Destroying the Orion Guardian using destroyers and missiles

[tamaneko]

I started replaying MOO2 a while ago, and after a bit of reading here and some refining, I developed this cheap, easy strategy to destroy the Guardian as quick as possible. Here's a video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQkvBEEOK-s

Also made another video here, this time about capturing Antaran ships for their tech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1usaFpoDBk

 

[vmxa]

The video hung on me as the ships moved forward. I have a 15mb connection.

 

[Aabraxan]

The video worked for me. I've heard of people taking down the Guardian with destroyers before, but I've never tried it myself. What I found interesting was that you had an Orion system with multiple planets. I can't remember the last time my Orion system had anything except the gaia planet and maybe some asteroid belts.

 

[vmxa]

I do not recall that either, but way back when Moo2 came out, players posted taking it down with missiles. Not sure what the point would be as you do not win for it. You spent a lot to do it and have 1 planet.

I would rather take down a race's planets or add several systems. I get a random tech and some Antarian techs. Unless it is X armor, I really don't care about them. Even that is not a big use on tiny ships.

Not to mention that I am not all that close to Orion most of the time and do not have the tech to reach early.

 

[vmxa]

I tell what did surprise me was how many youtube items there were for Moo2.

 

[Aabraxan]

I also watched the one on capturing Antaran ships. I've been playing it for about 12 years and I've never once captured an Antaran ship. I guess if you could pop the Guardian or capture an Antaran and grab X-armor while your neighbors are still using graviton or fusion beams, that'd be pretty handy . . . Then again, if I've got mirved merculites, I'm busy taking systems. I have to agree, though, that X-armor is the best random tech they've got.

 

[vmxa]

I don't bother capturing either. Loknar does capture some ships for me, usually other Races as I like to blast the Anties ships (when I have then turned on).

 

[tamaneko]

The video worked for me. I've heard of people taking down the Guardian with destroyers before, but I've never tried it myself. What I found interesting was that you had an Orion system with multiple planets. I can't remember the last time my Orion system had anything except the gaia planet and maybe some asteroid belts.

Heh, good eye. Yeah I edited the map for that one, gave Orion a whole 5-planet system and moved it closer for fun. The ship build still works though even in an unedited game, although the battle plays out differently sometimes. In other standard maps, the Guardian only launches one plasma torpedo at a time instead of two.

I don't bother capturing either. Loknar does capture some ships for me, usually other Races as I like to blast the Anties ships (when I have then turned on).

X-armor makes it worth all the trouble. Plus, Loknar can't give you all the unresearchable technologies, if you absolutely need every piece of technology, capturing Antaran ships is a must.

 

[Aabraxan]

I have no doubt that the technique works. I've heard about that (or something similar) for years, and I've never seen anyone claim that it was a bunch of hooey. I've just never done it myself.

@vmxa -- I always play with Antarans on. Actually, I've never made that much use of Loknar's ship. I often settle Orion and leave Loknar's ship behind to guard it.

 

[vmxa]

X-armor makes it worth all the trouble. Plus, Loknar can't give you all the unresearchable technologies, if you absolutely need every piece of technology, capturing Antaran ships is a must.

I cannot imagine needing all the tech. I do not even need all the researchable techs.

 

[vmxa]

@vmxa -- I always play with Antarans on. Actually, I've never made that much use of Loknar's ship. I often settle Orion and leave Loknar's ship behind to guard it.

I vary OFF and ON. Mostly off now as the Anties incoming are pretty boring. I almost never settle Orion at that point. I send the fleet on or upgrade, if X-armor. I do not want to sit on Orion and grow it up.

Later I will come back and take it from the current squatter. If I get tech for titans, I will transfer Loknar to a titan and leave his ship as a home guard on a recently capture planet.

 

[scratchthepitch]

I tried taking out the guardian with destroyers in one game when I was next to Orion. As I usually do this with the monsters, I thought why not, I'll build more and run some experiments. I wasn't using many missiles, but mostly interceptors and bombers. I guessed missiles would get defeated by the guardian's anti-missile defenses and didn't realize that emissions guidance special caused the warp core detonation, never tried that special since I thought it only destroyed ship movement. I'll remember that now.

It didn't work as I didn't have enough destroyers in the tests (only about 30 ). The ability of the guardian to repair eventually saved it, as it destroyed the attacking fighters, their damage to it got less and eventually the guardian was repairing all the damage each turn.

I've tried capturing Antaran ships in past games years ago, but they always self-destructed. I was never able to knock out the quantum detonator first, which I would guess needs to be neutralised.

As for taking Orion, I usually try, if I can. Sometimes I'm too far away and someone else gets it. The x armor and death ray are useful. The death ray especially if I'm capturing ships and orbitals.

 

[Neikius]

Actually quantum detonator gives 50% to selfdestruct iirc (or was it 75%?), anyway from 2 or 3 ships you will almost always get 1 that does not selfdestruct.

Capturing antarans is actually quite viable early. You just need assault shuttles and half decent marine tech. 50 would be enough probably... you just need enough shuttles and keep trying. If first one blows get the second one. Problem would be getting enough ships produced to capture em in time. Transporters also work but not as good as they used to before the damper field got a boost (now it kills 50% marines boarding).

Anyway - never tried this on hard or impossible It would be too wasteful to have 10 ships with shuttles lying around and usually I dont have enough command points anyway... buiding 2x battleship in 3-4 turns is a bit much.

Also tech you have when defeating guardian is a bit much. With tech that high, wouldn't it be better to go for classic tech picks and just swarm him? Your tech build seems a bit of a detour Maybe on average its ok, but on hard/impossible I can't imagine using it. I will try though.