New Supcom strategies
Today I learned (the hard way) the following two supreme commander strategies:
Tech 1 bomber overload
Requires: lots of tech1 factories, decent economy, an enemy who is reasonably far away from you and is significantly less air focused.
Counter: large numbers of tech1 anti-air is only marginally successful, sweeps of bombers will quickly demolish static defenses. Interceptors are a risky counter, anyone building this many bombers will have more than enough margin to add in piles of interceptors as well. Most effective counter appears to be to race for tech 2 immediately and deploy 4-8 tech2 flak cannons, which will demolish both the bombers and any likely subsequent air strike short of masses of t2 gunships, or t3.
Implications: Air-only is a risky strategy for all except UEF, no air unit short of the t3 broadsword is actually capable of withstanding significant fire, and only the broadsword and strat bomber are capable of delivering serious damage.
Conclusion: Unless you are nearly certain that the enemy is going to sit at tech1 for a while (history of, say, frigate rush), or you're UEF and plan to head in a reasonably straight line for broadswords, this strategy is unlikely to work if they are paying any attention. On the other hand, if you manage to keep all their scouts off, or it's a random-position ffa, it might work.
Tech1 stand-off artillery assault
Probably works best (only?) with Cybran. This is a modification of the classic mantis rush for dealing with a player who has successfully deployed point-defense diamonds (pd surrounded by walls) in suficient density to make a straight mantis assault uneconomic.
Requires: Same as mantis rush, needs an opponent who can be contained to ensure sufficient economy superiority to defend artillery, relatively small map with direct land access to opponent.
Counter: Uncertain. It is not possible to deploy sufficient numbers prior to a possible tech2 upgrade by the victim. A properly balanced t2/t1 mixed assault (say, shields + t2 heavy tanks + whatever t1 you can get) may be sufficient to break the force defending the artillery. Air superiority (bomber rush) or t2 point defense + radar may supply sufficient ranged assault to keep the artillery out of effective range.
Implications: The main implication is that the evolution of this tactic renders the previously solid pd diamond strategy ineffective as a sole method of preventing mantis rush. A rapid escalation to tech2 is the logical progression from the initiation of a diamond defense, along with a heavy focus on increasing exractor tech levels to ensure relative economic parity.
Execution: Rapid expansion with numerous land factories, it is imperative that a large economy advantage be gained and maintained, failure to do so will result in a rapid reduction in the effectiveness of assaults, and eventual out-teching by opponent.
Conclusion: Most effective for Cybran, a tactic likely to give success on small/medium land maps against a single opponent. Many ranked players appear to utilise this or similar variations.
Tech 1 bomber overload
Requires: lots of tech1 factories, decent economy, an enemy who is reasonably far away from you and is significantly less air focused.
Counter: large numbers of tech1 anti-air is only marginally successful, sweeps of bombers will quickly demolish static defenses. Interceptors are a risky counter, anyone building this many bombers will have more than enough margin to add in piles of interceptors as well. Most effective counter appears to be to race for tech 2 immediately and deploy 4-8 tech2 flak cannons, which will demolish both the bombers and any likely subsequent air strike short of masses of t2 gunships, or t3.
Implications: Air-only is a risky strategy for all except UEF, no air unit short of the t3 broadsword is actually capable of withstanding significant fire, and only the broadsword and strat bomber are capable of delivering serious damage.
Conclusion: Unless you are nearly certain that the enemy is going to sit at tech1 for a while (history of, say, frigate rush), or you're UEF and plan to head in a reasonably straight line for broadswords, this strategy is unlikely to work if they are paying any attention. On the other hand, if you manage to keep all their scouts off, or it's a random-position ffa, it might work.
Tech1 stand-off artillery assault
Probably works best (only?) with Cybran. This is a modification of the classic mantis rush for dealing with a player who has successfully deployed point-defense diamonds (pd surrounded by walls) in suficient density to make a straight mantis assault uneconomic.
Requires: Same as mantis rush, needs an opponent who can be contained to ensure sufficient economy superiority to defend artillery, relatively small map with direct land access to opponent.
Counter: Uncertain. It is not possible to deploy sufficient numbers prior to a possible tech2 upgrade by the victim. A properly balanced t2/t1 mixed assault (say, shields + t2 heavy tanks + whatever t1 you can get) may be sufficient to break the force defending the artillery. Air superiority (bomber rush) or t2 point defense + radar may supply sufficient ranged assault to keep the artillery out of effective range.
Implications: The main implication is that the evolution of this tactic renders the previously solid pd diamond strategy ineffective as a sole method of preventing mantis rush. A rapid escalation to tech2 is the logical progression from the initiation of a diamond defense, along with a heavy focus on increasing exractor tech levels to ensure relative economic parity.
Execution: Rapid expansion with numerous land factories, it is imperative that a large economy advantage be gained and maintained, failure to do so will result in a rapid reduction in the effectiveness of assaults, and eventual out-teching by opponent.
Conclusion: Most effective for Cybran, a tactic likely to give success on small/medium land maps against a single opponent. Many ranked players appear to utilise this or similar variations.
Labels: supcom
posted by PhiRatE at
1:15 AM
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