Is "Low Profile" a Strategy?

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    • I use combat outposts all the time. In regards to the questions of the thread itself, yes, low profile is a strategy, but I generally find that if I can get a solid alliance in a strong geographical position, I don't have to worry much about those suicide rushes. As for why those suicide rushes are done, buckeye hit the nail on the head when he said that it is often from unused firepower. The other situation is essentially the same as revenge checks in chess; they don't do anything actually damaging, but they are somewhat annoying. However, in CoN, it's more like the concept of "if I fall, you fall" like in martial arts. Sometimes, loosing that key city for even a small time can be quite damaging. A synthesis of these factors can be dangerous. I can give one personal example in which I was playing Poland and suicide rushed into the east because the dynamic of the game had stagnated, and I wanted to do something with my units besides have them simply sit there. It may be somewhat irrational, but there is a rationality to it, again, the "if I'm going down, might as well take something with me" idea.
    • And also if too low key .. Il assume idol and have nothing going on. made that mistake on last flashpoint map. had pretty much cleaned up map with coalition and last country was like poland who never moved whole game.. thought would just walk in like normal idol / AI country and luckily game ended before I got really into it as holy crap dode built like 50 units of good stuff and never used it. some people just like to build I guesse. I could have taken map with everything he had and never used.
      "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him "

      aka ...The killer formerly known as BuckeyeChamp
    • Buckeyechamp wrote:

      And also if too low key .. Il assume idol and have nothing going on. made that mistake on last flashpoint map. had pretty much cleaned up map with coalition and last country was like poland who never moved whole game.. thought would just walk in like normal idol / AI country and luckily game ended before I got really into it as holy crap dode built like 50 units of good stuff and never used it. some people just like to build I guesse. I could have taken map with everything he had and never used.
      that's ai I guess he keeps upgrading and over stacking.
    • Stratieon wrote:

      I use combat outposts all the time. In regards to the questions of the thread itself, yes, low profile is a strategy, but I generally find that if I can get a solid alliance in a strong geographical position, I don't have to worry much about those suicide rushes. As for why those suicide rushes are done, buckeye hit the nail on the head when he said that it is often from unused firepower. The other situation is essentially the same as revenge checks in chess; they don't do anything actually damaging, but they are somewhat annoying. However, in CoN, it's more like the concept of "if I fall, you fall" like in martial arts. Sometimes, loosing that key city for even a small time can be quite damaging. A synthesis of these factors can be dangerous. I can give one personal example in which I was playing Poland and suicide rushed into the east because the dynamic of the game had stagnated, and I wanted to do something with my units besides have them simply sit there. It may be somewhat irrational, but there is a rationality to it, again, the "if I'm going down, might as well take something with me" idea.
      with mbts I use outposts more often but bunkers give u a huge production buff. Also outposts need u to be online early outpost means u r staying there . even if u build it to delude him he will scout first before heavy striking it. u need to be active to be on the move and build the outpost 1 hour early
    • abdul_the_brave wrote:

      Stratieon wrote:

      I use combat outposts all the time. In regards to the questions of the thread itself, yes, low profile is a strategy, but I generally find that if I can get a solid alliance in a strong geographical position, I don't have to worry much about those suicide rushes. As for why those suicide rushes are done, buckeye hit the nail on the head when he said that it is often from unused firepower. The other situation is essentially the same as revenge checks in chess; they don't do anything actually damaging, but they are somewhat annoying. However, in CoN, it's more like the concept of "if I fall, you fall" like in martial arts. Sometimes, loosing that key city for even a small time can be quite damaging. A synthesis of these factors can be dangerous. I can give one personal example in which I was playing Poland and suicide rushed into the east because the dynamic of the game had stagnated, and I wanted to do something with my units besides have them simply sit there. It may be somewhat irrational, but there is a rationality to it, again, the "if I'm going down, might as well take something with me" idea.
      with mbts I use outposts more often but bunkers give u a huge production buff. Also outposts need u to be online early outpost means u r staying there . even if u build it to delude him he will scout first before heavy striking it. u need to be active to be on the move and build the outpost 1 hour early
      Good points; I normally use my tanks offensively since that maximizes their combat power. I use the outposts if I'm under a strong attack or fighting a stack with comparable stats to mine outside of a city. They are particularly useful for those British WW1 generals who charge you right out of the gate with single battalion human wave assaults, especially at choke points. If the enemy doesn't have artillery and I see a province in the path of his stack, that is when I will capitalize on the opportunity by placing my stack in that province while constructing an outpost. Their stack runs into it and is destroyed while my stack, that otherwise would have taken comparable losses, survives with considerably higher combat strength. They also have the added benefit of being quite cheap, especially compared to bunkers often needing resources I don't have much of, which is further aggravated when that bunker essentially has a single-use lifespan in combat viability.
    • Stratieon wrote:

      abdul_the_brave wrote:

      Stratieon wrote:

      I use combat outposts all the time. In regards to the questions of the thread itself, yes, low profile is a strategy, but I generally find that if I can get a solid alliance in a strong geographical position, I don't have to worry much about those suicide rushes. As for why those suicide rushes are done, buckeye hit the nail on the head when he said that it is often from unused firepower. The other situation is essentially the same as revenge checks in chess; they don't do anything actually damaging, but they are somewhat annoying. However, in CoN, it's more like the concept of "if I fall, you fall" like in martial arts. Sometimes, loosing that key city for even a small time can be quite damaging. A synthesis of these factors can be dangerous. I can give one personal example in which I was playing Poland and suicide rushed into the east because the dynamic of the game had stagnated, and I wanted to do something with my units besides have them simply sit there. It may be somewhat irrational, but there is a rationality to it, again, the "if I'm going down, might as well take something with me" idea.
      with mbts I use outposts more often but bunkers give u a huge production buff. Also outposts need u to be online early outpost means u r staying there . even if u build it to delude him he will scout first before heavy striking it. u need to be active to be on the move and build the outpost 1 hour early
      Good points; I normally use my tanks offensively since that maximizes their combat power. I use the outposts if I'm under a strong attack or fighting a stack with comparable stats to mine outside of a city. They are particularly useful for those British WW1 generals who charge you right out of the gate with single battalion human wave assaults, especially at choke points. If the enemy doesn't have artillery and I see a province in the path of his stack, that is when I will capitalize on the opportunity by placing my stack in that province while constructing an outpost. Their stack runs into it and is destroyed while my stack, that otherwise would have taken comparable losses, survives with considerably higher combat strength. They also have the added benefit of being quite cheap, especially compared to bunkers often needing resources I don't have much of, which is further aggravated when that bunker essentially has a single-use lifespan in combat viability.
      bunkers maximize ur production morale production is not to be underestimated especially for homeland cities. If my rare city is not my capital I build lvl 1 bunker early and later I'd go for 2 and rarely for 3. 5% morale is some thing in the production.
    • True, but I normally build a ton in my capital, and that's generally enough to get my morale up to 100 there quite rapidly. For the most part, I'd rather upgrade arms industries or build local industries than invest in bunkers when my homeland is secure. However, if I'm being attacked early, I have units defending well in cities, and I can see the enemy stack composition, I will pop a bunker or two in the cities likely to be targeted, sit back, grab popcorn, and watch the fireworks.
    • True; it depends. Normally though I'm fine taking a small hit in research to gain a significant boost in unit production due to other resource production rising. Bunkers have a specific purpose besides morale in being extremely helpful for defense, and unless they serve that utility also, I am not maximizing my investment when utilizing them. Conversely, arms industries exist to produce heavy units and increase production and are therefore optimized to that utility.
    • abdul_the_brave wrote:

      I don't think arms industry over 1 is very good (except rare city) or if u play with cuba or newzlinda sthing like very late game. for me I can't sac the research not now not ever.
      agree i never go over 1 .... Id rather save resources for headstart on research and other builds to help gain ground. I build my economy via conquest.
      "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him "

      aka ...The killer formerly known as BuckeyeChamp
    • Had rushers once. Think it was a desperation move since they were defeated anyway. I have built industry over level 1 before because I needed the items produced. I think all games are different and the people are different. Demands different tactics in every game. Just my thoughts.... bob
      "Retreat hell! We're not retreating ..we're just advancing in a different direction." General Oliver Smith USMC
    • bobqz wrote:

      Had rushers once. Think it was a desperation move since they were defeated anyway. I have built industry over level 1 before because I needed the items produced. I think all games are different and the people are different. Demands different tactics in every game. Just my thoughts.... bob
      I agree. This summarizes quite accurately. We all have preferences we are inclined toward.
    • PerigeeNil wrote:

      Hmmmm... okay, so a few of you are saying that you never get suicide rushed like that, which suggests to me that I am definitely doing something that inspires people to do that.
      I am also not sure if some people believe they are on a suicide attack. Without solid intel, the best someone can do (even an experienced player) is guestimate an adversarial defense based on the content of their city developments, and perhaps by reading the CONnews casualty reports (it helps me see a countries unit count and type, sometimes). Sometimes I am targeted for what I feel is no reason. Sometimes when I target someone, I am sure they think it is for no reason as well.

      We just played an alliance match which I was extremely excited about. Non-aggression pact until day 20. We were all jockeying for land position, but I woke up and on game day 22, Italy blitz's me. It took me a day to launch a solid counter-attack, but there were no real Italian defenses. I was able to roll through him and into the rest of his coalition (my alliance members at my side).

      None of that team seemed to put up a fight. I have no idea what happened. I don't believe that he/she felt like by blitzing me, they were committing suicide, or condemning their nation and alliance to defeat. I think they thought they were going to be successful.

      I like to think when I launch an attack to take a nation, I've done so with the best planning, best offense, and a defense in place if things go wrong. Sometimes that doesn't work for me, and I seek a cease-fire (sometimes I just die - it happens). I never think I am going on a suicide mission, though.

      I think everyone plays to win, and no one thinks they are going to lose :)

      But, being towards the top of the leader-board certainly does make someone a natural target.

      In a separate vein, I definitely will coastal / air bombard adversarial cities to reduce their buildings; it is about reducing their will and ability to fight. You never really get to take all of their facilities anyways (maybe you can get lucky and come away with one fairy high-level building that is still easily repairable, but most times I find you get rubble, even if they had weak defense and your land units overwhelmed them quickly). SO, yeah. I see that as tactical and less about just carnage.