Haven of Calm... Not

[japerson34]

New player here. Well, on my 12th game or so. Everyone one of those games I used the "Haven of Calm" choice in the History Class in hopes of just that, calm. But it never is. The AI insists on attacking with large numbers. By the 30th turn, I'm done. I don't get it. Am I doing something that triggers the AI into not being calm?

Another setting I select is Robinson Crusoe so that I am the only Major. Like the Haven of Calm, I have used this setting too for each game and, well, the minors I guess kick my butt.

Outpost Colony is the third setting I always use. However, I am still quickly out numbered.

I don't see how to make the game any easier. So I must be doing something wrong. But I don't know what. After 12 games (or so), I am at a lost.

[AranwenL]

haven of calm is about the planet generation not actual game play.
outpost limits how many ppl the planet has.

my suggestions are start on tech 3 and rush tanks, turn on easy logistics, start with 1 or 2 armies, if you have the dlc play on one of the small island maps so theres a good chance youre alone and can build up, alternatively if you dont have the dlc try for a planet with a lot of mountains.

if the minors around you arent raiders, natives, or territories try using strats to make peace with them so they will leave you alone long enough to build up.

tanks are broken, its actual bs how quickly you can roll over the enemies even on higher difficulty with light tanks.

[japerson34]

Thanks. So the AI will always attack quickly unless I can get it to accept my peace requests. Will try that and the map layouts you suggested.

[AranwenL]

yep, the ai will give up on winning a war against an ai major the moment theres a path directly to your territory.

[Unplayer]

I think Haven of Calm and Robinson Crusoe are good choices for beginners, but stay away from Outpost Colony for now.
It's really hard to develop with the low population setting.

[Hasefrexx]

Tech 4 start makes it easier to deal with minors. Make independant light tanks, attach them to infantry OHQ, that will solve most of your issues.

To get a good start, do not try to expand, defend what you have. Do not push the borders of minors, it will trigger them to attack.

Build industry up to level 3 and like level 2 metal mine. You'll need energy production to power it up. Defend with militia while you're upgrading it all. Once this is setup you have a good economy so you can start attacking neighbours though upgrading even more metal mines and industry should be your aim. If you have emergencies while building up your economy, deploy independant machineguns or more rarely independant anti tank guns (if you are facing sentinels). Do not attack with them, let the enemy do it; if it doesn't all the better as it's buying you time to upgrade more your buildings.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

With Haven of Calm and Robinson Crusoe enabled provided you make peace with the minors they will be very safe and friendly unless a certain event fires and even then a few tanks will thwart that.

[japerson34]

Originally posted by Unplayer:

I think Haven of Calm and Robinson Crusoe are good choices for beginners, but stay away from Outpost Colony for now.
It's really hard to develop with the low population setting.

For now, it seems to be working. I haven't even seen an AI in 30 turns.

[japerson34]

Originally posted by Hasefrexx:

Tech 4 start makes it easier to deal with minors.

I am doing this for the first time. 30 turns and I haven't even seen the AI.

To get a good start, do not try to expand, defend what you have. Do not push the borders of minors, it will trigger them to attack.

That is what I was doing the last game. The AI came out of no where with a powerful motorized unit and just bulldozed me.

Build industry up to level 3 and like level 2 metal mine. You'll need energy production to power it up. Defend with militia while you're upgrading it all. Once this is setup you have a good economy so you can start attacking neighbours though upgrading even more metal mines and industry should be your aim.

This was always my intentions. But was always getting attack and having my mines destroyed or taken over.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

With haven of calm active the minor regimes don't get powerful motorised units outside of events, and you will be warned if that event has happened.

Even then basic infantry should hold.

Are you sure it is a normal minor regime? Not a rogue AI or one of the others that don't actually have a zone city but aren't marauders?

[japerson34]

Originally posted by Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia:

Are you sure it is a normal minor regime? Not a rogue AI or one of the others that don't actually have a zone city but aren't marauders?

No, I am not. Just assumed there were major and minors.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

Farmers/Raiders/Hunter gatherers all have a city and are the "standard" minor, of the three Raiders have motorised units but should be very rare on haven of calm.

Rogue AI/Nomads/Slavers/Arachnids/Sapient Xenos are the non-standard ones, Slavers have very similar units to Raiders.

In any case the unit card should state what kind of unit they are and what type of minor they are, e.g. raider battalion = raiders. Exception is the Shadow regiments, who are event troops, had that event trigger on a raider minor faction before which was unpleasant but a good light tank design beats them all.

[Eltoron]

Also be sure to check the desolation planet generation step. It show the number of different types of population. Make sure they are mostly farmers and no raiders at all before starting your game.

[Overlord]

Start with at least 1 army, focus on getting resource sources up as needed. Then focus on pumping out units, machine gun battalions ideally, to secure your borders. Once you've stabilized your borders you can start focusing on building up your economy and assimilating or conquering minor regimes.

As others have said, rush tanks, but not singlemindedly, make sure you have the oil and metal sources necessary to support them. Also, on some maps if you're not on a lvl3 tech start, you might need to rush RPGs and Anti Tank Guns instead if there's big nasty critters you can't kill with buggies and infantry, or a major regime beats you to tanks and zerg rushes you. Don't forget you can build up an independent tank battalion if you desperately need them yesterday, so you don't need to wait on unlocking the formation type or having the resources saved up. It's a rough balancing act, but after a few attempts it'll click.

[japerson34]

Originally posted by Eltoron:

Also be sure to check the desolation planet generation step. It show the number of different types of population. Make sure they are mostly farmers and no raiders at all before starting your game.

That is exactly what I did for my current game which is running the smoothest for me so far. Still a lot to learn to get better at this.

[japerson34]

Originally posted by Overlord:

Start with at least 1 army, focus on getting resources sources up as needed. Then focus on pumping out units, machine gun battalions ideally, to secure your borders. Once you've stabilized your borders you can start focusing on building up your economy and assimilating or conquering minor regimes. As others have said, rush tanks, but not simplemindedly, make sure you have the oil and metal sources necessary to support them. Don't forget you can build up an independent battalion if you desperately need them yesterday, so you don't need to wait on unlocking the formation type or having the resources saved up. It's a rough balancing act, but after a few attempts it'll click.

Thanks. I am doing so much better this current game. I just grow impatient with myself in learning these games. I then get mad and lash out against the game although I know it is me, not the game due to it's popularity.