Custom Map #1854: Connections 19: Plasma. By: Trickycorp

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This topic is for discussion of map #1854: Connections 19: Plasma


Author: Trickycorp
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That which cannot stop you, can only hope to slow you down. That which can only slow you down, cannot stop you. -Story driven mission series

[toolforger]

Seems unwinnable.

One pirate isn't enough to survive the missile onslaught.
Two pirates are not ready before the missile onslaught.
You cannot kill the missile ships while being built.
You can prevent the ships from being built quickly by disabling one energy ship and slowly lathe away at the shipyards, but the missiles will get you anyway.

There is probably some way to defeat this, but I can't find it and don't bother anymore.

[toolforger]

Gave it another go and it worked.
But you have to find the exact right strategy, otherwise it's really unwinnable.

Essential strategy - without it, you won't have a chance:

Spoiler

Energy mine, omnis and the one available tech look like you should build up your fleet with that energy and then kill the rogue fleet.
Don't. It's a trap. The rogues will swoop in and kill your fleet with a missile barrage before even a single ship can finish.
(I have a deep personal distaste for scenarios that are actively setting traps to the player. It's a mind game, not a strategy game, IMNSHO.)
Put the amp gen on the HQ instead.

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Spoiler

There is a position where you can lathe one of the shipyards, while preventing two other rogues from building.

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Spoiler

Deflecting missiles from two rogues is not sustainable long-term, that will slowly sap your energy reserves until the missiles kill you.
However, if you position the HQ so that both cannons hit a single rogue from the front, you'll kill the rogue with the second or third salvo.

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Important strategy - you'll need this but you'll readily find out:

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Rogues won't get killed if cannon shots are drawn to a base.
Shooting at bases is pointless if you have rogues to kill.

Spoiler

Spoiler

You can't avoid having two rogues firing at you while you lathe the first shipyard.
Once the first shipyard is gone, you'll need to juggle a bit: You want to kill the second shipyard, but you will definitely need to kill one of the rogues sapping your energy with missiles.
You'll need to prioritize in this order: 1. Don't allow more than one rogue firing at you, 2. prevent two shipyards from building, 3. lathe two more shipyards.

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Spoiler

Plasma is deadly. You'll be unable to maneuver quickly enough to kill what needs to be killed.
Flying around plasma is faster (MUCH faster!) than trying to traverse it.

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Nice to know but not essential:

Spoiler

You can start to kill bases once you have just a single shipyard left.

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Spoiler

Don't try to ram shipyards. It is difficult to begin with, but regenerating hull and weapons takes to much energy that even a single rogue can kill you.

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Spoiler

The bases will go down MUCH faster if you go through one of the generators (the green things).
You can even ram the generator, but be ultra-careful to not lose your lathe; it will regenerate but you'll lose time because you need to lathe the base's shipyard, so ramming is not worth it in the end.

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Spoiler

The rogues will go into energy shortage eventually, giving you more room to breathe.
It's not important since if you survived to that point, you'd likely survive indefinitely, but it helps with the clean-up phase.

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