Age of Wonders: Planetfall SG

[naufragar]

I can play after MJW. I'm down for any settings. Certain factions & classes I've got more experience, but I'm not telling which.

[MJW (ya that one)]

So it's ether:

Bob-->mjw-->naufragar on hard (second highest)
mjw-->naufragar-->Bob on hardest

Don't care about settings on hard because victory will happen. If I start the game I will remember to disable the DLC...

[Bobchillingworth]

I'm about to win my first game on Very Hard (Paragon Syndicate), so I say let's go for it, with an order of MJW -> Nauf -> Myself. I don't mind losing either, if we do it in style. I would suggest our reports for the early sets explain our decision in a little more detail than we might typically otherwise for a game like Civ IV, both to make them more comprehensible for anyone reason who is curious about Planetfall but doesn't own it yet, and also because at least in my case I'm still figuring out how to play well.


I've played most of my games thus far on the Capital World template (which maxes almost every map features setting), although I usually turn down the number of Teleporters to few or non and remove independent cities from the game, because I think they're kind of cheesy. My limited experience leads me to believe that most of the other maps types are easier, as you don't have to risk troops clearing structures to really get your empire running, but also not as fun because there aren't as many options to specialize cities.


My semi-informed ranking of factions is as follows:

Top Tier: Syndicate (stun mods for most units, easy acquisition of overpowered units from dwellings, strong economy), Assembly (stun mods, T2 medic unit is insanely overpowered, best economy)

Mid Tier: Amazons (Excellent T1 and T2 infantry but not many gimmicks to help them win combat besides maneuver & shoot), Bugs (hardy, expendable troops but none of their units are otherwise particularly good)

Bottom Tier: Vanguard (T1 infantry can eventually equip powerful mods but are otherwise lousy, Worst medic unit in the game, too many support abilities vs. actual damage dealing), Dvar (terrible damage output due to over-reliance on single action vs. repeating attacks, awful units across the board, dependent on Secret Tech to access multiple damage channels).


That said I'm happy to play as any of them- just maybe keep expectations in check if we go Dvar


As for our Secret Tech, let's select a faction first.

[naufragar]

Vanguard are my favorite faction because of how utterly broken their tier1 infantry are.   Give your hero a sniper rifle and the AI is forced to walk into your pretty devastating overwatch fire. Plus their t1 heal mod is busted: a once per battle heal for a free action that also buffs their defense for the next turn. The Promethean tech has one that's better if memory serves, but no other faction comes close. (Kirko got theirs nerfed, I believe.)

I'm happy to play a Vanguard game (my favorite and in need of defense, apparently ) and I'm happy to not play Vanguard because that's what I'm most familiar with. I will say I don't know the bugs much at all. Played like one game with them several patches ago. Whether that's reason to play or not to play, I don't know.

I'm pretty happy with any difficulty settings you all would like. I find "extreme" defender strength pretty tedious, since it takes longer to get out of the early game when battles against independents take so much caution. I think I enjoy turning AI Passivity to "aggressive." Don't think I've played without it after the first game. Don't really know what it does...

[Bobchillingworth]

I've never tried adjusting the AI passivity; my experience has been that even on the default "normal" level they're extremely trigger happy and declare on the player and each other alike constantly.


I'm probably just lousy at playing as the Vanguard; my tenancy to hoard Cosmite for Gucci upgrades and units likely hasn't done me any favors.


I have very little experience with the bugs, so def. up for giving them a shot. Their variation of the basic Psynumbra units have a hilariously powerful melee attack, and they seem like they'd naturally combo with the Xenoplauge. Not sure if they get any special bonuses with any non-Psynumbra special techs.

[Bobchillingworth]

Also:

Vanguard are my favorite faction because of how utterly broken their tier1 infantry are.   Give your hero a sniper rifle and the AI is forced to walk into your pretty devastating overwatch fire. Plus their t1 heal mod is busted: a once per battle heal for a free action that also buffs their defense for the next turn.

Sounds like the Syndicate, except the Syndicate infantry use a generally better damage channel, can be made immortal for a turn via their medic while also getting their AP restored, and can stunlock groups of enemies by around T30 if you beeline the tech

[MJW (ya that one)]

Well bob trashed Dvar & vanguard and naufragar loves vanguard so I guess it's Dvar. I want sniper rifle Psynumbra gets a better one. I want to leave it up to naufragar to decided to due with our remaining points. Don't care what bob thinks.

As for map settings I suggest frontier world, no combat retry and everything else default. With the rule that we cannot win with an ally to prevent a BS coattail victory. Or disable allied victory but that would make the game easier as it causes AIs to be more hostile to eachother.

[Bobchillingworth]

Don't care what bob thinks.

Gee, thanks. Don't get the wrong idea- I may be humble about my Planetfall skills and willing to go last in turn order, but I'm an equal participant and will kill this game before I suffer you or anyone else to disrespect me again.

[MJW (ya that one)]

The only reason why I'm playing is so a SG game can happen (3rd player). I'll just avoid unneeded commentary so this game can go on. I'm very burned out on age of wonders...

Anyway my plan of giving the Dvar a psy sniper rifle wouldn't work because they don't get it. The regular sniper rifle is worth it through to pull enemies into dvar's defenses. Don't care about were the rest of the points go (low impact) or even secert tech (they all get stuff that's non-physical to prop up dvar). If you or naufragar cannot come up with something I can whip up a leader/world/settings by myself. Dvar decent and I want to show it so (don't know what else to do) I have strong preference for them. Frontier world makes them look better which I would like but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker unlike mr. sniper rifle.

[naufragar]

Let's be friends, so we don't distract from the game.

Since this is Bob's brainchild, I defer to him on settings. To keep things moving, here are my suggestions for a Dvar sniper hero: Dvar, Voidtech, Star Union Scholar, Data Repository, Sharpshooter Equipment, Kleptomaniac.