Blind Fleet Construction

[Iron Knight]

I am still a bit of a newbie to this game and I have come across a few problems with ACTA e2. How do you build a fleet expecting any opponent and win? Some things simply seem to trump others and some list seem like they don’t have a prayer against certain other lists.

For instance Gravitic Energy Grid and E-mines seem to negate so many weapons and options that there is no way to counter them without knowing that you are fighting that race. Some races don’t even have ways to fight others (Giam vs Drakh).

So, in more competitive games do people pick a trick and put all their chips in it or do people try to build a fleet that they expect to fight anything with.

 

[Taran]

It depends on the player, I would guess.
All games have the same issues to one extent or another and God knows I have had to deal with it in CBT.

I like to go for a somewhat balanced force. Able to stand up to anything with greater or lesser effectiveness...

 

[Tolwyn]

I thing game experince comes in here to a large degree. In tournaments for example you have to pick a very balanced to fight several different foes over. In one of games this is a different matter.

 

[Dizzy Vree]

weve had a similar problem, im currently running a 1-fleet-per-person leuge and some of the lists dont stand a chance against others, then again very few people have gone with balanced fleets (our narn players got 1 G'Varhn and 2 Dag'Kars, thats it), im hoping that people will start using more balanced lists after this

 

[Ripple]

We've had the same issue since the beginning. To a degree its been inherent in the system that you have to take certain specialists if you want to fight certain races. Stealth was the really big one for us at one point, you simply needed scouts and fighters...something we didn't take against anyone else. Arm. changed a few things and second ed a few more...but if you want to play carrier war and the opponent brings the e-mine fleet...your done.

And while all games struggle with this, I have seen a real change lately in game design principles. Not just mongoose, but across the board. The concept seems to be if its a hard problem to solve, just don't solve it. Tell people to house rule it to their satisfaction and move on. So don't expect that it will be addressed.

Ripple

 

[High Sierra]

I just picked a fleet I wanted to paint (the Centauri) and played.

Later on I saw the Vree and said 'Lol, Flying Saucers!' and got them.

Centauri havent been out of their box since.

part of the fun for me with ANY wargame is picking an army/fleet and learning how to use their strengths.

 

[Locutus9956]

Whilst its true that some fleets have an easier time against others, theres enough options for anyone to beat any other fleet with the right selection.

The trick is if you dont know who your facing to not build a fleet relying too heavily on one aspect. If you build a fleet relying heavily on fighters and an emine heavy opponent shows, up, its basically game over. Well except possibly for the Gaim who have so MANY fighters that they can afford to lose buckets of them (even still Narns are a tough opponent for them).

As for Gaim vs Drakh theres a fairly extensive thread about that on here somewhere so Im not going to repeat all I wrote there but suffice to say the general gist of it is: Assault Cruisers and Boarding. Drakh HATE them and the Gaim have a very VERY nasty one.....

 

[Iron Knight]

Ya, I'm sure their might be ways to defeat the drakh using giam but would you make such an anti-drakh fleet for a blind match? The Drakh, Shadows, and the Gaim can throw such a focused fleet that a blind-built balanced fleet is at a big disadvantage. I also don't see very many disadvantages for the focused fleets. Few lists can beet them so their odds of winning more matches is greater than a balanced fleet. Locally this is really killing our games.

 

[Burger]

2e has widened the "paper-scissors-stone" gap somewhat. Now even more than ever, you can often simply pack up your things and get your coat as soon as your opponent reveals his fleet.

To improve your chances, stick to a Swarm fleet :lol: