Forged Alliance Forever Forged Alliance Forever Forums 2013-06-14T15:37:15+02:00 /feed.php?f=57&t=4193 2013-06-14T15:37:15+02:00 2013-06-14T15:37:15+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=46203#p46203 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Patton wrote:
It should NOT receive jamming because the whole purpose of putting your nuke on a submarine is to HIDE it (they have names like "plan B" and "ace" for a reason). If you give it jamming it will be much more noticeable and vulnerable


I agree 100%. Stealth on Cybran strat subs is long overdue, but other intel abilities on other factions' subs are inappropriate. Not every unit needs to be crammed full of extras.


Also, I'm not too keen on the nuke range decrease for strategic submarines. I just really do not see the purpose of it. They are strategic missile submarines because you are not supposed to have to fight a tactical engagement to use them. Your opponent is supposed to have to find them and chase them down to neutralize them, not just patrol off his coast and wait for them to sail into range. I don't understand how cutting their nuke range by almost two-thirds is supposed to make them a more attractive, better, or more balanced choice in any way.

It is already time-consuming enough to use strategic missile subs on an 81x81 with their current range. (As in 5+ minutes of cruising time just to get in range.) Dropping the range so drastically will make that even more frustrating, and make them even more vulnerable to attack as they try to get in range. There's just no reason for it.


EDIT: Also, if we are going to drop the strat sub's range, is there any way to make the missile flight time shorter? That would at least give it a 'surprise attack' type of characteristic. If it were a ballistic projectile rather than flying all the way straight up, across, then all the way back down.

Statistics: Posted by Mycen — 14 Jun 2013, 15:37


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2013-06-14T10:13:54+02:00 2013-06-14T10:13:54+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=46180#p46180 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Firewall wrote:
2. As for strategic subs. They were much more useful as a TM Launching platform in Vanilla SC, because, the missiles used to track their targets. Which gave a very interesting naval warfare dynamic of "cat and mouse". With destroyers and T1 subs hunting down T3 missile subs, which could fire from range, and sink the destroyers with their missiles. With non-tracking missiles, T3 missile subs were effectively useless for anti-naval operations. They currently only have a limited application for sniping static targets. Which is not to be underestimated, because they are invulnerable to T2 Coastal artillery. They can operate within these contested waters, when other bombardment solutions might draw fire... They still have a role, but it was mostly ruined when FA was introduced.

If the Cybran T3 sub is to receive stealth, could other countermeasures be applied to the other factions? Such as Torp defense for Aeon, and Sonar Jamming for UEF? As a way of developing equivalence within the framework of factional diversity.


the Cybran t3 sub has stealth b/c that is their gimmick. If the Aeon get Torp defense, then the UEF t3 sub should get torps or some other extra weapon. It should NOT receive jamming because the whole purpose of putting your nuke on a submarine is to HIDE it (they have names like "plan B" and "ace" for a reason). If you give it jamming it will be much more noticeable and vulnerable

Statistics: Posted by Patton — 14 Jun 2013, 10:13


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2013-06-14T09:43:32+02:00 2013-06-14T09:43:32+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=46176#p46176 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Golol wrote:
if you build blaze, you are wasting mass except if it is for naval use.
anything owns your blaze. t1, heavy tanks and i havent tested it yet but i think also rocket bots can take care of blazes.
if they can in any way then aeon basically doesnt have a counter to them.
if obsidians with shields beat anything that doesnt have range or isnt t1 it doesnt mean the shields need to get weaker.
a obsidian shield army should be a moving fortress that you cant just attack with your army but you have to weaken it with rocketbots and finish it with t1 spam.
as a seraphim, when facing an obsidian army you should take care to use your range to get down the shields. withot shields the obsidians wont stand a chance against the chickenbots


This doesn't agree with my general experience with Aeon T2. Aeon have 3 T2 Options: Asylum, Blaze and Obsidian. Of these the Blaze has a couple of advantages.
1. It does not need power for upkeep
2. It can go with the Aurora on water
3. It has the same firing range as the Aurora

While the Blaze damage output for cost is not that impressive. It's HP are. Essentially, the Blaze is a run in T2 unit for the early T2 phase. When power is at a premium, and you need something a bit heaver. It is microed exactly like an Aurora, so there is no conflict in army management. It's job is to work with the Aurora and tank damage. A job which it does well... It is also the unit of choice in an Aeon mirror match. As the obsidian will get out ranged and massively overkill Aurora. The use of the Blaze in early T2 is dicated, not by it's stats, but by the need to keep Aurora effective.

Eventrually, Aeon will convert into a full T2 assault force, with Obsidians as the primary unit. But Obsidian micro is different to Blaze micro - they do not mix well.

Statistics: Posted by Hawkei — 14 Jun 2013, 09:43


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2013-06-14T05:55:03+02:00 2013-06-14T05:55:03+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=46170#p46170 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Zock wrote:
Among other rarly build units there are some that i really never see. I'd propose changes to rhino, strat subs, and the aeon intel upgrade. The last one is actually usefull vs cybran t2, but i think it would be nice if it would be usefull more often. Generaly, i'd like to see not only gun/t2 beeing the only viable earlygame upgrades.

For the rhino, there are imho two roles it can fit well:

a) A heavy (its also called "heavy tank", so i would favor this), slow, strong, very much like the obsidian (mass for mass, 1v1 its cheaper and weaker, but this can aswell change, doesnt matter), a little bit weaker vs t2 (but still good), but stronger vs t1. The wagner would complete it as fast, but not so strong (especcially vs t1) tank.

b) A light t1 killer tank, cheap and fast, but not so good vs t2. The wagner would complete it as expensive t2 killer, also fast. The rhino would compete a little bit with hoplites, another reason why i'd favor a).

Values for a)

- Rhino : 1850 HP, 100 DPS, turret turn speed = 120 (from 90). Speed = 3 (from 3.2) Same veterancy and cost as Wagner (7). (few adjustments made since first post)
-Wagner stays the same as now.

I would like to test theese, i think this won't be the final values however.

-------------------------

Second, the stratsubs. Their nukes are more expensive then normal nukes and weaker, while a normal nuke can almost always do the same job better. They are good for nuking navys, but i think pip made some nice suggestions that would make them some less crap, without changing them too drasticly.


For all strat subs : standard nuke price (same as nuke launchers, but they still do only 25000 damages per nuke) :
BuildCostEnergy = 1350000 (from 1764000)
BuildCostMass = 12000 (from 16800)
BuildTime = 324000 (from 453600)
- range reduced to 90-400 (from 128-1024)

- Cybran Strat sub : stealth ability added, maintenance = 200, tac missile range increased from 150 to 200
- UEF strat sub : tac missile range increased to 175 (from 128), missile hp increased to 3 (from 2), because it shoots only one missile at a time
- Aeon strat sub : tac missile range increased to 175 (from 128), missile hp increased to 3 (from 2), because it shoots only one missile at a time

Sera Battleship Nuke cost = same as previous strat sub cost:
BuildCostEnergy = 1764000, (from 1920000)
BuildCostMass = 16800 (from 19200)
BuildTime = 453600 (518400)
- Damage Reduced to 25000 (from 70000), same as strat subs
- range of nuke reduced to 90-410 (from 128-1024)


--------------------------------------

For the aeon intel upgrade isn't much to say. I'd decrease the cost a lot and see if people would prefer it to the gun upgrade in earlygame sometimes. The upgrade isn't bad afterall, but as long as its almost as expensive as gun, its outclassed.

- Enhanced Sensor Systemcost reduction : mass cost = 400 (from 750), energy cost = 10000 (from 12500), build time = 500 (from 625).

(for compare the somewhat similar cybran stealth: Back Personal Stealth Generator (mass: 350, energy: 5250 (-50), buildtime: 350))


The nano upgrade from uef and sera regen are also not used upgrades, but i can't tell anything about this, nor suggest anything. Pip did, i will just post his ideas here for beeing complete:

Seraphim ACU:
- Restoration field 1 range increased to 22 (from 15) = same as default gun range ; Restoration field level 2 range increased to 30 (from 25)=same as gun upgrade range.
- Chronotron Refractor mass cost reduced to 3500 mass (from 4500), adds 400 damages instead of 300.

UEF ACU:
Nano upgrade : 1000 mass, 40000 energy, 1000 buildtime, 70hp / sec regeneration.

(yes i abuse pips values for the suggestions :D)


1. TBH, I have always found the Rhino and Wagner role definitions in FA to be a little vague. Futhermore, the role of the Rhino as a T1 killer has some overlap with the Hopplite. The Wagner on the other hand overtook the Rhino in HP and DPS, to effectively become the Cybrans main T2 battle tank. Even though it is amphibious and in contradiction with its implied role as a raiding unit. Perhaps the Rhino, because it is not amphibious, should be re-instated as the main battle tank, for T2 armies. As it stands, the HP need to be increased, and DPS also slightly increased, by increasing the firing rate.

2. As for strategic subs. They were much more useful as a TM Launching platform in Vanilla SC, because, the missiles used to track their targets. Which gave a very interesting naval warfare dynamic of "cat and mouse". With destroyers and T1 subs hunting down T3 missile subs, which could fire from range, and sink the destroyers with their missiles. With non-tracking missiles, T3 missile subs were effectively usless for anti-naval operations. They currently only have a limited application for sniping static targets. Which is not to be underestimated, because they are invunerable to T2 Costal artillery. They can operate within these contested waters, when other bombardment solutions might draw fire... They still have a role, but it was mostly ruined when FA was introduced.

If the Cybran T3 sub is to recieve stealth, could other countermeasures be applied to the other factions? Such as Torp defense for Aeon, and Sonar Jamming for UEF? As a way of developing equivalence within the framework of factional diversity.

3. The Aeon ACU Intel upgrade is incredibly useful when combined with the range gun upgrade. It is the preferable upgrade to get when facing a Cybran Monkeylord. As most of the damage is dealt with the OC cannon, and it is more important to get an Omni fix on the ML, which is stealthed. Generally, this is the upgrade I get when my ACU is at home, and doing nothing. It is extra security against sneak attacks. It is good value for money with the current costs. (The problem is that most players don't appreciate the value of intel). :)

Statistics: Posted by Hawkei — 14 Jun 2013, 05:55


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2013-06-08T10:14:35+02:00 2013-06-08T10:14:35+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45511#p45511 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> do shadows changes to rhino and give the wagner 85 or 90 dps and 1350 or 1400 health. if this wagner is built over the rhino then the riptide would be built over the pillar.
speed doesnt make such a huge difference in most battles since the wagners cant really kite.
this change is not as drastic as other ones.
only cybran needs to be changed.
maybe this change is not good enough but i think rather this should be tested than such big changes

Statistics: Posted by Golol — 08 Jun 2013, 10:14


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2013-06-05T17:31:23+02:00 2013-06-05T17:31:23+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45205#p45205 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Nombringer wrote:
Okay, replay with rhino's in actuall games coming out in a few hours.

@Shadow I completely agree with the change. I was just annoyed because you suggested they were overbuilt and overpowered, while proposing only a slight buff to rhino counter that, but it's all over now so I'm just going to try and get some replays


Cool, looking forward to replays. My only issue with Zock's plan is that he wants to use the Wagner as the centrepiece of T2 balance, not the Pillar. IE - If the Wagner is still used more, it's not the Wagner in the wrong, it's everything else around it... Which can indeed come out with a good result, but I can't help feeling it will mean more changes than are strictly necessary.

Statistics: Posted by IceDreamer — 05 Jun 2013, 17:31


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2013-06-05T15:04:26+02:00 2013-06-05T15:04:26+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45196#p45196 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
@Shadow I completely agree with the change. I was just annoyed because you suggested they were overbuilt and overpowered, while proposing only a slight buff to rhino counter that, but it's all over now so I'm just going to try and get some replays

Statistics: Posted by Nombringer — 05 Jun 2013, 15:04


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2013-06-05T14:53:30+02:00 2013-06-05T14:53:30+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45195#p45195 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> Statistics: Posted by IceDreamer — 05 Jun 2013, 14:53


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2013-06-05T14:12:13+02:00 2013-06-05T14:12:13+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45188#p45188 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> anything owns your blaze. t1, heavy tanks and i havent tested it yet but i think also rocket bots can take care of blazes.
if they can in any way then aeon basically doesnt have a counter to them.
if obsidians with shields beat anything that doesnt have range or isnt t1 it doesnt mean the shields need to get weaker.
a obsidian shield army should be a moving fortress that you cant just attack with your army but you have to weaken it with rocketbots and finish it with t1 spam.
as a seraphim, when facing an obsidian army you should take care to use your range to get down the shields. withot shields the obsidians wont stand a chance against the chickenbots

Statistics: Posted by Golol — 05 Jun 2013, 14:12


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2013-06-05T13:59:10+02:00 2013-06-05T13:59:10+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45186#p45186 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
ShadowKnight wrote:
Zock wrote:And if you now increase your 1200 hp by 50%, because cost increased by 50%, you will end up by 1800 hp. Oh wait..thats very close to the 1850 hp i gave them. This can't be correct..


Point taken. :?

Even so, in my testing a mixed, microed Cybran army loses to and mixed unmicroed Aeon one, despite the 1v1 battles now being fairly balanced across the board in every combination. My micro is by no means perfect or even remotely good, but I need suggestions for toning Aeon down. To my mind Pip's looking right at the mobile shields is exactly the right move. Without them, Aeon had trouble, but replace a few Obsidian with Shields and Blaze, and the army becomes very, very strong...

Oh, and my Wagner change was right on the money, they are no longer favourable for a combat role, losing convincingly to their own mass in Rhinos, but much faster and amphibious, exactly what they should be.

I shall continue testing, then post my entire suite of results here, along with the final changes I made.


Well, rhinos beat blaze, blaze beat rocketbots, obsidians beat rhinos, and rocketbot beats obsidian (if they have enough room to kite, what you don't have too often actually).

But you can use the rhinos vs obsidians anyway, you rarly have even numbers in fights. You could try to mix wagners to split under the shields and snipe them. With the old speed, rhinos could kite obsidians, i think it's not possible anymore, but its worth a try. Rhinos could get back to 3 speed aswell, if needed that they do a little bit better vs obsidian. But before i need to see how good the shields really became..from the values they look quite strong now, but shields aren't easy to evaluate, and will need some more real games to test for me.

But this is not the correct topic to discuss aeon or shields.

Statistics: Posted by Zock — 05 Jun 2013, 13:59


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2013-06-05T13:49:35+02:00 2013-06-05T13:49:35+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45185#p45185 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> hoe about just not changing so much and giving the rhino 50 hp?
and proportionally increasing health and damage with cost doesnt mean balanced.
imagine a pillar would have the damage and health of 4 strikers.
100 dps and 1200 health

Statistics: Posted by Golol — 05 Jun 2013, 13:49


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2013-06-05T13:57:38+02:00 2013-06-05T13:30:59+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45182#p45182 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Zock wrote:
And if you now increase your 1200 hp by 50%, because cost increased by 50%, you will end up by 1800 hp. Oh wait..thats very close to the 1850 hp i gave them. This can't be correct..


Point taken. :?

Even so, in my testing a mixed, microed Cybran army loses to and mixed unmicroed Aeon one, despite the 1v1 battles now being fairly balanced across the board in every combination. My micro is by no means perfect or even remotely good, but I need suggestions for toning Aeon down. To my mind Pip's looking right at the mobile shields is exactly the right move. Without them, Aeon had trouble, but replace a few Obsidian with Shields and Blaze, and the army becomes very, very strong...

Oh, and my Wagner change was right on the money, they are no longer favourable for a combat role, losing convincingly to their own mass in Rhinos, but much faster and amphibious, exactly what they should be.

I shall continue testing, then post my entire suite of results here, along with the final changes I made.

Statistics: Posted by IceDreamer — 05 Jun 2013, 13:30


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2013-06-05T13:29:21+02:00 2013-06-05T13:29:21+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45181#p45181 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> maybe give the rhino 1 speed and slow pillar projectile.
and then change the wagner. it doesnt need punching power to kill outlying mexes and engineers. none of the other amphibious tanks has such punching power

Statistics: Posted by Golol — 05 Jun 2013, 13:29


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2013-06-05T12:53:37+02:00 2013-06-05T12:53:37+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45178#p45178 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]> Statistics: Posted by Zock — 05 Jun 2013, 12:53


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2013-06-05T12:42:00+02:00 2013-06-05T12:42:00+02:00 /viewtopic.php?t=4193&p=45176#p45176 <![CDATA[Re: unbuilt units]]>
Pitting 3625 Pillar VS Rhino, 20 VS 20 in a straight no micro fight. For the extra speed, we want Rhinos to lose with 2 Pillar remaining, damaged.

Fight 1: 5 Pillar
Fight 2: 10 Pillar
Fight 3: 8 Pillar
Fight 4: 7 Pillar
Fight 5: 9 Pillar

I was wrong: The Rhino was definitely too weak. So, I load up the mod. The speed gets a 0.1 boost which has no impact in a static battle, the only change of any relevance being what all of you consider a worthless, tiny 50HP increase from 1150 to 1200. To my shock, these were the results:

Fight 1: 3 Rhino
Fight 2: 7 Pillar
Fight 3: 2 Rhino
Fight 4: 1 Rhino
Fight 5: 4 Rhino

Just 50 HP, and the entire battle shifts in favour of the Rhinos. It turns out that the break-even point is 1190HP on the Rhino.

Statistics: Posted by IceDreamer — 05 Jun 2013, 12:42


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