Combat Tactics..... |
Make sure not to fully rely on numbers in combat. With comparable Weapons ranges tactics can be key to facing down huge fleets with a few well endowed ships.
I tricked out the AIs giving them race bonuses and beginning bonuses as well as making research expensive. What resulted was that when I first went to war in this present game I got attacked by an AI just at the point when I reached the first level of the heavy cruiser platform. I lost my buffer system to him before I had built my first combat fleet. When I reentered that system I found myself facing two fleets numbering 50+. That is 100+ ships against my 10. How in 20 turns (that`s two years) did he come up with such a large fleet (That`s rhetorical)? In any case I used those 10 ships to scatter one of those 50+ and with the second 10 three turns later I scattered the other 50+. The key is in the tactics I employed. Numbers ain`t everything.

Re: Combat Tactics.....
The AI bonus only affects production like resources, construction, research, and intelligence.
-----
Re: Combat Tactics.....
So...what were the tactics that you used T-shadow?
Re: Combat Tactics.....
Even with the best mods, while the AI can put together a big fleet, it can rarely employ it effectively. Target selection is pretty screwy right now... I bet those two 50+ ship fleets had orders to attack some backwater system fifty jumps away and ignored your fleet as you snuck in and attacked them. Add to that the fact that AI combat tactics often leave a lot to be desired, especially when it comes to fighters and mixed missile/direct fire ship formations...
Just yesterday I watched as a massive 20-cruiser fleet belonging to an AI faction left its home system while it was under attack from an enemy empire, happily sailed half way around the galaxy, and attacked some random tiny planet in an almost barren system 5 jumps away, which belonged to an empire that this one wasn't even at war with. And they failed to capture or destroy it.
Re: Combat Tactics.....
Pardon me??? Where the heck do I find out more information regarding this gameplay mechanic out of the blue?!!
Re: Combat Tactics.....
Basically, it's the runner scum trick. Assuming the longest range weapons, I.E., missile duel, if you are retreating from the enemy, his weapons will run out of fuel short of you, while he will charge in and collide with your weapons. Thus, assuming equal technology, I.E., you are as fast as he is, his entire fleet will be annihilated and only careless piloting will get you hit at all. Carriers can counter this, but the AI is typically not organized enough to actually field carriers loaded with effective numbers of fightercraft, and so a few point defense batteries (which you'd probably want anyway if you're going into a missile duel) will quickly make hash out of his few fighters, allowing you to keep your own fighters in reserve for the mop-up and not expose them to being shot down.




Re: Combat Tactics.....
Depending on the mod used, a tricked out AI can out produce a human player 3 to 1.
Depending on the mod used, the AI races will produce good ship designs and mass ships in large fleets. I believe the bonuses affect attack and defense modifiers too. it can get brutal.