Ordos turrets

[Chaos_Storm]

The best way to use Pop up turrets that I know of is to actually build them during a battle, not before.

I was once attacking 2 allied Ordos players. I'd beaten their base defence units and existing turrets and I was coming in with Minos. Then out of the ground, Pop up turrets appeared and started shooting almost immediately.

They can be devastating when used like this, especially if you then sell your Pop up turrets if in danger of being destroyed and build new ones to save money (you'll need 2-4 con. yards to build them fast enough).

Remember, Ordos turrets can be ready to shoot almost immediately after you select their build location. Other turrets need to wait until the scaffolding goes up, then they come up (fairly slowly), then the scaffolding goes down.

[Chaos_Storm]

On a related note, because Ordos don't have Anti-air turrets, what would be the best way to stop 30 Gunships flying towards your base? Even if I amass AA troopers and APCs enough survive long enough to take out enough structures to cripple me.

How should you use AA mines (i.e. positions, formations, micro-managing methods, best targets to use against, which units you should never use them against, etc)?

[House_Corrino]

Try to use APCs and AA troopers for AA defense.  APCs also can support Kobras in a vehical rush.

[Chaos_Storm]

I suppose the best way to stop 30 Gunships is to prevent the enemy from building up such a large airforce in the first place. AA troopers and APCs everywhere in my base just isn't enough and I don't know how to use AA mines effectively.

[House_Corrino]

I don't use AA mines (or should I say, any suicidal unit).

[Chaos_Storm]

But if you build them right next to enemy vehicles (e.g. they broke through your first line of defences or you captured an enemy building), then they will be able to shoot. You can't shoot a Pop-up turret from outside its range if it isn't there until you are in its range. Afterwards though, you should sell the Pop-ups as they can't do much if your enemy knows where they are.

[House_Corrino]

That works pretty well with all turrets.

[Chaos_Storm]

But they take much longer to set up and are recognisable whilst they are being built.

[House_Corrino]

Not really that much longer, and pop-up turrets are pretty easy to recongnise, even when being built.  And when an assault force sees it, they'll either: a. destroy it before they can do much damage or b. back up out of its range before it's built, and fire away from outside its range.

[Chaos_Storm]

True, you can't rely on this strat to hold off any vehicle attack breaking through but it can buy you time (to bring/build reinforcements) if they back up or provide a distraction (useful for a Deviator or hit-and-run laser tanks) if they shoot it on the spot.

Also, for running away before its built, that depends on the speed of the vehicles, how close you build it (and if there are enough vehicles in that group to destroy it in a single volley of shots) and whether your opponent notices (they probably will but you never know). E.g. if you build it right next (or behind if you can reach) to 2 surviving Mongoose then chances are, they will be destroyed, by a second turret if built quickly if not by the first. Other turrets may not take that much longer, but they do take longer to set up.

[House_Corrino]

Ordos turrets aren't near as good as the other 2 house's, but the gas turret has the most range of any turret in the game.  They can be a great help if you're being rushed by kindjal.

[Chaos_Storm]

True, I wish they modify the range of the Pop-up turret and/or give it AA abilities in the next patch.

[House_Corrino]

That would be nice.  Also, mortars and freman warriors shouldn't be able to survive a sniper hit.  Way too unrealistic.

[House_Corrino]

Here are the units vulerable to pop-up turret fire (vehicals that have less range than them):

Atreides:

-sand bike*

-APC

[jacobdouds]

The Ordos lack of AA greatly annoys me. Explain to me what the Ordos has that makes this balanced out?

[Fremen_Mentat]

The orods have a easily made defence. Deploy a 3 Krobros, 5 motor infantry and one or two gas turrents, and you have a powerful defense(Fedaykin help ALOT).

[Ligic_Tha_Master]

Deviators...

[House_Corrino]

Kobras can stop the infantry rush without gas turret support.  Mortars are only effective on stationary and slow-moving units.  Also, don't forget AA defense.

[Chaos_Storm]

Mortar are brilliant for cutting down massive assaults. The units at the front will run past the mortar shells, but those that are behind them will get massacred. If you start telling Mortar to force fire, you've got something that infantry shouldn't consider crossing with.

As for lack of AA, this is a huge problem if your enemy decides to go for a huge airstrike (often happens). I suppose the only real way of stopping 30+ Gunships is to stop them being built in the first place. That, Ordos has a chance at if you spot the threat early enough. EITS and Saboteurs (Infiltrators will also do if you have them) can make quick work of hangars and landing pads. Otherwise, I advise getting AA troopers by the ton, supported with lots of APCs and Sardaukar Elites really do help out. I'm not sure how to use the AA mine effectively. It can be deadly if used correctly and I've seen it done a few times but I need to perfect the tactics.

[House_Corrino]

AA mines are too suicidal.

[Chaos_Storm]

Oh, and on what Ordos has to compensate for lack of AA, the ability to use your enemies defences against them. It is an ironic way of defeating base defences if you use their own turrets against them (Chaos Lightning) or deviate a Heavy Vehicle (e.g. Sonic Tank, Minotaurus, Devastator, Kobra).

As for their Air Power, provided you make way for them, a micromanaged EITS rush is one of the fastest ways of finishing off a base.

Also note that a Deviator can silently steal harvesters. Aside from using Advanced Carryalls, any other ways of disrupting the enemy income will give a warning that they can pin-point to.

[jacobdouds]

Having a large amount of morters set up in a group on top of a cliff is one of the best Ordos defences I know. And it looks cool when firing.

[Chaos_Storm]

Heavy vehicles are unlikely to rush past Mortar without killing them first as they are slow. With Light/Medium Vehicle rushes, large formations of Mortar can decimate them together with deployed Kobras, to be finished off by AA troopers or Laser Tanks.

[House_Corrino]

Deviators are great for harvester hunting.  As for the EITS, it's great if you can get around the enemy's AA defenses.  The only problem is that the enemy (especially a harkonnen one) will probably get them up quick.  By doing that, you'd waste about $16000 to destroy a $1000 building; not a great trade-off.

[jacobdouds]

The EITS's are entirely useless unless in large numbers, or if there is an ungaurded building. But you still don't have long until enemy units arrive any way