How to win 8 players skirmish (1player vs 7 AI)

[CRISTIAN]

Ok, I can kick AI ass in four players maps, at max level. No problem with that.

But, when playing against 7 AI..I think it's just impossible. I can destroy 2 some times 3 AI at the beginning, but a few moments later a million tanks and robots of diferent colours rush over my entire base (It looks like a hell rainbown).
Of course I'm playing it with alliances On (too easy to destroy AI one by one).

How can I do it? How can i humilliate  AI in 1 vs 7.

[lav_coyote25]

takes over 4 hours... give or take a few minutes...

rule 1 - dont hesitate.
rule 2 - dont panic.
rule 3 - have fun.

[themousemaster]

I've done it on... what is it, the Pit?  That excessively huge map where everyone starts in a side/corner with 4 derricks, has 2 more just down the ramp leading from their base to the center, and there are 4 other derricks in an X pattern around the center...

I'm assuming you meant the stock AI.  I cannot comment on the other ones.


Step 1:  Rush to HMG + Cobra body, get a few of these guys out, and pulverize your nearest neighbor.  If possible, take out 2 (it sounds like you've got this part covered)

Step 2:  As you are preparing said rush, spend JUST barely enough research/resources to get MGbunkers (NOT towers), with all 3 levels of hardcrete upgrades (don't bother with Supercrete... yet).  You'll notice the routes adjoining your base to your direct neighbors have areas that are only 2 spaces wide; block off the one towards the opponent you are NOT rushing with 2 bunkers each, making it so that any force that approaches, has to do it from the center ramp.

Step 3:  As your rush is dealing with your neighbor, send some trucks to it.  BEFORE BUILDING ANYTHING ELSE, place 2 bunkers to block all routes out of this new base which is "yours", except the route which leads directly to your base.

Step 4:  With your 6-8 bunkers up (2 per base exit, depending on if you took 1 or 2 other bases), start preparing a killzone at the main entrance to your main base, and await the arrival of the inevitable assault.  Place your bunkers in such a formation that any approaching force fires at them, and not your 2 frontal oil derricks.




The opposition will likely hit you with a metric ton of units, but all will be (at least early on) MG, TMG, or Minipod units, which pose little threat to a bunker with Improved Hardcrete3.  A killzone of 8-12 bunkers, using a Defense in Depth strategy, should eliminate whatever they send early.



Build up the derricks at any captured bases, giving yourself a large economic advantage.



Use the large amount of real-estate you've capture to keep your main base from getting cluttered; I prefer to use the (nearest) captured territory to start construction of an airbase (4 factories and 50 landing pads), and if I get a second area, I place a full assortment of support buildings in it (max research facilities, power plants, even a command relay post if I feel like it).



The AI in this game doesn't hold up well against persistant HEAP Air strikes, so if you make it to this point, you can play a game of heavy turtling, with your huge bomber force decimating bases 1 at a time.  Just be sure that you keep the Hardcrete/Supercrete/Plascrete/Plasteel/Autorepair level of those bunkers up to par, and the opponents will not be getting into your base until they have Fully upgraded Heavy Cannons or Gauss weaponry, by which point your extensive economy should afford you the ability to deal with them in anyway you see fit.











Now that I've typed way too much...

The key to dealing with the stock AI in this game is to identify and abuse choke points.  No size of an enemy assault force will break you if they can only actually attack your positions with a half dozen units at a time.

[Watermelon]

me wonders if this will still work or not when the AI knows how to use mobile sensor and artillery. 

[Troman]

What i'm wondering about is whether it was 2.0.6 or SVN AI CRISTIAN was playing against.

[CRISTIAN]

It's the normal AI, at max level...
Good tips by themousemaster.  I was doing something like steps 2 and 3 =P

Crushed 3 AI at the beginning in stclover. I'm now bombing the others with heavy artillery. I think they have no chance of surviving haha...

Thanks god they don't use movile artillery!!

I'll try svn after beating 7ai in all maps.

How is the best way to kill Havy body Heavy Cannon Trucks? they come all together and I only have Rocket lancer. =(

[Kreuvf]

How is the best way to kill Havy body Heavy Cannon Trucks? they come all together and I only have Rocket lancer. =(

I assume you mean those Heavy Cannon-Tracks-Python-tanks which really can be a pain in the arse. Lancer bunkers work quite well against them as Cannons do only 40% damage to bunkers. So building some of them (15-20) should protect your base well enough. Later on you can defend your base with VTOL Strike towers that have light Pulse Laser-VTOLs attached. The VTOLs will automatically attack enemies within sensor range, which may be a risk vs. humans as those would surely bring some AA, but AI doesn't do this. Earlier on you may use light Lancer-VTOLs instead.

[themousemaster]

I assume you mean those Heavy Cannon-Tracks-Python-tanks which really can be a pain in the arse. Lancer bunkers work quite well against them as Cannons do only 40% damage to bunkers. So building some of them (15-20) should protect your base well enough. Later on you can defend your base with VTOL Strike towers that have light Pulse Laser-VTOLs attached. The VTOLs will automatically attack enemies within sensor range, which may be a risk vs. humans as those would surely bring some AA, but AI doesn't do this. Earlier on you may use light Lancer-VTOLs instead.

If you have lancers, this is an option.

If you don't (because, say, you were teching up the cannon tree or something), I find the best method for dealing with them is to use scattered light cannon bunkers (not for damage, heh) backed up by Heavy Cannon hardpoints.  The bnukers take the hits, the hardpoints do the damage.

That said, a good addendum to this is that, by this point, you probably have a decent strike force of heavy weapons vehicles yourself.  If they aren't busy slaughtering a base, move them a screen or two away from your defensive wall, let the enemy tanks engage the wall, then sweep them from behind.  They will be shooting at your bunkers while you plaster them with your whole force... just be careful to NOT be like me, and make sure that your guys don't try to retreat to a repair facility THROUGH the enemy force while doing this ;p.

[CRISTIAN]

I was able to crush the 7 AIs thanks to you people !!!

The bases were full of units stucked inside, I thought they would rush my base once they were released, but, they didn't  ;D A wall of artillery and vtols were waiting them.

So I'll check the svn and see how ai works.

Amazing game. It took me like 5 o 6 hours to finish, I don't know. wowww!! I guess i'm not sleeping today, all night playing.
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Edit
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OK SVN version installed from source... I'll try killing those AI tonight =P

[Troman]

I hope it will be a bit more difficult this time. If you do manage to take them all out, then your next step is Aivolution (customeai/aivolution) folder.

[DFStormbringer]

if the bases were all full of enemy units unable to get out then they werent able to really hit you wiht thier full brunt of  attack... i n a way its like indirectly cheating so imo it cant be called a valid victory

but it is a start

[CRISTIAN]

When they got stuck inside, they build factories outside their base. So they were attacking all the time.
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Well...I've played for about an hour... but they are damm strong, they got their rocket luncher while I was building tiny mg cars, totally humilliating thing. I was able to kill just one AI. It was difficult because they build factories everywere..
The vehicles are faster now. I like that.
It's funny.. ;D
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Hey how do I compile this in windows? visualstudio or what? (I'ts for my brother's pc ,so i can play multiplayer)

[Giel]

Hey how do I compile this in windows? visualstudio or what? (I'ts for my brother's pc ,so i can play multiplayer)

MinGW is your best option. Which you might try in combination with Code::Blocks (we provide a project file for it).