ReadyMan

Is that 9 teamed AI, or FFA? If it's FFA, you really just need to get a couple cease fires going ASAP with AIs near you, and don't rush to be #1 in military so they spend credits on pirates among themselves and don't rush to kill you.

It's definitely easier in Entrenchment, though I've been playing 9 Unfair FFAs since the game launched

Maybe as Advent, but it'd be a stretch. TEC has convenient mines, but I think you'd need the Transcendia's Meteor and the insane turret survivability to pull it off. A maxed out defense setup on a planet (fully upgraded Transcendia with rank 2 Meteor and Mass Disorient and tactical slots full) can easily beat back 3-4 simultaneous AI fleets, as long as they're coming from one side.

You'll be doing a lot of babysitting your starbases though, and you'll have to pay a lot of careful attention to TECs and their Ogrovs.. once I had a single TEC AI jump in with nothing but 40 Ogrovs, Meteor didn't recharge fast enough for me to win that one.

As TEC you'll have very good minefields, the Advent ones aren't that great because a lot of the homing mines get wasted on overkills. So that'll help a lot, but it will only go so far if the AI fleets stagger their jump-in, which they commonly do.

I've never actually tried 9 teamed.. I've beaten 5 teamed pre-Entrenchment. So I don't know how it will ultimately go

Edit: And yes, I'd go for a multistar map, and get 4 upgraded Starbases into your star as soon as you can. Also research that Enforced Loyalty/equivalent starbase upgrade that prevents loss of planet control while it's up, to deal with those sieges.

Done it

Easiest with TEC with mb.

Basically you SB and get carriers.

Has anyone besides JJ beaten 9 teamed hard ai?

if not, how do you usually play vs the ai? 9 unteamed? (all the lame messages from them to do this or that is just annoying...you dont hear that if you lock teams.)

Annatar said he does 4 hard ai teamed...

multi star or single star?

Not "does", "did once" It was a single star if I remember right.

I mostly prefer playing FFA games with 9 AI, though. But then, I don't mind the current diplomacy system and generally have no trouble getting alliances.

it might be possible, definitly try it as TEC vs Vasari because TEC econ and production is very good, while Vasari econ and production is kinda poor. like a debate im having in another thread: Vasari have very high mobility with the ships they have, while TEC just build more ships very quickly and cheaply.

then, if you really want to ally them all against you and lock teams, set their behaviour to either fortifier or econ... maybe research, but i have a feeling they'll just tech up quickly and still swarm you.

also, try a multi-star map, so you can start up without the threat of seige frigs crawling up your a$$ in the first 20 mins, or even a galaxy-forge map where you can customise it and, if you just want the win on a technicality. give each of them 10 or so planets, give yourself like 30, make it easy to fortify, and when youve built up a big enough fleet, go for it.

im not sure if you can/will win, but those steps should allow you to at least hold your ground until you decide to attack.

but i can definitly tell you you wont do it with one fleet or even in one sitting, its gonna take ALOT of time

good luck!!!

I've done this a few times   I love comp-stomping against massive numerical superiority.

It's a LOT harder with the improved AI than it used to be (first did it back in v1.02 I think). AI now co-ordinate their attacks much better, which makes it much harder to counter. That said, using starbases properly it is possible, at least with the TEC (I only play TEC for comp-stomping).

I wrote a little guide on using the final protocol on TEC starbases to good effect, to wipe out massed enemy fleets:  http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/342569/

I also wrote some more general tips for beating large numbers of teamed hard AI with TEC:  http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/341840/page/1/#2084294

Enjoy your comp stomping!

I've tried it a few times today vs. 5 teamed hard ai opponents on Gateway.  Cant colonize fast enough.  there's just not enough money to get  3 civic labs up and also 3 mil labs then a sb before the ai invades Xi.  I managed to get a sb on the star, but the ai just bypassed that and started demolishing planets.  Easy?  I dont think so.  Perhaps you havent done it since the ai was improved in entrenchment?  Perhaps you arent locking the teams so that it's 5 vs. you.

FFA I can see this as doable, since they'll fight amongst themselves...

If your playing against the aggresive AI, they spam LF at first to rush to get LRF. Will help you far.