Home » Stars! 2.6/7 » The Academy » Mineral Packet efficiency
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Thu, 28 April 2005 04:11   |
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 iztok |
 | Commander |
Messages: 1206
Registered: April 2003
Location: Slovenia, Europe | |
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Hi!
| Robert wrote on Thu, 28 April 2005 09:44 |
In a mixed packet you get 3*44kT = 132kT for 10 resources
in a single min-type packet you get 110kT for 10 resources
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That is true, BUT:
1. resources were almost never the limiting factor for firing packets (hey, you get 11,000kT packet with 1000 res), and
2. iron and germ were almost always the factor, so
I'm usually firing bora packets and use/save iron for ships, and germ for fac's/nubs.
BR, Iztok
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Fri, 29 April 2005 08:13 |
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| Robert |
 | Lt. Junior Grade |
Messages: 393
Registered: November 2002
Location: Dortmund, Germany | |
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| iztok wrote on Thu, 28 April 2005 10:11 |
Hi!
| Robert wrote on Thu, 28 April 2005 09:44 |
In a mixed packet you get 3*44kT = 132kT for 10 resources
in a single min-type packet you get 110kT for 10 resources
|
That is true, BUT:
1. resources were almost never the limiting factor for firing packets (hey, you get 11,000kT packet with 1000 res), and
2. iron and germ were almost always the factor, so
I'm usually firing bora packets and use/save iron for ships, and germ for fac's/nubs.
BR, Iztok
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Hmmm.... Ok, now I can let the cat out...
I love RS, and I often pick energy tech cheap, and when I do so, I usually get one quick kill very early with packets.
I just pick a planet (at least 30%) not further than 150ly from my enemy's homeworld, research en9 asap and go for a quick kill.
This works impressingly well - in a current game I got my first hw-kill in 2422! Most people do not get too nervous when someone takes a planet furhter than 81ly away, builds some better base, some ships, minefields, but most do not build more defenses. The problem with this is usually not the minerals, it is ofter the resources on that planet (in the current game I got 1800res in 2422, and the planet is 30% so i can have only 330.000 pop there - and then it does make a difference.
I do not believe in packets later in the game, people have defenses, own massdrivers, can take the planets back much easier... But early the loss of the hw is usually impossible to compensate.
Anyway - you are right that in most cases it does not really matter, just the way I like to play 
2b v !2b -> ?Report message to a moderator
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Sat, 07 May 2005 04:24 |
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I usually find that -Fs don't have the early mineral resources to throw a large rock that early. Packets have a very limited shelf life for effectiveness. The earlier the better as surprise is essential. Once defenses are up packets are near useless, even for PP. (It's frustrating playing a PP and finding out just how useless the packets are. They do great work for terraforming or "permaforming". Find a world w/ 1 variable just a few 'clicks' out of your terraforming range, preferably in the temperature band, just fling a few dozen Mt of bora at it and watch it go green.
As far as early assaults go, I generally prefer to launch a big DD fleet and a small bomber cache. My record for HW nuke is something like 2418 in a blitz. My record for having my HW nuked is 2414...
g.e.
====
"When the newspapers have been read, the TV sets shut off, the cars parked
in their various garages. Then, faintly, I hear voices from another star.
(I clocked it once, and the reception is best between 3:00 A.M. and 4:45
A.M.). Of course, I don't usually tell people this when they ask, "Say,
where do you get your ideas?" I just say I don't know. It's safer."
-P. K. DickReport message to a moderator
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Sat, 07 May 2005 12:17 |
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I think as long as you have minerals to spare, packets have a place. Border wars... it can be crucial to prevent a gate from going up so the enemy massive fleet can't gate either in or out.
Taking planets without destroying all the factories... sometimes a combo including packets has worked.
AR, CA... AR doesn't have to worry as much later game on mineral depletus and has good energy tech, crucial to stop the enemy from getting in range of own planets. CA can unterraform attack to send planet back to red with little defences, sometimes easier to blitz'n packet rather than worry about bombers.
For the early first suprise stike mineral packet... the easiest defence is often having spare large freighters in orbit (or galleans with garbage engines).
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Sat, 07 May 2005 13:59 |
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| EDog |
| Lt. Junior Grade |
Messages: 417
Registered: November 2002
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA | |
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The biggest problem inexperienced PP players run into is assuming that packets can be the sum total of an attack. This should never be the case (except when popping a fresh colony or one poorly defended). Ideally, a packet can perform a combination role of bomber and invasion force, significantly depleting surface populations. If packets are in use, you don't necessarly need to build large fleets of bombers or send massive amounts of population for invasion. Instead, you can build smaller fleets of specialized LBU bombers to take down defenses. Escort them by the fleet designed to take down the enemy starbase and local defense fleet. Let the LBUs go to work for a year or two (depending upon how big and efficient the fleet is), then smack the world with a decent-sized packet, eliminating or reducing population to almost nothing. Then follow up with your invasion force. If you calculate your packet size effectively, you might only need one or two large freighters of colonists to take the world. If it's red for you, take what minerals you can and move on. If it's green, you've already got a good jumpstart on building new fortifications.
EDog
http://ianthealy.com
Born, grew up, became an adventurer
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Sat, 14 May 2005 20:45 |
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| Braindead |
 | Officer Cadet 2nd Year |
Messages: 238
Registered: April 2005
Location: Ohio | |
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| Quote: |
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There are few things to do:
- get (somehow) 3500kT there (you need to build the driver, too)
- get 300K pop there (you need about 500r to build the base and driver, 300r to produce the packet).
- get him away from the planet (if there is a battle and he sees the driver you built, then your plan is gone).
...
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| Quote: |
Most people do not get too nervous when someone takes a planet furhter than 81ly away, builds some better base, some ships, minefields, but most do not build more defenses.
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I don't know about you, but if someone takes a planet within a flinging distance from my HW and starts killing my ships, I'll nuke the bastard myself before he builds a factory or mine on that planet, let alone a base. 
BD
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| Re: Mineral Packet efficiency |
Sun, 15 May 2005 04:59 |
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| iztok |
| Commander |
Messages: 1206
Registered: April 2003
Location: Slovenia, Europe | |
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Hi!
| EDog wrote on Sat, 07 May 2005 19:59 |
...Ideally, a packet can perform a combination role of bomber and invasion force, significantly depleting surface populations...
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When I want to preserve installations my usuall combo cosistes of a
- fleet of standard bombers (less damage to installations) to destroy some defenses,
- some bora packets that will strike the very next year through weakened defenses severely reducing pop and defenses, and
- some LFs with pop to invade.
Works quite well also in late game. Costly in minerals though, but usually I have excess bora anyway.
BR, Iztok
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