need help

hey i have been playing this game for almost a year now and i still cant beat a easy AI the only time i win is with the varsi and the others well i do good ontill the point were they built a OD fleet that i cant destroy no mattr how bigger my fleet is any tips when in battle like what ships should i destroy first or something?

77,223 views 58 replies
Reply #1 Top

If you are losing to the easy AI your problem is almost certainly not expanding fast enough. Early game your primary focus should be to grab as many planets as possible. No trade ports, only basic research (ice/volcanic/LRF/repair bays etc.). Only once you run out of neutral worlds to acquire or if a sizeable enemy fleet is going to attack should you stop and focus elsewhere.

Reply #2 Top

A common beginner mistake is not purchasing planet population upgrades.  Until you've reached a sufficient development level, planets actually give negative income.  One upgrade is necessary for asteroids, two for full-sized planets.

Your top priority is to scout and learn the layout of the map.  You want to focus on expanding as rapidly as possible in the early stages of the game, with an emphasis of moving towards the enemy.  Once you start to get close, start building up military units.  Against the easy AI, you should have no problems outnumbering them 2:1 if you stay lean on tech, and crushing them from there is an easy matter.

As a rule of thumb, I like to colonize one planet every 3 minutes for the first 15 minutes of the game (this presumes a sufficiently large map and fast or faster game speed), which means after fifteen minutes I should have an empire of six planets.  This is, in my opinion, the bare minimum empire size needed to compete smoothly into the mid-game.  Any smaller and you have to start making serious sacrifices that are going to hobble you in the long-run, so if you find yourself with fewer than 5 planets you need to be very aggressive.

Reply #3 Top

aright thanks for the info but during combat what are good targets or strategys should i use to destroy a enemy fleet becuase i keep geting killed even with a fleet 10 times bigger than theres?

Reply #4 Top

should i use to destroy a enemy fleet becuase i keep geting killed even with a fleet 10 times bigger than theres?
End of quote

Need more details; there are horror-stories of top-level players online winning battles 10:1, but I've never heard of the AI achieving anything like this.  What sort of units are you up against?  What sort of units are you using?

Reply #5 Top

Are you building your free capital ship at the beginning? If not, do so.

Are you researching new military ship types and then building them? If not, do so.

Are you researching fleet supply upgrades so you can build bigger fleets? If not, do so, if you're anticipating a big battle soon, and then fill your fleet capacity as soon as possible.

If you know how to research new ship types, then prioritizing getting the starbase-construction tech, and then build a starbase at your front lines. The AI will suicide their fleet on it every time. You'll also need to upgrade the starbase's hull and weapons eventually, as the AI starts building bigger ships.

Reply #6 Top

yes i do all that stuff and still get my ass whoop and i try to build all the units like the anti aircrft with the long range missle units and crusiors i still lose. I also upgrade the shileds and weapons

Reply #7 Top

What version of Sins do you have? If its fully up to date could you upload a replay of one of your game? Make sure you get it from the beginning though.

Reply #8 Top

i have the orngial and entrament both fully updated. i did svaed replays from a few battles but never starts at the begining only in the middle. (how do i upload? i know where the file is)

Reply #9 Top

The game saves replays automatically.

Reply #10 Top

O really? i just maunal save the battle every time the game is done

Reply #11 Top

Yep, they are found in the autorecord-singleplayer file.

Reply #12 Top

o aright how do i upload it to this post?

Reply #13 Top

Zip it up (7zip or a zip utility of some sort) then upload it to a free server (mediafire/filefront/etc) then post up the link.

Reply #14 Top

aright thanks but ill do it tommorw got to get some sleep thanks for the info everyone

Reply #15 Top

aright got it heres the link and its called ............rar (did not know what else to name it)

 
i also for some rason could not have got the other ones when i play as advent or tec but heres a quick play of me in the beggining as varsi my favorites race can you tell me if i did something already wrong?
Reply #16 Top

1) I recommend playing with pirates turned off when you're first learning.  When new players and the easy AI are involved, the pirates will essentially dominate whoever they attack.  Experienced players can swat down pirates fairly easily, as can higher difficulty AI's, but for beginners and lower difficulty AI's they're real game-enders.

2) Celenus Core is a somewhat more advanced scenario; it gives you very few defensible planets in close proximity to your homeworld, and forces you to over-stretch yourself early.  To play that effectively, you have to either run an aggressive rush game or manage a proactive interception defense game.  Not the kind of opening play I'd expect from beginners.  Try "Gaian Crescent", "Close Encounters", "Point Blank", "Face Off", or "Random Small".  Those are more straightforward.

3) It took you six minutes to leave your homeworld to start fighting the militia on your adjoining asteroid (that dead asteroid you colonized doesn't count; it has no economic value.  In fact, you should have ignored it until later and spent that money elsewhere).  As a rule of thumb, your adjoining asteroid should be colonized within three minutes.

4) You purchased a higher fleet capacity, and then didn't fill it with units.  Fleet capacity should be filled as soon as possible after you unlock it.  Either fill the capacity and use those units aggressively to capture new planets or attack the enemy, or don't unlock the capacity at all.

5) You invested too heavily in military technology.  Weapons and hull upgrades have their place, but this early in the game getting more units online and acquiring new planets takes top priority.  Remember that upgrades amount to a 5% boost (to ONE attribute) each; that isn't a big deal for small early-game fleets.

I'd also advise against the pulse weapon upgrades.  They only affect the Skirmisher, which is a very niche unit.  It's rare that you'll build enough Skirmishers to merit this upgrade, especially against the AI.  A good tech investment would be unlocking the repair platform.  It's relatively cheap (a little more expensive than a turret), but provides a whole range of utility from boosting your defensive units, to delaying attackers while your defenders try to arrive, to restoring capital ships to full fighting strength after a tough battle.  For a mere 400 credits, that's a must have item.  Even if you don't plan to build one, having it unlocked so you don't have to wait for the tech to research later is a very good idea.

Reply #17 Top

aright thanks for the info wow u guys really are great even if this coummuty is small its still a great one right now I am kicking ass and soon i will buy the expasion dioplacy so i can play online becuase not alot poeple on the orgnail or entramnet. and yea thats what i thought w i invested too much in milatry stuff I will try to blacne it but the regartion bay really does come handy when enemys are attacking|-)  . Also how do pepole get in touch in this game do they use xfire or something?

Reply #18 Top

soon i will buy the expasion dioplacy so i can play online becuase not alot poeple on the orgnail or entramnet.
End of quote

Focus on learning TEC and Vasari.  Advent is very challenging to play online and beginners should avoid it (it's fine against the AI, though).

Most online games are played 5v5 or 4v4, and typically each player takes on a specialized role in the team.  For the most part, you'll be one of these three:

Aggressor:  Your role is quickly amass a large and threatening fleet and use it to pin down nearby enemies.  Economy is a secondary function for you, and your top priority is to keep the enemy occupied.  Even if you cannot defeat them, keeping them engaged prevents them from coordinating strikes against more vulnerable allies.

To be a good aggressor, learn how to perform and counter a solid rush game.  Focus on carrier capital ships and their abilities, plus the low-tech-level units.  You'll see a lot of the long range frigates and the flak frigates.  Good aggressors will attempt to dominate nearby oppponents by brute force, but if they can't get the kill they'll remain relevant by trying to bypass and hit other players and disrupt the entire team's operations.  Even if you're on the defensive, it's your job to prevent that, so learn how to be (sensibly) aggressive even when outmatched.

Defender:  You are positioned between multiple enemies, making your start location very vulnerable but also giving you the potential to be a thorn in their side.  Your top priority is to secure tactical worlds around your position in order to occupy the attention of multiple enemies.  You can't just sit back and defend, you have to keep their attention and try to give the rest of your team an opening.

You can't really prepare for the defender role by playing singleplayer.  Human opponents play siege battles very differently from the AI, and are much more likely to try to box you in and keep you sidelined rather than going for the kill.  Instead of trying to build the Perfect Defense (tm) you should instead focus on keeping the pressure on.  Remember, if the enemy can ignore you they will become an aggressor or economizer and will make life more difficult for the rest of your team.  You have to keep their attention and force them to keep you pinned down.  Good defenders can make or break games by holding out long enough for their aggressors to break through.

Economizer:  You are positioned safely such that allies cover all your flanks and can prevent enemies from easily striking you.  Your goal is to raise a large and powerful economy and infuse your allies with extra cash.  That means balancing rapid colonization, economic growth, and payouts to your allies as they are needed. 

To prepare to be an economizer, play some games on larger maps (possibly multi-star) and focus on rapid expansion and getting early trade networks online.  Good economizers can have absolutely insane income (100 credits per second by the 30-minute mark isn't unheard of) and that money will go to their allies who will pile on the hurt.  The economizer is very much the heart and soul of the team, and quite possibly the only role where your allies can't help you out.

 

Good luck, ZombieGod.  Hope to see you online in the future.  It's a great game, and human opponents really do take it to the next level (you haven't experience a starbase siege until you've been online).

Reply #19 Top

o yea the star bases are awsome i did put one in that replay on the sun becuase most emeys go that way so they get owned by it they even sent in 2 captioal ships with a group of grunt ships and that starbase alone took them out. but yes i did one time try online and i did good (playing as varsi). but yea hope to see u guys soon if i get the money.......

Reply #20 Top

Quoting Zombiegod95, reply 19
o yea the star bases are awsome i did put one in that replay on the sun becuase most emeys go that way so they get owned by it they even sent in 2 captioal ships with a group of grunt ships and that starbase alone took them out. but yes i did one time try online and i did good (playing as varsi). but yea hope to see u guys soon if i get the money.......
End of Zombiegod95's quote

After you have a starbase on your front-line planets, if the AI has to go through the star to get to you, putting 1 (or 4) in the star's gravity well is a great idea because the AI often doesn't attack it, and just moves through it while being chewed up. From my experience, anyway.

Of course, since they don't target the star-SB that often, hangar upgrades there are often more useful than usual.

A side-note: non-atrocious spelling and grammar is usually considered a plus when posting on forums.

Reply #21 Top

I looked at the replay you posted. I think the most important thing is understanding the importance of early expansion: you should be taking useful planets (anything but dead asteroids) as fast as possible: to take planets, you (generally) need to use your military units to destroy the neutral ships: therefore, your military units should be doing something at all times, whether it's taking out neutral ships or regenerating health in a safe gravity well. They should never be just waiting somewhere for minutes on end, at least in the early game.

In other words, once you've build your first 3 or 4 ships, you should send them to engage neutral ships as soon as possible: they should be on their way to attack 60 seconds into the game, if not earlier.

And, of course, keep building ships while your other ships are fighting, until your fleet supply is used up.

Following this strategy alone could give you a hefty initial boost in your game. Every second you delay attacking is one second's worth of tax income and extractor income lost.

You know how some of your Vasari units say "QUICKLY!" and "Time is short!"? Listen to them!

Reply #22 Top

You know how some of your Vasari units say "QUICKLY!" and "Time is short!"? Listen to them!
End of quote

Heheh, having played RTS games since I was a little kid I never pay much attention to these standard responses, but that is quite appropriate.

To put it succinctly, time is a resource in real-time strategy games.  Careful time-management is an excellent skill that will help you in other strategy games, and also in real-life.  I can't tell you how many group projects I've pulled out of the fire in the final hour because I can make efficient use of limited time under pressure, and that's a skill I attribute partially to years of playing strategy games.

Reply #23 Top

Lol understood this time i played as tec with a 2vs2 2vs2 2v2 macth and so far me and my alley are kcikng ass (me doing all the work) but yea this time i took all your advice and i did very good soo far. just need to cut some grass and paint the house  tommorew and i might be able to buy the other expaison :)

Reply #24 Top

another question when in combat what are good targets to attack the captial ship or missle units? or any other examples like flaking the enemy from behind?

Reply #25 Top

Quoting Zombiegod95, reply 24
another question when in combat what are good targets to attack the captial ship or missle units? or any other examples like flaking the enemy from behind?
End of Zombiegod95's quote

In general hit the caps first, especially if they are moderately high level. That said remember most of the hitting power of any fleet comes from frigates, so there will be cases when going after LRF, heavy cruisers or the like will be better. Also if you are relying on specialized units for your strategy like subverters obviously getting rid of their counters or anything with an ability that can stop them is the first priority.

Against the AI you shouldn't worry about advanced positioning tactics. Carrier kiting might be the only exception, though now all carriers are pretty slow so its only really feasible against a Vasari starbase. Online micro is a bigger deal. Flaking usually isn't much help, but getting in behind your opponents line of retreat can really slowdown their withdrawal sense the game has such bad pathfinding. For more advance things you'll need to talk to the pros.