Need help taking out huge enemy base before oil

[ricardo]

I'm trying to get oil, but the only oil field I can find is really close to a giant enemy base. I have died many times trying to take it out, but it's full of those long range guys that are like mountains that can shoot farther than a turret. If I approach I die too fast to harm them.

The bugs seem to be getting big. What should I do here? I can't leave it or my outpost will immediately trigger them.

EDIT:
Gah! I spent all day clearing these nests out. One thing I found very helpful was bringing a stack of fish! Turret creep was tough because I"m clumsy at putting ammo in them, and when you're up against 5 medium worms clustered together, I found it very lossy.

Grenades are useless against these bugs, but good for clearing trees that complicate your path. I just got a few shots on the worm, then healed back up quickly with the fish. Repeat this all dang day.

[Glyph]

Your only option is through a big nest? Search for a different field. Else you're going to need to get creative. Grenade spam can help.

[LordDeathshead]

or try turret creep, gonna lose some, but the mass makes the damage

[tasadar]

So there is turret creep, there is getting engine -> car(green and red science, comes after automation 2) -> driving round and round, you can incorporate grenade throwing into base assault and dodge the projectiles the worm spits.

[astrosha]

Turret creep is the rather material-heavy means, but is rather effective, depending on the tech levels and evolution level. Be sure to bring several stacks of Turrets, and many MANY stacks of Ammo. Regular yellow Ammo is preferred - you get more damage for your Iron that way - but if the evolution factor is too high, you may need to go with AP Ammo.

SAVE FIRST!!!!!

Expect to lose Turrets! Just place enough at once, and fill them with enough Ammo, that they take more than their fair share of enemies with them. And dont forget a stack of repair Packs, to fix up those that survive. After setting up a fallback position, 5-10 turrets with 50 Ammo each should be sufficient, use the rest to make 5-8 Turret clumps or lines that you can quickly fill with half-stacks of Ammo. just dont stop moving while you do this. Ideally you place them far enough from you that they attract the attention of the Worms, but while these may be out of range the next set should be well within range to take out those Worms. Keep creeping closer.

When you run out of Turrets to place, many of the earlier ones you placed have stopped shooting - nothing is left in range for them to shoot at - so feel free to go Repair them and then collect them. Use them to press forward into the nest; you can clear it well enough.

Should you start to take damage though, just run back to the fallback position and wait until you are fully healed.

I personally never found Grenades worthwhile as bug- and nest-killing equipment, but rather useful against trees. I also never found the healing potions - aka fish - useful given that it is only a relatively short time before you start to heal, and it does not take long at all to be fully healed once you start healing. No, turret Creep is all about speed. The faster you can get the Turrets down and loaded, the sooner they can clear stuff around them for you, letting you move up.

[knighttemplar1960]

The worms you are having trouble with are very vulnerable to poison (it doesn't affect the spawners though). Making a couple passes in a car tossing poison capsules out the window of your car will make it easier to take out the spawners with grenades after.

[Hurkyl]

Worms lead their targets perfectly... under the assumption the target moves with constant velocity in a straight line.

If you constantly zig-zag or shuffle back and forth on foot, the worm shots will fly wide, dramatically reducing their combat effectiveness.

If you're strafing a base in your car, just make sure you don't drive perfectly straight for too long.

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

The worms you are having trouble with are very vulnerable to poison (it doesn't affect the spawners though). Making a couple passes in a car tossing poison capsules out the window of your car will make it easier to take out the spawners with grenades after.

Poison capsule requires oil, since it's a blue science tech.

[knighttemplar1960]

Originally posted by Hurkyl:

Worms lead their targets perfectly... under the assumption the target moves with constant velocity in a straight line.

If you constantly zig-zag or shuffle back and forth on foot, the worm shots will fly wide, dramatically reducing their combat effectiveness.

If you're strafing a base in your car, just make sure you don't drive perfectly straight for too long.

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

The worms you are having trouble with are very vulnerable to poison (it doesn't affect the spawners though). Making a couple passes in a car tossing poison capsules out the window of your car will make it easier to take out the spawners with grenades after.

Poison capsule requires oil, since it's a blue science tech.

Yeah I forgot. You don't need oil to make the capsules but you have to have military tech 3 which takes blue science packs that use both plastic and sulfur.

[Chippy]

"those long range guys that are like mountains that can shoot farther than a turret"

This brightened my day

[RickiusMaximus]

line of turrets
line of fast inserters
line of turrets
line of fast inserters

etc

turrets will feed the turrets in front of them - just keep feeding the back row

the closer the bugs get the more turrets will engage them

build walls either side of the turret line to stop getting flanked

[Fletch]

Not understanding why you are against grenades... They can definitely help.

Also, don't neglect to research all the non-oil (military science packs required):

1. "Physical Projectile Damage" -- to have stronger turrets / ammo.
2. "Stronger Explosives" -- to have more powerful grenades.
3. "Weapon Shooting Speed" -- to shoot faster (more damage per second -- DPS)

You should be mass-producing walls, red ammo, and grenades -- to craft the military science packs -- and you should be using all those (walls, red ammo, grenades) to help you secure that first oil outpost.

Once you have oil secured, then you options open up: poison capsules, tanks, and more researches to increase DPS.

[Earth Defence Force!]

You can turn coal into oil

[Katitoff]

Dont sleep on offensive bot capsules.

All 3 tiers are great at the time you unlock them.

I've cleared early game with gun capsules and now I'm clearing mid-game with destroyer capsules.

Originally posted by Earth Defence Force!:

You can turn coal into oil

Gee, if only that tech didn't required blue science on vanila and vulcanus science in SA.

[Grossout]

Big bugs? Like Loch ness monster? About 3.50 should do it

[knighttemplar1960]

Originally posted by Earth Defence Force!:

You can turn coal into oil

You still have to have heavy oil to jump start the process.

[POWER WITHIN USER]

Early explosive damage (grenades) is only good for groups, trees or to remove buildings you really don't care about.

For structures: walk up to thing while aiming a shotgun, shoot until it's dead. Held flamethrowers can work against the smaller worms but won't do much against larger ones because you need to dump a lot of fuel on them and that will get you killed; the turret is better off for defending against spitters or very large waves. After long enough, get a tank and shells.
Obviously playing with friends or allies helps. Faster and not as boring.