certain kinds of defenses

[wildferret]

where should certain defenses be placed (if any)? Ive been curious as where to use, in particular: beam turrets, dragons claws, ahnialators and medium range missile batteries. Im particularly interested in where to use beam turrets

[Relative]

Im particularly interested in where to use beam turrets

Well I rarely find a use for those. Only time I use them is in the very early stages of a match. When I'm expanding my territory and come across some llts, the beamer has slightly longer range and is quicker and cheaper to build than an HLT.

[Neddie]

It all depends on what sort of game you're playing, and with which people.

[AF]

in XTA build llt's and hlt's behind walls of DT. sometimes walls with 2 or 3 small rows infront of it. Do thsi in EE too. This makes towers/turrets that're able to fire over thema lot more powerful by shielding them against the majority of damage. The effect is more so in EE.

Also be aware that things cant fire through eachother so dont build an llt and then build a HLT immediatly behind it, the llt will block the HLT's fire.

Also use terrain to your advantage, choose a hill for your artillery not a flat plain, build things on slopes if you can. This is especially true of Gundam.

Also mix defences. Add in some antiair and a popup cannon, dont just mass llt's or hlt's.

And always build radar near them, if your attacking, focus on radars and jammers first to prevent artillery and defences firing at you. This is especially true if a gurdian has just been built and started firing at your base. Take out the radar first so it cant target your base.

And last of all it is arguable by some that defences are a waste of resources, and that instead of having 1 large attack group, you should have several and a defence group, as mobile units are more valuable defences than a lot of static emplacements.

And in the ideal game the enemy is too busy fending you off to attack you.

[LordMatt]

where should certain defenses be placed (if any)?

I ignore the second part of your question because those units aren't very important.

LLTs:
Proper placement of llts makes the difference between a base that is vulnerable to raiders, and a base that can stop a small attack without intervention. When you're first starting, put llts where your com ISN'T going to be. That means put an llt in the back of your base when you plan to have your com in the front for example. Try to make sure all approaches to your base are covered, but don't make any more llts than you have to, as they can't go attack your enemy's base. Ideally their range rings will overlap a little, but not any more than that. Remember, llts have to be in front of the structures they are guarding if they are to do anything. For expansion, try to place llts where they will cover multiple metal patches so you need fewer of them. Remember, the purpose of llts is to stop small attacks, not a major offensive force. You build offensive units for that. That means you need to spread out your llts out and place them strategically, leaving most of your metal for making units. Also try to place them on higher ground. They get a range advantage and are harder to kill when they are elevated.

HLTs:
HLTs should only be used in specific situations. One example is if someone else has made a bunch of llts in front of you and you want to kill them by outranging them. Another is if there is a specific chokepoint you enemy has to go through, use HLTs along with llts to guard it.

Guardians:
Guardians should be used very sparingly, as they are very expensive and fairly easy to kill. Use them to kill enemy heavy defenses from afar, but ensure that they are well defended. Only make a guardian if you have a specific purpose for it in mind, and something else can't do that job better. At 1650 metal, you had better make them count.

AA:
AA should be built by the 10 min mark, if not sooner. Especially if there has been a lull in your enemy's attacks. I good player will keep attacking you and hide their air units until they have enough to do some real damage. So build AA infront of anything you don't want bombed.

Radar:
Radar might be the most important defensive structure because it allows you to anticipate your enemies attacks and take steps to blunt their force. If you see your enemy coming, move your mobile units infront of your defensive structures. This allows your structures to live longer and avoids the need for you to replace them afterwards. Also use radar ahead of expanding construction units. It will allow you to see any traps your opponent may have set and micro your con out of harms way before it gets spotted by an incoming attack.

Summary:
I am not trying to encourage porcing here, offensive units are far better for many purposes, including defense than are defensive units. However defensive units have their uses. llts are for defending your early base and your expansion, HLTs for chokepoints or killing several llts, guardians for killing heavy defenses. Try to make as few defenses as possible by placing them where they will be most effective, spend most of your metal on offensive units. Building AA and radar are very important when you are playing a good player, so don't forget them. DO NOT PORC!

I'm sure I left some things out here...

[wildferret]

where should certain defenses be placed (if any)?

I ignore the second part of your question because those units aren't very important.

LLTs:
Proper placement of llts makes the difference between a base that is vulnerable to raiders, and a base that can stop a small attack without intervention. When you're first starting, put llts where your com ISN'T going to be. That means put an llt in the back of your base when you plan to have your com in the front for example. Try to make sure all approaches to your base are covered, but don't make any more llts than you have to, as they can't go attack your enemy's base. Ideally their range rings will overlap a little, but not any more than that. Remember, llts have to be in front of the structures they are guarding if they are to do anything. For expansion, try to place llts where they will cover multiple metal patches so you need fewer of them. Remember, the purpose of llts is to stop small attacks, not a major offensive force. You build offensive units for that. That means you need to spread out your llts out and place them strategically, leaving most of your metal for making units. Also try to place them on higher ground. They get a range advantage and are harder to kill when they are elevated.

HLTs:
HLTs should only be used in specific situations. One example is if someone else has made a bunch of llts in front of you and you want to kill them by outranging them. Another is if there is a specific chokepoint you enemy has to go through, use HLTs along with llts to guard it.

Guardians:
Guardians should be used very sparingly, as they are very expensive and fairly easy to kill. Use them to kill enemy heavy defenses from afar, but ensure that they are well defended. Only make a guardian if you have a specific purpose for it in mind, and something else can't do that job better. At 1650 metal, you had better make them count.

AA:
AA should be built by the 10 min mark, if not sooner. Especially if there has been a lull in your enemy's attacks. I good player will keep attacking you and hide their air units until they have enough to do some real damage. So build AA infront of anything you don't want bombed.

Radar:
Radar might be the most important defensive structure because it allows you to anticipate your enemies attacks and take steps to blunt their force. If you see your enemy coming, move your mobile units infront of your defensive structures. This allows your structures to live longer and avoids the need for you to replace them afterwards. Also use radar ahead of expanding construction units. It will allow you to see any traps your opponent may have set and micro your con out of harms way before it gets spotted by an incoming attack.

Summary:
I am not trying to encourage porcing here, offensive units are far better for many purposes, including defense than are defensive units. However defensive units have their uses. llts are for defending your early base and your expansion, HLTs for chokepoints or killing several llts, guardians for killing heavy defenses. Try to make as few defenses as possible by placing them where they will be most effective, spend most of your metal on offensive units. Building AA and radar are very important when you are playing a good player, so don't forget them. DO NOT PORC!

I'm sure I left some things out here...

Awesome
Thanks for the advice

[wildferret]

One of the reasons for this post is because I got chewed out by this star-ranked player named GirlGeek. It was on SpeedmetalDuo. I had the bottom path, he had the top path. I decided to experiment by using Beam turrets. I suppose it was my fault that we lost that time, but then again, even without beam turrets, its still hard to stop a krog, and he had some pretty unusual defenses too. When we lost, heres what he said:

GirlGeek: that was retarded

Wildferret: What, the Peewees? (the krog had a bunch of peewees along with it which took out a fusion plant)

GirlGeek: No, you

Wildferret: why?

GirlGeek:you screwed up from the start

GirlGeek: You built sh**ty defenses

*GirlGeek Self-Destructed what was left of his base then left*


Wildferret: ****head

I saw him in the main chat later claiming that japanese girls suck (which I disagree with)

[Machiosabre]

the advice in this thread doesn't apply that well to speedmetal though, also; don't play speedmetal.

[mehere101]

Speed metal variants just need vulcans... spam them for all you are worth!

[LordMatt]

Hmm, I thought you were a slightly more advanced player in need of some help but I guess that I should have made one thing a little clearer:
DONT PLAY SPEEDMETAL OR VARIENTS
Also maps like greenfields are equally MADE OF PHAIL

[knorke]

DTs should be build around your commander.

[KDR_11k]

Helps with running ur boy, right?

[Strategia]

DONT PLAY SPEEDMETAL OR VARIENTS
Also maps like greenfields are equally MADE OF PHAIL

HELL NO! SpeedMetal FTL!

[wildferret]

DONT PLAY SPEEDMETAL OR VARIENTS
Also maps like greenfields are equally MADE OF PHAIL

HELL NO! SpeedMetal FTL!

I almost never go on speedmetal anymore (the enemy ALWAYS krog rushes). Just one question: What does FTL mean?

[Peet]

For The Loss.

[Boirunner]

the way to go is to select your territory, and to have each and every spot in the territory in range of at least three lazertowers. if you do not do this, the enemy will rush you and kill you. so expand very slowly, being carefull to have every inch of ground covered. best have hlts everywhere too, because they are fairly cheap and good in early game.

this will probably lose you some games the first few times you try it, but keep at it. its like smoking: it seems fucking stupid, and you die from it, but so many people are doing it and dying from it, it must be worth it somehow!

[manored]

Static units are generaly more powerfull than mobile units that costs the same, and making static defenses also leaves your factorys free to make your offense force, so I think that you should try to use static units for defense and mobile units for offense.

[j5mello]

manored plz tell me you realize that the post before yours was not only a joke but one by a common forumite (as to the joke, 6/10)

[Boirunner]

I am not a common forumite. I joined today to spaem post.

[LordMatt]

Static units are generaly more powerfull than mobile units that costs the same, and making static defenses also leaves your factorys free to make your offense force, so I think that you should try to use static units for defense and mobile units for offense.

Except that static units can't go attack your enemy...

Boirunner is a huge nub tbh.