As for my credentials, apart from being a long-time gamer and modder I have studied game design at university with real-time strategy games being one of our focus topics. I got a distinction in this subject.

I think I would know what makes a good game. Spam and single/few-unit tactics does not make a good game.

I was just going to comment on the original subject for a change. I appreciate the MP vs SP conversations, but they don't really aid the overall purpose for this forum. I have played both MP and SP games and both are very different creatures. But how that pertains to the TEC is a matter of opinion. That being said, here is mine.

The TEC are underpowered when it comes to the abilities and overall strength of their ships. However, I am inclined to believe that they do have the most robust economy and balanced set of abilities in the game. The TEC are not a massive fleet type of army. If your goal is to mass a single fleet and beat the stuffing out of everyone who crosses your path, then you may need to pick another side. I have found that the key to a successful campaign is not massing fleets but instead hit and run raids against undefended enemy colonies. For people who like massing their forces, this is a major obstacle that they/you face. One of my favorite tactics is a single capital ship and a team of LRM/s and Flaks. This is very effective if you use a Sova and turn on embargo or go for the dreadnaught and blow the stuffing out of their outpost (very nice against asteroids). You can also build teams of scouts to attack enemy construction vehicles and prevent enemy colonies from even getting going. They hate this tactic. Also, you can build small fleets of ships for suicide runs against enemy colonies and resource production centers. These typically don't have capital ships and you intend for them to be shot to hell. Once you send them in, let them go and say goodbye (they are your opponents problem now). Now comes the really nasty part, put all of these strategies together at the same time. It can get really fast paced playing as a TEC commander, and you can't look for the one hit kill that most players are looking for. This is an Ali type of game (float like a butterfly, sting like a bee). To play TEC you have to be creative and very good at multiple attacks on your enemy at the same time. Your enemy may be relying on a large fleet to put you down. Don't let him bring all of his ships together. Keep him moving small numbers in multiple locations.

The TEC are exceptionally weak in the early game before their economy has been built up. They also suffer on small maps where they land in a poor resource position early in the game. One thing that I have noticed is that TEC players tend to get very attached to their ships and this tends to be a major problem for their play style. My suggestion for learning to play TEC well is don't look for short games and don't look for large fleet engagements. Play for attrition, I have had several people have to leave because the game just went on for too long. In my book, that is still a win!

I understand where you're coming from Marlowe, but I still think you'd find a bigger challenge if you went online. There also social aspects to playing online. I hope you'll give it a chance. Not everyone out there is a prepubescent e-jerk trying to prove that they have the biggest e-penis, generously dispensing taunts; there are also mature adults who play the game.

I dunno. I think TEC are okay right now. I'd like to see a few tweaks, but really, I can't see any big issues.

You can get LRMs quickly and spam them and have a very solid fleet fast. You can switch to flak fast. You can get carriers fast. You can rush Kodiaks. You can Trade spam. You have the hardcore units in the game with fully teched up Kodiaks -- I mean, Kodiaks are HARD to kill when you've got their hullpoints up and shields up and armor up and their weapons up...

TEC are weakest mid game vs Advent and Illumns and then weak against Vas and RA. I'm not a big fan of the end game techs for any of the races, but I do think that a skilled TEC player can beat an RA player if his econ is up. TEC have cheap, solid units. Every unit is middling -- none are amazing, but all are useful, which is more important. They have the best Capital Ship in the game imo with the Dreadnought -- nothing like burning down worlds to actually WIN a game. And again, TEC tech up nice and face and get TOUGH to kill. I mean, Kodiaks + Repair Cruisers + Command Cruisers? Pul-ease.

@ablsloan
Carriers are useless.....Properly used carriers are the most effective unit of TEC or Advent. I stress properly micro'd strike groups are the deadliest and hard to kill units in the game.

I think saying TEC needs powering up is premature. Wait for the Marza long range attack ability to be fixed and other fixes before jumping the gun.

Other posters already hit this perfectly, but TEC is meant to take losses and build replacements fast with their strong economy. Just comparing units and not their infrastructure or economy strengths is ignoring crucial components to the game I think.

If I could play multiplayer SINS, I'd play EVE online instead!!!

I've only played sp so far, but I usually play on unfair mode versus 5+ locked opponents. I'm sure mp is still harder than that, but it's not the style of game I'm looking for, I like the huge drawn out games that take weeks to complete.

I also like rp-ish fleet building. I think it's fun to construct my fleets like the US Navy does carrier groups. I know carrier caps suck compared to battleships and battlecruisers but I like the *idea* of carrier ships. I also enjoy the aesthetic part of the game, in sp I restart the game over and over til I get a red sun, and I always play advent because the radiance battleship and halcyon carrier are so cool looking with graphics turned to the highest settings. Shiny!

To min/max for the most efficient game play is your perogative in MP. Doing a close up on my pretty caps to watch all the energy weapons flying around is mine.