again if a siege tank pops up and kills the engineer. When and if you capture the CY, DO NOT SELL IT IMMEDIATELY but make a piece of concrete right next to it and then sell the CY. After you've built up your own base, you can build rocket turrets on the concrete, extend it, make a second base or ANYTHING U WANT WITHOUT LOSING A MAJOR UNIT (except any infantry coming out of the CY). If you do not want to lose too many Rocket Turrets while you're killin' off the base, sell them right before they get destroyed and make another one. Trust me, this works.