Detailed Faction Guide (by Sillyland)

このガイドはSillylandによって作成および管理されています. 誰でもこのガイドに自由に貢献できます.

The purpose of this guide is to give details and comments about units of different factions.

'''This guide is written based on high level AI (Level 10+). Many information, such as tech upgrades, do not apply to low level AI'''

Threat level rating is based on other ships of the same class. It is highly subjective. Other players may perceive this differently base on their units and strategies.

General Info
See Campaign for more detail.

Turret
Starting from level 3, AI starts with few turret B. This amount goes up at higher level. AI usually place Turret A rather than Turret B.

Starting from level 5, AI starts with one defense unit. The amount increase to two at level 14, three at level 23,and four at level 34.

Ship
The AI will usually build in this sequence:
 * 1) Spawn a few fighter A then fighter B. Usually create up to four fighterbays.
 * 2) Spawn one medium A
 * 3) Spawn another medium A, medium B or skip to spawning capital immediately.
 * 4) Spawn capital
 * 5) Attempt to use every available space left by spawning more capitals, mediums, fighters, and turrets. One or two more starports is usual. AI do not use constructor or naval yard.

Human AI relies on asteroids for metal, so if there are few/no asteroids within the vicinity of the AI, it will stick to smaller ships. In addition, they may spawn miners which may travel to your base quickly if there are some asteriods in the vicinity of your base.

Rarely, the AI may choose to build several mediums instead of capitals even though it have enough asteroids. One possible reason is lack of space to place a starport.

Capital rush speed only give the general idea. It will vary a lot depending on the build sequence.

If one cannot match the AI's rush speed in a pincer or duel, turtling is advised.

Red AI
Red is a human race.

Red has relatively basic equipments. They have no particular strength or weakness. You will always find duel with red as the first mission in a level. Rushing work well against them, but watch out for the fast Piranha and Puma. They may skip through your rushing turrets/ships, distracting their fire. It is not too difficult to turtle Red, but some more Phalanx will be needed to take the rapid-firing Tridents.

Defense Unit: Tactical Shield

Tech: Neutron Round

Capital rush speed: NORMAL

Strength: Lots of bullets.

Weakness: Early-game rush (require a powerful EMP unit(s) to break through tactical shields), Turtle

Green AI
This AI focus on laser weapons and carriers. Avoid using fighters (and carriers) to deal with them, since their rapiers swarm could easily erase your own fighters swarm. This is one of the most dangerous AI late-game, especially on long maps. It excels at both fighter-defense (Legion with Rapier hangar) and capital-defense (Spartan). Turret rush works to some degree, but you will need a few repair units to sustain the damage from lasers.

Turtling is possible with this faction, but very difficult. You will typically need 8-10 reactors, a rof rof Hyper Repair (or range rof rof Repair Turret), Lasers/ Autocannon to kill rapiers, Insurance 50 energy turrets to take Spartan Lasers, and Range Void Lance to kill Legions quickly. A phalanx or two may be needed to absorb Legion cannon fire.

Defense Unit: Tactical Shield

Tech: Iridium Round, Rapier Hangar

Capital rush speed: NORMAL

Strength: Swarming, Swarm suppression with lasers

Weakness: Early-game rush (require a powerful EMP unit(s) to break through tactical shields) , Lack end-game firepower without Spartan(s)

Yellow AI
Yellow AI focuses on missiles and Phalanx. Two of their ships, the Grendel and Mastodon, have a mounted Phalanx. This AI can be very troublesome for players that stick to low-firerate projectile weapons such as Plasma, Artillery, Bombs, and Black Holes. The player should have powerful beam or rapid-firing units such as Autogun or Autocannon. Freeze rounds are also effective since it can disable the mounted Phalanx. An established base with multiple Grendels and Mastodons is almost invulnerable to projectile weapons.

Yellow are relatively easy to turtle, despite the "Mastodon spammage". A few high- ROF weapons like autogun can clear out Hawks/ Grendels, and 4 or 5 rof range phalanx easily clear up the missile spam. Biolab is great for infesting all the meds and caps. Defense Unit: Phalanx

Tech: Thermal Round, Hawk Hangar

Capital rush speed: NORMAL

Strength: Early game, Projectile defense with Phalanx

Weakness: Weak end-game firepower, Beam weapons, Freeze, Turtle

Purple AI
Purple ore-based faction that use miner and processor. It focuses on a wide variety of weapons, many of which have long range. A Phalanx is a necessity when fighting this AI, since it is a crucial defense against Minotaur and Hammerhead. They are arguably the easiest faction to turtle (along with cloud). Defense Unit: Phalanx

Tech: -

Capital rush speed: NORMAL

Strength: Long-range combat.

Weakness: Phalanx, requires a slightly higher amount of asteroids for accumulator, Turtling.

Orange AI
Orange is another ore based faction like purple. They are notorious for their capital rushing speed and their capital, the Goliath, is very hard to defend against. The general tip against this AI is to mount offensive as soon as possible. Rushing is a viable tactic if the AI is close enough. At level 10 and above, it will mostly likely bring out capitals before the player does, leaving rushing the only option. If rushing is not probable, you must learn to turtle.

It is not advised to try to turtle Orange if you do not have Blaster, Micromissiles, or Microlaser modded with Insurance. If these units are equipped, turtling them will be significantly easier.

Defense Unit: Tactical Shield

Tech: -

Capital rush speed: FAST

Strength: Capital rush speed, Generally high armor

Weakness: Early-game rush (require a powerful EMP unit(s) to break through tactical shields), Swarming, requires a lot of asteroids for their economy, turtling.

Infest
Infest is an alien race.

Their appearance is somewhat insectoid and organic. Infest units have relatively low armor, making them very fragile. Lack of defense unit make them vulnerable to turret/fighter rush as well. Their main weapon is acid projectiles with low range. Since both the medium and capital ships can spawn spores, infest will swarm you with a lot of spores late-game. This AI is generally considered a weakest AI at high levels. Comes with organ repair at higher levels. Does not use Metal at all.

Infest ship will evolve into bigger ship given enough time. Evolution follow this order: Fighter -> Medium -> Heavy -> Capital

When turtling Infest, some laser turrets as well as Void Lance are advised. Defense Unit: None

Tech: Acid Round, Repair Organ

Capital rush speed: FAST

Strength: Spore swarming, Infest & Evolve, Capital rush speed

Weakness: Low armor, Weak against shields, Vulnerable to Thermal round/Fusion round/Early-game rush, Weak defense, Turtling.

Cloud
Cloud is another alien race. Their units are white colored and their ships are saucer shaped. All of their weapons have freeze technology which paralyze but weak against shield. Because of this, it is very important that the player use shielded units on the front line. Cloud units have very low armor but very tough shield. Cobra, with the ability to destroy all type of shield, is incredibly effective against them. Munitions that do large shield damage including Iridium and EMP rounds are also effective. Cloud main station comes with a Mega Shield, but low shield regeneration. All cloud buildings has shields and the 2x2 building which doesn't do anything is their metal generator.

If need be, Cloud are extraordinarily easy to turtle with a few shield/phalanx, and Void Lance (not Biolab since Cloud is shielded). Just don't let them fly over your base.

Defense Unit: None

Tech: Freeze Rounds, Base Shield

Capital rush speed: NORMAL

Strength: Extremely high shield, Freeze round, Very strong defense.

Weakness: Low armor, Low damage output, Vulnerable to Iridium round/EMP round/Cobra, Turtle.