Need some tips.

[Hamstie]

After watching a lot of Gyle his casts I decided to give FAF a go. I started playing a few days ago so I still have much to learn. Currently I am hovering around rank 1000ish. So today I fought against M_Memto who is obviously a much better player than me. I felt like I didn't fare to bad but still lost decisively. Any tips would be helpful!

After watching the replay myself I felt my air (and eco) was really lacking. Should I set the air factory to patrol? Any other remarks?

[Aulex]

Few things

2 engies on hydro or 1 engie/acu especially on a map like desert arena where there is loads of reclaim, you really want to get power up quickly because you'll be getting an insane amount of mass

You want to get more early facs up, if you're going to spam, commit to it, on a map like that you could probably support 20 factories

You need to expand to your mexes faster, it's not that big of a deal on a map like this but on other maps it could be that factor that let's you win or not

Slight micro suggestion, keep your tanks away from his acu unless you want to kill him, this keeps him from getting vet and keeps you from losing tanks

You need radar, you didn't have 1 radar at minute 10, this means you have no idea what's going on. At minute 10 m_memto got into your base because you had no idea he was coming, by the time he came in it was too late to respond

If you have lots of mass in the bank you need to spend it, get more factories up, upgrade mex, upgrade a factory, leaving mass in the bank is like wasting mass

Build a little more power, you had a nice balance but you were relying on hydro way too much which are target of opportunities. Some people may disagree with me about more power, but this keeps you from completely power stalling if the hydros die.

At minute 12:00 you drive your tanks into pd, small micro thing but you need to be aware of the pd and arty it so your tanks live and you can continue raiding

You lost partially because M_memto killed your power, I also believe you would've lost no matter what because he had more facs, he would've outspammed you in the long run and out ecoed you meaning you wont be able to out tech him effectively.

You play well but fix a few micro mistakes which can help a lot and build wayyyyyyyyyy more factories, especially on a map with so many mexes and a ridiculous amount of reclaim.

[Hamstie]

First of thank you for giving me some helpful tips! You made some really good points which are really useful to me.

In a match like this should I have 1/2 engys continuously building factories? And maybe 1 or engies on t1 power spam?

You also mention I need to expand faster. Should I have a central factory building infinite t1 engys who are continuously expanding/ reclaiming where possible?

On the build order of my factories. My first few factories build only tanks and after that I add some factories who build 1 tank and 1 arty continuously . I also add a few artys to the mix when I see pds going up. Would that be a good build order for my factories?

[ColonelSheppard]

In a match like this should I have 1/2 engys continuously building factories? And maybe 1 or engies on t1 power spam?

depends on your mass, always build as much fac as possible with your mass income and as fast as possible

You also mention I need to expand faster. Should I have a central factory building infinite t1 engys who are continuously expanding/ reclaiming where possible?

on some maps, mainly some with much reclaim like desert arena, yes
on bigger maps, like open palms yes, but only after some time
on nearly any naval map, yes

On the build order of my factories. My first few factories build only tanks and after that I add some factories who build 1 tank and 1 arty continuously . I also add a few artys to the mix when I see pds going up. Would that be a good build order for my factories?

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=3058&p=30316#p30314

[Hamstie]

Okay so after watching all the tutorial vids I adjusted my BO and my factory BO. I also try to scout more and build a radar ASAP. I still feel like I don't expand and reclaim battlefields fast enough. Should I add more engys in my factory Bo? Or should I build more engys in the start of the match.
I included a sub 10 min replay to show what I mean.

Unrelated question: How does one defend against sera t1 arty spam on a map like seraphim glaciers?

[Aulex]

Okay so after watching all the tutorial vids I adjusted my BO and my factory BO. I also try to scout more and build a radar ASAP. I still feel like I don't expand and reclaim battlefields fast enough. Should I add more engys in my factory Bo? Or should I build more engys in the start of the match.
I included a sub 10 min replay to show what I mean.

Unrelated question: How does one defend against sera t1 arty spam on a map like seraphim glaciers?

For that map, even though your opp didn't attack your engies, you might want to protect them with auroras, and if you have an army moving in have engies follow them so you can reclaim your own dead units and your opponent's. Also, MORE FACTORIES, you need to utilize your mass more, another option would've been switching to tech 2, because he made the tech switch and you will need shields to hold against hoplites. I'd say early on get a mix of engies, raid groups and tanks but as the game progresses to 3-4 minutes you'll want to start pumping out engies so you can expand and base build more.

To defend against t1 arty spam use your auroras to kill them, but you have to constantly change direction so they aren't hit by arty, also if your opponent is harassing you with arty, tank advantage of air and naval to bomb and kill his arty with frigs. Frigs are an amazing counter to seraphim arty if you micro them. I think it was sheppard, but i don't remember who, he did a test where 100 arty was sent at him, he had like 10 or so frigs and none of them died because he microed them.

[Nombringer]

Okay so after watching all the tutorial vids I adjusted my BO and my factory BO. I also try to scout more and build a radar ASAP. I still feel like I don't expand and reclaim battlefields fast enough. Should I add more engys in my factory Bo? Or should I build more engys in the start of the match.
I included a sub 10 min replay to show what I mean.

Unrelated question: How does one defend against sera t1 arty spam on a map like seraphim glaciers?

Hmm:

That early lab was a nice idea and very agressive, however you should have sent it to the right, it was very likely that the ACU, would either have been at the hydro, or running forward into your labs path, if you really wanted to send it to the hydro you could have run your scout in first to see if there were any defence. A better place to have sent it would have been along the top right, as he had two undefended engies there, if he had lost them you would have been at a big advantage.

I would still encourage a few more factories, Your eco balance at the start was very good but later on you were floating quite a bit, and that was without recliaming too many of the rocks.

Also, abuse your air factory more! You scouted and noticed his lack or air factory, and build a bomber. Why did you not use it! You really could have crippled him as he built aa VERY late, after you had had at least three idle bombers. I don't know if you were saving them up for a run at his power maybe? But even then, you already alerted him to you having an air factory with scout, you should have immediately pressed your advantage.

[ColonelSheppard]

ok your BO is not fail but improveable:

on this map you need to go for the hydro with com and engy fast, leave the 3(?) massspots at the bot in peace at the start and go for the hydro with com and two engys, then go for the two more mexes above your base and build a radar with that engy after that this engy moves back to the base and builds 5 pgens a storrage and moves then somewhere where you can see that it's free

the second engy moves towars the reclaim next to the two-mexes-mountain-cliff, it's essential to get this reclaim fastthis will take a while the engy doesnt need new orders for now, protect that engy by a tank and a scout which should be your 3rd unit (or at least a lab) then build a 2 engys that help your commander building the initial factory, your commander leaves after the initial factory and builds pd in the middle and reclaims, or denies a PD form the other comander, both viable, remember to reclaim the wal before shooting the PD

you 5-7th unit is for example a scout and a tank again that grab the bottom side expansion, note that it often raided so you might want to send more tanks later on, also there is much reclaim

Gerneral things:

- your commander gets dmg'ed too much early on
- no flanking with auroras until you really know what you are doin
- keep auroras on range
ya and rangebots own auroras, you need the long range gun up for the rangebots then and t2 yourself (obsidians) for the t2 tanks that might come
- energy storrage for t2 OC


and t1 arty on sera galaciers with aeon? auroras, np direct counter with UEF it sucks cause t1 bomber sucks you may need hovertanks with Cybran Jester

[Hamstie]

So after playing a lot of matches I got a better feel of the flow of the game. In this replay I really felt in control of the game. I still have troubles understanding when to go for t2 land. In the replay I go for t2 mexes with my excessive mass and do a gun upgrade and a t2 upgrade for com. A good idea ? Should I have spammed more? Teched ? Go heavier on air? Are t2 mexes worth it on such a small map?

Any advice is welcome!

And yeah shep, I was playing UEF on that map . Are UEF bad on naval maps?

[ColonelSheppard]

yes UEF suck on small naval maps where you can abuse auroras and fobos

your expanding is WAY too slow, you need to get out with your com earlier, also you should try to raid a bit, main reclaim was done but rememebr there are more stones than just the big ones

expansion nicely cleared but then you waste your units in the enmy base, at that point you HAVE to build an air fac and scout you enemy so you see the t2 upgrade earlier
overall quite nice