Focus-fire on capital or LRFs?

Say it's the first battle of the game. Each side has around 15 LRFs and a capital.

Is it better to focus fire on the opposing capital or take out his LRFs? What if the opponent starts focus firing and seriously damaging _your_ capital?

What about for later battles of the game? General rule?

5,117 views 7 replies
Reply #1 Top

Early battles, sometimes its best to focus fire frigates, but 15 ought to be enough to ff his capital.

If that happens, retreat it to another world where you have repair bays set up.

Later in the game, especially once you hit critical mass fleets, ff their capitals to oblivion.

Reply #2 Top

Generally it depends on my fleet and the opposition fleet.  If you think you can kill the cap without it getting away to repair then kill the cap.  If there is a good chance that it will get away to a repair then kill frigates.  Sometimes I will only partially attack the cap(with sidebeams from my illums or a few frigates until I get it damaged enough to switch over and hope for a kill before it gets away.  If it is allowed to get away then thats fire thats wasted and better spent killing frigates that aren't fussed over as much but make a significant dent in opposing firepower.  It really just depends on the situation.  It is a judgement call.  In general early game it is better to focus on frigates and late game better to focus on caps but if you have a good shot at killing the cap then by all means kill the cap.

 

[_]-Greyfox

Reply #3 Top

Its a balance between amount of enemy firepower you can take out vs. the time taken to do so

For example, if you have a capital ship with the combined firepower of 50, but it takes 200 seconds to kill it

And you have 5 frigates with firepower 10 but it only takes 20 seconds to kill them

Then you go for the frigates - because it will cause the most damage in the least time. And also, the more firepower of theirs you take out, the less damage you take. So i'd say go frot frigates UNLESS its a high-level cap and you have enough firepower to kill it before they escape

Reply #4 Top

VOLT and GREYFOX have the right idea.

 

To kill a Capitalship first, you need to figure out how many Units are you going to lose in that exchange, for example:

 

Your Fleet:

30 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

His Fleet:

30 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

In this situation, if you decide to hit his capital ship first, then be prepared to lose about 12 IRMs, if based on neutral grounds.

You might lose about 20 or more if you are attacking at his HW, if he has rpeiar bases surronding his capital ship, and even with all your fleet attacking his cpaital ship, it still has the better odds suruvining at a repiar bay.

If he is attacking you at your homeworld, I would aim at his IRMs not at his capital ship.

So overall KILL HIS IRMs, NOT CAPITAL SHIP.

Fleet 2

Your Fleet:

40 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

His Fleet: 

30 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

In this Case, depending on the circumstnaces, AIM FOR HIS CAPITAL SHIP, then his IRMs. if based at your HW or at a neutral planet. 

If at his Homeworld, then be careful, as the enemy can produce alot more firgates then you can, so if you end up killing his capital ship, you may be fighting an outnumbered fleet later on. I would usally destroy his fleet then aim for his capital ship.

Fleet 3

Your Fleet:

30 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

His Fleet:

40 Long Range Missles - One Capital Ship

never aim for cap, in whatever circumstances.

Fleet 4

Your Fleet:

100 Long Range Missles - three Capital Ships

His Fleet:

100 Long Range Missles - three Capital Ships

Always aim for capital ships first, becuase lsoing capital ships can demoizlize the enemy.

 

And remember, always let a capital ship move into the centre of the gravity well, as it will take longer for it to retreat, and you can kill it more easliy. Hope that helps.

 

Reply #5 Top

Personally, I judge depending on the cap ship in question. Taking out an Advent Progen at the start of a game basically kills their early econ, so yeah, I take every chance I get to take those out. It doesn't work so well against Vasari and TEC but destroying that space egg is always a plus.

Then again, if he's spamming LRMs or you've got units that aren't built to deal with his units then try to take out as many of them as you can while building/researching a counter. It'll make his cap ship more powerful, but at least you'll be somewhat equipped to deal with his fleet by that point, and it'll be all the weaker for those sacrificed units taking a chunk out of them and you'll likely have defensive bonuses on your side by the time your next fleet encounters his.

Reply #6 Top

Personally I sit back and snicker while Nano Disassemblers 1-shot the LRF's and my Assailants butt hurt the enemy capital ship.

Although occaisionally... that mofo Advent ship (I forget which one, I think it's the Space-Jalapeno) chain CC's my cap and eats my frigates alive. Boo.

Listen to Blackhawk on the letting the cap enter into the well bit. In this game your acceleration is nerfed heading away from a planet and buffed when heading towards a planet.

The Vasari Empire shall be reborn!

-Itharus

Reply #7 Top

Only 15?  Probably not a smart idea unless you've got something else to bolster your damage, such as bombers or nanos.  Taking out a capital ship is always a great way to gain a big advantage, but it's all or nothing.  You either kill the cap or you don't, and if you don't the enemy just heals it and you've achieved nothing of importance.  Unless you have a big fleet (30 LRM's, as Blackhawk indicates) don't try this.