Main differences between the races

[sasin]

Hey guys,

From reading the old forged alliance wiki, I felt like I had a grasp of what units were considered the strongest for each race and which were really popular. For example, the Aeon Restorer, the Sera t2 bot, the UEF t1 mobile arty, the cybran mantis, and the cybran and UEF "t 3.5" bots. Now, I notice the restorer has been nerfed, but the other units have not, I think. Are these still "signature" units for the races?

More generally, what are the signature units and strengths of each race? Maybe broken down by tech level? Is there a conventional wisdom about which t2 bots are the most effective? T3 bots/tanks?

[Beej]

Hey,

Things are largely the same, just units which were imbalanced have been adjusted. Latest patch values are in the Unit Database:
http://faforever.com/faf/unitsDB/
Generally the signature units are still good, but better balance does encourage more diverse armies.

[Eukanuba]

In very general terms:

UEF: not brilliant at anything, but good at defence and are generally able to deal with any problem, but not as efficiently as some other races. Jack of all trades, often best for new players. Best options for turtling.

Cybran: Fast, good at hit and run. Bad at defence so should constantly be harassing the enemy. Stealth abilities if used correctly can be devastating.

Aeon: Units focussed on being good at one specific thing, and terrible at everything else. Need a lot of micro and babysitting, but in the hands of a good player can be nearly unstoppable. The Restorer is good at everything and needs no micro, so why it got put as an Aeon unit is anyone's guess.

Seraphim: Limited selection of units but have all bases covered. Strongest shields in the game, very hard hitting T2 bots, you could perhaps sum them up by describing them as a bulldozer race. Also putting their scout on hold fire and parking it on a mass point is amusing.

[sasin]

In very general terms:

UEF: not brilliant at anything, but good at defence and are generally able to deal with any problem, but not as efficiently as some other races. Jack of all trades, often best for new players. Best options for turtling.

Cybran: Fast, good at hit and run. Bad at defence so should constantly be harassing the enemy. Stealth abilities if used correctly can be devastating.

Aeon: Units focussed on being good at one specific thing, and terrible at everything else. Need a lot of micro and babysitting, but in the hands of a good player can be nearly unstoppable. The Restorer is good at everything and needs no micro, so why it got put as an Aeon unit is anyone's guess.

Seraphim: Limited selection of units but have all bases covered. Strongest shields in the game, very hard hitting T2 bots, you could perhaps sum them up by describing them as a bulldozer race. Also putting their scout on hold fire and parking it on a mass point is amusing.

Thanks Eukanaba!

I have a follow up question for you, or anyone else who wants to answer. What is seraphim's weakness, or is it just a matter of missing some of the strength's that other races have? I'm still very new, but it seems like their t1 mobile arty is the best, their t1 scout is the best, their t2 bots are the most powerful (are they also more expensive or something?), and their t3 tank is an absolute bulldozer. I always try to tech, so I've rarely been in a game where I'm battling t3 bots against t3 bots (I either lose, or have othum's against lower tech stuff and run rampant). Are the other t3 units more cost efficient? The t3 arty seems like more or less a wash, the experimentals are even (?), the t1 tanks are pretty even, t3 bombers are even, their t2 bomber is the best if anything.. what am I missing? I realize cybran get's stealth etc.

[sasin]

Hey,

Things are largely the same, just units which were imbalanced have been adjusted. Latest patch values are in the Unit Database:
http://faforever.com/faf/unitsDB/
Generally the signature units are still good, but better balance does encourage more diverse armies.

Thanks, I saw that database, and I used that to see which units had changed and which hadn't. My question about the signature units was more about if races still have "signature" units and if so what those are. For example, is it common for sera players to rush t2 because of their bot? Do cybran players often go heavier on mantis spam then other races do? Are aeon players likely to rush t3 because of their t3 bot? Do Cybran players often focus on air dominance early to take advantage of the jester? Which units are most commonly built, form the backbone of their various armies (obviously everyone builds t1 tanks, but beyond that)? Which ones define the strategies for their various factions?

Or, do people more or less pursue the same mix of units and tech at the same rate regardless of faction (aside from cybran players being a bit more aggressive earliy)?

[ColonelSheppard]

while i'm pretty sure aeon never rushed t3 cause of their bot to everything no
ofc you spam mantis as cybran but not more that you would spam strikers as UEF
and ofc jester and t2 bots are also good, but nothing you "rush"

the unitmix is so different from player to player, i wont make big guesses here
cybran is not more agreesive normally

[Eukanuba]

What is seraphim's weakness, or is it just a matter of missing some of the strength's that other races have? I'm still very new, but it seems like their t1 mobile arty is the best, I realize cybran get's stealth etc.

Sera T1 arty is best in most cases, but UEF is massively front-loaded (600 damage per shot), so UEF is best for arty drops and decimating bases - this tactic works from early to late game due to the sheer damage caused by the initial shot, the very late game equivalent is to load a T3 Continental Transport with six Percivals (if you succeed in the drop then you have probably won). Aeon arty is fast firing which has its advantages over the others, in that it can damage more targets in a shorter space of time. Cybran arty is mostly useless but its freeze ability is perhaps underrated.

their t1 scout is the best,

No, it's a tradeoff. In order to have a better scout, the Seraphim have no light assault bots. The Sera scout is ill-suited to raiding and this is a big disadvantage early game. The cloaking ability has a lot of potential though, and obviously it can kill any other scouts with ease (but they are usually accompanied by LABs or tanks so not as useful as it sounds).

their t2 bots are the most powerful (are they also more expensive or something?), and their t3 tank is an absolute bulldozer.

They serve a different role to the other T2 bots. The UEF and Cybran T2 bots are high speed and high range, and are best used kiting enemies. The Sera t2 bot is slower (and more powerful) than the other factions' T2 tanks, so really it's a bot only in name. On paper the Aeon Obsidian heavy T2 tank is slightly better, but how this holds up in a real game I don't know.

I always try to tech, so I've rarely been in a game where I'm battling t3 bots against t3 bots (I either lose, or have othum's against lower tech stuff and run rampant). Are the other t3 units more cost efficient?

If you play 1v1 you will need to adjust your playstyle and progress through the techs more slowly. As for cost efficiency, I think T3 land is all roughly equal, but I base this on the lack of complaints about balance rather than any actual studying of the figures. Sera are limited in their number of units which is one of the things that puts me off playing them. The Othuum is very powerful, but unlike UEF or Cybran it is your only option for heavy T3. As UEF or Cybran you have access to the light-T3 bots, the Titan and the Loyalist. These are relatively cheap and extremely fast, so in most cases you would want to make these before heavy-T3 bots (Percival and Brick).

The t3 arty seems like more or less a wash,

Mobile t3 arty? There are minor differences between the factions, but the T3 arty is a very specific-use weapon, used for sieging shields and firebases, so the differences are pretty much irrelevant.

the experimentals are even (?),

Sera have a limited selection (as with everything, it's almost as if they were a half-finished race tacked on after all the others ), but the T4 assault bot is arguably the best direct-attack land experimental (compared to Monkeylord and Galactic Collosus). The T4 bomber is potentially awesome, but in reality you need air dominance to use it and this means that strat bombers would probably be a better option. However I assume that in 1v1 where the ASF forces never get too ridiculous the Sera bomber is much more powerful. It is such a rare occurrence that I can't remember ever seeing one in my 1v1 games though.

the t1 tanks are pretty even, t3 bombers are even, their t2 bomber is the best if anything.. what am I missing?

Yes for T1 tanks and T3 bombers, but I'm not sure about T2 bombers. Sera have that whole concentrated damage thing going on which is great for sniping things, but Cybran also have this with the added advantage that their bomber fires earlier than the others (it shoots missiles from a range instead of dropping a literal bomb). It's worth noting that Aeon don't have a T2 bomber, instead they have a T2 interceptor (combat fighter) which helps make Aeon T2 air arguably the strongest.

[sasin]

What is seraphim's weakness, or is it just a matter of missing some of the strength's that other races have? I'm still very new, but it seems like their t1 mobile arty is the best, I realize cybran get's stealth etc.

Sera T1 arty is best in most cases, but UEF is massively front-loaded (600 damage per shot), so UEF is best for arty drops and decimating bases - this tactic works from early to late game due to the sheer damage caused by the initial shot, the very late game equivalent is to load a T3 Continental Transport with six Percivals (if you succeed in the drop then you have probably won). Aeon arty is fast firing which has its advantages over the others, in that it can damage more targets in a shorter space of time. Cybran arty is mostly useless but its freeze ability is perhaps underrated.

their t1 scout is the best,

No, it's a tradeoff. In order to have a better scout, the Seraphim have no light assault bots. The Sera scout is ill-suited to raiding and this is a big disadvantage early game. The cloaking ability has a lot of potential though, and obviously it can kill any other scouts with ease (but they are usually accompanied by LABs or tanks so not as useful as it sounds).

their t2 bots are the most powerful (are they also more expensive or something?), and their t3 tank is an absolute bulldozer.

They serve a different role to the other T2 bots. The UEF and Cybran T2 bots are high speed and high range, and are best used kiting enemies. The Sera t2 bot is slower (and more powerful) than the other factions' T2 tanks, so really it's a bot only in name. On paper the Aeon Obsidian heavy T2 tank is slightly better, but how this holds up in a real game I don't know.

I always try to tech, so I've rarely been in a game where I'm battling t3 bots against t3 bots (I either lose, or have othum's against lower tech stuff and run rampant). Are the other t3 units more cost efficient?

If you play 1v1 you will need to adjust your playstyle and progress through the techs more slowly. As for cost efficiency, I think T3 land is all roughly equal, but I base this on the lack of complaints about balance rather than any actual studying of the figures. Sera are limited in their number of units which is one of the things that puts me off playing them. The Othuum is very powerful, but unlike UEF or Cybran it is your only option for heavy T3. As UEF or Cybran you have access to the light-T3 bots, the Titan and the Loyalist. These are relatively cheap and extremely fast, so in most cases you would want to make these before heavy-T3 bots (Percival and Brick).

The t3 arty seems like more or less a wash,

Mobile t3 arty? There are minor differences between the factions, but the T3 arty is a very specific-use weapon, used for sieging shields and firebases, so the differences are pretty much irrelevant.

the experimentals are even (?),

Sera have a limited selection (as with everything, it's almost as if they were a half-finished race tacked on after all the others ), but the T4 assault bot is arguably the best direct-attack land experimental (compared to Monkeylord and Galactic Collosus). The T4 bomber is potentially awesome, but in reality you need air dominance to use it and this means that strat bombers would probably be a better option. However I assume that in 1v1 where the ASF forces never get too ridiculous the Sera bomber is much more powerful. It is such a rare occurrence that I can't remember ever seeing one in my 1v1 games though.

the t1 tanks are pretty even, t3 bombers are even, their t2 bomber is the best if anything.. what am I missing?

Yes for T1 tanks and T3 bombers, but I'm not sure about T2 bombers. Sera have that whole concentrated damage thing going on which is great for sniping things, but Cybran also have this with the added advantage that their bomber fires earlier than the others (it shoots missiles from a range instead of dropping a literal bomb). It's worth noting that Aeon don't have a T2 bomber, instead they have a T2 interceptor (combat fighter) which helps make Aeon T2 air arguably the strongest.

Thanks! This was really helpful!

[Aquisitus]

Big thanks for summing up core differences.

[RoundTabler]

Strat bombers, mobile t3 arty, and t3 heavy bots have more differences than you think.

There is a 700-900 damage difference in strats and mobile arty. and huge splash differences. Percies and bricks, of course, have the most health of the t3 bots, and more damage. The percy puts out more damage than the brick, but its frontloaded, so if you miss one shot...

Basically, in numbers, harbies --> othuums --> bricks -->percies (although harbies and othuums are a toss up - i don't recall seeing harbies vs othuums in game).

EDIT: Also, sera have best t3 arty, because of damage vs splash. They have the 2nd highest damage, with the third highest splash (which is only 1 less than the 2nd best splash).