Xin Yu's "X Pack"

[Smash]

This is a "stack" of units that is almost impossible to stop.Originally designed for "modern" era MP games but is fun to mess with when you find yourself with modern units.Works well in many scenarios also.It can used defensively or offensively.

The stack consists of:
4 engineers
at least 1 bomber
several quality defenders(preferably alpines or mech infantry)
later, add fighters and paratroopers or whatever units you like.

You'll need to use "W" to wait and manually click units to use them in the correct order.

Each turn you:
1.pillage your fort.
2.use fighters to attack surrounding area
3.use 2 engineers to build an airbase so your planes can land after attacking.Move your bomber out 1st,build airbase,move back(or bomb if you have more than 1 present)
4.pillage airbase and use remaining 2 engineers to build a fort.

There are 2 ways to defeat the "X-Pack".
1.Use a bunch of stealth fighters and cross your fingers.
2.get an allied unit next to the stack and nuke it

The whole thing can move also if you want.You can control quite a large area with this setup.Paratroopers can come in and pillage and what not.

example-
you have a transport with 4 engineers,2 mechs and 2 howies.Within reach are bombers and fighters either in cities or aircraft carriers.
You can attack with fighters making sure you have enough moves to get to the "x pack" site.Leave 1 at full strength if the enemy has fighters.
Land 2 engineers and build an airbase.
Next,land your aircraft on the airbases including your bomber(s).
Land 1 mech and pillage the airbase
Land the other 2 engineers and build a fort.
Land remaining units

You now have an "X Pack" stack.You can stay put or move it by following the steps.

I wonder how Xin Yu thought of this....

 

[BlueMonday]

I declare that strategy evil and a detriment to the game.

------------------
<IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/image_uploads/goodbye3.jpg" border=0>
<FONT COLOR="blue">I don't ask why, I just fall into the meadow; I close my eyes, and I, I wait to die.
Yes I am a liar, yes I am a sinner; please forgive my broken soul.</FONT c>

 

[drake]

I declare that strategy someone having too much time on their hands and stripping the purity of our sacred game......

Strategies like this are just so......I guess ridiculous is the word........

 

[TheDuckOfFlanders]

Must realy be frustrating if you do that stacked movement for ten turns an then eventualy get nuked.

 

[Smash]

Well.you'll need to get a 3rd party's units next to it for the nuclear solution to work.You cant attack the stack directly with missiles of any kind.

,,and then,you set it up inside enemy territory so they must nuke their own soil in addition to the 3rd party unit.Big problem is getting that unit in position.The X pack can sweep the area 7 squares any way.In MP,if there isn't a civ turn between the X Packer's and yours,then you'll never get rid of it.

 

[EyesOfNight]

That's great, but how exactly is that useful? Would be amusing to see you waltz in moving 2 spaces at a time. lol

 

[Thunderfall]

That's a very good trick! I am going to use it on the patheic AI in the current GOTM.

 

[BigWheel]

Interesting, but it only works on "good" terrain, not hills, swamps, etc.

Still, facing a really tough city, you could move the stack right up to the city, then hit them with your bombers every turn. (If you never leave your base, you don't have to waste a turn returning.)

 

[starlifter]

I don't play MP, but wonder if the MP crowd allows folks to take advantage of the the bomber 'bug'. There are other ways to exploit this too, like always keeping one bomber airborne over your stack each turn... the stack is effectively safe from nukes or CMs, which is absurd. The program should simple use the best ground defender vs. a CM or nuke, and only prohibit the use of nukes against bombers when they have no other units in the square.

 

[Dutchgael]

Originally posted by Smash:
Well.you'll need to get a 3rd party's units next to it for the nuclear solution to work.You cant attack the stack directly with missiles of any kind.

,,and then,you set it up inside enemy territory so they must nuke their own soil in addition to the 3rd party unit.Big problem is getting that unit in position.The X pack can sweep the area 7 squares any way.In MP,if there isn't a civ turn between the X Packer's and yours,then you'll never get rid of it.

Well, just place a stupid unit of your own next to the X-pack, give it to the third player, declare war on him (if you tell him why, he might understand and make peace again with you later) and nuke this unit!
All this can be done in one turn.

 

[Smash]

That only works if there is a player moving between the x-packer and the x-packee

x-packer moves,
ally gifts units
you nuke

otherwise it is:
x packer moves
you move
ally moves unit to gift
x packer kills
etc

it is hard to get one of your own close so it can be gifted.Each turn an x pack can sweep a 7 tile circle.The only thing that can get their is aircraft and they can't be nuked.so the path:
x packer moves
you move unit and gift..then nuke..is very hard to do.Unless the x packer is dumb and leaves access via road/rail.I doubt it though,as anyone that plans this out will not likely blunder like that.
You could use engineers to road yourself I spose.
But thats exactly what is intended.To draw resources and whatnot into getting rid of it.And,,if someone lands 6 of them at once you are in for a major headache.

It very hard to get rid of one of these.Best chance is the turn it lands.After it is re-enforced..well...

solo play against the ai this is extremely effective.Nice trick for many scenarios... also....hmmmm..I think I just got away to break the stalemate at Rostov in my Red Front game

 

[Dutchgael]

Well, a Paratrooper can easily bridge that distance. And by the time that such X-pack units are available, I have a railroad-connected empire, also with a great number of Engineers at hand (30 Engineers can cross 10 (plain/grass etc.) spaces per turn!).

I guess the enemy should use X-packs on remote islands.

But you're right that the X-pack draws a lot of recources. And in a 2-player game you're doomed when the other is using an X-pack! Unless you micht be able to capture the city that supports vital X-pack units.

[This message has been edited by Dutchgael (edited September 03, 2001).]

 

[Smash]

Ah yes..paratrooper..thats a good one.yup that would do it.
Maybe a helicopter also....can they be nuked?...I think they can be attacked by ground units....obviously I don't build many of these units....

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

They can be nuked and shot down by ground troops.

 

[starlifter]

Yes, a helo can be nuked... I've nuked one before in SP

.

 

[Dutchgael]

Hey, why would we wait for Stealth?
As soon as you discover Radio, you can create early X-packs!

They would consist of:
* again 4 Engineers
* some Fighters
* some Alpine Troops (until Mech.Inf. best mobile defense units)
* anything else you might want to take with you

A good plan to use them would be like this:
* in science --> race for Radio
* while that research is going on, build the units mentioned above
* get them at the right places at the right time
* so when you discover Radio, you can immediately throw X-packs at your enemy

The enemy can't effectively attack them until he discovers Stealth (or nukes), as most of his Fighters will be destroyed when they attack your Alpine Troops in the Fortress. If these Alpine Troops are veteran, fortified and with many, they are very cost-effective: the enemy needs to mass a large number of Fighters and throw them at the X-pack in one turn.

OK, these X-packs aren't very good for capturing cities (unless some Artilleries are incorporated) but they can be used for:
* defense: well placed in a bottleneck
* interruption: moved to places where they cut off enemy connections
* pillaging: especially Railroads, again for interruption
* attacking light defense units
* annoying: human players hate things in their territory they can't destroy
* information: scouting the enemy territory with your Fighters

I want to stress the strategical importance of interruption: whether you can hold captured territory depends on the number of units your enemy can send in the next turn, and this depends largely on the connections in his empire. Interruption also hinders your enemy's ability to mass forces and take the initiative.

If you don't put any attack units, like Cannons/Artlleries (again: early use!) in the X-pack, the enemy might easily block it's way with defensive units. And about the speed of the X-pack: if you can use your enemy's railroad-network, your maximum speed might be 10 (Fighter range), but most of the time this will be much lower.

Later in the game, you can add units like Armors, Mech.Infs, Bombers, spies, etc.
But in a multiplayer game later might be too late, that's why I always look for early startegies.

 

[Dutchgael]

Sorry, that idea was crap! I assumed that the "Bomber bug" worked for Fighters too. It only works with (Stealth) Bombers.