Usefulness of the Forge's Singularity Weapon

[steelwing]

So if you've gotten to Mistet, you know about this weapon and have probably tried to use it.  I'm still trying to figure out the best tactics for this thing.  The only way I can see it being useful is in a scenario where you can suck in enough Creeper to make it invert into AC.  The question then becomes...how much Creeper does that take?
How do others use this weapon?  I guess you could try to use it make a nice big target for the Berthas, but I don't know that even that would be all that helpful...

[asmussen]

I find the singularity weapon/Bertha combo to be fairly effective on some maps.

[teknotiss]

So if you've gotten to Mistet, you know about this weapon and have probably tried to use it.  I'm still trying to figure out the best tactics for this thing.  The only way I can see it being useful is in a scenario where you can suck in enough Creeper to make it invert into AC.  The question then becomes...how much Creeper does that take?
How do others use this weapon?  I guess you could try to use it make a nice big target for the Berthas, but I don't know that even that would be all that helpful...

generally when the Flip effect happens the Singularity is pulling so much C in it annhiliates the AC, useful but not a big flood of AC (unless you get amazingly lucky on amount of C vs time of Singularity).
but it does have uses, as assmussen says in combo with a bertha (or 10  ;D) it's great for clearing areas of C and eliminating it, and i have used it to pull ac dropped by bombers under the Air Exclusion Zone area of effect to assist my frontline.
you can also, when you have a lot of Aether and AC, use it to store excess AC near the battle line to be released as a flood when the time is right, shields can direct it to the fight. there must be other uses too, but it tends to have subtle or supporting effects, it's not a battle winner alone... usually ::)

[steelwing]

Interesting.  I had not yet thought of the possibility of shields and singularities working together.  I wonder if there are possibilities for a quick one-shot defense against spore drops.

[MatrixQ]

I like to set the singularity slightly off center from an emitter, which will clear most of the creeper on one side of the emitter, so I can put down a nullifier.

On DMD maps, I've also used it to gather a lot of creeper in one place and threw a conversion bomb down on it. Once the singularity is gone, the massive tower of AC will clear a lot of creeper around it.

[Cavemaniac]

A variation is to create a mound of creeper with the singularity and drop a Mass Driver on top of it - that not only wipes out the creeper like a Bertha shot (without the long build/arm cycle, sometimes Mass AoO's are just lying around) but also creates a useful sink-hole/diverter for the following creeper.

Of course this is all Aether dependent - and you may find it easiest to liberate Aether from resource packs (where available).

I like to set the singularity slightly off center from an emitter, which will clear most of the creeper on one side of the emitter, so I can put down a nullifier.

I had one map on the go that had so much creeper being generated by a mass of emitters that this was the only way I could make headway - it was late in the game by that stage and I had massive quantities of Aether being generated so I just laid down singularity after singularity to keep the creeper drawn back so I could get close enough with a nullifier.

Shields and weapons couldn't cope with the massive quantity of creeper on their own so the singularity was a godsend.

[TonyP2000]

I personally think the singularity weapon is the most underrated tool in the game. As tek put it, it really is amazing at support.

[Spencergray24]

I'll use it in combination with 3 bertha's, take each one, shoot in like a triangle around my target, then use the singularity where the creeper is coming from. Then 2 guppys to build a nullifier and take my target out. Need about 40 seconds(minimum) of singularity for that to work.

[Cavemaniac]

I'll use it in combination with 3 bertha's, take each one, shoot in like a triangle around my target, then use the singularity where the creeper is coming from.

Good idea - but let me give you a tip.

I almost never build a Bertha unless there's a PZ to put it on - a Bertha on a PZ fires a triple shot and requires half the ammo of a regular Bertha to fire a shot, which means it has twice the fire rate, and as it fires a triple shot, it lands six shots in the time it takes one regular Bertha to fire one shot. And you only have to build one Bertha, not three!

[teknotiss]

I'll use it in combination with 3 bertha's, take each one, shoot in like a triangle around my target, then use the singularity where the creeper is coming from.

Good idea - but let me give you a tip.

I almost never build a Bertha unless there's a PZ to put it on - a Bertha on a PZ fires a triple shot and requires half the ammo of a regular Bertha to fire a shot, which means it has twice the fire rate, and as it fires a triple shot, it lands six shots in the time it takes one regular Bertha to fire one shot. And you only have to build one Bertha, not three!

have to disagree a little with Cave here, PZ Bertha's are a cool bonus, but regular Berthas are still awesome, for a 250 to build and 150 per shot you get total kill of all normal to heavy creeper densities, and on small tormented maps a Bertha can give the edge needed to push forwards.
i love Bertha!  8)

[steelwing]

I'll use it in combination with 3 bertha's, take each one, shoot in like a triangle around my target, then use the singularity where the creeper is coming from.

Good idea - but let me give you a tip.

I almost never build a Bertha unless there's a PZ to put it on - a Bertha on a PZ fires a triple shot and requires half the ammo of a regular Bertha to fire a shot, which means it has twice the fire rate, and as it fires a triple shot, it lands six shots in the time it takes one regular Bertha to fire one shot. And you only have to build one Bertha, not three!

have to disagree a little with Cave here, PZ Bertha's are a cool bonus, but regular Berthas are still awesome, for a 250 to build and 150 per shot you get total kill of all normal to heavy creeper densities, and on small tormented maps a Bertha can give the edge needed to push forwards.
i love Bertha!  8)

Agreed.  Berthas are awesome. 8)

[NFITC1]

I won't build a non PZ Bertha until I can sustain several of them at once. Usually six at least. One by itself isn't particularly useful. A constant barrage with timed delays between shots can really thin out an inhibitor enough to land a shield and a few guppies on and take it out quick. That's my general strategy for low-to-mid-intensity inhibitor maps. Access to PZs make it lots easier and faster.

Either way, Singularities can be a good thing, but that wastes a lot of aether. If the Creeper is too deep it won't take enough out to do anything meaningful. There have been some maps where I postpone using aether for upgrades to create a larger vortex (several holes) around the inhibitor or a nasty emitter to land some guppies near.

[iycgtptyarvg]

Sorry for being stupid, but how does the singularity work?
Sometimes I can click it, and sometimes I can't (not enough aether maybe?). Also, I don't know how much time the singularity will exist. Is there a setting, or should I press a stop button or something?
Also, I don't understand what happens. The creeper gets sucked away into 'nothingness'? Doesn't a Bertha also kill all creeper to the bottom on the fired upon spot?

Sorry if this is explained somewhere else, but is there a manual for this game?

[steelwing]

Sorry for being stupid, but how does the singularity work?
Sometimes I can click it, and sometimes I can't (not enough aether maybe?). Also, I don't know how much time the singularity will exist. Is there a setting, or should I press a stop button or something?
Also, I don't understand what happens. The creeper gets sucked away into 'nothingness'? Doesn't a Bertha also kill all creeper to the bottom on the fired upon spot?

Sorry if this is explained somewhere else, but is there a manual for this game?

Spoiler

The Singularity requires a minimum of 100 Aether and seems to last 1 sec for every 10 Aether you put in.  I think.

[close]

[teknotiss]

Sorry for being stupid, but how does the singularity work?
Sometimes I can click it, and sometimes I can't (not enough aether maybe?). Also, I don't know how much time the singularity will exist. Is there a setting, or should I press a stop button or something?
Also, I don't understand what happens. The creeper gets sucked away into 'nothingness'? Doesn't a Bertha also kill all creeper to the bottom on the fired upon spot?

Sorry if this is explained somewhere else, but is there a manual for this game?

as the prev user stated 100 aether minimum, 10 aether per second.
how it works is once you target and fire a singularity it gathers C and AC to that point for the duration of the aether expended. the C or AC can undergo the Flip effect (when either C or AC gets past 2147M density it converts to the other state), but this just acts to reduce the C or AC not eliminate it while the singularity is in action.
hope that helps  8)