Favourite unit?

[Taxa]

NO, WAIT AGAIN (hehehe)

It was changed in the patch. Problem solved!!!

[Solver]

Effect that Angels get is same as for others from the Planetary Datalinks.

[Marid Audran]

I'm with Iskandar's vote on resonance laser-empath rovers, especially squatting all around bases mid-game while running Free Market. "Mind Worm Eradicators" I call them, in honor of the Gaian vs. Morgan scenerio. A close cousin is the "Psi Attack Chopper," a res-empath chopper to hunt down Isles of the Deep and Locusts who also crop up.

Other than that, a vote for the vanilla probe, maybe with Algorithmic Enhancement or a Cloaking Device w/tech, and Super Fusion Fungicidal Formers.

[johndmuller]

I kinda like the Locusts; when they first come out, they are decently strong (esp if you build them where you have a Bio Lab and Cent. Preserve) and pretty flexible. I find them real useful for taking over bases (after Missiles, NJets or Choppers have zapped the defenders), particularly when I'm a bit overextended. They have a decent range, are clean if parked in fungus and can lurk about looking for an undefended base to pounce on. You can rush build / upgrade a permanent garrison for the next turn. They don't stand up well against serious attackers or defenders, but you can always use them as sea fungus sensors or former guardians once their time is over.

[DrFaustus]

Some of my favorites:

Trance PanzerFormers - armored second or even third best; worms hate them, as do invaders, and oh so useful. Also its first cousin, the Trance PanzerSupply.

Neutronium AAA Drop Sentinels - take over any base anywhere and drop one of these in with the SE; it's your forever. Excellent when you're busting your way to the heart of someone's empire, and want to keep your attack forces on the move.

Trained Shard Chopper - the workhorse of any war. Seems like the shard tech lasts forever, and is such an upgrade from chaos (the other weapons tech that seems to last for a long time) - it shreds through everything. I usually make quite a few of these and they change the tide of any battle in my favor. And while we're on choppers, how about a nice Trained Empath Chopper for taking out worms, esp. those nasty late-game city rapers. Planet pearls, anyone? Even Empath Rovers are really nice early on.

Locusts - If you are way ahead in tech, and are using choppers to take over base after base after base, then locusts of chiron become really useful. Just have them follow your attack choppers everywhere, take over the bases the choppers have just cleaned out, and conveniently provide them with a place to land. This tag-team assault over land and sea (against the AI) can move so quickly and roll over so many bases, you can crush an entire faction in a few turns. They make a cool sound, too

Blink Quantum Tank with Soporific Gas - Think of the possibilities...

Tectonic Missile - Used against an area of large bases that are using sea enhancements for their n/m/e, even one of these babies can be absolutely devastating. Detonate on a nearby coastal square and watch all their sea enhancements vanish, and the cities shrivel and die. Took a very strong Lal completely out of the game once with a few of these aimed near his largest bases. They never even have to encounter any flak.

Probe *Anything* - Don't leave home without it.

AAA Marine Cruiser - say, with heavy armor and shard weaponry? Nothing is better in naval combat than stealing the enemies ships for free... A wonderful feeling.

I could go on... There's so much fun stuff to build in this game.

But to balance all this sweet with a little sour, don't you think Needlejets are a little crappy? I usually build a few, before the chopper tech comes around, but they're never very satisfying in their effect. Even the art is kind of ugly compared to other units.

[Misotu]

Originally posted by Solver
Effect that Angels get is same as for others from the Planetary Datalinks.

Yes, but only if they have infiltrated all the relevant factions. Otherwise, they *do not get any tech known to three other factions*. I repeat, *they do not get any tech known to three other factions*. The effect is only true if they have infiltration. Which, I repeat, must make the Empath Guild rather useful to the Angels, no?

I know this to be true, because I recently played a rather depressing game as the Angels, where I was crushed in no uncertain terms. And things would have been rather different if I had gained every tech known to three other factions, I can assure you

[Misotu]

Originally posted by DrFaustus
But to balance all this sweet with a little sour, don't you think Needlejets are a little crappy? I usually build a few, before the chopper tech comes around, but they're never very satisfying in their effect. Even the art is kind of ugly compared to other units.

Well, the needlejet is one of the most useful unit in the game, if you want to strike early without waiting for gravships and antimatter

ZOC. And more ZOC. Try it. Use it. And if you don't actually need it, try something more challenging. Like multi-player.

[DrFaustus]

I agree needlejets have their day. Early on, they can be devastating. And the ZOC thing is forever useful. But, honestly, I build as few of these as possible. Completely uninteresting for the most part.

Am just starting to try MP games. Impressed by the sheer slowness of the whole PBEM affair. But looking forward to the challenge as the games build up some steam.

[Earwicker]

1-1-1*1 Dropboy. During an extended war situation, have captured bases churning out 1-1-1 trained scout infantry units (10 minerals, and elite with CNexus and CyborgF). Upgrade to 1-1-1 drop (10 energy). Take enemy bases, drop these guys in and upgrade them to defenders -- 1-best-1 (+best reactor), with a combo of AAA, trance, ECM, clean as circumstances dictate. Actually, the AI is so poor in organizing its counterstrike that 1-3r-1 or 1-4-1 usually will suffice, and would be much cheaper than 1-5 or 1-6.

[Misotu]

Originally posted by DrFaustus
I agree needlejets have their day. Early on, they can be devastating. And the ZOC thing is forever useful. But, honestly, I build as few of these as possible. Completely uninteresting for the most part.

Am just starting to try MP games. Impressed by the sheer slowness of the whole PBEM affair. But looking forward to the challenge as the games build up some steam.

Yeah, you're right, I don't build many of them either. But just a few is very useful. I have no complaints about them

MP games can be slow, it varies. A turn a day is pretty good unless you're going one-on-one. Addicts like myself (and there are quite a few of us on this board!) counter this by playing a number of games simultaneously. You're right, the early turns are very, very dull. But once the game builds up steam, it's a blast!

[DrFaustus]

Up for a game with a MP newbie?
I think I've nearly exhausted the possibilities of SP.

[Ned]

Dr. F,

What is a PanzerFormer?

Are you aware that a Techtonic missile cause the same ED as a planetbuster?

Ned

[DrFaustus]

PanzerFormer = "armored former" in my lingo. As Vel suggests, throwing a coat of silksteel on a former is a very good move, once its price goes down.

Yeah, I know that techtonic missiles are expensive. But I play for fun, and it's very fun to strand my enemies high and dry in a single shot. It's not like that's any way to conduct a full offensive... but now and then it's supremely effective.

[Ned]

Dr. F, I don't think you understood what I was trying to say. Both Planetbusters and Techtonic Missiles cause massive ecodamage. They effectively lower your clean mineral count by 5 per missile. Ned

[Misotu]

Originally posted by DrFaustus
Up for a game with a MP newbie?
I think I've nearly exhausted the possibilities of SP.

Sure. Email me at misotu@hotmail.com with your preferences regarding map, difficulty level and faction. I can set it up, or you can. No strong preferences either way and you can have first choice of faction, since you're the newbie

Also, you should consider signing up here as this will probably give you a better game against several players. But if you want to do several turns a day, I'm very willing to give you an introduction and explain some of the MP vagaries (of which there are a number) as we go along ...