Air units

[d=me]

Just how important are air units?

[Sikander]

Re: Air units

Originally posted by d=me
Just how important are air units?

They typically dominate combat once they become available.

[d=me]

but you have to halve the number by air to ground and air to air. air missions seemed so complicated when you have to send air to air units with air to ground.

[Zeiter]

Air units are awesome. They signal an entirely new era of warfare in SMAC. Some of the old early game tactics go right out of the window with the introduction of air units. For instance, exposing units in an open field becomes very risky. When you research Mind/Machine Interface, you get the drop-pod special ability and the Chopper chassis, paving the way for a very popular tactic against the AI: the chop-&-drop.

Basically you build a bunch of choppers and a few drop-pod units, and you use the choppers to clean out the enemy bases and the drop-pods to swoop in and capture them. Although pretty soon the AI will catch on and start building AAA units, which defend twice as good against air attacks. Then, you might need to incorporate some conventional land forces into your attacks, or even better, an amphibious assault, if you can manage it. Get about 8 6-1-1 amphibious missle infantry, pack em' into a transport or two, and sail right up to a coastal bases with an AAA missle destroyer protecting the cruiser from air attacks, and you can take the AI's bases in no time.

But anyways, back to air units, yeah, you will want to build a lot of air units. I try to get an interceptor in most of my bases vulnerable to enemy air strikes, plus maybe about 20 or 30 penetrators and/or choppers, and then I perhaps switch to building clean penetrators once my need isn't as urgent in order to save on support costs.

[Trithemius]

Originally posted by Zeiter
But anyways, back to air units, yeah, you will want to build a lot of air units. I try to get an interceptor in most of my bases vulnerable to enemy air strikes, plus maybe about 20 or 30 penetrators and/or choppers, and then I perhaps switch to building clean penetrators once my need isn't as urgent in order to save on support costs.

Don't interceptor-type air units also defend against drop troops? Or is this done by the Aerospace facility? (Horrible Australian customsmen have not released my computer yet, so I can't check up on it myself... )

[Flubber]

Originally posted by d=me
but you have to halve the number by air to ground and air to air. air missions seemed so complicated when you have to send air to air units with air to ground.

Not complicated-- penetrators can't kill other planes but attack ground troops full strength. Interceptors attack other planes with their weapon plus an attack bonus but hit ground troops at half strength.


generally air units are crucial and the first faction to get them. generally dominates until their enemies acquire them

[Frankychan]

Air Power in SMAC is just like how it is in real life......whomever controls the skies, controls Planet.

[Jamski]

Interceptors are usually the way to go for my limited purposes.

Firstly, if you only build Interceptors, then you're going to rule the skies. The 50% attack vs ground is enough to cream all the formers and crawlers you find with no difficulty

Secondly, I don't use Penetrators for ground attack - that's the jobs of the Choppers and the Marines.

Meaning I rarely need Penetrators at all.

-Jam

[Frankychan]

But they often have longer range (penetrators)

I use 'em early to clear out bases or destroy reinforcements (before choppa's).

You can also use them to destroy cruiser transports headed toward your shores or to get to those oh-so-isolated bases that always seem to have their garrisons destroyed by one thing or another.

[Trithemius]

Originally posted by Frankychan
But they often have longer range (penetrators)

I build Penetrators for style purposes. Last time I made massive use of them I was dinking around with the Usurpers; I used them to "strategically bomb" things, B-52 styles.

Not exactly practical admittedly, but surprisingly fun. (Judaa S. McNamararr perhaps? )

[Frankychan]

I thought you said you were DRINKING around with the Usurpers.

[Frankychan]

Lame, I know but I'm freakin' tired and work is slow boring. Almost time for me to get my happy-a** home.

[Trithemius]

Originally posted by Frankychan
I thought you said you were DRINKING around with the Usurpers.

Hrm, you know, those Usurpers aren't so bad, it might be nice to toss back a few xenorums with them sometime. They are pretty good guys when they aren't systematically nerve-gassing you to death,