When is "Stealth" Viable?

[Goldy3]

Just like the title, when is Stealth viable? I keep on hearing Cybran is the weakest faction. I'm assuming they're the weakest is because their more stealth based. Yet stealth becomes less viable as people get T3 Omni and T3 Spy Planes while shields are great for the whole entirety of the game.

So when is a good opportunity to use Stealth? Mobile Stealth and Base Defense Stealth

[IceDreamer]

1: Cybran are arguably the strongest faction
2: Stealth is awesome

[E8400-CV]

It's very viable. Omni range is very small. Especially if your team is already thing on air control the Cybran stealth bombers can easier sneak in to kill a crucial smd for example.

I've lost to Cybran stealth bombers in the past while having air control and a superior eco. It's because I suck at scouting. When your ASF are in the wrong place and your omni is where your SMD is... you have very little time to react.

[ZLO_RD]

it is kinda dissapointing when you use stealth alot and then watch replay and see that enemy didn't had radar...

when stealth is Viable? imho it is viable when enemy has radar... does not really matter what exactly you hide, stealth will preven your opponent from tracking what you are doing and that can help ALOT
also it can decrease enemy units effective attack range in battle

Edit: turrets start tracking target before enemy unit comes in range, so even is unit vision range = unit attack range, stealth will do some difference

[Golol]

so ignoring radar is the counter to stealth xD?

[Herbert]

Just like the title, when is Stealth viable? I keep on hearing Cybran is the weakest faction. I'm assuming they're the weakest is because their more stealth based. Yet stealth becomes less viable as people get T3 Omni and T3 Spy Planes while shields are great for the whole entirety of the game.

So when is a good opportunity to use Stealth? Mobile Stealth and Base Defense Stealth

Cybran are the strongest and most versatile faction.

With stealth you can put a mobile stealth inside a t2 transporter making it invisible to t1/t2 radar along with its other contents.

The acu has 2 stealth upgrades which if dont before they get an omni up will mean forwards bases and ground units can't target you.

When trying t3 bomber snipes you can stealth them too meaning they only have the time they enter into an inner omni range to react. This allows you to achieve complete surprise especially if you create a distraction somewhere else on the map.

Your Monkeylords have stealth so they only appear when they enter the inner range of an omnil. This is good when sneaking them underwater for attacking a beach head.

Then ontop of all that the ML is the fastest experimental to rush, you have t1 gunships for early raiding, you have mantis which are good for raiding, you have telemazer (which shouldn't just be used as a last ditch attempt to pull back a game but a mid-game tactic), bricks are good on water, you have t2 subhunters and your destroyers can go on land.

If you dont think Cybran are the best faction then you havent figured out yet how to play to their strengths.

[E8400-CV]

The wiki says omni includes sonar... but afaik it does not.

The telemazor thing reminds of a Setons game I did last week. We were in serious trouble: I believe it was 2 v 4. Enemy air just finished a Aeon rapid fire arty that we did nuke. Then I teleported in and lasered the ACU. After that straight on to next ACU, where a Mavor was almost done; the 3rd ACU was there too. I didn't get out in time, but the last remaining ally didn't have to fight long; the last enemy gave up

[ZLO_RD]

The wiki says omni includes sonar... but afaik it does not.

Omni can detect any unit, with no exeptions (sealth subs and double stealth acu under water will be detected too)

[Plasma_Wolf]

The options with stealth are endless. For land, you suddenly have range to,your advantage. The hoplites are already the highest range direct combat units (along with the mongoose) until T3 shows up. With stealth, your enemy suddenly has to chance units he can't see. Additionally, stealth hoplites out range T2 Pd on the basis of vision range. The ACU with range and stealth upgrade has the same advantage. I'm not including cloak here because that's a late-game tactic, should be used with the microwave laser and is neverused in 1v1 games (maybe in the really long ones).

With the T2 mobile stealth gen, you can bring in 5 T2 engies that cAn build a secret base behind enemy lines. You can use this in any way you want. Build a lot of rhinos to attack the base. Do that and add a couple of TMLs. Or you can just go to T3 and do the same thing with loyalists or Bricks. It should be noted that this is a useful tactic if you're facing an otherwise undefeatable defence. If the mass spent on the T2 or T3 factories can just as we'll be used on MMLs or Trebuchets that do break the defence with. Intimate losses in an enemy counterattack, then the stealth base is still viable but not required.

A third option is to use bombers (without stealth) to lure enemy ASFs away from their base. With no additional AA, the air battle will become a lot easier for you and in the meantime, you can send bombers (with stealth) to attack the base. Additional options are to lure the enemy ASFs over your own AA base or over some cruisers. Mermaids and T3 sonar are your friend here. When the enemy retreats, tailgate with your own ASFs, which are (of course) also stealth.

[Nombringer]

If you dont think Cybran are the best faction then you havent figured out yet how to play to their strengths.

Thats plain wrong.

They are good for sure, but the factions are far too close to pick a clear best, and far too map dependant.