As for countering them, stealth detectors and a few AT units can mow down a field of them. They already have pretty low health, but I may lower it slightly so that most Anti-Tank defenses can kill it in a couple shots. Right now it looks like it would have a sliver of health after 8 patriot missiles.
The technicals aren't stealthed while they are moving. While stealth detectors would help against later units, it's useless (and possibly detrimental for being an additional cost) against the suicide technical rush.
In addition, a demo anti-tank defense site needs 4 shots to kill one I believe (4 or 3). You get 1 off before the technical can either hit the building, or 2 if it just runs in your base. Considering you need a barracks to build defenses (power plant if you're usa) you're getting defenses at about the same time the technicals show up, and you need 3 to stop them. In your patriot example, 8 missiles take, what about 5 seconds to fire? It takes less than that to bring the technical up to the defense to destroy it, or into the base to hit expensive buildings.
if you wiped him out in under 2 minutes I get the impression you rushed him pretty quick.
His entire point of that game was to show off the suicide technical rush and how overpowered it was. Basically, build barracks and supply gatherer simultaneously (since they take about the same time), then start pumping out suicide technicals. My being micro-robotics, I had about 13 seconds of having my supply center up before I was hit. Due to the fast speed and short range of units, guardian drones aren't sufficient to stop them, and I can't use anything from the war factory because that takes too long, and infantry are too slow/short ranged. Spider mines worked, but would need me to build them in the exact right place, and do so at all entrances immediately. However, he was also able to kill one of the other players even after having the delay of killing me first. They could even get close to an assault general with a lot of fortified defenses (including the rocket defenses).
They use truck armor and are weak vs every damage type.
Then they must have a lot of health as machinegun style defenses hardly do anything to them (at least they don't do anything of consequence due to the technical's speed), and needing 3 full volleys of an anti tank defense to kill one is a bit excessive.
I have to take it all with a grain of salt. I told the first dozen they "just weren't playing him right", to you I say "good job, you did it right"
When I first played as him I didn't do the suicide technical rush as much, and I think he's quite good (one of the most fun generals I played). I was using the black market powers simply to harass other players, and a few suicide technicals and rocket buggies to defend myself when attacks came close. Toning down the rush I think is all he really needs, as while he doesn't have strong units he has a lot of fun tricks (Panic a command center with an SDI cannon nearby
). Just tone down the suicide technicals so they don't slaughter buildings, and lower the health so there's a chance to stop them at the very start (as you said, you need 3 anti-tank defenses, meaning you'll need at least 3 workers, 4 if you want a supply center, and that all becomes a lot of money for static defenses in not opportune places).I suspect he simply suits your play style well and that you made the most of him.
To be fair, he only built 2 units. Suicide technicals and a few snipers which weren't really necessary. That's not much of a playstyle if that simple starting move wins you games.
Edited by ApOcOlYpS, 28 July 2011 - 06:04 PM.
