Energy vs Ballistic weapons...

[SpaceBadger]

As others have told you, the DUC guns are good at low levels, but the best is level 5 and then you can't research them any higher than that. The energy guns start out weaker than DUCs, but can be researched lots higher to be much more powerful.

To me, that doesn't mean that DUCs should necessarily be ignored so as to concentrate on boosting those energy gun levels. I want something to give me an edge against the first aliens I meet, and researching a few levels of DUC guns does that - while they may have level 3 anti-proton beams, they are way outgunned by my level 3 DUCs. After I've taken care of my initial survival and set up some defenses, and probably researched a level or two of missiles as well, then I'll get to work on researching the energy guns.

Caveat: I am a newbie at this game, too, so there may be some flaw in my plan that the more experienced players will point out. I'm just throwing it out for consideration because this is what I do and nobody else explicitly suggested it.

SpaceBadger

[Cyrien]

In the early game I normally go for a few levels in DUC(Depleted Uranium Cannon) and max out PDC (Point Defense Cannon). Early game this gives you the best projectile weapon with defense against missile opponents. An alternative is to instead go for fighters and carriers, very strong early game.

Mid game you should either go for the PPB(Phased Polaron Beam) or your racial tech weapons, and late game racial tech weapons or APB(Anti-Protoon Beam) + SD(Shield Depleters).

As a general rule if you have racial tech weapons you should use them. All of them have advanatages over the more standard weapons in various areas.

I think that that is the strategy used most effectively by many. However other weapons can still be used effectively. I myself prefer the Meson Cannon over the APB and also enjoy the WMG(Wave Motion Gun) or Ripper Beam with Tractor beams.

[Fyron]

If you ignore DUCs, you will be slaughtered in any early game wars versus Human opponents.

As a general rule if you have racial tech weapons you should use them. All of them have advanatages over the more standard weapons in various areas.

This is not quite true. Most racial tech weapons are pure disadvantages compared to the DUC/PPB/APB line. A couple are useful, but most are not.

[ September 15, 2003, 18:54: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[narf poit chez BOOM]

And thanks for the offer Narf. Any chance of some cheese on toast?

i was welcoming him to the forums, not you.

oh, ok, here's some cheese on toast.

*hands Dogscoff some cheese on toast*

[oleg]

quote:

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As a general rule if you have racial tech weapons you should use them. All of them have advanatages over the more standard weapons in various areas.

This is not quite true. Most racial tech weapons are pure disadvantages compared to the DUC/PPB/APB line. A couple are useful, but most are not.[/QB]

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Hmm. I think they are all usefull. If not as a primary weapon then as a support tool. Organic and Psychic weapons are all solid and good weapons. Temporal is VERY usefull if your foe likes shields. Crystal is the only questionable tech IMHO. But still, alternating APB and shard canoons in the ship design can grant the heavy hitter (APB) an almost perfect armour piercing ability !

[Fyron]

The big slow weapons lose out against DUC/PPB/APB most of the time because they have a LOT less firepower overall. The only time they are superior is in quick WP battles. Other than that, they fail, all else being equal.

The telekinetic projector is a good weapon, until APB XII comes around. It is far more powerful than the best TKP.

The only thing that the Organic weapons have going for them is that they cost organics instead of minerals. So in times where building ships more quickly than the enemy matter, they sometimes prevail. But, they are substantially weaker than high level APBs.

Crystalline weapons are just a joke. Shard Cannons are only useful against Organic Races that use the OA, which is far weaker than shielding in large fleet battles.

Temporal weapons are almost all too weak. The only one that can even stand a chance against APBs is the Time Distortion Burst (I think that is what it is called...), but that is not more powerful than APB, just about the same. All you need is 1 or 2 heavy shield depleters (or a few more large ones), and enemy shielding does not matter all that much.

Of course it is possible to win with the racial weapons, but, all else being equal, the APB ships tend to win a lot more than other ships. This is because they have one of the best damage ratios in the game, they are not that expensive to build, AND they have one of the best ranges in the game. Racial weapons are fine for early and mid game, but late game, APBs are dominant. Effeciency is the key. Most racial weapons are highly inneffeicient.

[Grandpa Kim]

Harumph!!

Weapons matter not. Being able to hit the opponent and not be hit by him is what matters.