What's that one game you always go back to?

[JasonPratt]

Well, "easy" turned out as recommended! -- actually "normal" for UltApoc!

It wasn't a walkover: I still needed three or four tries with different strategies to figure out how to most efficiently proceed. One thing I keep forgetting is that UltApoc treats stealthed units much more reasonably than vanilla! All units now detect stealth within a 2 meter radius; some are just better at it than others.

This means my favorite tactic, of loading up on cheap plasma-shooting spam who are inherently invisible from the beginning, the Tau scouts, doesn't work as well in Apoc as in vanilla, especially against fast-moving and/or strong melee teams. Like, for example, all three pure chaos teams! (Or the Orks, for that matter.)

Then there's the problem that the Tau have nearly the worst morale in the game, and unlike the Imperial Guard (which has the worst morale) there aren't many ways to improve their morale! Which means when they go up against teams that eat morale, like for example all of Chaos, they're at even more of a disadvantage. True, the Tau have a lot of nice vehicles which don't even have a morale component at all; but the good vehicles take real time to get out. On top of that, I'm using the rule where broken squads immediately try to retreat to the nearest strategic point, which is usually helpful for their survival (especially when I'm playing Tau in this situation), but which means it's easy for my advances to turn into routes back to relative safety, which makes group management difficult.

So how did I eventually win (even on easy)?

Step 1: I punted to my second favorite Tau tactic, and invested heavily in Kroot. They can handle melee a lot better than the squishy shooters, and while they lack all the nice upgrades they also don't cost as much in upgrades.

Step 2: I accepted that for a while, the best I was going to be able to do was to create a harassment force which would tuck tail and run fairly quickly.

Step 3: I picked up a critical location asap before my allies got to it. This would be important later for Titan productions.

Step 4: As soon as I got a nice strike force available, I surged ahead to get a relic point, while it was still fairly easy to capture it. I then capped and upgraded it, with some turrets added nearby -- I didn't want to use turrets because the Tau aren't supposed to have turrets (other than their mobile small mecha walkers), but I finally decided we're in Apocalypse now, the Tau would adjust to the situation. This protected my turrets and also gave my harassment force somewhere to retreat back to.

Step 5: I made sure the kroot puppies (at least) ate up as much as possible, as well as the other kroot. I think this version of the game tracks the hit-point upgrade individually per squad, whereas I'm used to the upgrade from feeding on dead bodies to affect all kroot globally and upon building new squads. This didn't help direct morale attacks but I think I ended the match with the same 8 kroot squads I built in the beginning!

Step 6: I took the ethereal as my first commander, since he gives some morale and hp bonuses globally and I could tuck him safely in the far backfield. (He can also spawn a free squad of elite shooters, and keep doing that slowly all game, so he gave me a little more defensive punch at the relic.)

Step 7: Whenever possible, I focused on teching up to getting a Titan out. I had two small titans out by game end, and never lost either one.

Step 8: I tried to remember to buy all relevant upgrades asap.

Step 9: Near the relic, I built a vehicle beacon, and started spamming in artillery shooters. These helped my harassment advances, and eventually they teamed up with my Titan (eventually two small Titans) to start the final pushes.

Step 10: Along the way to Titans, I had to build an Ion Cannon anyway, and that was fun.  :D

The enemy AI eventually decided it needed to focus totally on me, which gave my (somewhat lackadaisical) allies opportunities to advance, which at least crippled enemy economies. Once my first Titan arrived to turn the tide and save my defense, the enemy didn't quite give up but from that point I was able to push steadily forward for the win.

[Apocalypse 31]

Still actively playing Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour (no mods)

Good RTS mechanics with asymmetrical factions. Lots of games claim to be spiritual successor, but few have gotten there.

[al_infierno]

Still actively playing Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour (no mods)

Good RTS mechanics with asymmetrical factions. Lots of games claim to be spiritual successor, but few have gotten there.

Man, this game is a relic.  I remember back when it came out, being in awe when I figured out you could unload troops from helicopters directly onto rooftops.   :dreamer:

[Elvis]

Forgive me for posting after only having read the first page but it sparked a question........

Anyone know why my aging brain seems to remember that when Civ VI came out the reaction on this forum was "meh....it's ok"? I never even considered it after the initial reactions I saw. But 3 1/2 people on the first page mentioned it as a game they go back to! I am no Civ expert, despite hundreds of hours (not thousands as some have) having played earlier versions, but I never noticed a huge difference in the different game versions that came out. Never enough where I thought "this Civ V is SO much better than Civ IV". But Civ and Dragon Age are my go to games if I just want to step away from Combat Mission for a bit and now you guys have me thinking i should get Civ VI.

Anyway....I just added to my Wishlist so if it goes on sale I'll get an email....If i haven't gotten it before then.

[Yskonyn]

Solid choice IMO

[Gusington]

Dragon Age - I need to play some Inquisition for a bit. Been playing Elder Scroll Online for the last couple of days and it's not really doing it for me.

[al_infierno]

Forgive me for posting after only having read the first page but it sparked a question........

Anyone know why my aging brain seems to remember that when Civ VI came out the reaction on this forum was "meh....it's ok"? I never even considered it after the initial reactions I saw. But 3 1/2 people on the first page mentioned it as a game they go back to! I am no Civ expert, despite hundreds of hours (not thousands as some have) having played earlier versions, but I never noticed a huge difference in the different game versions that came out. Never enough where I thought "this Civ V is SO much better than Civ IV". But Civ and Dragon Age are my go to games if I just want to step away from Combat Mission for a bit and now you guys have me thinking i should get Civ VI.

Anyway....I just added to my Wishlist so if it goes on sale I'll get an email....If i haven't gotten it before then.

Civ seems to be one of those series where the vanilla release is pretty meh, but the expansions end up adding enough layers or changing things that were wonky to the point that it eventually becomes a proper successor to the previous game.

[MiguelHQ]

EU IV for me, I've spent hundreds of hour in the EU collection from I to IV.
And Ageod Birth of America its also a game I always come back to.

[Sir Slash]

I like BoA too considering it's age now. The Weather Effects can be dramatic.  :hide:

[Ian C]

^For the dancing minigame?

Heck no, that's the one part of the game I hate, but it is hilarious when you mess up during it.

[ArizonaTank]

...and now you guys have me thinking i should get Civ VI.

Civ VI is my favorite of the lot. I say go for it.

[Anguille]

^For the dancing minigame?

Heck no, that's the one part of the game I hate, but it is hilarious when you mess up during it.

I almost always mess up during it.... L:-)

[Sir Slash]

Drinking ALWAYS helps my dancing, digital or otherwise.  <:-)

[Gusington]

Hate it or not, the dancing minigame was pretty novel - and difficult 😎

[W8taminute]

Wait, there's a dancing minigame in Civ 6 now?