Total Annihilation/Tactics and strategies: Difference between revisions
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{{Total Annihilation | {{Header Nav|game=Total Annihilation}} | ||
==Tactics== | ==Tactics== | ||
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Roaming around the map searching for hostile targets to kill with little or no defense puts pressure on the opponent and often destroys useful things such as radar posts. This is especially useful if the enemy is using a distributed strategy/layout. | Roaming around the map searching for hostile targets to kill with little or no defense puts pressure on the opponent and often destroys useful things such as radar posts. This is especially useful if the enemy is using a distributed strategy/layout. | ||
This is also important to do prior to a large scale attack, i.e. roam the map, destroy every unguarded (or lightly guarded) scout, radar post, etc. so that the enemy will be as unaware as possible of the fact that an attack is coming at all, and not knowing from which direction. A pattern of hunting for scouts and radars prior to the attack will though of course quickly be obvious to more aware players. For this reason it might be wise to not hunt for radar posts and simply rely on radar jamming to hide the advancing force (radar jamming should be utilized in all cases), however there is no way to hide a large force from | This is also important to do prior to a large scale attack, i.e. roam the map, destroy every unguarded (or lightly guarded) scout, radar post, etc. so that the enemy will be as unaware as possible of the fact that an attack is coming at all, and not knowing from which direction. A pattern of hunting for scouts and radars prior to the attack will though of course quickly be obvious to more aware players. For this reason it might be wise to not hunt for radar posts and simply rely on radar jamming to hide the advancing force (radar jamming should be utilized in all cases), however there is no way to hide a large force from patrolling scouts, these should be avoided (difficult to almost impossible, but might be possible if very few in numbers) or destroyed. | ||
===Base Construction and Maintenance=== | ===Base Construction and Maintenance=== | ||
The most effective way to construct several structures early in the game is to use the Commander and a set of arbitrary helper construction units working together as a team. One of the construction units will initiate the construction with the other units guarding that unit. Having construction units guard another construction unit will make them automatically follow and help constructing whatever this unit is building at the time, thus assigning the initiating unit to construct any number of buildings will have all the helper units assist in the construction of all the structures. | The most effective way to construct several structures early in the game is to use the Commander and a set of arbitrary helper construction units working together as a team. One of the construction units will initiate the construction with the other units guarding that unit. Having construction units guard another construction unit will make them automatically follow and help constructing whatever this unit is building at the time, thus assigning the initiating unit to construct any number of buildings will have all the helper units assist in the construction of all the structures. | ||
However, when reaching mid-game on larger maps and | However, when reaching mid-game on larger maps and especially with very high unit limits the player will have vast numbers of construction units and the above tactic will arise some problems; very often the helper-units will stand in the way of the new building to be constructed, making several of the buildings planned to be constructed fail to be built. A more serious problem is that with even larger numbers of helper-units the helpers may actually trap the leader (the construction unit that initiates the constructions) as the helpers tend to pack themselves in a tight circle around the construction site. | ||
A solution to the above problem is to set the helpers to patrol back and forth on a line adjacent with where the new soon-to-be structures will be instead of guarding the initiating construction-unit. Setting construction units on patrol sets them on "repair patrol" which also makes them aid in any construction taking place nearby their patrol route. The idea with a patrol-route being that the helper-units will move out of the way automatically when finished with the building being constructed at the moment, making way for the | A solution to the above problem is to set the helpers to patrol back and forth on a line adjacent with where the new soon-to-be structures will be instead of guarding the initiating construction-unit. Setting construction units on patrol sets them on "repair patrol" which also makes them aid in any construction taking place nearby their patrol route. The idea with a patrol-route being that the helper-units will move out of the way automatically when finished with the building being constructed at the moment, making way for the initiating unit to move itself and also allow it to initiate the new building — thus making it a fully autonomous process. | ||
There is a limit to the number of construction units that can assist in building a single building, the limit is however only the space and range of the construction units, there are however no such limits on construction aircraft, > midgame the player should utilize enormous groups of construction aircraft to aid in construction as these can do this in almost unlimited numbers. It should also be noted that construction vehicles build faster and move faster than kbots, with construction aircraft being the slowest builders but fastest moving construction units. | |||
The following steps illustrate a construction set of solar arrays using the former early-game method: | The following steps illustrate a construction set of solar arrays using the former early-game method: | ||
# Select the helpers | |||
# Order the helpers to guard the constructor | |||
# Select the constructor | |||
# Select the Solar array out of the build menu | |||
# Hold down shift and left-click a spot to place the first solar array | |||
# Continue holding shift while left-clicking other areas to place as many solar arrays as necessary | |||
===The Commander=== | ===The Commander=== | ||
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It is possible to build decoy commanders, however the usefulness of this is questionable as the opposing player can easily discover if an arbitrary unit is a decoy-Commander or the real Commander by holding the cursor over the unit and the label will reveal which is the case. Post mid-game simply continuously cloaking the real Commander to preserve it for possible later use can be an option. | It is possible to build decoy commanders, however the usefulness of this is questionable as the opposing player can easily discover if an arbitrary unit is a decoy-Commander or the real Commander by holding the cursor over the unit and the label will reveal which is the case. Post mid-game simply continuously cloaking the real Commander to preserve it for possible later use can be an option. | ||
==Tips== | ==Tips== | ||
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*"+bps" will display transfer rates. | *"+bps" will display transfer rates. | ||
*"+noshake" will make the screen not shake when large explosions occur. | *"+noshake" will make the screen not shake when large explosions occur. | ||
*"+showranges" will make the selected unit's various ranges (such as visual contact, weapon ranges, etc) show on the mini-map. This clutters the screen if multiple units are selected, so it's best toggled on and off as needed. | *"+showranges" will make the selected unit's various ranges (such as visual contact, weapon ranges, etc.) show on the mini-map. This clutters the screen if multiple units are selected, so it's best toggled on and off as needed. | ||
===Using D-gun=== | ===Using D-gun=== | ||
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===Commander Capture=== | ===Commander Capture=== | ||
After game start, use all resources to build a transport airplane as fast as possible, fly over to the enemy base and pick up the enemy Commander. After this is done the player can simply hover with the airplane until it gets shot down, which will destroy the enemy Commander. | After game start, use all resources to build a transport airplane as fast as possible, fly over to the enemy base and pick up the enemy Commander. After this is done the player can simply hover with the airplane until it gets shot down, which will destroy the enemy Commander. You can also order the transport airplane to self-destruct, killing the Commander with it. | ||
===Commander Drop=== | ===Commander Drop=== | ||
Early in the game the player will construct a transport airplane, pick up the player's own Commander, fly the Commander to the enemy base (drop the Commander off close by and walk the rest to avoid air defences, if any), walk up to the enemy Commander and attack by D-gun. This will destroy both Commanders but will also destroy most of (if not the entire) base of the enemy without hurting the player's base at all. Both player's energy and metal storage abilities will drop to near nothing, but this can be restored and the player will of course have a great advantage due to the extreme damage caused in the enemy base. Followed by a rush this can easily win the game in an unfair way. | Early in the game the player will construct a transport airplane, pick up the player's own Commander, fly the Commander to the enemy base (drop the Commander off close by and walk the rest to avoid air defences, if any), walk up to the enemy Commander and attack by D-gun. This will destroy both Commanders but will also destroy most of (if not the entire) base of the enemy without hurting the player's base at all. Both player's energy and metal storage abilities will drop to near nothing, but this can be restored and the player will of course have a great advantage due to the extreme damage caused in the enemy base. Followed by a rush this can easily win the game in an unfair way. | ||
You can also order the transport plane to self destruct while your commander is still on board this gives you a 5s countdown after which both units go off with a massive explosion. Do it early enough & catch the enemy commander inside the blast radius & you can destroy both the enemy base and commander - game over. | |||
==="Stealing" energy=== | ==="Stealing" energy=== | ||
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*''[http://www.angelfire.com/ga/gnugs/ Gnug Home Page]'' - Gnug Home Page. Watch out for pop-ups. | *''[http://www.angelfire.com/ga/gnugs/ Gnug Home Page]'' - Gnug Home Page. Watch out for pop-ups. | ||
*''[http://www.planetannihilation.com/intelligence/ta/strategy/strategy.shtml Planet Annihilation Warguide]'' - A large, mostly accurate repository of Total Annihilation Strategies | *''[http://www.planetannihilation.com/intelligence/ta/strategy/strategy.shtml Planet Annihilation Warguide]'' - A large, mostly accurate repository of Total Annihilation Strategies | ||