Gameplay element missing in sins - proposal included

Surgical strikes and raiding

Something a bit missing in Sins , is surgical strikes or raiding into enemy territory.

This is where you split off 2-3 cobalts off your main fleet to perform a surgical strike on enemy resources deep in their territory by literally bee-lining through phaselanes.

The idea is simple...
- small strike fleet
- if not dealt with
- causes damage to enemy econ
- your ships will probably die
- atleast its balanced by the damage you caused

A skilled player will know how to damage more then the cost of his strike team, a less skilled wont ,but will eventually learn too. A skilled player will anticipate an enemy strike team and probably take advantage by bringing in a larger fleet to intercept. A less skilled player might only react and thus get a few of his extractors destroyed before he deals with it. Its a pretty good gameplay element in RTS games.

Currently ,the problem is that 2-3 cobalts cant do much damage by themselves so the 2-3 cobalts are better off just being part of a main confrontational fleet that just takes one planet at a time.

Inorder to add this gameplay element...

My proposal is to make construction frigates weaker (300hp) , and to make metal and crystal exctractors weaker too (400hp). Scout frigates may need rebalancing because of this. Extractors could cost a bit more too. Its really up to IC on this.
8,046 views 2 replies
Reply #1 Top
But erm... we have the scout frigate, with the Explosion thingy upgrade.
They do a nice job of raiding.

It's just a bit unfortunate that the upgrade is pretty high-level, thus not available in the early game, which is where raiding is the most usefull.

Of course, Extractors aren't quite as important as, say C&C harvesters. You just build a new one, no problem.
Reply #2 Top
Personally, I find the idea of raiding the enemy's supply lines (AKA trade / refinery ships) to match up what your asking. And if it weren't for phase inhibitors, you could do that to anyone who forgets to build hangars as rear area defenses.

Which means that scouts, again, can do that kind of fun. Just move the jump inhibition down, IMO -- it needs it anyway.