From: jecoleb@eos.ncsu.edu (have clue, will travel)
Subject: Re: SB: how to get rid of glue-oggers?
Reply-To: jecoleb@eos.ncsu.edu
Organization: The Ghost Of Christmas Past Society
Distribution: rec.games.netrek
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 00:59:44 GMT


In article <5048@disun44.epfl.ch> margot@disuns2.epfl.ch (Joel Margot) writes:
>Well, this is probably a FAQ about SBs... Anyway, here goes:               
>
>I took my first base the other day and got messed up with guys locking and
>orbitting on me. How can I get rid of them so that I can shoot them down
>properly thereafter? (without having the full impact of their hull ex-
>ploding under my nose)

Pressor Beams Are Your Friend[tm].

I'm not a frequent baser, but I can give some tips on keeping your base alive;

1)  ESCORTS, BLESSED ESCORTS.
If you're anywhere near the front line, you're alone and your name's not
Balton, you're in deep, deep sheep dip.  Distress, scream, beg, do whatever
you have to do to get someone near you to suck up torps, tow you around when
needed, and generally give you something to pressor off of or tractor towards
to gain momentum.

2)  CLOAKERS == POPCORN.
With the rapid phaser a base possesses, it's not usually hard to pick out
an ogging cloaker's location.  (Don't overdo it and WTEMP, though.)
You can't pressor a cloaked ship very well, so if they're cloaked and rapidly
approaching, blow them out of the water BEFORE they uncloak and fire.
This is an acquired skill; practice, practice, practice.

3)  GIVE KILLS AWAY WHEN YOU CAN.
A base's kills do one thing only; bloat his ratio.  If you can shoot to cripple
and let escorts/teammates do the job, so much the better.  In most situations,
you'll have little trouble finding someone to scoop up freekills around you.

4)  TRACTOR/PRESSOR MASTERY.
If they're too close, PUSH THEM AWAY.  You can only pressor one person at a 
time, so the pressor-A-while-shooting-B-or-dodging-A-&-B's-torps rhythm should
soon become second nature.  
You can also tractor/pressor teammates to move you (or them) away from incoming
torps, but try to be nice about this; few people like being trussed up as a
sacrificial lamb without warning.

5)  DET TORPS AND SPLIT DAMAGE WHEN YOU CAN.
If you've GOTTA get hit by torps, det them if possible; you've got a ton of
fuel, and they'll do less damage.  If you can split damage (by lowering shields)
between hull and shield, you can repair both at once, thus lowering repair time.

6)  TALK/DISTRESS YOUR ASS OFF.
The base isn't an active combatant most of the time, except when ogging another
base or being ogged itself; therefore, you've got time on your hands to send a
goatload of messages.  Point out pops; point out carriers; let your team know
how many armies your carrying and how much black smoke is pouring out of your
hull.  If you're in trouble, SCREAM IT.  Get your teammates to INTERCEPT 
cloakers screaming in at you, instead of waiting for them to uncloak.

			--Commodore Video Sex Pope, NCSU
			--"Ignore my base ratio.  I ignore my own advice."
--
                         jecoleb@eos.ncsu.edu 
          ---------     have clue, will travel.    ---------
  "I am a penis. Worship me."--lead singer of rock band Bicycle Face,
vainly attempting to gain attention of the crowd at the Cat's Cradle
in Chapel Hill, while opening for Mojo Nixon & The Toad Liquors