Clearing Advent Minefields (TEC)

from Stardock Forums

My question is in the title - If you're playing as the TEC, what would be the most effective way to clear out an Advent homing minefield? 

As I understand it, the way you're 'supposed' to do it is to bring a scout along to reveal the mines while other ships clean them up.  This is fine against TEC mines since they don't move and you can get close enough to take out large batches at a time. Against Advent mines, however, the scout reveal range seems to be only slightly larger than the pursue range on the mines so I'm generally forced to slowly inch forward with the scouts while taking out one or two mines at a time.  Sure, it technically works and I'm not claiming imbalance or anything but it's also incredibly tedious (especially with the wonky scout AI - they seem to insist on rushing headlong into the mine's range unless you constantly babysit them) and I'm hoping I'm missing a better method.  Outside of simply plowing through with a titan, that is.

 

11,671 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Turn off auto attack and move your scout manually, with either several flak or fighter squads right behind. Advent minefields are a pain, there is just no way around it. Though I suppose its a small price to pay for all the drone hosts with homing mines they waste...

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Ah well.  Guess I'll just have to stick with titan-dozing for the time being.  *sigh*

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

They are great XP for titans, whether you plow your titan through a minefield or if you do it the "right" way. ;)

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

I'll be honest with you...sometimes when I have no scouts and I'm just plain lazy....I just throw my Titan/Starbase in and have them go through all of it. xD

Usually I'll have my Overseers around to heal up and everything though, if not I'll just make them head back home to a repair bay. lol

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

I didn't mention the Vasari since I don't mind clearing the field with a mobile Orkulus.  With the frontal deflector on, it barely takes any damage at all from the ordeal and all told, it's a bit cheaper than a titan. 

It'd be nice if the scouts did a more effective job - greater reveal range or something, but it's not a gamebreaker.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Speaking of mine detecting, it seems the scouts won't reveal them themselves unless I move them closer to the mines. :/

Like, mines on the other side of the gravity well and the scouts on the opposite side just sit there.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

If those mines are problem for me, I will use titan to go through them.

If they are not placed in such a way to be problem for me, I keep them - several times another enemy tried to attack such colony only to take severe damage from mines build by original owner of that planet.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 3
They are great XP for titans, whether you plow your titan through a minefield or if you do it the "right" way.
End of GoaFan77's quote

 

I tought you don't the XP if you don't destroy them?

Haven't yet needed to clear an Advent minefield, but i'd imagine moving a scout with a titan should prove effective. The titan moves first and attracts the mines, scout coming behind it makes them targettable, and the titan takes out the mines before they hit. And if a few hit the titan, they won't do enough damage to matter.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting BellGoRiiing, reply 6
Speaking of mine detecting, it seems the scouts won't reveal them themselves unless I move them closer to the mines. :/

Like, mines on the other side of the gravity well and the scouts on the opposite side just sit there.
End of BellGoRiiing's quote

The reveal ability is now a passive 'aura' that is always on.  The scout doesn't activate it anymore but yes, you have to move the scout within the range of the mines for it to work.

 

Quoting ToJKa, reply 8
but i'd imagine moving a scout with a titan should prove effective. The titan moves first and attracts the mines, scout coming behind it makes them targettable, and the titan takes out the mines before they hit.
End of ToJKa's quote

Well, again, that's the trouble - the reveal is only slighly longer than the activation range of the homing mines.  If something gets in front of the scout, the mine is already flying at it and in my experience, it's very hard to take it down before it connects, even with a titan.