AI Plots
From ArcenWiki
| This page is up to date for game version 5.032 and should still be correct. |
AI Plots provide additional, secondary strategies for the AI to use in addition to the primary attack strategy it will use as defined by its AI Opponent Type.
AI Plots are on a per-AI basis and they can be disabled, enabled on one AI or enabled on both AIs.
Contents |
Core Shield Generators
Core Shield Generators are five shield networks setup throughout the galaxy to protect the AI Homeworlds.
All five networks must be destroyed before any Core Guard Post or the AI Home Command Station can be damaged.
Because a Core Shield Generator is linked into a network, the Core Shield Generator is invulnerable until the system it resides in is under human control.
Four of the networks, networks B, C, D & E, are weaker and will collapse once a single Core Shield Generator from that network is destroyed.
The fifth network, network A, is stronger however and will not collapse until all but one shield generator in that network is destroyed.
The status of all five networks can be seen in the Stats -> Objectives window.
Note that unlike other AI Plots, Core Shield Generators are enabled by default.
Core Shield Generators are either enabled or disabled for both AIs at the same time and can be found on the Ships page rather then the AI Plots page in the Game Lobby.
While having to take systems to destroy these Core Shield Generators does increase the number of systems you have to take before being able to attack the AI Homeworlds, the Core Shield Generators are usually located on high value worlds, especially networks A and B, and so you will often find that taking these systems would be worth it for other reasons.
Avenger
The Avenger is a massive, offensive space station that AI forces outside the galaxy send in retaliation for the destruction of an AI Home Command Station.
The Avenger makes a bee-line for the human homeworlds and must be destroyed before it reaches them.
The humans can still win by destroying both AI Home Command Stations, even if the Avenger isn't destroyed.
Hybrid Hives (requires Children of Neinzul)
The AI is experimenting with fusing its own ships with Neinzul Hives to create unique hybrid starships. More details can be found at the Hybrid Hives page.
Summary: Also called AI-Neinzul Hybrids (or Hybrids), these are AI starships that have been "melded" with small Neinzul hives, such that the Neinzul actually control the starship but behave as allies to the AI. These Hives acknowledge that humans are a growing threat and will gather to eliminate the player regardless of AIP. In other words, the Hybrids have a much more aggressive outlook than the "main" AI and are much more "concerned" by your continued existence.
Enabling this plot will cause the galaxy to spawn with a lot of additional structures that serve as infrastructure to the Hybrid forces (and no Hybrids, to give the player some breathing space). These are entirely independent of the AI logistics, and so eliminating the structures will reduce the Hybrid threat accordingly.
Although they all look the same, the structures are split into Hybrid Hive Spawners, Equipment Factories, Drone Spawners, etc. The Hybrid Hive Spawners are the ones that create Hybrids on a regular basis. Freshly spawned hives will then build modules and gather an escort (of fleet-ships unlocked by the AI) at the latter facilities, and take up defensive positions around the player's perimeters. At their own timing/impetus, attacks will be launched on the player.
If not destroyed, all Hybrids will continue to mature. This essentially means that they will build higher mark modules and gather higher mark drones, and potentially take on more devious plans...
Advanced Hybrid Hives (requires Children of Neinzul)
After successful early experiments with the Hybrid Hives, the AI has increased its efforts and created more powerful and dangerous versions of these ships. More details can be found at the Hybrid Hives page.
NB: They have little effect on the early game - the point is to allow the Hybrids to mature into the highest forms and take on more complex tasks. Fortunately, they won't re-colonise neutral planets (yet).
NB: If Advanced Hybrid Hives are enabled and Hybrid Hives are disabled when the game is started, the game will automatically enable Hybrid Hives.
Astro Trains
Astrotrains are the couriers of an older logistics network in this galaxy and are limited to travel between Astrotrain Stations. The AI have adapted some of these to form mobile defences by fitting them with turrets and boosters. Sharing a planet with these vessels can be rather unhelpful to your strategy.
Generally armed with very weak weapons, they are almost indestructible and are equipped with Tachyon Beams to reveal your defenses for a short while.
These trains can be rerouted by destroying the Astrotrain Stations they are traveling between.
Astrotrain: The basic Astro Train with no special abilities.
Booster Astrotrain: While in-system, this train massively increases the speed of all AI ships.
Regenerator Astrotrain: Any AI ships that are destroyed while this train is in-system are not destroyed, but get teleported to a nearby AI planet for repair.
Turret Astrotrain: The upgraded armaments on this train are still relatively weak, however with multiple passes this train can pose a thread to ships and structures that do not get repaired.
Astrotrain Station: Destroy these to re-route Astro Trains.
Beachheads
Each wave this AI sends has a 10% chance of being half-size but including Beachheads.
Beachheads are powerful, immobile, structures that interfere with supply in-system and so knock most stationary defenses, including Fortresses, Force Fields, and Turrets offline.
The Beachhead also acts as a Black Hole Machine, preventing all ships from leaving the system.
WARNING! This is an extremely dangerous structure as any wave with a beachhead must be dealt with by your mobile fleet, none of your static defenses will be usable while the Beachhead is still alive.
