How do you counter ROFL-stomping Borg (Devouring Swarm) AI BS?

[faolanthehedgehog]

I do not understand how I fell behind and got absolutely steam-rolled, and I'm playing on Normal difficulty. Any general tips and such for someone who apparently is still a complete newbie?

[Radene]

Errr, pet peeve. DS isn't the Borg, it's the Tyranids...or well, their little brother. Driven Assimilators are the Borg.

And yeah, once DS types get rolling, it's really difficult to stop them. You might want to look into getting a federation and some defensive pacts to help you out.

[faolanthehedgehog]

I mainly used the Borg reference since they're hive-minds and I'm actually familiar with them, but whatever.

Fat chance of a Federation or Defensive Pact getting started when I'm surrounded by nothing but xenophobic empires and no one else is anywhere near them.

I probably should've fought them first then instead of trying to vassalize one of the xenophobic empires. Any other tips?

[HugsAndSnuggles]

Originally posted by faolanthehedgehog:

I mainly used the Borg reference since they're hive-minds and I'm actually familiar with them, but whatever.

Well, there's also cheap Tyranid ripoff - zerg :P

Originally posted by faolanthehedgehog:

Fat chance of a Federation or Defensive Pact getting started when I'm surrounded by nothing but xenophobic empires and no one else is anywhere near them.

Xenophobic or not, they likely are rivals with the swarm (and you should be too) - that makes everyone more willing to form pacts.

Other than that? Only things that should have ben done earlier (like argessive colonization) for the ability produce large enough fleet to fight them (but then swarm wouldn't be an issue, would it?).

[faolanthehedgehog]

Sadly, no one else was even aware of the Swarm. This game could do with some diplomatic options to declare a joint war like in Sid Meier's Civilization.

[FerrusPugnum]

I was totally destroyed the first time I met the swarm. The second time I took a lot of damage and lost many fleets until i found a good balance. I used a very high number of carriers with strike craft combined with capitol ships. the strike craft cleared the small attackers and allowed a strike on the main units. they died fast after that.

[faolanthehedgehog]

Hmm... unfortunately that advice wouldn't have helped. I only had access to Corvettes and Destroyers when the "Zerg Swarm" came at me.

[HugsAndSnuggles]

Originally posted by faolanthehedgehog:

Sadly, no one else was even aware of the Swarm. This game could do with some diplomatic options to declare a joint war like in Sid Meier's Civilization.

It has, but AI is rarely feels that it's "ready" (not to mention they need to be aware of it).

Only thing you might be able to pull off, provided you have smeblance of a fleet, is retake your planets after the enemy, resulting in white peace after decade of stalemate or so. Would still require you to have enough planets. Another option is trying to catch their transports, and then guard the edge of system for more incoming ships (since their main fleet ususally prefers bombing the planet instead of chacing enemy in the same system), but it kind of depends on FTL type. Still, this is more of abusing AI than "useful" tips.

[Tewa]

Difficult to give specific advice. Tips for the early game are easy because everybody starts the same, but you seem to have encountered them in the early mid-game at which point there are a thousand variables to consider.

The thing about the AI is that they won't attack you unless they're sure they can win. The best way to win a war against the AI is to trick them to not fight you until you are ready. And they only look at the numerical value of your fleet strength. Keep an eye on their fleet power compared to yours. If it's "Superior", you might be okay. If it's "Overwhelming", war is coming because they see you as easy prey. Crank out ships. Even if they're corvettes, even if they're BAD, even if you haven't researched anything past the starting weapons. Just ships. Get that number value on your fleet up to where the AI doesn't see you as easy pickings anymore. They'll go after somebody else instead.

Keep in mind, a paper tiger fleet like that is only good for bluffing against an AI declaration of war in the first place. Continue to work towards getting a functional fleet.

If you need help expanding in the early game, try these tips:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/281990/discussions/0/1620599015900551615/#c1620599015900786719