I was just about to stop playing when a last quick search of the (3) open servers revealed a six player game with Feud in it. One slot was left so I quickly connected. A few moments later I suggested that we 1v1 for a fifth time and he agreed.
Standard default settings and random placement gave us a USSR (Feud) vs Asia (me). Heh, I knew I had the advantage in this setup if Feud kept his fleet above Russia. So, I placed three battleships scouts in the pacific and started to assemble my Star of India formation. I haven't found anybody that can effectively deal with this set up without putting their entire navy next to Japan and rushing into the Indian for a head on assault. However, that's a great risk to take and even then might not be enough.
There's just too much firepower packed into one location that is within reach of everything important. It's also easy to defend even the mightiest onslaught from another player, maybe even two if managed right.
With...
- 12 carriers launching bombers at Defcon 2 and thus being ready to dispatch a tremendous fighter group all by themselves at defcon 1 to counter any bomber strike,
- All four bases doing the same thing, or alternating with carriers for simultaneous fighter/bomber launches,
- All six silos packed together with enough radar coverage to maintain a good line of sight the entire game (most of the time) making it very difficult to penetrate,
- Early (full) launch ability enabling your navy to unload nukes fast and furious and then deploy for defensive (naval) purposes...
Anyway, I knew I needed to get the victory timer on my side quickly if I was actually going to win this one. Feud knew (I'm assuming) exactly where I'd be and although I thought he'd place in far western Russia out of radar, he almost mirrored my setup directly above me. The only problem with this is the thin strip of "hidden" space in norther Russia is not near as good at keeping silos intact. You're almost forced to form a "line" of silos rather than a compact formation. Thus, you can "walk the line" of silos making it easier and easier to kill the next one.
So, Defcon 3 and we start to exchange fighters (both scouting) and I thought for sure he'd seen at least one of my silos (he didn't) and then he managed to kill a radar with a fighter. D'oh! Defcon 2 came, and I started emptying bombers left and right, or more technically northeast and northwest in a "v" formation.
Defcon 1, I surfaced all twelve subs and waited for the first barrage of nukes to make it into his radar range and then redirected about a third of my bombers for the area his AA fire was coming from (directly above India). Thus completing a "diamond" maneuver and avoiding the direct assault of his fighters and the massive amount of bomber killing explosions on his cities. A few empty bombers for scouts actually made it through and I began to find his silos. Just before this point, I had went to launch mode with my silos and began to target the first one I could see and then blindly guess where the others were. As each one was discovered (by bombers slowing progressing over them) I would cancel and re-target it specifically and had even left a few bombers to join in on the action.
Of course, he had his own bombers in route and managed to wreak havoc on my setup, but I think he lost a large portion of that force in the mass destruction occurring in his territory. Heh, we both managed to leave the other one with only 2 silos, although I think I was able to use more of mine.
In short: Feud 4/Ace 1. Well played Feud!
JESUS and Church joined in to spectate and afterwards we played a 2v2 (no defection) Feud/I vs the holy alliance of Church and JESUS. I think JESUS won, but had to abruptly leave at the end of the game.
