Don't tell me native life has SAM capability, and not just locusts?

[Natalinasmpf]

There was a serious IoD heading towards my sea forming building area (a bit undefended), so I rushed a chopper from land, ate up the IoD, but had to "land" in the ocean "field" to refuel.

The next turn, ANOTHER IoD attacks my chopper. Luckily, its Elite, and has neural amp, so its saved!

It was surprising though; I never knew IoD's could do that.

[Kuciwalker]

Best guess is it's the psi weapon? Otherwise, it's just a glitch AFAIK.

[Hercules]

It might be the same situation as when a chopper lands on open land to refuel it is vulnerable to attack by any military unit, even those without sam.

[Natalinasmpf]

Never knew that. So next time I know where to get them pesky AI nerve gas choppers....

[GeoModder]

Yes, choppers can be attacked when in the open. They are supposed to 'land', thus have no protection from ground troops/ships like noodles have.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by GeoModder
Yes, choppers can be attacked when in the open. They are supposed to 'land', thus have no protection from ground troops/ships like noodles have.

Thats right-- and I like the feature both from a realism and a gameplay point of view. In real life a low flying chopper can be engaged by small arms or RPGs .... all sorts of weapons that are not SAMs.

Inside the game, choppers are already overpowered with their multiple attack ability so I think it just evens things out a little to make them vulnerable to counterattack

[Natalinasmpf]

I don't think they are too overpowered; they are limited by range. They are very tricky to bring over for long distance assaults without nanometallurgy. Sometimes I practically have to make a string of 5-6 sea bases as "stepping stones".

And, they may attack a lot of times in a row, but get destroyed within two attacks against heavily armoured units. Simply diversify your units, ie. an AAA garrison unit in every stack....for drop pod units; pack non-drop pod units in a drop pod transport

Etc.

[Whoha]

blink/wave choppers,Nerve gas, theres all kinds of options that you can use to nullify defender advantages.

[Natalinasmpf]

Using nerve gas excessively causes ecological damage doesn't it? And it doesn't work against units with psi defense. (Especially if they have neural amplifier!)

Thats why it is good to keep diversified stacks.

[Maniac]

Besides choppers, gravships can also be attacked by any unit, meaning SAM is only useful against needlejets.

[Natalinasmpf]

Not necessarily. Ground units with SAM only useful against needlejets. Air defenses with air superiority can mobilise quite easily against intruding air assaults.

Also, if you catch an air unit in a base with SAM, you gain a combat bonus, as well, I think.

And ah, so thats why needlejets don't become outdated with the discovery of graviton theory...

[GeoModder]

Nerve gas not working against units with psi defense? That's the first thing I hear about that. Are you sure?

[Natalinasmpf]

I don't recall ever being able to arm chemical weapons against native units, for example.

[Flubber]

Natives are immune to nerve gas and if your native defender loses the psi battle, there is no population loss to a city on that PARTICULAR attack.

I have not used psi defense enough to know for certain but I expect it works the same.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf
I don't think they are too overpowered; they are limited by range. They are very tricky to bring over for long distance assaults without nanometallurgy. Sometimes I practically have to make a string of 5-6 sea bases as "stepping stones".

Decent plan but often unnecessary if you can get ONE base with an aerocomplex in range of the enemy.

I also stand by my statement that choppers are overpowered in this game. Air power itself is big but choppers kill and kill again. Theor ultimate range is much longer than needlejets and suicide runs can be very very effective

Originally posted by Natalinasmpf


And, they may attack a lot of times in a row, but get destroyed within two attacks against heavily armoured units. Simply diversify your units, ie. an AAA garrison unit in every stack....for drop pod units; pack non-drop pod units in a drop pod transport

If I can take out 2 heavily armored units for every chopper I lose, I am winning . .. Don't you see that?? My chopper probably costs the same or less than your heavily armored unit.

Oh and I will repeat here my often repeated opinion that there is no unit that can have a reasonable chance for survival in the open against all its possible attackers (3 armor is often facing weapons of 8, 10 or 13 and the ratio of weapon to armour is almost always 2 to 1) and no cost-effective stack that can be used ( assuming tech parity) Place any combination you want together and there is a cheaper combination that will kill it