Early game counter to corvettespam

[Grubsnik]

So here is a "simple" question. In the early game, how do you counter basic corvettespam? From what I can tell, a simple 3xsmall mass driver corvette with no other modules will outperform anything you throw at it from a simple financial perspective. At least in the initial part of the game. It may be rough on maintenance costs once you go to double your regular fleet cap, but from a pure build-cost perspective, they destroy everything.

So what would you use to stop a swarm? Or rather, at what point in the game do they stop being effective and get superceded by something else?

 

[RedPearlA]

Corvette spam is strong in the early game.

 

[LordMagus]

When destroyers are unlocked, and you can equip autocannons and gauss cannons on them, corvette spam is no longer as effective.

 

[The Founder]

Early Corvettes are generally ineffective against Spaceports. Especially if they use the Kinetic approach. FTL-Trap+Spaceport+Fleet should deal with them nicely.
Thier Evasion would be hardcountered by missiles (of all the weapons). Still suffers from overkill, but the target wanting to get close will make it less of an issue over time.

Destoryers with 2 Small, 2 Medium and the Combat Computer have very good tracking. Tracking is kind of the "shtick" of the Destroyer. The PD can also coutner if the enemy uses missiles.
Destroyers are highly versatile: They can counter Corvettes or bigger, tougher tragets depending on layout.

 

[LordMagus]

Destroyers are highly versatile: They can counter Corvettes or bigger, tougher tragets depending on layout.

They're sub-optimal if they're used against anything other than corvettes. Anything bigger than corvettes, and you should just use cruisers, cruisers, and more cruisers.

 

[The Founder]

They're sub-optimal if they're used against anything other than corvettes. Anything bigger than corvettes, and you should just use cruisers, cruisers, and more cruisers.

That is besides the point. Even if they are suboptimal, they are still better then throwing all small corvettes against the same targets.

 

[Adamsrealm]

Missle spaceports are highly effective

 

[LordMagus]

That is besides the point. Even if they are suboptimal, they are still better then throwing all small corvettes against the same targets.

It's not besides the point. Nor is it an 'if'. You're talking up destroyers and potentially exaggerating their usefulness. Just because destroyers might be better than corvettes against particular ships, doesn't mean I'll go around talking up destroyers. Or calling them 'highly versatile' and capable of countering cruisers and battleships. Because that would be talking out of my ass.

 

[The Founder]

It's not besides the point. You're talking up destroyers and potentially exaggerating their usefulness. Just because destroyers might be better against corvettes, doesn't mean I'll go around talking up destroyers and calling them 'highly versatile' and capable of countering cruisers and battleships.

You core issues seems to be with an omision (that I just asumed was self-explaining):
"Destroyers are highly versatile: They can counter Corvettes. And to some degree bigger, tougher tragets depending on layout and if you lack the proper counter."

 

[LordMagus]

You core issues seems to be with an omision (that I just asumed was self-explaining):
"Destroyers are highly versatile: They can counter Corvettes. And to some degree bigger, tougher tragets depending on layout and if you lack the proper counter."

Not a self-explanatory omission, the only content I had to go on was you talking up destroyers, and then responding to them being called sub-optimal with: Well at least they're better than corvettes. None of that gives an indication of an obvious omission.

 

[Grubsnik]

When destroyers are unlocked, and you can equip autocannons and gauss cannons on them, corvette spam is no longer as effective.

Mineral wise, a destroyer costs about 2½ the amount of a basic corvette, if you set up 25 corvettes against 10 destroyers, the corvettes will tear the destroyers apart every time. Economics wise, destroyers are not a counter.

Early Corvettes are generally ineffective against Spaceports. Especially if they use the Kinetic approach. FTL-Trap+Spaceport+Fleet should deal with them nicely.
Thier Evasion would be hardcountered by missiles (of all the weapons). Still suffers from overkill, but the target wanting to get close will make it less of an issue over time.

Destoryers with 2 Small, 2 Medium and the Combat Computer have very good tracking. Tracking is kind of the "shtick" of the Destroyer. The PD can also coutner if the enemy uses missiles.
Destroyers are highly versatile: They can counter Corvettes or bigger, tougher tragets depending on layout.

I've tried that build, it doesn't really get any traction simply because the corvettes are significantly cheaper and therefore can have a numerical advantage.

Just to reiterate, when does it make sense to do anything other than building more corvettes. Spaceports and FTL-traps are only a counter until your swarm exceeds the numbers needed to beat it, but they are very static defenses, and barebones torpedo-corvettes will shred them in seconds

 

[Alblaka]

In early game, there are only corvettes, so it's not exactly 'spam', but just 'I have more ships than you'.

 

[LordMagus]

Mineral wise, a destroyer costs about 2½ the amount of a basic corvette, if you set up 25 corvettes against 10 destroyers, the corvettes will tear the destroyers apart every time. Economics wise, destroyers are not a counter.

Has never happened to me in controlled testing, I tear the corvettes up every time. You may want to post what sort of corvettes and destroyers you're using, as destroyers should be tearing up the corvettes.

Just to reiterate, when does it make sense to do anything other than building more corvettes.

As we've already told you, before you disagreed with us. If you're focusing on mineral cost, then the time to switch would be when you can't build paperweight corvettes fast enough to use your minerals.

 

[krios41]

Just to reiterate, when does it make sense to do anything other than building more corvettes.

Well, take a look at here where i heavily doubted Lordmagus theory on mixed fleet and i claimed that full on Kinetic was better.
But that's besides the point in this case, look at how my fleet concisted largly out of corvettes and destroyers But got it's rear end handed to it as soon as the cruisers and Battleships where gone.

Corvettes and destroyers are, to put it in Lordmagus his words, a paper weight.

 

[RedPearlA]

Well, take a look at here where i heavily doubted Lordmagus theory on mixed fleet and i claimed that full on Kinetic was better.
But that's besides the point in this case, look at how my fleet concisted largly out of corvettes and destroyers But got it's rear end handed to it as soon as the cruisers and Battleships where gone.

Corvettes and destroyers are, to put it in Lordmagus his words, a paper weight.

This is about minerals vs minerals not fleet limit vs fleet limit.

 

[krios41]

This is about minerals vs minerals not fleet limit vs fleet limit.

title: "Early game counter to corvettespam"

this is about corvettes, not minerals

 

[LordMagus]

Btw, I built a paperweight destroyer fleet against your corvettes. Cost of destroyers was 175, corvettes was 86, which was close enough to a 2:1 cost.
Threw 30 destroyers against 60 corvettes. Tier 1 autocannons, mass drivers, no shields or armour, level 1 thrusters and sensors, cheap cheap cheap.

 

[Bisougai]

In early game the best counter to corvettes are your spaceports just :
- build a FTL trap station
- upgrade with 4 mine stations
- have your fleet next the trap station with kinetics and missiles
- Against AI : send a single corvette in the AI territory and resend it to your trap system, the AI will follow your corvette ad vitam (but their life will end in your trap...)

 

[RedPearlA]

title: "Early game counter to corvettespam"

this is about corvettes, not minerals

So here is a "simple" question. In the early game, how do you counter basic corvettespam? From what I can tell, a simple 3xsmall mass driver corvette with no other modules will outperform anything you throw at it from a simple financial perspective.

Financial perspective would be mineral costs.

 

[RedPearlA]

Btw, I built a paperweight destroyer fleet against your corvettes. Cost of destroyers was 175, corvettes was 86, which was close enough to a 2:1 cost.
Threw 30 destroyers against 60 corvettes. Tier 1 autocannons, mass drivers, no shields or armour, level 1 thrusters and sensors, cheap cheap cheap.

Starter tech corvettes with wormhole ftl cost 58 minerals.