RTS strategies/Playing Empire Earth

[Pu-239]

How aggressive are you when playing against computer?

Unfortunately, in Empire Earth, and many other RTSes, I'm excessively defensive horribly, due to obsessiveness on defense. I'm also not good at coordinating multiple attacks, and I don't dare risk placing units near defense buildings, instead using siege weapons/artillery which takes forever, and causes casualties due to potshots by the defending computer. Same with starcraft- i.e. my inherent unwillingness to accept risk, and leave some areas undefended, meaning I don't expand, which is necessary in Starcraft. EE has infinite resources, but defending against the AI is a bitch- it harrasses you with mortars simultaneously all over the place. Ground based vehicular AA in the modern age is limited to guns, meaning you need swarms to properly defend, and units don't move in formation.

Oh, and the later stages become a mecha wankfest.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

How aggressive are you when playing against computer?

Unfortunately, in Empire Earth, and many other RTSes, I'm excessively defensive horribly, due to obsessiveness on defense. I'm also not good at coordinating multiple attacks, and I don't dare risk placing units near defense buildings, instead using siege weapons/artillery which takes forever, and causes casualties due to potshots by the defending computer. Same with starcraft- i.e. my inherent unwillingness to accept risk, and leave some areas undefended, meaning I don't expand, which is necessary in Starcraft. EE has infinite resources, but defending against the AI is a bitch- it harrasses you with mortars simultaneously all over the place. Ground based vehicular AA in the modern age is limited to guns, meaning you need swarms to properly defend, and units don't move in formation.

Oh, and the later stages become a mecha wankfest.

Haven't played EE, but I can tell you that it is in your best interest to break that defensive habit. I was (and still am, to some degree) also a defense freak. When I was younger I built up these insane Red Alert bases with outer sandbags and inner concrete walls all surrounded by pillboxes and turrets with the few harvester entrances mined like crazy. Against a weaker opponent this is fine while you build up superweapons and the like, but a skilled opponent can smash your defenses with the aid of the entire map's resources. I'm pretty good at Generals and Rise of Nations because I broke the habit of god-defense. That's not to say I don't defend, I just do so more effectively. You just have to practise and learn the proper balance of defense and offense, one reason I hate WC3 (logical tactics don't do shit in that game), but I digress.

Anyways, I know its very hard to break a "defense addiction". Just keep at it, the key to victory lies in being offensive at the same time as defensive. Easier said than done, yes, but it can be done.

[Shinova]

In Total Annihiliation, it can be really hard to break into a heavily defended person's base, cause TA defenses tend to be a lot stronger and more numberous than defenses found in most other RTSs. Also resources are pretty much semi-infinite with the right buildings in the right amounts.

Still, if you're the guy on the offensive, you have a great deal of an advantage over the other guy.

[Howedar]

I have that habit a lot of the time, but I also expand. I just mantain a very solid defense around the critical center of my base, just in case. I usually defend with units instead of structures, in order to be able to throw everything at one attack, or to attack with myself.

[mauldooku]

I can impart some wisdom gained from my Starcraft days

Building excessive defenses ('Turtling') is a common newbie mistake that, on any map other than an idiotc money map, will get you trashed. Badly.

The one race infamous for its turtling capabilty is Terran. Protoss and Zerg have defensive structures, sure, but all of them (Protoss Photon Cannons and Zerg Sunken/Spore Colonies) are outranged by Terran Siege Tanks, Protoss Reavers, Zerg Guardians, and Terran Battlecruisers' Yamato Guns. Building units to complement a large group of defensive structures won't help you that much, either...as soon as you begin turtling, you relinquish map control to the opponent. Along with that goes control of nearly the entire map's resources. So, when your minerals run out (or before, if the enemy can macromanage decently), you're done.

Terran, however, is unique. It has the longest-ranging ground vs. ground unit (Siege Tank), its Goliath mechs can upgrade their range to make them equal to the Guardians', missile turrets are cheap, and many bunkers can give advancing melee units nightmares. Did I mention that all of these can be repaired quickly, mid battle? Oh yeah, and they have the Ghost, which can lockdown mechanical units, rending them useless for a minute. In the heat of battle...they're dead to you.

Still, turtling will get you nowhere. If you're playing Terran vs. Terran and the enemy starts turtling, you've won. Set up a containment to make sure he doesn't break out, take several more bases, and tech up to Battlecruisers. Good game. Zerg have Ultralisks as efficent turtle-busters, while Protoss have DTs (if he forgot detection), Zealots (small armor class means tanks to 1/2 dmg), and the ultimate in turtle breaking, Carriers (aka Gayriers, aka Carrier Gays).

The problem with turtling is you deny ourself more resources, you relinquish map control, and you pass the initiativate onto the enemy.

[Jadeite]

I'm not that much of a defensive player on Rise of Nations, because the game forces expansion, with time limits and national borders, along with resource caps (5 farms per city). My main problem with Rise is I spend the first 30 minutes of a map building up an army, then go on a rampage with it, but I am consistently unable to bring up reinforcements and garrisons to quickly take its place, meaning that my army is worn down by the enemy while its waiting for a city to be assimilated. I've had many last ditch offensives and guerialla warfare in the last 30 minutes of a map, trying desperately to take their capital.

I have found a good tactic for Modern and Information ages though. I rush the enemy with scouts set to auto explore, and build missile silos. The scouts usually unveil most of the enemy's buildings, and I pick their territory apart with massive V-2 or cruise missile bombardments, before a tank rush.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

I'm not that much of a defensive player on Rise of Nations, because the game forces expansion, with time limits and national borders, along with resource caps (5 farms per city). My main problem with Rise is I spend the first 30 minutes of a map building up an army, then go on a rampage with it, but I am consistently unable to bring up reinforcements and garrisons to quickly take its place, meaning that my army is worn down by the enemy while its waiting for a city to be assimilated. I've had many last ditch offensives and guerialla warfare in the last 30 minutes of a map, trying desperately to take their capital.

I have found a good tactic for Modern and Information ages though. I rush the enemy with scouts set to auto explore, and build missile silos. The scouts usually unveil most of the enemy's buildings, and I pick their territory apart with massive V-2 or cruise missile bombardments, before a tank rush.

Wow, I don't build up much until Gunpowder, generally. I swear by Enlightenment Age, that's the perfect point in the game for me - by then I've got my cities up and running and strong military bases scattered around. I'm pretty good with the Age's units, a General + 30 Musketmen/Highlander groups + 6 cannons + 1 supply wagon will crush quite a bit, especially when I've got another General with a horde of Hussars/Cossacks, Carbiners, and Cuirassieurs supporting them, with another General and 20 or so more Musketmen groups held in reserve. By the Industrial Age I tend to falter a bit, I need to set up more infrastructure (oil derricks) while coordinating my armies (which are always still massive having recently come from Enlightment). Industrial also changes a lot of units and their balancing, so it throws off my carefully constructed forces (the Musketmen will turn into Black Watch/Infantry, but I've got no AT rifle guys then to fight off tanks). By Modern and Information, I get really screwed up and I'm at a pretty big disadvantage and never perform as well.

[Shrykull]

Building excessive defenses ('Turtling') is a common newbie mistake that, on any map other than an idiotc money map, will get you trashed. Badly.

What about just building up some defenses so they'll defend your base while your away seiging his?

[Loki]

Ah, Empire Earth. The first thing you need to realise in Empire Earth, is that while basic units have little chance against defensive towers, seige/armoured weapons and bombers will tear through any defense you can possibly create and leave them bloody. It is not a game in which the defender has the initiative (eg. StarCraft, Battlegrounds), but a game that favors frantic all-out assault.

I'm fairly certain that the AI cheats in EE (never runs out of money) and the only way I've ever been able to fend off the computer was utter abuse of nuclear bombers. The problem I had with the game is that the computer didn't seem to mind when my bombers leveled his capitols, but I sue as hell minded when my bombers fell to his AA.

[mauldooku]

It is not a game in which the defender has the initiative (eg. StarCraft, Battlegrounds),

The defender doesn't have the initiative in SC...other than the fact that as soon as a unit is built, in can plunge into battle. The attacker has to travel a bit of a distance depedning on the map/terrain/layout.

However, if you can get on the offensive early, expand and prevent them from doign the same...you win.

What about just building up some defenses so they'll defend your base while your away seiging his?,

Depends. Unless you're planning on a rush, you're going to want to get some sort of defense...for terran, a few missile turrets+a few siege tanks in siege mode around your base is good to protect against drops from a protoss or terran enemy. Siege tanks spread around your base don't work as well on a zerg enemy as a terran or protoss enemy, but still wreck lurker drops.

It all depends on your race, the enemy's race, your strat, their strat, and the map. If you're zerg, for example, facing a terran, a common strat is to expand early and then go muta/ling. Obviously, you're going to want to get a decent amount of sunkens at your expansion (as if you're going early expansion your unit count will be significatly lower than your opponent's for some time), especially on Lost Temple because all the 'natural' expansions (expansions located right next to starting points) cover the ramp to the main plateau of your base, unless you start on the 12 o'clock position.

Still, you'll want to have some detectors/drop deterrants, which are why a few missile turrets are always necessary if you're terran (I'm a terran only player myself, which is why I know all this stuff.)

EDIT: Added some stuff

[Rye]

Personally, i love "turtling" it just gives me a sense of massive satisfaction.

RA2 and TA are my favourite games for doing it, in that i'll make just enough units to effectivel work in conjunction with the defenses to turn back any attack. Then, when i have enough money, beef up the defenses and make a large army that goes around and triangulates it's fire on targets, and send weaker units en masse to pick off the devastated base, and onward with the main army to another base or whatever.

And then there's starcraft. i hate that game, love the ideas but i just don't do the game mechanics. Defense should be way better than the units so only a normandy style tactic would work, but no, i remember getting really testy about some flying zerg things which had a greater range than the terran anti aircraft patriot missile type things. an aircraft with longer range than AA defense? BAH! stupid game.

[Howedar]

The only turtle-effective game is C&C Generals.

[Pu-239]

ST Armada too, since many maps I've played involve people using infinate moons, with the only resources inside bases.

[Stuart Mackey]

The only turtle-effective game is C&C Generals.

TA is another. Nothing I like better than building an invincible fortress, then salling forth with 20-30 Krogoths to create havoc and piss off my opponents mind you I always hear the complaint "we cant beat you" bunch o wimps

Even so, In TA a mobile defence is nessary at the begining to fend of the inevitable rush tactics of some people. Once you have your Unbeatable Defence tm build up unbeatable offensive groups.

[Strate_Egg]

An excellent tactic to utilize against the computer is the the uber trap of mondern stupidity. Its a very good defenseive structure. Dont build towers, or crap like that. Focurs on AA guns, moble and stationary (but dont overdo it. Guage it to how much air u are fighting and distance from enerm).

Secondly, make a small army of tanks, maybe "some" infantry (or the rail artillary)

Make a wall around your base early, using as much natural defense as possible.

Wait till the moron AI attacks, then intentionally destroy a part of your wall,> The AI will then stop whatever its doing at assault the little 1 inch opening wiht its whole army.

As they try to squeeze the giant fat ass army into the itty bitty little hole, you comp stomp them wiht a quater of their number lol. Then, build up cookie nuke bombers for self def and rinse and repeat that strategy.

WHen you feel liking being offensive, be a pusher. Whenever you bitchslap an AI area, build lots of towers all over the place ( noo need for walls) they will just keep sending retarded villager armies to hunt for areas to rebuild.

[beyond hope]

Ah, Empire Earth. The first thing you need to realise in Empire Earth, is that while basic units have little chance against defensive towers, seige/armoured weapons and bombers will tear through any defense you can possibly create and leave them bloody. It is not a game in which the defender has the initiative (eg. StarCraft, Battlegrounds), but a game that favors frantic all-out assault.

I'm fairly certain that the AI cheats in EE (never runs out of money) and the only way I've ever been able to fend off the computer was utter abuse of nuclear bombers. The problem I had with the game is that the computer didn't seem to mind when my bombers leveled his capitols, but I sue as hell minded when my bombers fell to his AA.

I have to disagree. I play a very defensive game, and usually build an alternating network of towers and AA turrets with maybe one space in between each. I've never seen the computer penetrate it (of course, I also make sure the range and damage on my AA turrets are maxed out.) In the worst case, where one of the computer players tried overrunning me with a an army of maybe 30 or so Hyperion cybers, I lost maybe 4 towers in exchange for the total loss of its army. Since stone isn't used for much aside from buildings, I considered it a good trade. Of course, while the computer is wasting strength against my tower network, I'm busy stockpiling tanks and infantry in fortresses (I typically fill 12 or so before going out to attack.)

As far as the computer cheating goes, I'm sure you're right. One thing I've noticed is that it hordes resources like mad. I've scoured half a computer player's buildings off the map before, only to see them all pop right back up like the world's worst pimple outbreak. The trick I've noticed is to target citizens and town centers above all else: if you can kill them all, the computer won't be rebuilding a thing. Snipers work beautifully for that, although to build as many as you'll need, you'll probably need a minimum of 4 barracks (I love snipers: I send 40-60 at a time and in those numbers even armies of cybers have a hard time.)