Lab Balance

[Mel_Gibson]

Everyone knows labs are pretty useless and should be viable at all stages of the game. There is one simple change i think could make this a reality. No HP changes. No DPS changes. No range, cost or build time changes. What then?

Give all labs cloaking! And, labs are so small that they probably should be invisible anyway. This way, they can devastate right up until omni and t3 air stage. Aurora? No problem! Loyalists? No problem!!! Inconspicuous and empty looking T2 transports are now your ultimate tool for violating dignity!

Ninjlabs 2016 - The fLABbergasting

Coming soon to a raid near you.

[speed2]

Fixed in Equilibrium

[Mephi]

Everyone knows labs are pretty useless and should be viable at all stages of the game.

why should they? every unit is worthless at some point.

[ZLO_RD]

Giving a build time buff is best idea so far...
Usually when I build labs to kill enemy engies I end up lacking engineers myself cause of how long it takes to make 3 labs and 1 scout... some times I have 2 labs killing 2 mantis and 1 engy but I still don't feel like success cause opponent made his engies earlyer and got factories earlyer, while I had to build labs early to be able to hit good timing

[NapSpan]

Maybe 3 LABs are too much, with 2 without scouts after the first engi you can kill 1 or 2 engies with each one, I think they worth it even for just killing T1 scouts at early game, later they are construction material for getho gunsips.

[Hawkei]

Maybe 3 LABs are too much, with 2 without scouts after the first engi you can kill 1 or 2 engies with each one, I think they worth it even for just killing T1 scouts at early game, later they are construction material for getho gunsips.

3 LAB's is actually a good number. Because they can comfortably eliminate a tank. So if you wish to raid engineers which are known to be escorted you should send 3 LAB.

But doing so means that you have 3 LAB in one spot instead of 1 LAB in 3 spots. 1 LAB can most times take out an unescorted engineer. 2 LAB's can potentially deal with a tank if you micro, and is generally the best compromise between concentration and raider spread. So my raiders are normally in sets of 2 LAB + 1 Scout.

My playstyle is LAB heavy, so I do a total of 8 LAB in the opening. Sometimes their also fun to use in ghettos + behind enemy lines drop teams. You send them in as early ghettos, then when the AA comes you drop them and let the enemy chase them down. While your transport goes to pick up another set... They are also quite handy for dealing with Seraphim arty spammers. Nothing is more satisfying than taking out massed T1 arty with massed LAB. Then when the floaty arty retreats back onto the water, you pick them up in transports and continue to wreak havoc. Trust me, they have their uses.

[NapSpan]

It sounds like you are a really pain in the ass in early game...at least to low APM guys like me (above 50).

[briang]

Everyone knows labs should be viable at all stages of the game.

What the hell?

[Morax]

Useless change:

If labs are cheaper or take less time to build I would by default send a pack of labs to guard expanding engineers. What's the point in that? If you don't succeed in taking out the engie the escort will in turn run to the enemy's engie and kill it.

[Hawkei]

It sounds like you are a really pain in the ass in early game...at least to low APM guys like me (above 50).

LOL. Yea, I can be a pain in the ass all game long Just watch this replay.