I run out of resources, because I'm trying to out-build the AI, even if I do build more collectors, it just isn't worth it, because the AI just goes 'Nope, I'll just eat you with my thirty frigates'

By the time I'm only just producing Corvettes, the AI is throwing at least ten frigates at me, with about six squadrons of corvettes. Easy AI seems to have an incredible advantage over the player.

try to research less and produce more, incredible how much fast the research can grab RUs

A good rule of thumb for any RTS; you should never have more money in the bank than you plan to spend on the thing you need right now. The easiest way to accomplish that is to have at least one thing producing at all times, and one thing researching at all times. You don't have to manually queue them up, but you should know more or less where your build is going.

So while you're researching your first upgrade, see what basic units you can afford and make them. If you have leftover, make something that can compliment that. By the time any one of the two to three things you've got in the queue is done, you should have enough resources for one more item. The only time you should queue is if you're suddenly rich. It's not a bad thing, it just means you're not producing the way you should. But queues are reserved for when you have a bank. Otherwise, you should *always* be producing.

edit: spelling

引用自 beghins：

try to research less and produce more, incredible how much fast the research can grab RUs

Tried this. I still get completely thrashed by defensive AI. I cannot produce as fast as it can. It always seems to have a numerical advantage over me, as well as a tech advantage. This isn't fun anymore. I get up to captial class tech, and it just rolls over me, with three battleships in the time it's taken me to contstruct one.

This time, I at least had three missile destroyers, but those were reduced to slag after the AI hit me in the side with about ten ion cannon frigates.

I'm not quite sure how to defeat that amount of ships..

TLDR; For the first few AI attack waves that include heavies, imho your motherships anti-cap missiles/mines+ maximum frigates are the best counter.

Screw trying to get heavies out before the AI. You know those anti-cap missiles/mines your mothership can produce? Have a few of those ready to go whenever possible. BOOM! Those three battleships are now down to 2, one of which will be heavily damaged. This is before they've even had a chance to open fire on you. Focused fire with a frigate line/wall will take care of the rest, with some losses. Salvage battleship wreckage for mad resources. It'd be a good idea to immediately counterattack with some corvettes with the goal of destroying as many AI resource gatherers as possible. You can usually rinse and repeat this, sprinkling in your own strategy, for the next few attack waves. By that point, you should have your own heavies deployed.
Note: If you're playing as raiders my only advice is good luck. I know they're viable, I just suck.
Other Note: ALWAYS have scouts/probes/whatever deployed. You should have clear knowledge of enemy movements at least halfway across the map from you at all times. Those heavies plod along, and once you see them incoming it helps you prioritize your resource spending for the next few minutes. IE: "Oh f*ck, I have no anti cap missiles, I should correct that immediately" or "I'd better crank out five more frigates."

Hope that helps. I LOVE this mod.

As a Hiigarian I usually play against two teamed up extreme enemies, one aggressive, one defensive. It's challenging and fun. Ones you get a hold of what's best at the moment and the steps you need to take to defend yourself against various ships (mostly at the beginning), then you're good to go and move forward to attack your opponent.
Great advices @the412crusader btw, especially about the anti missile and scouts/probes. You need to know in advance what your enemy is up to and where it is.

The mod is awesome. After all this years I wouldn't play Homeworld without it :)

Thing is. This is against easy. We should be the ones steamrolling the AI in that case. Im struggling here myself trying to beat easy Vaygr. When I get to frigates, the AI already has 7 or something Missile frigates tearing me apart. I try my best but no. And If i succeed at destroying that wave, they already have another wave of even more frigates waiting to attack.

So here is my question. Is the AI supposed to be one or two steps ahead at all times to make the skirmish feel like a survival gamemode or am I missing the point here?

Maybe there is something not adjusted properly. Yes, as you say the easy should be...easy.
If I can say something you will never have frigates faster than the enemy. Yes, the enemy is one or two steps ahead of you but only to a certain moment. You need to invest in defence first to withstand the first waves with no major damage (no money wasted), trying to outperform enemy in next waves untill it stops attacking you, because of your growing power. At that time you can have destroyers faster than him.

引用自 temisto：

Maybe there is something not adjusted properly. Yes, as you say the easy should be...easy.
If I can say something you will never have frigates faster than the enemy. Yes, the enemy is one or two steps ahead of you but only to a certain moment. You need to invest in defence first to withstand the first waves with no major damage (no money wasted), trying to outperform enemy in next waves untill it stops attacking you, because of your growing power. At that time you can have destroyers faster than him.

Okay. If that is the point then I should be doing fine when it comes to experience. The problem however is their Missile Frigates. They are too strong in the beginning. The first wave of Frigates is therefore difficult to handle, as the missiles takes out my corvettes and frigates quickly if I am not careful. I try to fit some fast tracking turrets on my carriers to try and counter some missiles while I try to take care of their frigates. But they throw too many at me. Volleys of about 8 missiles at a time.

Is there any other way to counter those missiles better? I have not tried Defensive Field Frigates yet. Do they stop missiles?

引用自 Jenbak：

Thing is. This is against easy. We should be the ones steamrolling the AI in that case. Im struggling here myself trying to beat easy Vaygr. When I get to frigates, the AI already has 7 or something Missile frigates tearing me apart. I try my best but no. And If i succeed at destroying that wave, they already have another wave of even more frigates waiting to attack.

So here is my question. Is the AI supposed to be one or two steps ahead at all times to make the skirmish feel like a survival gamemode or am I missing the point here?

Glad I'm not the only one.

I usually use easy AI to get to know the game/mod and it's niche's, "they already have another wave of even more frigates waiting to attack." and when you do eventually have more, the AI is again ahead of you in tech.

I don't use Defensive Field Frigates. Try to use minelayer corvette. Build a wall of mines and you should be good. I don't want to uncover the strategies because it's fun when you discover things yourself :)
With minelayer corvettes don't be to close or to far, don't lose them often. Defend yourself against bombers with interceptors, dock ships whenever you have time etc. In this game everything is a strategic move and it's very important especially at the beginning :)

minelayer corvettes cal also engage missiles and they're pretty effective

Agree, Complex is just straight frustrating for causals like me. I would really enjoy easy matchup against an easy AI like it was in Complex 8.x