Counters To Nasty Marine Tactics
MrPink
Join Date: 2002-05-28 Member: 678Members
Join Date: 2002-05-28 Member: 678Members
I've made a list of the most successful ways I've seen common marine tactics countered. Add anything or give suggestions, feedback if you wish.
<b>1. HMG Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The HMG rush is when the marines upgrade an advanced armory with minimum or no resource towers, then disperse HMG's to as many people as they can afford and then send them all off to the alien's first hive.
The best way to stop this is to always have at least one skulk hiding somewhere very close to the marine base. He needs to parasite the squad and alert the team of the situation. The rest of the team needs to hide on the way to the hive, using the parasited marine to a major advantage and try to take them out, with the exception of one or two skulks. These crafty little skulks should flank the marine base as they will find it completely emtpy of defence and marines at this point and take out the advanced armory first thing, then go for other weak buildings.
<b>2. Jetpack Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The jetpack rush is when the marine commander techs up to jetpacks right away and sends marines into the hive. The jetpackers fly around and on top of the hive making them almost impossible for skulks to kill.
I'll admit, this is one of the trickiest tactics for the aliens to stop. It is imperative that the gorges have a second hive at least started by the time the marines get jetpacks. The skulks need to be checking vents and parasiting EVERY jetpacker, while pushing closer and closer to the marine base, taking out resource towers. It is a good idea to have a lerk or two and at least a few defensive chambers underneath the hive. As long as a jetpacker is parasited before he makes it into the hive, he is as good as dead. Most of the routes to the hive are mostly low cieling hallways that will make it easy for a skulk to take out a jetpacker glued to the cieling. As soon as that hive goes up, the gorges need to be webbing like crazy. Once web is attained, a good gorge will completely shut out all jetpackers. All it takes is 2 offensive chambers and a defence behind them placed correctly in a narrow, low cieling hallway with webs covering all holes so a jetpacker can't run past or fly over.
<b>The Phase Gate Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The phase gate rush is when the commander drops an observatory and phase gate right off the bat.
This is quite powerful in pubs with undedicated skulks. Once you see the marines have established a phase in one hive, protect the other one as best as you can. If they get a phase up in two hives, first rush their base and take out the observatory, then rush the first hive they took, as it will have less turrets and less marines.
<b>Relocation</b>
<i>What is it?</i> Relocation is when the marines don't build anything but instead have the entire team run to a hive to set up their main base there.
This is easier to stop than most people think with a decent gorge. First it is imperative to get three defence chambers up before they have finished turreting up their main base (which is in a hive). Then the gorge needs to blockade the marines in with ridiculous amounts of chambers that are out of easy siege range. The skulks should have no problem holding in the marines, as they have little resources and no upgrades, and are supported by chambers. While they do this, the gorge can easily claim every resource on the map and have the other hive up like a rocket. Fades can then rush the marine main base and slowly kill it, although it will be slower without things like spore, bile bomb, and onos.
Thats all I can think of right now. I'll add more later.
<b>1. HMG Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The HMG rush is when the marines upgrade an advanced armory with minimum or no resource towers, then disperse HMG's to as many people as they can afford and then send them all off to the alien's first hive.
The best way to stop this is to always have at least one skulk hiding somewhere very close to the marine base. He needs to parasite the squad and alert the team of the situation. The rest of the team needs to hide on the way to the hive, using the parasited marine to a major advantage and try to take them out, with the exception of one or two skulks. These crafty little skulks should flank the marine base as they will find it completely emtpy of defence and marines at this point and take out the advanced armory first thing, then go for other weak buildings.
<b>2. Jetpack Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The jetpack rush is when the marine commander techs up to jetpacks right away and sends marines into the hive. The jetpackers fly around and on top of the hive making them almost impossible for skulks to kill.
I'll admit, this is one of the trickiest tactics for the aliens to stop. It is imperative that the gorges have a second hive at least started by the time the marines get jetpacks. The skulks need to be checking vents and parasiting EVERY jetpacker, while pushing closer and closer to the marine base, taking out resource towers. It is a good idea to have a lerk or two and at least a few defensive chambers underneath the hive. As long as a jetpacker is parasited before he makes it into the hive, he is as good as dead. Most of the routes to the hive are mostly low cieling hallways that will make it easy for a skulk to take out a jetpacker glued to the cieling. As soon as that hive goes up, the gorges need to be webbing like crazy. Once web is attained, a good gorge will completely shut out all jetpackers. All it takes is 2 offensive chambers and a defence behind them placed correctly in a narrow, low cieling hallway with webs covering all holes so a jetpacker can't run past or fly over.
<b>The Phase Gate Rush</b>
<i>What is it?</i> The phase gate rush is when the commander drops an observatory and phase gate right off the bat.
This is quite powerful in pubs with undedicated skulks. Once you see the marines have established a phase in one hive, protect the other one as best as you can. If they get a phase up in two hives, first rush their base and take out the observatory, then rush the first hive they took, as it will have less turrets and less marines.
<b>Relocation</b>
<i>What is it?</i> Relocation is when the marines don't build anything but instead have the entire team run to a hive to set up their main base there.
This is easier to stop than most people think with a decent gorge. First it is imperative to get three defence chambers up before they have finished turreting up their main base (which is in a hive). Then the gorge needs to blockade the marines in with ridiculous amounts of chambers that are out of easy siege range. The skulks should have no problem holding in the marines, as they have little resources and no upgrades, and are supported by chambers. While they do this, the gorge can easily claim every resource on the map and have the other hive up like a rocket. Fades can then rush the marine main base and slowly kill it, although it will be slower without things like spore, bile bomb, and onos.
Thats all I can think of right now. I'll add more later.
Comments
-PD
It's not impossible to defeat the marines in any of these circumstances. It's just a gamble by the commander that a brief edge will be enough. If your fighters are good enough to take them out (and you only have to break them ONCE for them to have poured those resources down the drain) the game is virtually won. All of these tactics are the commander betting all-or-nothing on the skills of the skulks verses the marines. He's effectively saying "whoever wins this fight wins the game" because, strategically speaking, that's exactly what happens.