RTS strategies discussion

[Itisnotlogical]

What strategies do you typically like to use in RTS games? Try to keep the terms as general as possible, so people can understand what your sayin

If available, I love to rush my opponents and make a hole in their defenses big enough for the biggest, baddest stealth unit I can build, then blow their entire base all to hell with the press of a button

 

[Lindley]

I usually set up a few basic base defenses, then start building up three mobile squads: One primarily defensive as a reaction force against attack, and two which I can use for offensive maneuvers.

It's usually key to take the battle to the enemy quickly. Using two attack squads allows me to distract their defenses with one while the other slips in and does some real damage.

 

[Canadave]

I'm more of a turtler, myself. I build my defences up while slowly creating a massive offensive force. Depending on the game, I'll sometimes hold a force in reserve while I use another army to fend off attacks, so as not to diminish my attack strength. From there, I just slowly push out, and aim to cripple my enemy by hitting key targets (like resourcers, etc).

 

[JB2005]

I tend to build up a massive defensive arrangement, then create alot of small strike squads.

I attack quickly, but in a large number of areas so that if the opponent tries to commit the bulk of his forces somewhere then I can exploit a weakness that he creates.

Then when I'm close to victory I usually just order all my units to "search and destroy" and watch them swarm across the map

 

[Mr Light]

I only play against the computer, but I basically create unstoppable base defenses and then use super weapons to slowly blast him away. I could never handle the extra duty of creating and maintaining offensive forces. Why build all that stuff when it's just gonna blow up in a minute?

 

[D Man]

I don't enjoy games that are over in 10 minutes because you get rushed to death which is how my online escapades usually go (Age of Empries/Mythology series, somehow haven't gotten int opponents on their most difficult level. I find it more fun to build elaborate walls and towers to defend against constant small skirmish attacks they send at me, while we slowly build enormous armies and go crazy on them after about an hour or so. You could never get away with that against other humans, so we stick with the AI.

 

[Bishbot]

I'm not the greatest RTS player but I can hold my own in the lower ladders. I tend to prefer rush tactics but I've often had trouble finishing in a long endgame if my rush gets defeated.

I'm much better at the base-building, resource-gathering kind of game like Starcraft or Warcraft 3 than I am at the map control styles of Dawn Of War or Company Of Heroes. I guess I just can't keep track of enough stuff... my failing.

My favourite recent RTS has been Sins Of A Solar Empire because it's big and kind of slow and space operay, unfortunately the online play against strangers isn't great because it takes so long and I don't have any friends with the game.

 

[Arrqh]

Interesting how a lot of people go the turtle/large offense force route. That's one of the reasons why I like Dawn of War 2 so much; it's literally impossible to do either of those effectively.

 

[Trubinator]

My strategies vary depending on the game. But in general, I stay away from the mindless rushing and turtle up. Most people will stupidly rush until they've depleted their resources, allowing me to wipe them out at my leisure.

 

[FPAlpha]

Against the "AI" the best way is usually to turtle and build up as fast as you can.. the computer usually only attacks piecemeal and never commits its forces totally allowing you to defend at less cost until you have climbed the tech tree sufficiently to build the best units and just simply waltz over the map.

Against live opponents it's a whole different deal.. turtle up and he will either box you in and steal/deny ressources or he will put it all on one card and rush you.. then it comes down to who has the bigger force or is better at micromanaging.

Personally i like to use hit and run tactics with a good mix of units (i prefer the fast fractions or units for that) while i expand my base and ressources for one big push which might fail but the main objective for that rush is to cripple his economy while mine endures and churns out yet more units.

That entire concept falls apart with games where you only get ressources for combat or by capturing certain points deep in the map (Company of Heroes, Dawn of War) in which case i first go for many cheap units to capture points early on to increase my ressources and deny them to my opponent and then see what i can do.

 

[archeryguy1701]

My usual tactic is building up base defenses, slowly expanding, and not moving in until I feel like I have a sufficient force to wipe them out. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at RTS's (which is ironic, since it's my favorite type of game). I can't develop anything fast enough. I can't develop units, defenses, or resource gathering fast enough to really defend myself or last against any player or AI above easy. I have tried various development combo's, but nothing has ever worked for me.

 

[darthraidr]

i'm pretty bad at RTS's, but they are fun. i've really enjoyed watching the battlereports on SC2. seeing pro's play the game is fun, having commentary explain what is going on is even better.

 

[FPAlpha]

I once saw a documentary about Korean pro gamers.. in their case Starcraft.

It was scary to see the speeds with which they issued commands and the insane amounts of micromanaging they were capable of.

Most people would call them out for wasting their time until they hear that the most successful of them earn upwards of 100k a year by winning tournaments and gaining sponsoring contracts

However what struck me most was the one guy, an ex champion, who was 25 and considered too old for pro gaming because his speed couldn't compete with an 18-20 year old.. 25 YEARS OLD!

If i played these guys i'd probably have lost by the time i've built my 3rd building and have a small force of the most basic troopers.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

^^
Hell, that's the time it takes me to lose in any normal multiplayer game. I'd probably lose before my SCV's moved in to mine the minerals.

 

[Jono]

I don't play much vs humans. The only games I did were Warcraft 3 and Rise of Nations. I try to find out where the enemy is and the locations of resources as quickly as possible and try to expand as quickly as possible.

I like to send an early tester of the enemy but I'm fairly conservative and I'll have certain points I have to hit before I really make a push. That also sees me retreat unnecessarily and several times when I've played humans they have noted that I am too quick to retreat when I can really do some serious damage.

My base defences tend to be minimal, just enough to stop a small attack by basic units, though my expansion bases get more fortification. However, I'll often not bother upgrading or toughening my home base once I've expanded so that if my opponent goes around with a moderate force they can do some serious damage.

 

[Kelthaz]

I'm really surprised by how many people say their strategy is to turtle up. That is pretty much the worst thing you can do in a multiplayer match. By the time you have those invincible defenses your opponent will control most of the map and utterly dominate you in resources and production.

 

[Mr Light]

I think most of us turtlers are just playing against the dumb computer I could never survive against a human opponent I build way too slow. Besides I play these things to relax not to stress out as I frantically build stuff as quickly as humanly possible.

 

[Kelthaz]

^ Yeah, it does work rather well against computer opponents. I can't think of a RTS game where it doesn't.

1. Build massive defenses.
2. Max out population supply.
3. Wait for the enemy to waste their army on your defenses.
4. Massive Counter Attack
5. Repeat 1-4 as necessary.

It never fails.

 

[Trubinator]

I once saw a documentary about Korean pro gamers.. in their case Starcraft.

It was scary to see the speeds with which they issued commands and the insane amounts of micromanaging they were capable of.

Most people would call them out for wasting their time until they hear that the most successful of them earn upwards of 100k a year by winning tournaments and gaining sponsoring contracts

However what struck me most was the one guy, an ex champion, who was 25 and considered too old for pro gaming because his speed couldn't compete with an 18-20 year old.. 25 YEARS OLD!

If i played these guys i'd probably have lost by the time i've built my 3rd building and have a small force of the most basic troopers.

It's stories like that that remind me how stupid the South Koreans can be.

 

[Canadave]

I think most of us turtlers are just playing against the dumb computer I could never survive against a human opponent I build way too slow. Besides I play these things to relax not to stress out as I frantically build stuff as quickly as humanly possible.

Yup, that's me. I'm terrible at playing other people, but I enjoy slugging it out with the AI on occasion.