How to play Nomads/against nomads

[Ithilis_Quo]

Because nomads are in many ways a different faction, so i try make a tutorial about how play them, what works, where they are strong and what is their weak point. I'm not best source of information (that is Pip and Brute), but probably highest rating player who play them and try to make them more common. Nomads are not best graphic design, some of their units can be better, and maybe some in future would be, but are great project with many years of development, with total new gameplay, and strategies. Player who decides for nomads can be easily confused, because not everything works as it works for other factions. So main reason of this tutorial is to clarify nomads.
What is primary strategy on playing nomads is build mixed army mixed nomad are strong unmixed are weak, and what is primary strategy to play against nomads is destroy important units in the mix, and crush them.

At first we had this very long time un-updated units database http://www.fa-ladder.com/nomads/db/ many units were totally reworked or softly changed, so it only for some fast review.
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T1 phase
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LAND
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ACU, 10500HP
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different as other in 3 ways:
first: he has 1,6 sec reload time, and does 150 dmg by shot
second: he has overcharge every 5 seconds not 3,3 sec, and doesnt fire one shot for 12 000dmg (2,5AOE), but 10 shots for 1200dmg (1,5 aoe), that means when you OC units what is near end of range and some units stand before, he will hit at first the units before for 1200dmg then second shost smash units after, and etc until final units, if he had enought shots. This happens in real time cca 0,3sec. So nomad OC is on same situation superior (plenty of units stay behind, destroy shield with units under) and on some situations weaker (big reload time, and only 1,5AOE dmg)
Third: he has capacitor mode, that is that battery toggle, when you turn it on, it give you better visual intel, better HP regen, your OC would have 15 000dmg instead of 12K and you leave dmg on place where you fire (DOT), which means when you shoot on unmoved striker, you deal 150dmg, and striker is dmg over time for another 150 damages because it stayed on the place where acu with capacitor fired, that is cca 100% more dmg over 1.5 second.
When you turn your capacitor On it is imposible turn itoff until it consumes all its time. It fills up faster if you have full energy in your storage.

It's very important to know this feature on nomads acu, it can make it in good hand monster. What upgrade he can build:
T2+T3/ orbital bombard -> bombard means that in range 200 around Acu, he can call on mothership in space to fire on place in map, where mother ship fires 10 rocket on cca 4-5AOE and give together 5000dmg, this costs only one minute reload time, and can be countered by enemy TMD, or shield. It can be use as suprise destroing Mex, or better first T2 Pgen, but price is high.

Intel probe+ advance intel probe/gun + advance gun. Intel probe mean that you can once per minute send a probe from mother ship which gives you for some time radar intel on that palce, (range of radar cca 60), advanced means that you have visual intel on that place. More interesting is gun, first gun is 2xrate of fire + range to 28, advanced gun who is not so extremly expensive drain same mounth of mass/energy as first gun but for 3,2minute gain 2x dmg, so with advanced gun nomad ACU has 360DPS (can be combined with capacitor)

bonus speed/regen when not in fight (+1500hp)+power armor 40K hp and regen when not in fight/RAS



When you play against aeon, acu in front is "must to be categorie" : you kill 1 aurora by one shot = 1,6 sec so you save 0,4 seconds compared with other ACU. when you play for aeons against nomads, you need to split your army and dont face acu, nomad has big weaknes against aurora, because poor T1 tank, they can beat you easily by ACU or by gunship, when you would be wise and build some AA with auroras he cant smash you with gunships (2AA is enough for 1gunship) so he must go with ACU, acu can be only one one place, when you split nomad would have serious problem. He can build assasin tank, but it is expensive and not so effective.
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Nomads have plenty of hover units(20%speed penality on water) and are only faction which has hover scout + LAB what can be usefull in early harass on small water maps. On this kind of map it's good to know that their T1 tank is also hover, but aurora is highly dominant so hover ability on this tank is good only against sera artillery, or for simply cross the river.

T1 tank - is medium tank(ehmm worst one - but someone must be worst, why not nomads ), low hp, and fast speed, but mantis has better speed, better hp, and turn rate.

T1 artilery - work as AA too, and in final it is very bad artilery and bad AA but because it is both together it is prety fine unit, which easily wins T1 air for nomads. people can easily spam them and dont lose money when oponents dont build air, because can use them as (poor) artillery.

T1 tank destroyer(assasin) - this is ace in nomad T1 and makes up for poor T1 tank, it costs 60 mass, it's slow, low hp, and brutal unacurate when move (nearly never hits), but has long range 28 (30with anchor) and when anchor has precise accuracy and 300dmg on hit, so destroy every T1 unit on one hit.
This unit can be perfectly use for defense base, or defense position, or kill enemy acu, never try use them for rush or for atack, then it is pure waste.
on atack: you go with your army, stay, provoke oponent and then go back to assasin range their one time fire what mean 1kill for one assasin tank, what nearly pays themself, then go back and do it again. When oponents lose half of army, feel free to crush him. you dont need artillery to destroy turrets because you have 2 more range than t1 turret.
on defense: anchor it behind your factory and use them as long range one shot -kill turet, on anchor mode it has +2 range and better accuracy, and most importantly ignores your order for move, so it stays on place until it is unanchored.
on kill acu: my most favorit use, when you invest 600 mass to build 10 assassins that mean on one salve ACU will take 3000dmg, when you provoke your oponent with acu and he focus your acu and not army, these tanks can pretty easily take him enough dmg that bring you victory on early acu fight

when you play against nomads who use many assasins you have 3 options:
1) is use bomber, it has 150 hp and feel happy to die when is bombed.
2) build artilleries, which have 2 more range than assasin tank and big splash
3) split your army and attack from 2 sides, they have low turn rate, and 9 sec reload time, so when he is building assasin you have more tanks, and after first salve they are useless on that corner fight and you can crush him face to face. face to face nomad have problem because of weak T1 tanks, and acu with only 10500hp
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AIR
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As we know from begin of this article, is that nomad need mix, when you mix you are strong otherwise you easy lose.
Nomads have probably best T1 air, of course again with some specificities.

T1 interceptor- similar as others, has more dps and less hp, slightly worse than others, because on vet gain lower HP

T1 bomber - my love
strong side: it is faster bomber, others have 10 speed Phenix has 11 (10%bonus), it doesnt fire bombs but 4 rockets what means it nearly never miss target. so engineers dont escape b micro. and it deals 280dmg
weak side : but it has lowest HP (-9%hp as average), phenix has only 2,6 AOE dmg (sera/aeon 4) 2,6 it mean you destroy only 2 max 3 tanks on one pass, sera destroy 6 auroras on one pass, or UEF bomber destroy 3 and 2 damage. And Phoenix has 7 seconds reload time (others had 4) what mean phenix is unposible to micro, so you cant fly under enemy base and destroy Pgens as speed2 like to do it, or flying for enginers, you must do long circle.

But for this speed you can be faster on place where you need it, 280 dmg with perfect accuracy can be use for easy dmg important units or as help to overide early acu fight to your side. 5bombers = 400 mass and 1400dmg/pass you do at least 2 pass, so it is cca 3000dmg, what means you can alive with cca 50hp on your ACU but is not as effective to deal with big number T1 army.

T1 gunship: 135mass cost and 4050energy, 45sec build time. 35dps and 350HP, sligthly better manoeuverable than cybran Jester, and can operate only on place where is not more as one mobile T1 AA. can be use for harass engineers, or for unguarded mexies, and is pretty fine against auroras, it has really low HP, so you must operate only on place where you feel safe, but price for 135 mass is great, so it is sneak units for player who like harass, and as counter auroras, when you win air. But cybran jester is many times better.

T1 transport: 25%cheapest, but transports only 4 units, it allows nomads to use it on situations where it is important to be fast, and no matter how many units come with it (for example twin rivers), but are weak in situation when you want to transport bigger amount of units in one time.
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Naval
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cca same as others, slitghly more dps but less HP.

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How to play nomads on T1.
you need to use a mix of land, and air units, because you have plenty of artillery/AA in your army, you can easily win T1 air, this advantage can be for your opponents anoying, with your perfect bomber or gunship you can harass enemy unguarded eco, he must build plenty of mobile AA or go back, you can spread your influence and build better eco. Your land is weaker on face to face fight, so when you dont have predominance dont go on fight, you probably lose, you must be sneaky and provoke your opponent to die on your assassin tanks. Or you can try to snipe your oponent ACU on T1 phase when you make trap with assassin tanks, or gunships. When you had plenty of energy from your air producition, and game is not loking bad for you, can decide stop build air, and build GUN, with capacitator mode is nomad ACU with gun, slithli better as other ACUs with gun, (because 3 differences of nomad ACU) but this decision is very situational.

Next time i will try to look on nomads strongest phase -T2.

I hope i have a litle bit more enlighted nomads, make them more interesting for you and was not boring.

Have Fun and play nomads!

[Ithilis_Quo]

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T2 is phase where is most tactical option so lets look on what nomads offer on they T2
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LAND
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T2 Brute tank - 250 mass for 1750Hp and cca 60dps, very solid, tank something between rhino and pillar, includin artileri suport ability, what mean when you fire with mml, your mml is more accurate.

T2 fast rouge tank - something like basic hoover tank but faster (5 speed) and less armored, ideal unit for fast, very fast raiding. It is as T2 LAB, dont try use it against normal army, you lose hard. But its perfect for raiding hoplite, unguarded mexes, and haras.

T2 MML - this unit is diferent as others mml, it fire 2 missile each for 200dmg and 1,5/2 AOE, if can go and fire underwater, and most important it had extreme width unacurancy, what is best think on that mml. with comparing with others it had low dps, but can be effective use against moving army, especialy T1 what smash as hell. What is bad that against PD it is half that good as other.
When you play nomads, and oponent is technology behing this is perfect against T1 spam or when is abuse hoplite/mongoos build this mml with EMP tank.
when you play against nomad, and he is build plenty of mml, you will kick him with hover tank or with basic T2 tanks. it is strong only against low HP units and it is ridiculous unaccurate, in some salve is hard to desribe how unaccurate it is .

T2 EMP tank - this tank is skelet of T3 army, one of the most important units in nomad army, it cost many (300mass) have 15dps (140 against shield) and 35 range and EMP for 2,5-0,625 sec by shot, one emp can stun 1 T2 tank or 3emp can stun 1 T3tank. it doesnt stun units with/under shiled, but heavy dmg shield. It is as T2 absolver with EMP.
when play as nomad : dont forget mix this unit to your army, nomad had no shiled and this would destroy enemy shiled easyli, when you turn bombard mode you slowly whole enemy army. nomads dont had tank units on T3 but EMP tank can stun/slow enemy force and you can smash him from range. EMP tank is also perfect for force atack enemy base/firebase, it stun structure too, so you can easy disable enemy turest as medusa can.
when play against nomad : when you see enemy had plenty of EMP care about number of shiled you build, when he had 5 emp in mix it disable mobile shield after 4-5sec, so it is faster as you come on range. dont build only T2/T3 units you must build mix army as target fot this tanks, many and cheaper units are mutch more effective, obsidian and sera smal chicken in front is very bad idea. This tank is pretty expensive and nearly dont do any dmg, know it and use your oponent less firepower against your him.

T2 flak - fire 3 shots with less aoe as others, better against farther group of air units, less effective against closed group.

T2 field enginer - have radar/sonar 50range (can be boost for few second to 75range), can build only firebase, and have TMD, half effective as static tmd but mobile, what is pretty nice for defend mexes against tml and use them as enginering station (+30% buildpower = 17,5) have anchor function what mean you dont mark/move him. and is pretty good for reclaim after-party , and as mobile radar and tmd defense your ACU special against sneaky enemy acu with tml who is trying snipe you in fight

T1 tank destroer: It is T1 units but is important on T2 too, against T2 oponents who dont target this sneaky snipers manualy can be painfully oponent, T2 pilar get dont on one salve by 5 snipers, that mean 50% more mass, but you have biger range and in many situation your T1 sniper are in back and can fire more than once. when oponents have some important and expensive T2 units, stun him and easy kill with snipers. This tank is irreplaceable when you face enemy ACU.
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AIR
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T2 gunship - worst and best gunship, and all together. why worst - because cost 20% more with same stats as others
why best, because have torpedos with similar dmg as torpedo bombers. This gunship need spesific situation where can be perfect, otherwise is worst against naval whitout solid AA have 2x dmg as torpedo bomber, but against navy with normal AA it is as effective as torp bomber who cost 20% more. For what it is perfect is kiling ACU in water map. he dont escape you and you can continue fire underwater.

T2 bomber - second best bomber beyond cybran corsairs. same as T1 bomber T2 is litle bit faster, but speed diferences is not that hight normal is 15, nomads is 16. It have perfect accurate AA misile, who nearly never miss (home missile and continue chase enemy when is beyond spidfire too), and 2 salve on ground, first misile, 0,3sec later second and more dangerous bombs, what together do 1400dmg, but probably not all you hit, it is easyr to dodge as corsair but much faster as sera/uef one. I love this bomber and corsair are some time jealouse on this one. It is compensation for torpedo gunship, what is good only in rare situation.
As nomad: you can use him for snipe, or destroy enemy eco, as all other T2 bomber, but this one work, not as sera/uef one.
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NAVAL
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Pride of nomad are T2 navy, this navy rely need your attention because whitotou micro and good mixing you lose hard, very hard, but when you do things right you can rape your oponent for ragaquit and simply saying "nomads too OP" For nomads navy you need mix more like everything else, whitotu destro you lose against enemy direct fire naval, whitout cruiser you lose against enemy direct fire naval, and air, and whitotu railgun you lose against subs. When you have all you are strong

T2 destroer: 70range, 1,5 aoe litle faster(more accurate shots, 15%) only 6400 hp, and only maincanon with less dmg as others main canon, had any topedo, and any topr defense. But have bombard mode (fire faster and unacurate)
As nomad: you must use your range, and accuranci when is batle go more face to face, dont wory and go in, when you turn bombard mode you had superior DPS but need to be realy near for dont miss so many shots, when you are face to face you have 40% more dps and can kik enemy ass. but be aware for sups, no torpedos, no torp defense. It is also best destroer for bombard coast, best AOE solid range and brutal force of bombard mode.
against nomads: it is easy, lowe hp, low dps, and any anti-subs/torpedo defense, use your subs and he do 0dmg to you, most easy it is for serafin, thay can submerged destro, emerge near cruiser destroy him and by torpedo smash destroer. only problem for you is railgun who is against subs superior. It is better cooper who destroy torpedos by simply fire.

T2 railgun: each shot destroy some torpedos on place where shots come to target = work as torp defense too, but only if shot on right target. have 60 range, what is many, so you can easy outrange enemy subs, and smash him from range.
against nomads: against enemy destroers it had low hp and low dps. superior only against subs.

T2 cruiser: solid AA, and EMP boat with 1 sec stun by shot for T2 units, that mean one boat can stun cca 50% action of one T2 boat, it is only way how you can stay and win naval fight, whitotou this boat you have no chance, with oponents would rage. Also this cruiser have one missile (300dmg) what is homing, so you can do some dmg with him too, but nothing drastac.
as nomads: you need this ships have in safe place, most important are on beginig of T2 naval, you can easy destroy enemy destroer because he would be on stun, and reclaim, but you need something before cruiser as tank, destroers, or plenty of T1 frigate
against nomads: cruiser is your primar objects, when you can kill enemy cruiser you win naval. best options against nomad navy is mix submerged units for unprepared oponents (who dont build that many railgun boat) and plenty of T1 frigate who can fire on cruiser when primar force (destro) would be on stun. when you kill it nomad destro is crap. with cruiser nomad destro kik your ass on 1000 meter wide hole.
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ACU
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On T2 you have some new option, depend on whiht strategy you chose, nomads have one of best battle acu, and low hp is not problem for him.

Gun + advance gun :gun upgrade cost normal 800mas, and double rate of fire and range, advance gun cost 1500 mass and 45 000energy, what is -350e for 2minute +something = not so big pain how it can looks like. advance gun take you double dmg = 360dps. You must know on whith situation you are and it is cost effective for you. It is cca 30% effective as is serafin master gun but cheaper and posible to build on T2.

rapid repair: + 3500 hp and very solitd regen (cca+100/sec) if 15sec not in fight, for 1000mass it is very good price for early fight acu. you can upgrade it on nomad nano, what mean acu with 40 000hp someting as sefarine style, but with less hp, and less regen who is only out of fight. and this thing cost 3000 mass so it is for T3 stage.

locomotor: cost 650 mas and give you +50% speed = 2->3 this upgrade have only one problem, and that is: lokomotor is on back, so you have more hp or speed, and more armor and regen is mostly more important as bonus speed, but when you dont have 420e/sec for rapid repair and want some early bust, speed is nice to run on enemy acu, and run out from problems, he cant catch you with acu, and T1/t2 tanks are only slithli faster as you are, so you have more time to get some reinforsments

intel probe : when you decide dont move acu from base and stay in safe, you can invest 600 + 1200 mass to probe and advance probe, what is satelite with cca 60range radar for every place in map, whit decay after 35 sec and reachard every 60sec. or advance satelite what is visual intel on same place.

Orbital bombardment: this upgrade mean that you can bombard some place on 200 range from acu with 10 tml where each do cca 500dmg on cca 4-5 Aoe, bombard cost you only time (60sec reacharg) this upgrade is expensive but when you deside for it is easy for you destroy enemy mexies, or PDs, or early unshiledet T2 Pgen, enemy need plenty of tmd, or schield mexis, what is anoing. I personaly hope that this upgrade would be changet, but hight price make them nearly not used.
against nomad: when enemy has this upgrade then you need at least mobile shiled on your mexies, this upgrade is something like acu TML but have lesser range 200 vs 256, and tmd are not so effective against, but what is good against is dont allow enemy acu go on range your mexes, and def only mexes what are near oponents.


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So again, primar strategy for nomads on T2 is mix mix mix, you cant and you dont win when would play "standard" one units show tactic. this on nomads simply doesnt work. And when you play against nomad principe is same, because they mix, you need mix too, not so many as nomad but whitout mix, you are on shorter side. On T2 is for nomads air less important as on T1 thay have perfect bomber, but strongest T2 land, and potencial naval, so is better focus on this places.

Have nice day, no luck when you face my in game, and play nomads.