How Dare You Say That Ship is Useless!

[Dominus_Noctis]

posted on March 31st, 2009, 7:07 pm

Last edited by Dominus_Noctis on March 31st, 2009, 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, I probably should use them more often, but I haven't yet figured out a good strategy with them because usually my games are over before I even get to build the second yard (usually game end is reached with either support level Generix, or frigate) 

Romies seem to in fact be the only race I haven't needed or had a chance to get to end game for some peculiar reason (though I haven't played much with them in the past 2 weeks...)

Edit: Still don't think the Leahval is worth it; Generix frigate mixed tech and standard build seem to be much better (I'll have to check the costs though)

posted on March 31st, 2009, 7:15 pm

I gave up FO for Lent. Anyway...

The Shrike is useful in endgame stages. Send cloaked scouts with Tachyon Detection Grid refits out, locate main base of enemy if you haven't already, and send an officer rank Shrike to spy on stations.

@silent93

If you like the Borg Leavhal, then you should try the Fed Leavhal...

posted on March 31st, 2009, 7:23 pm

That's the beauty of the Leahval.  If you can build Generix, you can build Leahval, and a fleet of Leahval with Generix backup is horrifying because the shield recharge will give those evil little Leahval time to charge that Myotronic Disruptor for another shot.  As a raider, they eliminate mining facilities in a flash, and as a warship, even starbases have to worry about numbers of them.  Destroyers and most cruisers are either destroyed outright or crippled by that beam, and battlecruisers quickly have their shields stripped and the hulls don't last long at that point.  Battleships tough it out a little longer, but not by much.

Easily my favorite Rommie ship, since decloaking a group of them with full special autonomy usually means that quite a bit of the enemies' stuff is going to be reduced to space dust in the opening myotronic salvo.  Then 2 more salvos go off from each ship before recharge is an issue, and their system value is high enough that they get the energy back fast.  Lovely, lovely, lovely ships that you don't even have to micro to make scary.

Even better, once they rank up, they get a pair of Particle weapons cranking up their ability to kill even more, and the myotronic disruptor makes ranking them up fast and easy.

@Megaman

The burstfire torpedoes are nice, yes.  Especially using them to hit the borg, since a Borg-mixed Leahval is just a regular Leahval against the Borg.  There is no such thing as a bad Leahval, though.  Basic, Fed, or Borg, they are all amazing ships that usually make up the bulk of my fleet.  Even if I'm playing other Rommies who are stocking up large numbers of Torp-Rhien (an issue because the Leahval is a Cruiser), the Leahval is still good because the Myotronic Disruptor is outstanding for dealing with destroyers.  The Borg one eats non-borg alive, however, with it's Adapative Disruptor Arrays.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 7:30 pm

Hmmm... might I guess that you don't play multiplayer with Leahvals? 

It's just that you are describing using "shield regeneration" from the Generix support... and by the time you are that level of the game, I think you are much better off going straight to Norexans because they last soo much longer (and dish out 3 times more firepower ... having 3.5 times more defense.... while being roughly twice as expensive) then the disrupter carrying Leahvals. Did I mention that the Leahval has a short weapon range and slowish speed (they are just murdered by anybody who knows anything about micro)?

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:15 pm

The reason the Shield Regeneration ends up mattering with the Leahval for me is that I make so many of them that I end up still having plenty of them hanging out in my base at the Warbird/Full Generix stage of Rommies.  Some people mass-produce Rhienn, I mass-produce Leahval.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:42 pm

How in heck aren't you killed off then? Mass productin the Leahval leaves you with no protection until you build the Tal Shiar academy... and by then you will most defintely be swarmed by the early attack forces of others. I'd really like to see this strategy in person  (care to join me for a game later this week?). Plus, as I said, the Leahval is short ranged, more expensive and slooooow. So it'll be killed by any well balanced well micored fleet, without even getting a shot off. Everybody spams Rhienns at the beginning. Just like everybody spams Sabres... or Scout Cubes.... or B'rels/K'vorts or Bugs... If you spammed later game units--like the Leahval--you have nothing to defend yourself with.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:47 pm

I guess I'm not like everbody, cause I spam Monsoons in the early-game phases. Sabers are pointless for spamming purposes, cause they're too weak to do any good.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:49 pm

Really? I usually spam sabers untill I get akiras, cus they help you get to the other side of the map fast and keep the enemy contained.  Also they are cheap, have decent weapontry, and require no tech.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:53 pm

Yes, but Monsoons have Anti-Destroyer Weaponry. I build 4 Sabers and then the Proximity Torpedo, and then start spam cycles. When everyone spams light destroyers, the heavy destroyer comes out on top. 

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:54 pm

And then in comes the Norway and blows all the stuff away 

I go for a few Sabers, then Norway, then Warp-in... then Akira... then Canaveral + Excelsior II etc...

posted on March 31st, 2009, 10:59 pm

Wow...with Mayson I do the same thing... creepy 

posted on March 31st, 2009, 11:04 pm

I choose Risner and begin fortifications with Excel-II's (the best and cheapest heavy cruiser in the game, IMO, especially with a 9 to System Value!) and Defiants with Super-Duper-Uber Critical Shots, except I build a special Excel-II (they don't require any research, so I capture an enemy Mayson's Eraudi), that is my flagship.

posted on March 31st, 2009, 11:51 pm

I'm a little late in saying it, but what you're going to do to the shrike is brilliant, Optec.  You guys never cease to amaze.

posted on April 1st, 2009, 4:24 pm

You don't need the Tal Shiar facility to build Leahval, or do any of their upgrades.  You just need the first upgrade center, which is the same one you need in order to refit your Rhienn.  And short range in the beginning is easily overcome by the cloaking device, when it has the Myotronic Disruptor.

More than one way to skin a cat...or klingon...or human...

posted on April 1st, 2009, 4:42 pm

I just want to add 1 thing to the discussion. The Leahval is an amazingly good ship and you can build it when your 1st research is complete. And yes I mostly play MP. Well I used to play more, but I do still play