Originally posted by: Homerboy
is there no play versus AI? just multi?
You can do AI, sure.
It's one of those 2-6 player games where you can substitute any or all of the players with a CPU.
Demo allows 2 player only, or I think will allow a demo player to join an existing non-demo 6 player game provided there is only one demo guy on at once.
If you want to get nutty with just 2 people (or cpus) you can give each person multiple territories. ie have a 3 on 3 game with just two people running stuff.
The AI will slap you around for a while but eventually you'll get some good strategies togther and start winning regularly. I've never had a perfect game against the CPU yet, but I've come close.
Tip: First strike strategies tend to fail because your reconnisance isn't good enough to obliterate during the first strike. Counter-strike strategies tend to fail because you're behind on megadeaths already and have likely lost a fair amount of offensive power.
Loosely my strategy against AI
Phase 1:
Sea superiority during defcon 3,2. Don't be afraid to use subs in fleet combat. You'll lose some but they'll be enough for ICBM launches later.
Have at least one battleship only fleet to move along the enemy coast for recon...move in to coast after sea-superiority is established.
Use land-based airbases to help with sea superiority. Don't lose too many land-or sea based bombers during this. Fight the battle under cover of your airbases, not his.
Suicide fighters in in tight packs of 3-4 to get solid recon. Find those radars, find the ICBMS.
Recall any bombers midway through defcon 2 so they can rearm with nukes.
Move subs near coast during defcon 2.
Some carriers will have lost all bombers & fighters during defcon 2-3. Not to worry. anti-sub mode them and pull back to your coast.
Phase 2...Offense time:
Defcon 1: massive bomber waves. keep them in waves, not 1-2 at a time. Launch far land-bombers first, launch near land-bombers after the far ones pass overhead, launch carrier based ones so they join formation too. This makes em all go in at once.
Hit Radar first.
Put ~5 bombers on each ICBM site you have found. You have more than enough nukes in this game. Don't be afraid of going overboard to kill the ICBM sites (3 hits for kill...might take 6 attempts to accomplish this)
Use ONE of your ICBM sites at a time to suppliment bombers & start first striking cities.
Once site is empty and flips back to defense, put next ICBM in offense.
You should have a major dent in enemy radar shortly.
You should have maybe 1-3 enemy ICBMs down.
Phase 3...defense time.
Computer will then launch his first strike and reveal any undiscovered ICBMs.
Launch all of your sub ICBMs from short range.
With his radar in bad shape and leftover fighters and bombers around your sub ICBMs should be able to get three hits in and destroy enemy launchers after they get 2-3 shots off each.
Dig in for defense. Float land-based fighers around to keep your radar coverage extended... with all your ICBMs in defense mode and only 2-3 incoming from each enemy ICBM you should be ok..might take a very small handful of hits. Remember your ICBMs can take 3 hits... If something is going to slip through keep this in mind.. Better they take 1-2 hits than a city. Don't let them get that 3rd hit tho.
Pull fleets back to defensive posture. Empty carriers like cannon fodder...they need to go into anti-sub mode at this point.
Armageddon phase:
His ICBMs are gone. Put yours in offense in groups of 2 at a time if you have located his subs, go ahead and put them all in offense at once. Tap each city at least twice (not everybody dies in first hit...key to points is multiple strikes on each city...capitol cities may take 4). Pull fleet back to coast, start looking for those enemy subs. Put bombers in holding patterns to strike when subs are found.
Practice this strategy a bit. By the 2nd or third game you should be winning easily by a 10-1 ratio.
Don't try this crap on a human
😛 I don't think it will work hehe.
