Mines - A Neglected Resource
Rolling_Rock
Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8677Members
Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8677Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Useful Mine Applications</div> Mines are perhaps the most unused Marine tools I see. It's sad, really, because mines can make the lives of aliens much more difficult.
<b>Defending Key Structures</b>
With 1.01, turret defenses are far easier for aliens to kill. One little skulk can make 2-3 runs on a turret factory and boom, the whole defensive position goes down before the commander realizes what's going on and the marines can respond. This happens often. I see it as a marine and I DO it as an Alien. It isn't hard.
Turrets are simply not enough. A nice cheap suppliment to turrets are mines. Place mines on the GROUND around key structures such as:
* Command Console
* Turret Factories
* Resource Towers
Lets play out a scenario: Skulk spies resource site + defenses. Skulk slinks about looking for a good approach to either the resource tower or the turret factory. He plans his assault, makes his run, grins as he runs past the turrets, gets up to the factory, and BOOM - he's blown to hell and back. I know this from personal experience. It was quite shocking and made me into one hell of a paranoid skulk that round. A similar scenario is when a skulk runs past all your base defenses and gets to the commander chair. Mines on the GROUND on the base of the chair can give a much needed added protection.
Another added affect here is to see if an alien or two has been probing a defensive location. If mines are missing, an alien has tripped them.
I want to emphasize placing the mines on the ground, and not on walls for this purpose. The red beams are more of deterrants. You want the aliens to NOT know the mine is there. Moreover, it's easier to place 3-4 mines at the base of a turret factory and try to cover all of the ground there. Skulks and fades alike need to stand next to the turret factory to swipe/bite it. If mines are where they need to stand, they can't attack it without tripping one. If they dont' know they're there, even better.
If you're going to throw down 4+ turrets and a factory, what's a small set of mines around the factory to give it failsafe protection?
<b>Sealing Off Narrow Attack Routes</b>
Have you ever wished you could seal a vent that wasn't able to be welded? You can! If the vent is on the ground, place a mine or two, or three in the vent entrance. Be sure to place it on the wall so the beam goes across. These types of mines you want to have the red beam visible. This serves 2 purposes:
1) Tells you that no aliens have come through there if you still see the beam.
2) Deters the aliens from going there so you don't have to place more mines.
3) Effectively stops the flow of aliens through the location, provided you replace the mines if they start getting tripped. The aliens will get the message and stop using that path.
The idea is to discourage the aliens from going there by placing a few mines. The best placement is layering the mines. Place one in the vent, move a little further in, place another, then another. So even if one alien deicdes he's going to suicide to clear the mine, he'll have to do it 2-3 times before they are all gone. By that time you should be on to him and can replace the mines as needed or take necessary counteractive measures.
But now you're saying most vents are too high up to seal ore are in the bloody ceiling.
Simple solution: Jetpacks. Yes, for 9 points, less than the cost of a welder, you can equip a mine-layer with a jetpack so he can get into those hard to reach vents and seal them off with mines. Then you dont' ahve to worry about skulks slipping through later, evolving into gorges, and suddenly building behind your lines. Grenade Launchers aren't the only good application for jetpacks. HMG + Jetpack + Mines is very effective for going vent-hunting, vent-sealing, and otherwise quickly walling in the aliens who are tryign to expand.
<b>Added Active Defense</b>
When sealing off a hive or other places, putting a few mines up in a corridor (so the beams cross the corridor) doesn't hurt. As I said above, when you put a huge investment of resoruces into a location, plopping down a half dozen mines is about that of a turret in cost and more strategically useful if employed correctly.
So to all the commanders out there - Drop more mines. Direct your troops to place them in vents and on the ground around turret factories.
To all the soldiers out there - Pick up the mines and place them in USEFUL places. Don't waste them. And if your commander doesnt know the value of mines, ask him for a pack or two - nicely, of course, and show him how you can put them to good use.
<b>Defending Key Structures</b>
With 1.01, turret defenses are far easier for aliens to kill. One little skulk can make 2-3 runs on a turret factory and boom, the whole defensive position goes down before the commander realizes what's going on and the marines can respond. This happens often. I see it as a marine and I DO it as an Alien. It isn't hard.
Turrets are simply not enough. A nice cheap suppliment to turrets are mines. Place mines on the GROUND around key structures such as:
* Command Console
* Turret Factories
* Resource Towers
Lets play out a scenario: Skulk spies resource site + defenses. Skulk slinks about looking for a good approach to either the resource tower or the turret factory. He plans his assault, makes his run, grins as he runs past the turrets, gets up to the factory, and BOOM - he's blown to hell and back. I know this from personal experience. It was quite shocking and made me into one hell of a paranoid skulk that round. A similar scenario is when a skulk runs past all your base defenses and gets to the commander chair. Mines on the GROUND on the base of the chair can give a much needed added protection.
Another added affect here is to see if an alien or two has been probing a defensive location. If mines are missing, an alien has tripped them.
I want to emphasize placing the mines on the ground, and not on walls for this purpose. The red beams are more of deterrants. You want the aliens to NOT know the mine is there. Moreover, it's easier to place 3-4 mines at the base of a turret factory and try to cover all of the ground there. Skulks and fades alike need to stand next to the turret factory to swipe/bite it. If mines are where they need to stand, they can't attack it without tripping one. If they dont' know they're there, even better.
If you're going to throw down 4+ turrets and a factory, what's a small set of mines around the factory to give it failsafe protection?
<b>Sealing Off Narrow Attack Routes</b>
Have you ever wished you could seal a vent that wasn't able to be welded? You can! If the vent is on the ground, place a mine or two, or three in the vent entrance. Be sure to place it on the wall so the beam goes across. These types of mines you want to have the red beam visible. This serves 2 purposes:
1) Tells you that no aliens have come through there if you still see the beam.
2) Deters the aliens from going there so you don't have to place more mines.
3) Effectively stops the flow of aliens through the location, provided you replace the mines if they start getting tripped. The aliens will get the message and stop using that path.
The idea is to discourage the aliens from going there by placing a few mines. The best placement is layering the mines. Place one in the vent, move a little further in, place another, then another. So even if one alien deicdes he's going to suicide to clear the mine, he'll have to do it 2-3 times before they are all gone. By that time you should be on to him and can replace the mines as needed or take necessary counteractive measures.
But now you're saying most vents are too high up to seal ore are in the bloody ceiling.
Simple solution: Jetpacks. Yes, for 9 points, less than the cost of a welder, you can equip a mine-layer with a jetpack so he can get into those hard to reach vents and seal them off with mines. Then you dont' ahve to worry about skulks slipping through later, evolving into gorges, and suddenly building behind your lines. Grenade Launchers aren't the only good application for jetpacks. HMG + Jetpack + Mines is very effective for going vent-hunting, vent-sealing, and otherwise quickly walling in the aliens who are tryign to expand.
<b>Added Active Defense</b>
When sealing off a hive or other places, putting a few mines up in a corridor (so the beams cross the corridor) doesn't hurt. As I said above, when you put a huge investment of resoruces into a location, plopping down a half dozen mines is about that of a turret in cost and more strategically useful if employed correctly.
So to all the commanders out there - Drop more mines. Direct your troops to place them in vents and on the ground around turret factories.
To all the soldiers out there - Pick up the mines and place them in USEFUL places. Don't waste them. And if your commander doesnt know the value of mines, ask him for a pack or two - nicely, of course, and show him how you can put them to good use.
Comments
As of now (1.01 patch) will the mines that are exploding near the turret factory damage it?
Otherwise, that's a really good strategy, I'm gonna try it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
but mines are kinda useless imo..
Whenever im alien and i see a bunch of mines in a hallway or something.. i try and get the marines to come through it to attack me.. and when they do i shoot my acid rocket at the wall with the mine on it and BOOM i kill him with his own defense..
Mines own, they were the cornerstone of defending rooms in HL (or camping rooms as some morons like to call it)
A properly placed mine (one below or above the LOS (line of sight) is a devistating hurdle to deal with for aliens)
Dont put em too close together and try and stick em on cealing behind overhangs and such, hard to hit with spray weapons, but very annoying to get around
He makes some very good points.
That being said, all of those strategies are very good, and effective as well.
Placing a mine vertical and upright ona wall will cause a red beam to shoot out after it attaches to the surface of the wall. Thats the trip wire, it'll only activate after an alien goes thru the red beam.
If u place it on the floor, its just a regular futuristic land mine. Activated by somthing alien and heavy.