Electrification
Lito
Join Date: 2003-09-04 Member: 20560Members
Join Date: 2003-09-04 Member: 20560Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Your friend and foe at the same time</div> The electrification strategy, a strategy consisting of mass electrification of your resource towers in order to keep them up and pumping nanosludge for as long as possible and to deny aliens res, is very popular on pubs. And why not? For 30 res, you can electrify a res node and it'll be protected with or without a marine. You can take your mind off your res node for most of the beginning and some of the early-mid game.
However its a double edged sword.
<span style='color:red'><b>By the Numbers</b></span>
A resource tower costs 15 res to put down. Now, its 4 seconds a tick for B4; 15 res * 4 second a tick / 60 seconds a minute = 1. Which means that 1 minute after that res node is built and starts pumping nanosludge, its paid itself off, and all the res afterwards until it is taken down is profit.
An electrified resource tower costs 45 (thats 15 res for the node itself, and 30 for electrification. We'll leave out the cost of the tfac for simplicity). 45 * 4 / 60 = 3. That means it takes 3 minutes for that res node to start making a profit. Thats 3 times that if you didn't electrify it.
<span style='color:red'><b>Time Attack</b></span>
Now, lets say you've got a res node at the Overlook on ns_veil at 1:30. Its an area that your marines will generally walk near or through, but you decide to electrify it anyways. By the time it pays itself off, it'll be around 4:30, which is around the average fade gestation time (which is around 4:00). Electrification is useless against fades, and the fade will be able to take it down in a jiffy. Chances are, if you let the fade kill it, it will either lose res, break even, or make very very little profit from that res node.
Then there is the fact that any electrified res node won't last long after the second hive goes up.
<span style='color:red'><b>Res, oh res, where art thou?</b></span>
The point of electrifying res nodes is to keep them. The point of keeping them is to get res from them. But really, when you electrify your res nodes, you're shooting yourself in the foot. It takes 30 res to electrify. 30 res is any upgrade, an upgraded armory, 3 shotguns, 3 packs of mines, or wait for 5 res for motion tracking. The fact is, that 30 res is ALOT. And while you might break even with your electrified res nodes before the fade takes them down, the 30 res isn't taken when you break even, it takes 30 res from your coffers straight when you click that electrification button. This stunts marine growth substantially. You simply can't fight back because you don't have the res, means, or upgrades to do so.
<span style='color:red'><b>Those poor defenseless creatures</b></span>
Those res nodes look a little naked without the sexy blue glow, huh? What do you do? That res node is going to go down if I don't electrify it!
You're forgetting the most important weapon in your arsenal: Your marines. They move, they shoot, they even give you smack from time to time, and get this: They're completely free. That res node under attack? Send a marine over there! More likely than not, they'll earn you 1 - 3 rfk free of charge. You can also defend it by other means. Most notibly mines. Its 1/3 the cost of electrification, and you earn alot more rfk from it. Think about it. You're going up to a res node and its not electrified. You think its safe, run up, boom.
<span style='color:red'><b>Semi-Bonzai bases</b></span>
Back in 2.01, a popular base to build were the "Bonzai bases". In 2.0, there were no building radius restrictions. And such, you could fit your whole base within 15 square meters with a tf in the middle effectively covering all of it when electrified. Although its not possible to do this anymore, electricity range has increased substantially, so this strategy is still viable and still being done. For base defence you just blew 40 res. This also effectively kills any attempt at marine tech growth. If you have to defend your base with something, then defend it with mines. 2 packs, 20 res, and they'll do just as well as electrification, if not better. Just remember to replenish them when they go boom.
<span style='color:red'><b>Hypocrite</b></span>
Now now, electrification isn't all that bad.
Electrification is a powerful tool, but it needs to be used in moderation. Does this mean that you shouldn't electrify res nodes? By all means no! Electrification is VERY useful for res nodes that are far away or is an area with high action levels such as hive rooms or chokepoints. Like, on ns_metal, you arn't going to electrify power banks (the res node at the very top) because its so close to marine start, however its not uncommon to see an electrified mineral processing node (the node in the middle). Mineral processing is a high traffic area. Its right next to 2 hives, and is a good chokepoint to hold. You can expect that node to go down alot if its not defended, so instead of letting it die and rebuilding it again and again, its more profitable to electrify it.
Electrification is also my hive defence of choice. For a hive room, you could stick a phase gate and res node together, plop down a tf, and put down two turrets (this setup has large blindspots, or spots where a skulk cannot be hurt at the turrets due to their angle of fire). Or you could just electrify the res node for the same price. (THIS IS IMPORTANT. Res nodes have more HP than tfs, so if you have a choice, its ALWAYS better to electrify res nodes).
Electrification can boost the chances of a seige to go successfully as well. Electrify that tf, and you'll have skulks making suicide runs on it in attempt to get it down. Not only do you get massive res for kills, but with a welder, the chances of that tf going down is very low.
<span style='color:red'><b>The last word</b></span>
Electrification is very very useful. With its large radius, you can cover alot of things. But its also very expensive, so you must use in moderation. The next time you're thinking of electrifying that res node, stop. Just stop. Click on the arms lab and get armor 2 instead. You'll thank yourself later.
However its a double edged sword.
<span style='color:red'><b>By the Numbers</b></span>
A resource tower costs 15 res to put down. Now, its 4 seconds a tick for B4; 15 res * 4 second a tick / 60 seconds a minute = 1. Which means that 1 minute after that res node is built and starts pumping nanosludge, its paid itself off, and all the res afterwards until it is taken down is profit.
An electrified resource tower costs 45 (thats 15 res for the node itself, and 30 for electrification. We'll leave out the cost of the tfac for simplicity). 45 * 4 / 60 = 3. That means it takes 3 minutes for that res node to start making a profit. Thats 3 times that if you didn't electrify it.
<span style='color:red'><b>Time Attack</b></span>
Now, lets say you've got a res node at the Overlook on ns_veil at 1:30. Its an area that your marines will generally walk near or through, but you decide to electrify it anyways. By the time it pays itself off, it'll be around 4:30, which is around the average fade gestation time (which is around 4:00). Electrification is useless against fades, and the fade will be able to take it down in a jiffy. Chances are, if you let the fade kill it, it will either lose res, break even, or make very very little profit from that res node.
Then there is the fact that any electrified res node won't last long after the second hive goes up.
<span style='color:red'><b>Res, oh res, where art thou?</b></span>
The point of electrifying res nodes is to keep them. The point of keeping them is to get res from them. But really, when you electrify your res nodes, you're shooting yourself in the foot. It takes 30 res to electrify. 30 res is any upgrade, an upgraded armory, 3 shotguns, 3 packs of mines, or wait for 5 res for motion tracking. The fact is, that 30 res is ALOT. And while you might break even with your electrified res nodes before the fade takes them down, the 30 res isn't taken when you break even, it takes 30 res from your coffers straight when you click that electrification button. This stunts marine growth substantially. You simply can't fight back because you don't have the res, means, or upgrades to do so.
<span style='color:red'><b>Those poor defenseless creatures</b></span>
Those res nodes look a little naked without the sexy blue glow, huh? What do you do? That res node is going to go down if I don't electrify it!
You're forgetting the most important weapon in your arsenal: Your marines. They move, they shoot, they even give you smack from time to time, and get this: They're completely free. That res node under attack? Send a marine over there! More likely than not, they'll earn you 1 - 3 rfk free of charge. You can also defend it by other means. Most notibly mines. Its 1/3 the cost of electrification, and you earn alot more rfk from it. Think about it. You're going up to a res node and its not electrified. You think its safe, run up, boom.
<span style='color:red'><b>Semi-Bonzai bases</b></span>
Back in 2.01, a popular base to build were the "Bonzai bases". In 2.0, there were no building radius restrictions. And such, you could fit your whole base within 15 square meters with a tf in the middle effectively covering all of it when electrified. Although its not possible to do this anymore, electricity range has increased substantially, so this strategy is still viable and still being done. For base defence you just blew 40 res. This also effectively kills any attempt at marine tech growth. If you have to defend your base with something, then defend it with mines. 2 packs, 20 res, and they'll do just as well as electrification, if not better. Just remember to replenish them when they go boom.
<span style='color:red'><b>Hypocrite</b></span>
Now now, electrification isn't all that bad.
Electrification is a powerful tool, but it needs to be used in moderation. Does this mean that you shouldn't electrify res nodes? By all means no! Electrification is VERY useful for res nodes that are far away or is an area with high action levels such as hive rooms or chokepoints. Like, on ns_metal, you arn't going to electrify power banks (the res node at the very top) because its so close to marine start, however its not uncommon to see an electrified mineral processing node (the node in the middle). Mineral processing is a high traffic area. Its right next to 2 hives, and is a good chokepoint to hold. You can expect that node to go down alot if its not defended, so instead of letting it die and rebuilding it again and again, its more profitable to electrify it.
Electrification is also my hive defence of choice. For a hive room, you could stick a phase gate and res node together, plop down a tf, and put down two turrets (this setup has large blindspots, or spots where a skulk cannot be hurt at the turrets due to their angle of fire). Or you could just electrify the res node for the same price. (THIS IS IMPORTANT. Res nodes have more HP than tfs, so if you have a choice, its ALWAYS better to electrify res nodes).
Electrification can boost the chances of a seige to go successfully as well. Electrify that tf, and you'll have skulks making suicide runs on it in attempt to get it down. Not only do you get massive res for kills, but with a welder, the chances of that tf going down is very low.
<span style='color:red'><b>The last word</b></span>
Electrification is very very useful. With its large radius, you can cover alot of things. But its also very expensive, so you must use in moderation. The next time you're thinking of electrifying that res node, stop. Just stop. Click on the arms lab and get armor 2 instead. You'll thank yourself later.
Comments
One hive onos gets owned by even 1 or 2 marines with HMG.
how about these?
A non-electrified node falls after 1 minute, it has paid for itself, but gottne nothing more
A gorge builds an rt on that node
that rt lasts 3 minutes
So, now after 4 minutes, the aliens are up 30 res, with an rt still bringing in that res. ANd with that 30 res, you could have prevented this, and it would be you holding that point, not them
The point is, there is more than just getting the res, res denial is important too, and electrified rts are very good at that
45 res is a very high price to pay for res denial when your marines can do much more damage and they come completely free of charge.
If there's heavy conflict in the area and most everyone gets wiped out except an alien or two...chances are they'll flee from that area to get healing and then hit it up again...inbetween that time is a good time to have everyone phase back in.
skulk-gorge killing a electriciflied rt/tfac is too common.
i perfer mining it with 20 res.
less cost and less time
anyway electricity dun work on fades well
For the hivedoodle i usual make pg and 3 turrets (psychology: you are shot electrf just "is" there rather than beeing evil to you. right?)
Those pg/electrf were really pop on 2.01 so its still on pubbers head that you jsut need the fade to get it clear. althou on pubs if you make that 3 rts you most likely to have maybe bit less power on your def. BUT it wont be told in aliensay: elecrt!!! omg f4d3 Herez0r and also those turrets/pg/rt wont get para`d cos in any game all elect rts are parasited....
Also with 3 turrets you can quite easily make rt/pg/tf 98% cleared of blindspots.
(those 2% will always be some kind of bugs)
Its 4 seconds a tick. There might be some slack here and there (delays between when it starts pumping, and when its built, etc), but its 4 seconds a tick.
<!--QuoteBegin-SLizer+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SLizer)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Also with 3 turrets you can quite easily make rt/pg/tf 98% cleared of blindspots.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
with three turrets, covering a tf is possible, but more often than not, you have more to cover than just a tf. You have a res node and a phasegate too. And often you'll have a blindspot inbetween the res node and the tf. Often you can cover it by having a turret kinda wedged a bit in between them, but if you do that, 3 turrets usually won't be enough.
<!--QuoteBegin-SLizer+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SLizer)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Also with 3 turrets you can quite easily make rt/pg/tf 98% cleared of blindspots.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
with three turrets, covering a tf is possible, but more often than not, you have more to cover than just a tf. You have a res node and a phasegate too. And often you'll have a blindspot inbetween the res node and the tf. Often you can cover it by having a turret kinda wedged a bit in between them, but if you do that, 3 turrets usually won't be enough. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
fire power problem.
one turret on a corner shooting a skulk.
it just shoot sooooo slow (forgotten the number)
better get a mine or electricity, zap him to death
or lame a farm.
Even then, you're assuming aliens will take a while to drop 2nd hive. However, MC first usually results in more aggressive aliens, and on good teams this usually means faster hives.
Even then, with 3 minutes to make a profit the chances are the rt will be history long before you're in the black.
This is quite handy for disposing of elec rts near the hive that perhaps you want to cap. Also, remember that you can't rely on fades or any other players attacking the rts for you, so sometimes you just have to do it yourself with a little support.
Its 4 seconds a tick. There might be some slack here and there (delays between when it starts pumping, and when its built, etc), but its 4 seconds a tick.
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I _allways_ put my tf pg in wall so those 3 turrets will really hold off.
Anyway to my post:
Idea of turrets is to keep those biastards well off electrf wont do anything unless you be quite close to --> parasite. Turrets will shoot and in most pubs ppl are way to scared about turrets cos they _shoot_ and also thwy wont get para`s so easily. However 1 caraskulk 3turret= one trip to hive and cleared.
So what is a turret lock down supposed to do? By all means they won't come near that phasegate or risk getting killed. Its not supposed to kill, its suppost to scare away, and it only does it for skulks. And electrification does just that without potential blindspots and for less cost.
If they shoot or not doesn't make much of a difference, and the difference it does make is compensated by the res you save from not putting down 4 - 5 turrets.
A great strategy (often combined with 2 hive lockdown) is to leave a trail of elec'ed res nodes as you relocate to a hive. By the time you've relocated you'll be ready to attack the 2nd hive location and the first fades will be appearing shortly after. Sounds bad but it isn't at all, the alien team are forced to go around systematically destroying your elec rts with either gorge/skulk teams or the fade(s) which means you can get on with attacking their res nodes and hive.
This is definetly not a strategy for pubs though as it requires a little but of co-ordination and it helps to do a temp com swap. I've used this in several matches and it's great when you hear "WTH Noob com electrying" then 2 minutes later you shotgun rush their last hive.
most turrest I ever put in one spot was cargo. I had 3 TFs and about 24 turrets. granted, if I ever did that now, id kick myself off the server. since thats a giant rez waste. But hey, I have never seen so many fades die from turrets at one time