Capturing Alien Artifacts

[cbn]

In SP I have often catured single alien artifacts and it seemed that they just "joined" my side when I moved into/next to their square (can't remember which). Now I face a situation where the AI has stacked two AAs with each other (and nothing else). When I went to move into their square I got combat odds (130 to 2 IIRC) so I just ended the turn without "attacking" since I am trying to preserve these for my use.

1. Would the attack be really a capture of them both or would the fact that they are stacked mean that they would be destroyed? (I do not recall getting combat odds to cature an AA before).

2. Is there any particular method to capture stacked AA's out in the open?

3. the faction that these AA's belong to is down to its last base. If that base( and therefore the faction)is captured or destroyed, will the AAs revert to me since my units surround them, or will they vanish?

This is in a PBEM game of SMAX with all the patches.

[RedFred]

I wish I could give you a more definitive answer than 'it depends'.

But AAs are unpredictable. Sometimes just moving one square away from them will capture them if they are unescorted. Sometimes it won't.

Sometimes attacking them will capture them, unescorted or not. Other times (infrequently) they will just die.

Sometimes when you capture them (infrequently) they will teleport to a random base of yours. Usually they won't.

[cbn]

Redfred

I was afraid of that since I could not recall a consistent pattern. My fear is that each one is considered to be escorted by the other. My other fear is that they might disappear on the destruction of the faction.

[RedFred]

I am not sure that there is any special magic to a stack of two or more of the AAs. I can recall capturing two, even in a situation that you describe where they were the last two units of a faction about to be wiped out. But you can't guarantee success.

[Earwicker]

Yes, the inconsistency is a nuisance. Occasionally, when attacking a base with one defender and one AA, success in killing the defender gets me the message "2 units destroyed" -- no capture. Bummer.

With submissives, I'd like a diplomacy dialogue option to the effect of "I see you've found an AA. Since you haven't the vaguest idea of what to do with it, I suggest you give it to me before a mindworm destroys it." Wouldn't life be grand?

[Misotu]

Yes it would

[tyler666]

Ummm. everytime I "attack" an AA and it has another AA in the square with it i always capture both if there is no millitary escort other than that i always take any AA's i find b4 i ahnilliate the faction so i cound't tell you

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Tyler Messer
"Theres no time to discriminate hate every mother****er thats in your way!"

[Clear Skies]

I had a bit of an odd experience today. One of my Supply Crawlers 'captured' a Gaian AA, simply because Deirdre moved it next to my crawler. I moved it back in the direction from which it came and poof! gone again!
(I didn't actually need it because I'd already got to the Transcendent Thought level.)
Weird!

[Solver]

Dumb, capturing AAs with crawlers.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[tyler666]

Idiotodic,yes but still intriguing,this gives me an idea *as DR.evil with pinky in mouth*mhhahahahahahahah

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Tyler Messer
"Theres no time to discriminate hate every mother****er thats in your way!"

[Cybergod]

Me thinks that you cannot capture AAs with an air unit (it happened to moi when I was attacking Data Angels mercilessly with my Cyborg Choppers, when an AA was the last garrisson at a base). You will get a message saying that theAA is captured but in fact, there isn't one anywhere, its, poof, dissapeared!