No good squads with D bond rating, impossible to protect self

I have been playing a few games with the new patch and I have found it very hard to play a game on a revealed map with 100k debt and a D bond rating, With the D bond rating you are not able to purchase goon squads to defend your key resources early game.

Last 4 games i have tried with scavengers the 3 computer players have just chained EMPed my carbon mines, they even use it on my low carbon deposits, this leaves me sitting there for 30-60 seconds each time waiting on my key resource to come in. Then when it fades another EMP hits right afterwards and another wait begins...and again...

This all happens around day 2 so I do not have the funds to spend getting my rating high enough to unlock goon squads AND purchase them to protect my much needed resource.

Before the patch when the they would EMP my much needed resource deposit, I would sacrifice some resources for money to buy a goon squad so I would not be completely shut down again next time they tried to EMP. But after the patch I can not buy them with the D bond rating in the way, so I am left defenseless.

5,384 views 7 replies
Reply #1 Top

Sound like it's working as designed then. In reveal map the amount of debt you get depends on how long you wait before founding. If your insta-founding then you should lose. This wasn't punishing enough before, and along with other things caused mohawk to introduce the current bonds system. Just be more patient before choosing a spot.

 

Reply #2 Top

What you say is true, I was trying to make it a little harder by creating a HQ earlier than I would normally. But I found at least vs 3 other computers that not having access to the goon squads leaves you wide open to all types of attacks and there is nothing you can do but sit and wait for it to happen again and again.

I feel not having any real way to defend yourself + the debt that goes with it, is a little to much. You should always have access to a way to defend yourself instead of just sitting there with ZERO options but to go farther and farther into debt if anyone uses any type of EMP of surge on you early game.

It is basically a game over after the third EMP or surge and there is no way to stop them from doing it, just some feedback on the new changes. This might all be what was intended with the new black market updates, but not having access to the goon squad all the time has some huge disadvantages.

 

Reply #3 Top

AoDGizmo, all you need to do to not start with a lot of debt under reveal map is wait. All of your complaints go away by waiting. If your opponent founds too early, they will have the debt to suffer from.

I don't think at all that the disadvantages of the D rating are too much because you can keep out of it by keeping your debt at less than 20% of your total value, even just 19% is ok. 

You can see debt and value by mousing over your stock ticker.

Reply #4 Top

Yes, like I said in my last post, I was just trying to change it up some and make it a little harder versus the computers by founding early and giving them a little head start. But after the last patch it has become not even fun to try that because you are EMPed or surged half the time and there is nothing you can do to prevent them from doing it over and over.

Yes i know waiting can solve this issue, but i thought the disadvantage to starting early was the debt, lower stock price, and low bond rating? I dont see why you should have no options to defend what little you have during the early game just because you started 10 seconds before another person.

You are always able to buy claims from the market no matter what your bond rating is, and I was thinking maybe goon squads should be one of the always available options also.

This is just some things I have noticed , so just giving my feedback.

Reply #5 Top

Yeah, 10 seconds is more like 2 minutes. The time before the debt becomes 0 decreases the more players there are, but it's like 2 minutes for 2 player games :P

Reply #6 Top

Beta 4 has made the game very dynamic.   Adjust style of play to the sabotages available.  For instance, if you see no underground nukes, but see emp/nv/powersurge, then why not split up little up for the 3 stacks and spread the risk.

I try to avoid map reveal as its just too tempting to pounce into debt. I can easily buy the first 3 or 4 auctions with the same or less debt than an early found, and they are much more useful than a preferred spot on the map.

Reply #7 Top

Ok, I agree that maybe protection should not require a C+ rating... or maybe just add an F rating and require that protection be D+?