atrocity, orbital defense and satellite

[Flubber]

While we are talking about sats, is there anything you need to do other than launch them to get Planet Buster protection from your ODPs? Also, what do the two numbers mean in the display.
? I launched 6 ODPs and it is listed as 6/6 while other sats seem to just have a single number-- I am assuming this is because I have not used the ODPs for anything and if an ODP is deployed the numbers might differ. If I used a satellite to kill someone's food satellite, would the numbers related to my ODP change?

[mrdynamic]

ODPs with the number of 6/6 means you have 6 undeployed ODP's as of the current turn. If you used ONE of your ODP's to shoot down a nuke or another satellite, the number would change to 5/6. Meaning you have 6 ODP, 5 of which can be used for offensive or defensive measures. Course, these numbers are refreshed for each turn. On your next turn, you should see 6/6 again.

[Flubber]

That makes sense thanks. I know how to attack a satellite but if all I want is PB defense then all I do is leave them as they are right? They will automatically deploy against incoming PBs without action on my part ??

[RedFred]

You got it, Flubber.

Personally I have had better luck passively intercepting PBs than when I actively try to shoot down enemy sats.

[mrdynamic]

Originally posted by Flubber
I know how to attack a satellite but if all I want is PB defense then all I do is leave them as they are right? They will automatically deploy against incoming PBs without action on my part ??

ODP deploy automatically with a PB attack. If your situation was 0/6 with the ODP, I believe you get the option of whether or not you would like to sacrifice one of your ODP's to stop the PB, meaning you would lose one of your six ODP's.

What I'm not sure of, is whether or not this a guaranteed defense, or if it has a % applied to it like the fletchette defense systems.

What I have noticed though is if you combine your ODP's with a flettchete defensive system in each base, enemy chances of getting a nuke through to any of your bases are slim.

[Flubber]

Thanks

I actually believe I recall the percentages. Every undeployed ODP has a 50% chance of stopping a PB. that would mean with 6 the chance of success of a single PB strike would be 1.56%. Apart from ODPs i believe the flechette also has a 50% chance of stopping a PB aimed within a certain number of squares of that base.

[Yxklyx]

Looks like genetic warfare is the next option then Is there a percentage chance for gene warfare to work or is it automatic as long as the city does not have a probe team? Of course in SP since the AI knows where all your units are getting a probe team in can be hard.

[GeneralTacticus]

Originally posted by Yxklyx
Looks like genetic warfare is the next option then Is there a percentage chance for gene warfare to work or is it automatic as long as the city does not have a probe team? Of course in SP since the AI knows where all your units are getting a probe team in can be hard.

I think it works automatically as long as you can get a probe in, but the amount it kills varies. It goes from more than 85% of pop if the base has no gene defenses (various facilities and techs have this ability) to only a few if it has lots of defense. It's useful if the AI base has few defenses (Once in a playtest game I gave the Believers a 99 pop base with no gene defenses and attacked with a virus, and the pop went down to 16 ). If the enemy has no defenses use it instead of gas (as it also hits all the enemy units in a base), but if they have even a few defenses, bring on the gas pods!

Incidentally, if you sacrifice an ODP against a nuke it works automatically.

[Shai-Hulud]

I think the entire concept of "nuclear warfare" is very well implemented into SMAC. It's just so damn realistic when compared to Civ2 or CTP. Both of these have LAME weapons of mass destruction and they simulate modern warfare VERY badly. Of course, weapons of mass destruction bring a challenge to game balance. However, they are crucial part of the modern warfare, so of course they are part of it in the future. The idea that your missile defence is always less than perfect and a fact that even few missiles can literally destroy the world is thrilling. Why hasn't anyone made a Cold War scenario?

I'm little sceptical about the Flechette Defence. I was always afraid it would unbalance the ICBM concept in the SMAX, giving an unfair defence against missiles. Haven't really tested this. What do you think, any experiences?

[Cybergod]

I hear that none of you had engaged in proper space warfare...

In my upcoming Ultramind mod (that I have been dragging sooo long), if you want space warfare, let the High Lords turtle (you will see who they are later, when I release it). They ICS hundreds of bases and start building ALL satellites (nothing else to do - they have free Death Arenas at every base ). I had to keep on building ODP to slow them down - they are the menace of the late game (their personnality is 0,1,0,1,0), but pretty easy to kill off early at start

Normal SMAC, I have never seem the AI build satellites except in scenarios. Even when I had SMAX nobody built not even an ODP, except if I messed with the text files and made custom factions.

I am personnaly no good at creating actual scenarios or maps but I am sure many other mod/scen/map makers (ie. Google, Tres... ) would be interested in a Cold War mod. BTW who would be USA and who would be USSR?

[Shai-Hulud]

In my upcoming Ultramind mod ...

Yeah, I've been hearing some wild rumours about this mod. But you just keep us all waiting in anxiety

BTW who would be USA and who would be USSR?

Make USA and USSR factions. Internet is full of material and, by the way, I've happened to make USSR faction which came out pretty fine. Clash of Capitalism and Socialism on Chiron, skip the in depth plot, just let the action begin. Would be interesting to play in MP