[Balance] So... Vettes and Siege

from Sins Forums

I need some input from MP people on this idea. Now that we have vettes, do Siege frigs deserve a slight buff?

 

In SP I'm finding that vettes are a great answer to the usual Siege Frig harass by AIs. A modest number of vettes can cover a significant number of planets because of their very low reaction time. I'm able to use them as "super fighters", based at hubs near the fringes of my empire and quickly respond to siege threats (and to a lesser degree Ogrovs) without having to invest in fixed defenses. This saves me cash in the long run, which is really important since I play a lot of Advent.

 

So, do vettes mean Siege frigs should be buffed? If so, by how much? Or are future corvette likely to negate their utility in this role?

16,114 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

At this point, I'd say that corvettes are pretty well balanced, but siege..  Aren't they supposed to be underpowered?

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Send flak with them to defend them.

Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Volt_Cruelerz, reply 1
At this point, I'd say that corvettes are pretty well balanced, but siege.. Aren't they supposed to be underpowered?
End of Volt_Cruelerz's quote

People are still using them like they have composite damage...I think some people didn't get the memo...

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Seleuceia, reply 3

Quoting Volt_Cruelerz, reply 1At this point, I'd say that corvettes are pretty well balanced, but siege.. Aren't they supposed to be underpowered?

People are still using them like the have composite damage...I think some people didn't get the memo...
End of Seleuceia's quote

lol then build a balanced fleet and watch it win.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Siege could use a slight buff in my opinion. With corvettes in the game, it's hard to make a raiding group of siege frigates cost effective, as they are unable to outrun corvettes. Personally, what I would appreciate would be a reduction to fleet supply, say by half?

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting M11xStryker, reply 6
Siege could use a slight buff in my opinion. With corvettes in the game, it's hard to make a raiding group of siege frigates cost effective, as they are unable to outrun corvettes. Personally, what I would appreciate would be a reduction to fleet supply, say by half?
End of M11xStryker's quote

Goodness no.  That would make them terribly OP.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Volt_Cruelerz, reply 7
Goodness no. That would make them terribly OP.
End of Volt_Cruelerz's quote

Actually with corvettes in game siege frigates probably could take a slight buff...not to planet damage, but maybe to something else....

 

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

I was saying that cutting their fleet supply in half would be OP.  A slight reduction in supply or increase in health wouldn't be.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

Since the question was posed, I'll give my answer: certainly siege do not need a buff! As it is, an enemy makes 15-20 siege frigates and creams through a few of your planets before you can get your act together, e.g., if those siege frigate comes through a wormhole. I'm often off focusing on the frontiers and only belatedly notice my planets going down; even if I do notice, I lose one before I can get auxiliary fleet up. I've been using scout fleets against siege fleets; maybe that's just a hold over from entrenchment and I ought to get my corvettes on line for it. In any case, no, no buffing for siege frigate. They are doing just fine as is.

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Seleuceia, reply 8
Quoting Volt_Cruelerz, reply 7Goodness no. That would make them terribly OP.

Actually with corvettes in game siege frigates probably could take a slight buff...not to planet damage, but maybe to something else....

 
End of Seleuceia's quote

'Vasari voice' SPeeeEEeeEEeed?

muhahahahahaha

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting candido-, reply 10
...only belatedly notice my planets going down; even if I do notice, I lose one before I can get auxiliary fleet up.
End of candido-'s quote

 So this is an attention issue, not a balancing issue. Do you disagree? 

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting vyolin, reply 12
 So this is an attention issue, not a balancing issue. Do you disagree? 
End of vyolin's quote

 

I don't disagree about my inattentiveness, though I would say there's not too much incompetence on my part. I mean that 20 siege frigates on your planet don't give you too much time to be aware if you're off fighting a battle somewhere else. Those siege frigates did through your planet in a moment's notice, and it's the verbal cue "one of our colonies was lost" that stands out. After a certain number of planets (say about 5) it becomes impractical to pin all planets. So unless you constants switched between close up and galaxy view, you won't notice those 20 siege frigates. If you have a more effective approach, I'd like to improve my game play with it. Perhaps some verbal cue like, "Wake up --- masssssivvvvveeee invasssiiioonnn foorrrcccceeeee issssss poundinnnngggg yourrrrr plaaaanettttttt" would do the trick; a toggable option in game preferences. :-) So all this would go to my vote that siege frigates need a buff neither in strength nor speed.

 

 

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

Siege have always been useless beyond diversionary raids.  Caps give similar bombing damage per fleet supply, even moreso if you have ones with bombing abilties, and aren't useless outside of bombing.  I personally would like to see them remain fragile, but actually have damage output and cap/cost such that making some siege frigates over a cap is sometimes a good plan.

 

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

I've pulled off a surprise or two with siege frigates in early game--takes a lot of luck and someone not thinking about it.  

Unfortunately, early game investment in siege frigates is a poor gamble--there are other things at that stage that are really more important and so many things can counter them.

I manage to hurt a HW early game one time but it ground to a halt and was countered.  If they were more powerful I guarantee you'd start seeing siege frigate rushes become the new cheap trick.