How to handle these *******

[KeyBlue]

I'll try that next game. How can I limit a turtle? Just build some PDs with radar and AA outside the range of his and stealth them?

Don't build any PD... Just make sure you have some small armies near his borders so you can stop any raids he might attempt.
(scout to make sure his army doesn't become bigger then yours)
Usually you already have enough army left over from the start of the game: the units you made before you realized he goes turtle.


And why would you need to limit a turtle? The turtle already limited himself...

[RocketRooster]

Taking a leaf from the book of real warfare, I'd say it is good to have mobile reserves halfway to the front lines, because even if you match his army strength up front, an equal engagement will remove any map presence you have up front and you will have sacrificed the time cost of getting units back into action to stop him expanding to his closer mexes, and him having lost his reserves isn't a hard blow if his aim to expand his turtle.

[PhilipJFry]

Please don't make things more complicated than they should be.
The guy who did turtle was just sitting on his 4 core mex and didn't even try to defend every other mex (pretty sure he made his first combat unit around min 6 or so). There is no reason why he should be able to keep literally every other mex outside of his base other than his opponent not attacking them for no reason.

[rtc]

How can I limit a turtle? Just build some PDs with radar and AA outside the range of his and stealth them?

no PDs needed, just use normal land units. when you control the whole map except for his base, you can afford to eco up quickly, which then allows you to easily outproduce him on land units while also teching up fast, so you will have a much better army. that's enough to contain him in his starting position and prevent any attempted breakout.
on t1, have some arties in your army to prevent t1 PD creep
on t2, have some MMLs in your army to prevent t2 PD creep
build a bunch of interceptors (later ASFs) to ensure air control
scout a lot, and make stuff to deal with whatever he is making

[Mr Teatime]

Here's a replay on Broken Vows. I was seraphim against a UEF turtle. Somehow, I thought I attacked at the right time but he still repelled the offensive and eventually overwhelmed me because of his percivals and broadswords.

Just wanted to say, I've played this guy a few times and made exactly the same mistakes as you... it's such a frustrating/boring style of play to come up against. I feel your pain!

[Lieutenant Lich]

KeyBlue, I played against an aeon on Chiron. He chose to turtle so I remembered your steps. Not every one of them but I stopped making useless shit, teched mexes and then teched facs. I hit T3 air wayyyy before him and was on my way to billy his base a 2nd time. Then he ctrl-k'ed to not waste time.

In other words, thank you for the advice. I understand the principle now.