@Mister_Crac wrote:
When your opponent plays a double harvester deck but you play a single harvester deck, it is imperative to shut down their economy early on. Because if you don't, they will stomp you into the ground with their expenisve units once they can bring them out.
So, what units do you use in the early game to achieve that goal? I feel like I might not have the right setup right now for this, especially as GDI. Usually I open up with War Factory and then scout with War Dogs. However, War Dogs are pretty abysmal when fighting against anything - their damage output is just so low. So I'm wondering if maybe I should switch to Rhinos instead. Sure, they are more expensive, but they can actually deal with the Laser/Missile Troopers that often defend the harvesters early on.
Your thoughts?
I disagree with the statement which says you need to shut down your opponent early on.
I break down the game into 3 general phases:
Phase 1 - Early Game = Beginning of the game till 1st Missile Launch
Phase 2 - Middle Game = Aftermath of 1st Missile Launch till 2nd Missile Launch
Phase 3 - End Game = Aftermath of 2nd Missile Launch till 3rd Missile Launch
The strategy I use doesn’t need to pressure the Harvesters early on!
I have won countless of games with out having to do as you are saying!
My Phase 1 Strategy is the following:
- Scout with Riflemen to see what my opponent is up, too!
- If I see my opponent going for 2 harvesters, I move my Riflemen to the Launch Pad.
- I keep the Launch Pad charging above all else!
My way of punishing a double harvester isn’t by rushing it!
It is by pressuring my opponent with the long term threat of an impending Missile Attack on there Base!
- I begin to build other units to spread out my forces to all Launch Pad Area’s.
Spreading out my forces onto all Launch pads is the perfect way to punish my opponent greediness to use 60 Tiberuim in the early game to build a 2nd harvester instead of units!
The ground units vs. the 2nd harvester would have been able to contest the Launch Pads more effectively!
However, the player got greedy!
- There greediness to go for 2nd Launch Pad early has resulted in there resignation of the Launch Pad Control + Forward Advancing Location’s.
It would be a total mistake to attack the opponent after they have gifted you all these advantages!
In fact, it hurts your chances of winning the game if you try to attack them!
WHY? Because it is a foolish uncoordinated attack!
I have seen people do this often with 1 unit which does absolutely nothing!
What do you think is going to happen?
You are rushing your unit by itself to there harvesters which 90% of the time is by there Base!
They will respond with a counter killing your unit.
An majority of the time you don’t get the harvester kill!
Than you find yourself with 1 harvester + 1 rifle + 1 dead unit vs. 2 harvesters + 1 unit they used as counter.
It is nothing more than a Tiberuim waste.
The goal should be to take advantage of the Launch + Forward position’s + Enemies lack of units to defend!
This will net you the first Missile!
This is when phase 2 begins!
Phase 2 Strategy:
You successful got the first Missile off hitting your opponent base!
This is when players will often start to be annoying!
They can harass your Base!
They can harass your Units!
They can harass your Harvester!
WHY DO THEY DO THIS? They do it because of 2 reasons:
1- They have “down time” because the 2nd Missile needs time to Charge!
You have spare time because it takes a couple mins for the 2nd Missile to get online.
What you going to do?
They going to attack the enemy while they are waiting!
Is it terrible to do this?
No, because most people want to win!
You are trying to pressure your opponent!
You are applying pressure by forcing them to deal with multiple threats!
They have to worry about the Launch Pad Missiles!
They have to worry about Coordinated Attack’s on units!
Your opponent my crack or slip up under the pressure!
They are only human.
The better player will keep a calm level head!
You stay focused.
You try not to get rattled.
You try to do favorable counters.
You try to keep up with the micro tactics.
The worst player will often begin to panic.
They can’t stay focused on everything.
They will lose units in unfavorable match ups.
They will not micro manage everything properly.
These gutter fights play a very important role on who will win or lose the game!
2- They want to change up units!
The next reason people like to fight during the 2nd Missile Charge is to upgrade units!
What does that mean?
Well in the beginning.
You don’t have a lot of Tiberuim built up.
Most times people have to settle with cheap early game units.
However, The middle game comes which also introduces more Tiberuim!
Your 1 harvester will have give you extra Tiberuim allowing you to get Middle Range Costing units!
The problem is you still have your early game units on the field!
The result is your in game population cap. is being hampered!
You can’t spawn new units as fast.
Your previous units are not as strong.
You would essentially like to replace them with slightly stronger units!
Well how do you replace units?
You have to kill off some of your weaker ones so you can make the stronger ones!
This is another reason people are eager to fight & Attack stuff.
Your opponent might not want to kill off your unit!
They might need you to persuade them into killing it!
Attacking a person Harvester is 1 sure fired way to get them to respond to them units.
Essentially, I do the above things till 2nd Missile Launch which if done successfully wins the game!
If I don’t win 2nd Missile vs. a Double Harvester Deck, I am often lost.
The tech units often overwhelm the game towards the 3rd Missile.
My Aggro deck tries to win before they come out.
