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AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:47 pm
by bjfagan
I am not sure if this issue was raised already, but I have been quite frustrated to see the AI invade my planets without first having to destroy my Starport and Defensive Bases. As the human player I am forced to destroy/capture these before my ships will land an invading army but not so for the AI. Then it gets worse when the AI captures the planet and automatically seizes the Starport and bases around the planet. One time the AI attacked my planet without doing anything to the Starport and I quickly sent an attack fleet which upon arrival destroyed the AI's invasion fleet while the ground battle raged on, but when I lost the ground battle I lost my Starport too... as my fleet controlled the space all around the planet!!

I feel the AI should be held to the same restrictions as the human player in this regard and be required to destroy/capture the planet's Starport and any defensive bases. If not, then at least allow the human player to invade without the need to destroy/capture the Starport and Defense bases. Also, if a fleet controls the space around a planet it should not automatically lose the Starport to whomever just conquered the planet below.

Re: AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:59 pm
by Nightskies
You're not required to do so- you can invade without attacking or destroying anything. The AI has the same restrictions (only very recently in the Beta does the AI have any kind of advantage at all, and it has nothing to do with combat). I even suggest blitzing a planet to make use of their starport and bastions as a strategy in my guide.

Re: AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:05 am
by bjfagan
Nightskies wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:59 pm You're not required to do so- you can invade without attacking or destroying anything. The AI has the same restrictions (only very recently in the Beta does the AI have any kind of advantage at all, and it has nothing to do with combat). I even suggest blitzing a planet to make use of their starport and bastions as a strategy in my guide.
I am sorry but your suggestion does not work. My transports just line up at the planet and stare at it. The human player is required to destroy (or maybe capture it, but I have never tried that option) the Starport.

Re: AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:15 am
by Lamb Chop
If you capture the Starport / Defensive Base / Research / Resort before the planet, they are automatically scrapped.

I am sure you have but, right click on the planet with your transports and choose "attack" not "prepare and attack" ?

Re: AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 8:27 am
by Nightskies
I promise you that a player can directly invade a colony. Here's a sample target.
about to invade.gif
about to invade.gif (436.91 KiB) Viewed 503 times
I select a not-so-far invasion fleet and tell it to attack. The invasion has no hope of winning, but this is just to show it'll do it... just for giggles I declare war too.
incoming.gif
incoming.gif (278.59 KiB) Viewed 503 times
OH NOES~ The poor people in the resort base, such victims! The puny station's defenses couldn't withstand the transport ship's incidental shots while they approached the planet. I told them to stop firing before they blow it up.
poor hotel.gif
poor hotel.gif (91.85 KiB) Viewed 503 times
And then the doomed to fail invasion begins.
invading.gif
invading.gif (620.93 KiB) Viewed 503 times
There you have it

Re: AI Capturing Planets

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:54 am
by Arthanis
bjfagan wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:05 am
Nightskies wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:59 pm You're not required to do so- you can invade without attacking or destroying anything. The AI has the same restrictions (only very recently in the Beta does the AI have any kind of advantage at all, and it has nothing to do with combat). I even suggest blitzing a planet to make use of their starport and bastions as a strategy in my guide.
I am sorry but your suggestion does not work. My transports just line up at the planet and stare at it. The human player is required to destroy (or maybe capture it, but I have never tried that option) the Starport.
Do the transports do that when they are all near the planets or are there still some transports in the fleet traveling toward the planet ?
People rightfully complained the invasion ships unloaded their troops piecemeal and they got picked apart by the far more numerous defense forces. They changed it so that they all get into position near the planet before unloading their troops.

Might be that or you have encountered a bug.