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Invading another person or corporation's tunnel is a dangerous matter
to deal with, as the costs are often high. You have to weigh the advantages
against the disadvantages, the prize versus the cost, well before you
reach a decision. Maybe its to gain their colonists, maybe its a deterrent
to keep them from advancing while you build up your own forces and sectors.
Whether you are defending a sector or invading one, you have to understand
the order of events during an invasion.
ORDER OF EVENTS
Let's assume a worst-case scenario: a Level 6 planet, with some fighters
and a Military Reaction percentage set, fuel ore for the Quasar Cannon,
some planetary shielding in place, and Interdictor Generator is active.
The sector has fighters, Armid mines, Limpet mines, and some NavHaz
(from previous attempts). Here's what happens, one event at a time,
until you are destroyed or victorious:
SECTOR EVENTS
1. NavHaz might be hit.
2. A Limpet mine would attach to your ship.
3. Armid mines will detonate.
4. Quasar cannon will fire at Sector level
(multiple planets with Quasars fire in planet# order).
5. Sector fighters (1:1 odds) attack (if set to Offensive) or
challenge (if set to Defensive ot Toll).
ATMOSPHERIC EVENTS
6. Quasar cannon fires at Atmospheric setting.
7. Planetary Shielding must be defeated at 20:1 odds.
(after shields are defeated Quasar gets another Atmos shot)
8. Military reaction fighters attack at 2:1 odds.
remaining fighters defend the planet at 3:1 odds.
9. You land on the planet.
If you are still alive after the Sector events, remember that the Interdictor
Generator will not let your ship leave. You can, however, use your transporter
pad to get into another ship if one is in range. If you attempt to back
out of the sector or TransWarp out, the Interdictor will use 500 fuel
ore preventing you from leaving, and the Quasar will fire again at the
Sector level. If there is less than 500 fuel on the planet the interdiction
fails and you escape.
THE PHOTON ADVANTAGE
If Photon Missiles are allowed and you are quick enough, several of
the steps above can be skipped. Below a level 5 citadel, or less than
200 planetary shields are in the shield generator, then:
3. Armid mines WILL NOT detonate.
4. Quasar cannons are dampened and WILL NOT fire Sector shots.
5. Sector fighters WILL NOT attack or challenge.
6. Dampened Quasar cannon WILL NOT fire at Atmospheric setting
8. Military reaction fighters WILL NOT attack
9. ramaining fighters WILL NOT defend.
The defenses that are not skipped and must still be dealt with are:
1. NavHaz might be hit.
2. A Limpet mine would attach to your ship.
7. Planetary shielding (if any) must be defeated.
10. You land on the planet
If the planet has a level 5 citadel and 200 or more shields, then:
3. Armid mines WILL NOT detonate.
5. Sector fighters WILL NOT attack or challenge.
An invader still has to deal with all the planet-bound defenses. When
the photon wave expires, so do the advantages.
BIG MOTHS, LITTLE MOTHS, FULL-SCALE WAR
Fuel Ore and fighters are the commodities of war, whoever has the most
wins the battle. War-by-fighters goes to whomever has the most on hand
and better odds, so its Offensive in nature. War-by-Ore is a matter
of surviving the Quasar cannon blasts, so its more Defensive in nature.
Entering a sector with a Quasar cannon for the purpose of draining
the planet's fuel is called Mothing. Because Sector shots use up fuel
ore on the planet, and do little damage for the volume, some invaders
will chew up defenses before launching their main assault.
Big moths are strongly-defensive ships. They have lots of shields and
fighters to kill before the ship is destroyed. This eats up more sector
fighters and fuel ore from cannon blasts. If the sector fighters are
defeated, but the planets are still strong enough, an invader can move
out and back again, taking Sector blasts from the Q-cannons and depleting
the Fuel Ore. If a level 6 citadel is present, this goes even faster
by using up the added 500 units from interdiction.
Little moths are the opposite of big moths. These are small, cheap,
and disposable. Use big moths for lesser defenses they can survive,
and little moths for extremely strong defenses. Why get into a big War-by-fighter
battle with a Quasar cannon? It fires based on the fuel available, not
the size of your ship. You can get podded twice per day and survive,
but the third podding will destroy your ship and leave you out for the
rest of the day. Several corporation members (other corps can join in,
too!) can really drain fuel reserves in this manner.
Full-scale war is just what it says. Fighters get shredded, fuel gets
burned, and Quasar cannons get red hot from use. Just when the tide
turns, the Grimy Trader shows up and starts charging admission (just
kidding)! Everything comes into play in a big way, and win the day or
flee in frustration, someone will win the battle. Just try to remember
its a game, a game of Trading and War, Warring and Trading, a game called
"Trade Wars 2002".
The Quasar Cannon on Ferrengal locks onto you and fires!
Your ship is destroyed.
Have a nice day!
Paladyne paladyn@optonline.net
VIII. TIPS, TRICKS, AND CASHING
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