Maybe this is just me...

[Slarioux]

But whenever I play a "big game" against the PC (skirmish) I never seem to be able to win.

Take the map Ziggurat for example. I play against 2 opponents, claim 3 'islands', get a zillion power and research the hell out of myself. I totally own the CPU's, which is fine but boring, because for some reason the game never ends. No matter how long I search on the map, I can never find the final enemy's unit which I need to finish the game. If that is indeed the thing I need to win.

When playing against a single CPU on a 2 player map I win the game destroying like half their base. What's the difference? What is the official 'win-condition' and why don't I reach it on a big map / versus more CPU's?

I'll cheat my way through the end and make you and example savegame if you like. I've already tried to win by cheating and it worked so I don't think that will prevent my from winning. But what is?

Any thoughts?

[Troman]

In order to win you have to destroy all enemy factories and all enemy units. If you are unsure if you killed all enemy units you can press Enter on the numeric pad to open the skirmish menu. If enemy has no unit displayed next to the player name, then you have killed all of its units, otherwise at least one unit is still hiding somewhere.

[lav_coyote25]

also - if the A.I has built ANY vtols at all.... check the dark areas surrounding the map... they love to hide there.  also  look for small units like single repair units or cyborgs hiding in plain view...maybe next to a well or a cliff...

them A.I is sneaky begars... ;D

[Slarioux]

But as long as the multi-player thing show a unit, they have a unit?

I've had it sometimes when the multiplayer screen was empty (aka, they did not have a unit selected) and I had destroyed *everything*. Is it possible I forgot a Oil Derrick or something?

Left-over units are easy to find with the sound high; when flying over a map you'll hear the engine.

I'll see if I can make a savegame.

[Deathguise]

get a zillion power and research the hell out of myself

Depending on how far you are in research tree it might be worth trying to reach the Satelite Uplink: It's quite useful for tracking down trucks and other enemy units that are hidden.

I've had it sometimes when the multiplayer screen was empty

It is possible for the skirmish screen to be empty, it usually happens when the AI has a factory,cyborg factory or vtol factory left but no power to build any units.

[ouch]

hover-bug-radar, is all you need for finding that last unit or building.

but the satelite uplink is the best option. then research the laser satelite uplink, and laser strike that last wheel-viper-repair unit as an added bonus. >:-)

also, don't forget that you can hide the terrain from the radar display. this helps when scouring the map for that last pixel...

[Slarioux]

I tried it all. Just before I saved this savegame, the intelligence screen popped up out of nowhere. I've had that before.

Enjoy

[Coincident]

the intelligence screen popped up out of nowhere. I've had that before.

That's happened to me too. It means that you've won the game afaik.

It SHOULD pop up the intelligence screen with the Win icon on the left, and the screen should move to the headquarters where you see the fireworks and all...
But I guess that doesn't work sometimes. Some kind of minor bug.

[Slarioux]

Kind of a minor bug? Do you have any idea how annoying it is? When you've played a few hours in fierce battles only to find out the game "ends" slow and miserable, you and your tanks and a zillion power and nothing left to research, just hanging there?

Wouldn't call it a minor bug.