Beating the DreadLords

Is this a theory or have you actually tried this? When they start using fleets and ultimate invulnerability, I don't think those cargo hulls are going to do much.

I'd rather have a larger swarm of fighters of slightly less individual firepower. Altogether it'd be more firepower than a few cargo hulls. When they shoot back and take out one or two of the fighters, there's still several more to continue the fight.

That might work for one generation of Dread Lord ships, but once they've noticed what you're designing, the later generations will just annihilate you. I had DL ships coming after me with 114-power lasers and over 50HP at a time when the best thing I had was a Laser V and basic shielding.

Are they ridiculously overpowered? I'd say yes

You might be able to take out the individual fighters that way, but even the escorts usually have 27+ shields

Get Privateers. Immediately. It was my best investment, ever On some games, like Salvation, where you only have two planets to work with and Earth is beseiged by Dread Lords before you can get an adequate military fleet (I just outtech the Yor and Drengin on every level and then by them off with tech goodies ) Privateers are invaluable. It's so funny watching the Dread Lords follow my freighters for a few turns before giving up in disgust

Your formula for victory will only work on the low-level Dread Lord ships, and then only if you choose missles or mass drivers, attack first, and attack with a fleet. Although, I have never noticed the Dread Lords forming fleets

I guess you could always spam tiny ships in fleets to take maximum advantage of military starbase bonuses (bonii?)

Although, I have never noticed the Dread Lords forming fleets

Oh, they'll fleet up alright. It usually takes a while, so maybe you're beating them before they start doing that.

I guess you could always spam tiny ships in fleets to take maximum advantage of military starbase bonuses (bonii?)

They kill starbases as soon as they realize you've built one. Even if you cheat to get all the techs and armor a military base with every possible weapon/defense, they'll kill it before it ever has a chance to shoot back. Those escorts...... god I hate those things.

Actually the DL only start getting fleets when they gain the Logistics tech through colony invasion.

Military starbases can be the key to victory, build them and keep a fleet or two on them, forget about the defence upgrades they're a waste of time against the DL.

I've played Achillies heel 4 times now... and can't seem to win... what's the secret? I'm trading tech with my 'allies', and they all seem to have a ton of colony and transport ships built, so they always take over invaded planets, but then out come a few dredlord escorts and all my bases are shreded....no matter what I have in fleet. I've tried individual ships with 6 beam, swarms of fighters with 1 or 2 beam... arrgh. Why can't you search on these forums??

I've played Achillies heel 4 times now... and can't seem to win... what's the secret? I'm trading tech with my 'allies', and they all seem to have a ton of colony and transport ships built, so they always take over invaded planets, but then out come a few dredlord escorts and all my bases are shreded....no matter what I have in fleet. I've tried individual ships with 6 beam, swarms of fighters with 1 or 2 beam... arrgh. Why can't you search on these forums??

A strategy that works pretty well is to expand quickly, and when the Dread Lords find you let them take one of your planets. (Not like you really have a choice most times.) Then go and take it back right away before they defend the planet. (They are very slow about defending planets they have just taken.) A transport with 1000 legions will win every battle against the DL's. You will gain one of their techs this way. Repeat until you have sufficient techs to build powerful ships, and fleet them up to destroy the Dread Lords.

Cool idea. what about stacking starbases? do their 'def' and attack bonus stack if their sphere of influence overlaps?

Well, I used this strat for Achellies heel and it worked perfectly. The AI could have beaten my fleet by attacking it, but they didn't. As long as you are attacking single ships you should be fine. I'm just now trying the Apocolypse mission, although this one has other races so I might have to try another tactic. Good idea on the priavteer thing, that would definately help.

Ok. I tried a cobo of this (cargo hulls with lots of beams) - dred lords had SHIELDS! WTF! I lasted a bit longer this time, and re-took planet 3 times. First time I got no tech at all second and third time I got some awesome techs, but they didi not help much... except as trade bait for my allies - getting all their tech and cash helped keep me around a little longer. but then DL had 3 escorts and took my outpost 22. That was my end.

The Dreadlords will eventually build ships with defneses against whatever weapons you use the most. This didn't happen to me in the mission I can up with this strat on, but they did start doing it in the next mission. I started with beam weapons, they got shields. When I switched over to missles they started using point defense. Luckily at that point it was almost over, so I was able to lose a few ships suring the final push.

I'm still against the whole "cargo hull" thing. It's a wasted investment really, since it will certainly die. Tiny ships are cheaper and have lower logistics. With the upcoming combat changes, cargo hulled attack ships are now worthless kamikaze machines that are guaranteed death. Basically, I like to use medium hulls that can double against Drengin and Yor ships, as well as large hulls which (If you're lucky) can defeat a fighter in a one-on-one situation.

I once designed a ship that would take out any Dread Lord that I'd ever met, however sadly it was in mission two (I got irritated by those green starbases and had to fight the Altarians who were superior to me in every way )

cargo hulls rule.
I built some "shield hulls", and a beam hull. put them all in a fleet, and wham, took out the Dread Lord world! Followed up with a pair of transports, and I win!