Link Upgrades to the Hive they are researched in
CrushaK
Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
<div class="IPBDescription">(prevent easy alien tech starving)</div>Once aliens lose a (second) Hive, it's basically game over for them because they lose upgrades like Bile Bomb that are required to effectively defend against ARC or Exo rushes. If marines lose their second CC, they only lose a few powerful lategame prototype weapons but still keep all other upgrades that allow them to maintain an appropriate force against lategame aliens.
<b>So why not link a researched alien upgrade to the Hive it got researched in?</b>
It would still require the respective amount of total Hives to start the research, but as long as the Hive containing that particular upgrade is still alive, the tech could be used even if the total number of Hives fell below the amount required for it. (I.e. research Bile Bomb in your main Hive, then lose an outpost Hive but are still able to use it on Gorges).
The system would make quite some implications:
<ul><li>Khammanders have to consider in which Hive they research which upgrade, based on how likely that Hive location is to be destroyed by marines.</li><li>While you could of course put all your upgrades in your heavily fortified main base, losing that base would be even more devastating then and since you can only research one upgrade at a time per Hive, you could fall behind in tech if you don't use other Hives as well for researching.</li><li>Losing a Hive could mean to lose all upgrades linked to it and require to research them again with the respective costs.</li></ul>
<b>So why not link a researched alien upgrade to the Hive it got researched in?</b>
It would still require the respective amount of total Hives to start the research, but as long as the Hive containing that particular upgrade is still alive, the tech could be used even if the total number of Hives fell below the amount required for it. (I.e. research Bile Bomb in your main Hive, then lose an outpost Hive but are still able to use it on Gorges).
The system would make quite some implications:
<ul><li>Khammanders have to consider in which Hive they research which upgrade, based on how likely that Hive location is to be destroyed by marines.</li><li>While you could of course put all your upgrades in your heavily fortified main base, losing that base would be even more devastating then and since you can only research one upgrade at a time per Hive, you could fall behind in tech if you don't use other Hives as well for researching.</li><li>Losing a Hive could mean to lose all upgrades linked to it and require to research them again with the respective costs.</li></ul>
Comments
So yes, it is partially because they lose the upgrades, but it's also because they no longer have the 'firepower' to do much than deter the Marine's march for a bit.
But Aliens aren't supposed to fight headon anyway. If the Marines are on the move, the Aliens should be hitting unguarded Marine bases. If Marines get Beaconed, then they're not hitting the Hive anymore.