General Strategies!

[peseverance]

Well the first thought that comes in mind to me for Gen. rats would be 1)Recon 2)Money 3)Rush!

Information is the most important thing in a combat... knowing your enemy allows you to make judgements on his tactics and so on...

Next on the list is CASH... usually I have 2 Refinery... allows me to lose a Harv. to a worm and not cry about it :)

I guess 2 refineries allows you to build non-stop (who gives a damn about what you are building as long as it kills)

Next would be rushing... a great tactic in most game... tho you can't really rush a person's base in this game you CAN rush for control of the map... take initiative and don't lose it... like chess white moves first therefore has the advantage.... you make your move first and you have an advantage... attacker also almost always has more options than the defender because while the defender has to protect everything you can choose your targets (just make sure you don't get flanked...

[bob_fox]

I think that having ONE refinery with more harvesters is better on some maps. You may not have enough space for all your structures on some maps if you build two refineries. Otherwise, as you say, two refineries probably ARE better to have than one (this game's not like Red Alert 2 where you can build one refinery and hundreds of harvesters).

I just want to mention the best order in which to build your buildings. First build a barracks (and build three or four scouts and 10 light infantry (chem troopers if you're Ordos) with it), then your refinery, then a factory, then an outpost (this would be a good time to build a second refinery if you think you need one), then your other buildings. Remember to always have MORE than enough power - you don't want your power to be knocked out by a passing tornado or kobra ;D.

A good but simple overall strategy you've posted here, Fox Fives.

Why hasn't anyone else responded to this strategy?

[quoudam72]

So far it's quality over quantity I hope it stays that way. Some of these "strategies" only work with the computer. Although I am not refering to the posts here.

[peseverance]

Quality v Quantity is a general problem in most games... even this game has certain issues on those things... note that computer has Quantity over you in the campaigns which is why its slightly harder :)

but overall in this game Quality usually wins

[bob_fox]

Yes, I agree. This is the first Westwood RTS game since the original C&C that holds quality over quantity (MANY, MANY people probably disagree with me on this one). This is because the units are so specialised (the Ordos units even more so).

[ordos45]

I don't know quantity worked for me on skirmish today. Of course I had about 50 Fedaykin attacking one side of the base while 20 Tron tanks, 5 apc's, and a dozen NIAB tanks were attacking the other end. I guess the AI isn't good at defense while on defensive mode.

[Guest Ordos_Yogurt]

Yeah... they suck.

What are "TRON" tanks anyway?

[Ligic_Tha_Master]

Tron tanks are Laser tanks. By another name.

[Recreational_User]

Some other general strategies that can, given the situation, mess with people and machines alike.

1. Assassination. Target a unit who is least protected (early in the game, this is usually a spice harvester, a carryall, a sniper, a sand racer, depending on your opponent) and eliminate it. Then leave.

The earlier the better. The more random the better. Make it invisible, if possible (by using stealthed units).

2. Feint. Mass fast moving troops within sight (again, earlier is better, before opponent gets outpost) and then retreat. This does not work with slow moving troops. It's hard to do this early with Hark, because even the Buzz isn't fast enough to run away from danger.

This strategy can be combined with others to confuse the human opponent. Of course, group the fast troops.

3. Hook charge. This is a specialized form of rush that US Civil War armies used very well. If the enemy is well organized, they will have lanes or spaces in their formations to allow fresh troops to come forward. Well, you can use those as well.

Charge the force/base, but rather than stop, go straight through and then hook--turn and stop. Set up a defensive post behind the enemy. Using an engineer, capture something and plant a turret you've already built there. Now, the opponent has to turn and face a problem, a problem that because of LOS (line of sight) issues, can't be resolved by long-range fire. He has to attack, for instance, an Atred. turrent at close range (ouch) with supporting fire from your fast units that made it through.

The game is won at this point if you have a suitable assault coming from the front. A nice spread of stealth units of some kind (Fed or Guild Tanks) is ideal, because then he does not expect the support.

4. More of a tip than a strategy: Micromanaging to stay stealthy really stinks. How do you keep an APC stealthed without having to watch it constantly? First, if you really care about it, watch it. But if you are really busy, you can set up lots of zig-zag way points. That will (help) keep it stealthed. Second, send a slower stealthed unit in front of your APC and line things up so the APC bumps it constantly. That will slow it down so it stays stealthed over a distance.

I look forward to trying these things out in multiplayer.

Happy New Year, all.