Waves in air combat

[StellarRat]

Seems to me if you down enough alien craft within a certain time frame you should get a period of relative calm. The background says that the aliens have to prepare their ships for atmospheric flight, so one has to assume they can only convert so many at a time otherwise they would just land with everything at once, right? Either that, or they ought to come in waves, like task forces that have been converted and sent all at once. Even then, if you shoot down a task force, there ought to be a period where the aliens have nothing ready to send.

[Gauddlike]

The enemy ships are supposed to come in waves in the final version.

Once you wipe a wave you should have a clear time to prepare before the next ones arrive.

Assuming of course that the plan has not changed.

If you do well then the ticker will not progress much and the next wave will not be much stronger.

If you do less well then you might find a few nasty surprises in the next wave.

[thothkins]

If you do well then the ticker will not progress much and the next wave will not be much stronger.

If you do less well then you might find a few nasty surprises in the next wave.

Interestingly, that would seem to punish the less able players by making it more difficult for them. Not complaining, just observing.

I quite like the idea that there may be a constant chance of a threat, rather than they all come in waves. Hopefully things like alien bases will spawn craft in between waves, as would nations that are being lost to the aliens. Sudden strikes against key funding nations might be an option. Things like that. SO waves, but with other encounters in between please.

[Buzzles]

thothkins beat me to it, I was going to say the same thing regarding that system punishing less skilled players.

What the game *should* do if it was an ideal system is keep tabs on how players are doing, if people are doing consistantly well it should mix it up a bit and add some 'suprises' so they don't get bored or find it too easy, and if people are doing constantly badly, the game should ease up on them a bit to give them some breathing room.

Of course, that's postulating that you don't want a rogue-like type of difficulty, where luck via a RNG plays a bigger part in things.

This also isn't the place for this type of discussion as it's the bug forum. Gauddlike, can you use your mod powers to split the topic and move it?

[Bansheedragon]

I have noticed that these alien ships seem to have an insane advantage over me after a while.

Once I have played for a month or so gametime I start to meet alien fighters.

These fighters usually operate in groups of 3 and half the time can shoot down my craft before they can even fire.

I do have the interceptors, but they are costly to build and since they cant do the evasive roll the fighters can, they tend to get shot down almost every single time.

This means that once I get to a certain point I seem to be almost unable to shoot down these ships and this gets so frustrating in the long run I usually start over again.

I dont mind a challenge, but this coupled with the sheer number of encounters, makes it feel like I'm just wasting money trying to purchase or build new craft just to be able to combat them.

and it does become very costly in the long run when I have to replace my crafts after each fight.

Is this intended behavior?

Are the aliens supposed to be near impossible to defeat even on easy mode?

Just some observations I made and was curious about these things.

[Gauddlike]

That was my thought as well about the ticker being slowed by successful missions.

That is the way I read Chris' posts though.

[thothkins]

I have noticed that these alien ships seem to have an insane advantage over me after a while.

Once I have played for a month or so gametime I start to meet alien fighters.

These fighters usually operate in groups of 3 and half the time can shoot down my craft before they can even fire.

I do have the interceptors, but they are costly to build and since they cant do the evasive roll the fighters can, they tend to get shot down almost every single time.

This means that once I get to a certain point I seem to be almost unable to shoot down these ships and this gets so frustrating in the long run I usually start over again.

I dont mind a challenge, but this coupled with the sheer number of encounters, makes it feel like I'm just wasting money trying to purchase or build new craft just to be able to combat them.

and it does become very costly in the long run when I have to replace my crafts after each fight.

Is this intended behavior?

Are the aliens supposed to be near impossible to defeat even on easy mode?

Just some observations I made and was curious about these things.

It's reasonably easy to take down the groups of fighters with minimal damage.

I evade their first attack

Launch one set of missiles, which they will dodge. The the second immediately after which they won't

I set 1 fighter to 1 craft if all 3 are still going, or double up on one if there are 2 left.

Occasional pausing to evade, but it's usually a quick battle.

No doubt there are even easier ways, but that's what I'm using.

[Gorlom]

I have noticed that these alien ships seem to have an insane advantage over me after a while.

Once I have played for a month or so gametime I start to meet alien fighters.

These fighters usually operate in groups of 3 and half the time can shoot down my craft before they can even fire.

I do have the interceptors, but they are costly to build and since they cant do the evasive roll the fighters can, they tend to get shot down almost every single time.

This means that once I get to a certain point I seem to be almost unable to shoot down these ships and this gets so frustrating in the long run I usually start over again.

I dont mind a challenge, but this coupled with the sheer number of encounters, makes it feel like I'm just wasting money trying to purchase or build new craft just to be able to combat them.

and it does become very costly in the long run when I have to replace my crafts after each fight.

Is this intended behavior?

Are the aliens supposed to be near impossible to defeat even on easy mode?

Just some observations I made and was curious about these things.

Have you tried using F-16s instead of the MiGs? MiGs aren't automatically better because you got them later.

[hullwykearlfc]

Have you tried using F-16s instead of the MiGs? MiGs aren't automatically better because you got them later.

Like you Gorlom

I have found the MIGs' lack of manoeuvrability a problem and tend to use F16's more often than not.

[Buzzles]

Don't forget that while using the MIG's against fighters isn't a good idea, you can fit them with 4x Sidewinders and providing you use the "fire once and force a dodge then quickly fire again" tactic they can be used in a pinch if you're short of aircraft and need to take out some enemy fighters.

Of course, you also need to have a bit of luck in that the enemies missiles don't one shot your MIG or knock out it's missiles before the MIG gets to shoot.

You can also abuse the current enemy plane AI by sending two aircraft against lone UFO's. The UFO will fixate on whichever aircraft is at the top of the aircraft list (FYI, it's also the aircraft you clicked on first when you were selecting which aircraft to launch), and drop your second aircraft behind the UFO for easy kills.

[chacineiro]

You can easily kill fighters with Migs, just launch the sidewinders and then order the mig to retreat from combat, the alien missiles wont be able to chase the Mig and will disapear half way.

[hullwykearlfc]

Don't forget that while using the MIG's against fighters isn't a good idea, you can fit them with 4x Sidewinders and providing you use the "fire once and force a dodge then quickly fire again" tactic they can be used in a pinch if you're short of aircraft and need to take out some enemy fighters.

Of course, you also need to have a bit of luck in that the enemies missiles don't one shot your MIG or knock out it's missiles before the MIG gets to shoot.

You can also abuse the current enemy plane AI by sending two aircraft against lone UFO's. The UFO will fixate on whichever aircraft is at the top of the aircraft list (FYI, it's also the aircraft you clicked on first when you were selecting which aircraft to launch), and drop your second aircraft behind the UFO for easy kills.

how do you fit more sidewinders on to your planes? I can't seem to do that

[Buzzles]

how do you fit more sidewinders on to your planes? I can't seem to do that

For Mig's you simply go into the aircraft tab in the base view, and click on the missiles. With MIG's you get the option of loading Sidewinders and Avalanches, plus Alenium Missiles and Alenium Torpedos if you have them researched and built.

MIG's are very versatile on that front, you will end up using 4x Avalanches against the bigger ships.