Upgrades

Inexorable

<div class="IPBDescription">not the debate you think it is</div> I'm wondering exactly what the feelings are for when you should start putting down upgrade chambers.

Many a game, it'll be about 7-10 min in, and while the gorge(s) has been doing a great job of capping nodes and sealing places off with OCs, there isn't an upgrade chamber to be found.

Is it reasonable to expect that the gorge put down an upgrade as soon as possible? (regardless of which type) Or can he simply wait until the Skulks start losing ground before spending the res on something which isn't an RT or a Hive?

I personally feel that the fact you can have some sort of advantage over the Marines (the Skulk/Marine balance if very good in my opinion, an upgrade either way can tip the scales) as soon as possible is incredibly important. You either get the ability to simply crush the marines from the word go, or are given a chance if the marines turn out to be more skilled.

Shockeh

We've pulled the 3 DC trick many a game. 3 Skulks asap switch & drop 3, then 2 kill themselves, because it means slower rez, but much nastier early attacks from skulks. So it tends to slow the marines MORE than it does the Aliens.

In those games, DC's are the first structures built. Nasty.

zippy

i do a prgressive dc on most public servers

rt dc rt dc dc

or

rt dc rt dc rt dc

in most cases after the 3rd rt you have 3 dc becaue of the wol's

zippy

Amorphous

Normally, what i do in LARGE games, is have two people gorge. One caps nodes, and one saves for hives.

One the one saving for the hive gets 94 res, he builds 1 def tower, then starts the hive. Puts the def tower under the hive, of course, along with the others yet to come.

Works well in large games, since there is a ton of skulks rushing the base constantly.

SeaHawk

I do progressive, also. Usually, one RT (in addition to the starting one), then a DT, then probably another RT, then two DT's, usually. Then I cap at least 2 more resources before I hit the hive. Doesn't take nearly as long as you would think.

BlackPanther

I usually way until i've got 3 RT before my res really starts coming in and i proceed to build 3 DC right near our main hive.

CBD-Ikariya

Well, resources come in over time, so getting as many RT as soon as possible = more res. However, def upgrades ASAP will significantly benefit your skulks, and will be much more able to prevent the marines from expanding successfully, or even knock down an early fortification. And that, IMHO, is MUCH more significant in the long run than a couple more res.

Therefore, I tend to plop down a def cham right after I get 1 res tow, and head to another res site. Plop DC there, Res, etc.

Inexorable

That's what I'm thinking usually. A RP denied is a RP earned as they say. If by putting down a couple of chambers early I can deny the marines access to that area we like to call "outside their base" then it's RP well spent as far as I'm concerned.

Sifo25

<!--QuoteBegin--Inexorable+Feb 19 2003, 01:48 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Inexorable @ Feb 19 2003, 01:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> ...doing a great job of capping nodes and sealing places off with OCs... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
That, IMHO, is your problem right there. See the OCs? Those are your DCs.

As discussed elsewhere on these boards, and heavily debated, OCs are for Skulks that dont do their jobs, or an emergency. I'm of the mindset that Skulks should be following Tubs around defending him, and/or harassing the marines. In that harassment, they should keep the marines out of the 1st Hive. After Hive 1 and 2 are up, and the DCs and MCs (or SCs, ugh) are all at 3, then its time to OC the place silly. Or move to Hive 3, if its free. But I'd recommend Securing 1 and 2.

Anyway, debate away, but I say RT/SomeOtherC combonations at the beginning of the game is a solid plan. Sometimes I try and go RT, RT, RT, RT, (RT)Hive. DC, DC, DC before the team kills me. Hehehe. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

S

Church

It really depends if you expect and have to defend against JP/HMG rush. If the mariens are going for the JP/HMG rush you WILL need some D chambers under that hive as quickly as possible, or else you will die a horrible and quick death. If not, I cap 2 RT before any D.

SoulSkorpion

In a normal game (ie, it's not 1vs2 or something stupid) I cap three RTs and then head for the second hive. I drop DCs with my WoLs when I secure the second hive location. If the skulks are struggling (or specifically request it, and I recognise the requesters as non-newbies) I drop DCs earlier.

ZERG

A progressive approach is best and efficient. Waiting to splurge makes no difference.

lagger

Hmm, heres the trick or at least in scrims <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->. If the marines are just locking hives/not pressuring you at all and playing defensivly. By all means take 1-2 rsr towers before even gett off's/def's/anything. If they are sending pressure groups then you should get 1 def then 1 rsr or 1 rsr then 1 def depending on how you skulks are doing. It all depends on how the marines play that depicts what kind of build order you should be using.

leek

if i see more marine kills than alien kills then i will make an effort to get DC's down asap

Nicator

I will always get at bare minimum 1 rt first. If the aliens are holding their own, I'll cap another. If they're doing okay but need a hand, I'll drop just one dc, giving them 1/3 extra survival time. If we're getting hammered, I might drop all three after 1 rt. I'll *usually* get the dcs up after I get 2 rt, but I might get a third rt first if we're winning easily.