Armored Crawlers

[Petek]

Another thread contained some brief discussion of armored crawlers - mostly negative. I hardly ever build them either, but I did find one situation in which one proved useful.

Some maps have "poles" (meaning that the top and bottom boundaries of the map are accessible). On such maps the AI might send a unit into your territory via a pole for a sneak attack.

In one game where this happened, I had an armored crawler sitting on a rocky tile (also mined and roaded) with a sensor next to it. The crawler defeated a Spartan infantry attack! Having the crawler there (drawing 4 mins/turn) was more efficient than placing a regular unit on guard duty.

Has anyone else found a good use for armored crawlers?

[Senethro]

I hear armoured crawlers are not at all good because they are utterly useless when upgraded.

[Petek]

Originally posted by Senethro
I hear armoured crawlers are not at all good because they are utterly useless when upgraded.

What do you mean by this? If you upgrade the armor, the crawler's defensive strength increases as expected.

[smacksim]

The AI won't complain about you having crawlers in its turf, just like probes and formers, so its occasionally useful to send a crawler ahead of an expansion to block treatied 'friends' expansion. Armoring it gives the AI a headache: "Should I embarass my troops by sending a unit to die defeating a glorified ditch digger, or should I wait?"

But really, other than for purposes of cashing crawlers, armoring them seems only for the rare occurrences of: chokepoints that need harvesting, last-ditch defending to buy time, or merely for amusement, IMO.

[Blake]

Armored crawles are rarely built, they are nearly always upgraded when hostile units appear nearby.

One benefit of armored non-combat units is they are _really_ useless to probe but still get in the way just fine.

[Sikander]

As I stated in the other thread, there is no reason not to armor your crawlers if you can get that armor for free. Fusion infantry crawlers cost the same whether they are armored or not, and high mineral bases can sometimes produce armored crawlers in one turn before you get to fusion, so why not? Send the armored crawlers to the frontier, have them work mines where they can do some good work as a defensive backstop etc.

[NanoDingo]

Re: Armored Crawlers

Originally posted by Petek Some maps have "poles" (meaning that the top and bottom boundaries of the map are accessible). On such maps the AI might send a unit into your territory via a pole for a sneak attack.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but can someone please tell me how to set up a map like this?

[Sikander]

Re: Re: Armored Crawlers

Originally posted by NanoDingo


Sorry to go off on a tangent, but can someone please tell me how to set up a map like this?

I think your map generation settings have something to do with it. I think they are more likely the more land and "rockiness" you have. But if anyone really does know for sure speak up.

[smacksim]

I fiddled with the worldbuilder settings awhile ago and never did figure out how to turn poles on or off, other than with the scenario editor. As Sika says it seems more likely with more land.

[Gremnon]

Going back on topic, I use armoured crawlers. I space them out along the outer perimiter of my territory. Then there's two types, one with Resonance armour the other with the best armour I have. It costs a lot but it works for me.

[Kataphraktoi]

Re: Re: Armored Crawlers

going back OT....

Originally posted by NanoDingo


Sorry to go off on a tangent, but can someone please tell me how to set up a map like this?

then how about using the scen editor to do it? ive seen this referenced before in ancient threads,but cant remember if they said how.ive never seen it firsthand...

back on topic,armoured crawlers are one of my fav units.i stack them in a base,upgrade to armour and cash in
with NF i got telapathicmatrix in BE2 (540 mins) for a single 330EC upgrade. [/extremelyobvoiuspointpost]

of course if you intend to use the armour for defence,they are useless imho except for an extreme situation

[Flubber]

Re: Re: Re: Armored Crawlers

Originally posted by Cataphract887 defence,they are useless imho except for an extreme situation

Usually true

I will armour crawlers:

1. Whenever it is free or whenever I have High mineral bases where building an unarmored crawler will mean waste-- These are obvious examples

2. On occasion when I have a tech lead big enough that they become survivable. This is usually only against the AI and its usually trawlers when I have a far flung trawler field. Armor the outside edge.

3. Crash defence-- Even if I don't think a given crawler can survive, its worthwhile if it can blunt an opponent offensive-- I would prefer to have an offensive unit in there to kill the invaders though

[Straybow]

If you allow AAA and remove the 50% penalty in alpha.txt they give enemy noodles a headache.