6.2 Strategies

[Vable]

I've found that it's worth building a light carrier after you finish your first patch of harvesting. (IE, usually 9 harvesters and 2 refineries)

I build the Drive module on my mother ship and wait to build the harvest control module, because as soon as I have the two refineries built, I start moving my Mothership to a 2nd patch.

So basically whats working for me lately:

Game start
build two refineries and 2 more harvesters (if you started with 7) build Drive module on Mothership (right from begining)
when refineries are done, I start moving the mothership to another resource.
Build light carrier.
build harvesters and refineries (usually 18 harvesters and 4 refineries) while my Light carrier builds a corvette bay, and starts making gunship corvettes (usually 6-8) which I use to immediately go after the computers harvesters.

Generally, keep your mothership, light carrier and crew station close to one another.. This helps Tremendously for getting your crew limit up. And going after the enemies resourcing ops early on puts them on the defensive and builds your honor rapidly.

I find that I don't even build a research station until after I have a crew station. But this is playing the game on 'Fast' ...where you start with more honor at the begining.

[grant]

I have found that I much prefer the scavenger to the light carrier since the light carrier dosn't have any recource drop off points, and the scavenger gives you the RU Fusion.

Have you had any luck with the mines? They don't seem to produce all that much to me.

After playing a few games with both races I still prefer the Higarian (sp?). I have always loved their mother ship and still do and OMG the vortex is awsome, and fast for a capital ship.

Personaly I like to get my first base going well then send a scavenger and some collectors out to a depbis field to collect there if one is avalible.

It seems to me that platforms are not nearly as good as they use to be either.

Also the Vayger Flagship seems to be a bit weak on the offence too.

[Vable]

Yeah, the Vagyr Flagship still remains a non-offensive style ship. I guess to balance against the offensive nature of the rest of their ships.

Platforms definitely got tuned down a bit.

oooo..I love the Scavenger. Though the 20 crew requirement is a bit rough. Then again, if your building resourcing off of a scavenger, that frees up your mothership for fighting ship production. However, the scavenger takes a bit longer to access (need to have research ship). So really I guess it comes down to if you prefer building fighting ships from MS or Light carrier. In the long run, building from MS is probably better, though in the early game I like the abilty to get some offensive units out quickly to hit their Harvesting ops and build honor. And I know that I can get 18 harvesters, 4 mobil refineries & 8ish gunship corvettes. Scavenger cripples me on crew till that first upgrade. And it takes longer to get to that first crew upgrade without the higher amount of offensive units.

It is definitely a toss up though. In a long game one would utilize everything I imagine.

Speaking of longer games.. Mine bases... hmm.. pain in the ass to set up. I haven't really watched to see if they are worth the trouble yet. Maybe in longer games? They do have WAY more hitpoints now though. So not as much of a honor liability. Maybe we need to try keeping the mothership near the mining base to reap the benefits. Since mining containers only give you money as quickly as they can shuttle resources between your mothership and the mine. I'm not sure if they dock at all the production ships the way crew pods do.

[Vable]

Oh yeah, in the last few games I've been building Juggernaughts a bit to pretty good effect. Though that involves having to close the gap with the enemy. It's been interesting, because in the past I never really built them at all.

I haven't played with the Vortex since 6.1 when it was weaker than a battle cruiser. I know they upgraded it, I'll try building one this next time:) It is a d**n cool ship:) I love the way it swerves and fires!

[grant]

Well it now has 2 heavy Ion Cannons that are prety darn cool

[Vable]

oh oh oh oh... Yeah, I played with the Vortex last night after reading your post Grant. Holy cow!! It rocks my socks now. hehehe. I built a Battle Cruiser and upgraded them both to the max to see their final stats. There was a clear advantage, in speed, armor, offensive power.
Though, I can't remember if the Vortex has the option of building a hyperspace module.

I know the new Vagyr capital ships suffer that flaw. They need their battlecruisers with/hyper mods to carry the Battleship & Dreadnaughts into close range. Or suffer their slow movements. Still, my god...the Battle ship is INSANE!! and the Dreadnaught is the only thing you can really consider to take against the Hiigaran Battle Station.

[grant]

Yeah the Vortex can take a hyperspace module. The problem with the Dreanought that I have found is that it's hyperjump engine seems to be a one shot. Atlease when every I jump with them the first time I can no longer jump.

[Vable]

wait... The Vagyr dreadnaught has a hyperspace module? or room to build one? If it does have a one shot thats still pretty impressive. Generally, since the Dreadnaught only has one weapon (albiet extremely powerful) it is meant to be flanked with a escort fleet that can hyperjump it (usually battlecruisers). The Dreadnaught is touted as the anti-battlestation killer. Which, if you've seen what a fully upgraded hiigaran battle station can do... you'll see the need. That station is SICK!

[grant]

Yeah I agree that the station is sick.

The Dreadnought has no upgrade options, but the one time I bought one I saw that it had the hyper jump option so I did a quick little jump to test it out and afterwards I no longer had the option at all.

[Vable]

hmm..weird. I'll test it out the next game I play. Even a one-shot hyperspace would be pretty snazzy.

Yeah, it doesn't have any upgrade options, but then hardly needs them I don't think. It's a ship with a very singular purpose and is meant to have an escort in most conflicts.

So what do you think of the Vagyr Battleship.. ~drool drool drool~

[grant]

I have yet to use the Vagyr Battleship...most of my battles have been as Higaran.

[Chad Manning]

I only used Vagyr once. I like the Higarin better myself.

[Vable]

Yeah, I tend to play Hiigaran more because I enjoy the complicated nature of their side. However, there are elements I really do enjoy in the Vagyr. It's been ages however since I really REALLY played them though, since they really wern't fair to play in complex earlier, and they got no real love in new ships.
Now however, though still simpler (thats their thing anyway) they are more balanced and have more ship options.. I may start playing them a bit and see how it goes.

Either way though, I wish the AI could keep up with the new mod... ~sigh~ I have yet to see the Expert Vagyr build anything stronger than a Destroyer. Then again, sometimes they whoop me when normally they'd lose easily. And yet other times, their a total push over. I guess I should play with the 'more options' under custom game and try out a variety of opponent personalities.

[grant]

Ok so I just realized how amazing the Chimera Station is for the Hiigaran. The Hyperspace gate system is amazingly usefull. I would argue that it is even better then the true hyper gates of the Vagyr.

[Vable]

what what??? omg... wait.. I didn't realize that when I looked at it.. you can use them like hyperspace gates?? Holy crap awsomeness!