The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

Fundamentals

Below is a compilation of useful information and tactics that apply during a wide range of different ship-to-ship confrontations.



Natural Intelligence vs Artificial Intelligence

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Contrast.gif)

To a player uninitiated in net melee, Star Control's "awesome cyborg" combat AI likely appears to be a competent pilot. The computer's main strength is that its reaction time exceeds human capabilities. This is especially obvious when it is given control of a ship that rewards this, such as Pkunk. The many weaknesses of the awesome cyborg vastly outweigh this strength, however. The computer cannot distinguish between different enemy ship types so it doesn't try to exploit its opponent's flaws. It will use one ship the exact same way in every given situation. Among other things, this leads to the AI aggressively chasing Spathi around the arena when a more cautious approach would be more effective. The computer will also decide which craft it sends into battle at random rather than choosing the most effective counter to what their adversary has in the arena.

By contrast, a live player can pick up all of these things very quickly. No person will be able to match the computer's ridiculous dodging ability with the Slylandro, but with practice they can get very close to it. And despite human limitations, an experienced player can become more dangerous even with those fast, dodgy ships by utilizing superior tactics. The most significant advantage a player has over the computer is that the player's abilities improve with every skirmish while the computer remains static forever. Play enough melee and that awesome cyborg will soon become a joke to you.



Initial Selection

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Start.gif)

When a melee match begins, both players must pick their first ship without knowledge of what the other player is using. The best approach is to use something cheap and crappy that you don't care about losing. If your opponent starts out with Chmmr and you only use Zoq-Fot-Pik, this is actually a good thing. You've only paid out 6 points and now your opponent has one of their best ships set up for you to counter. Gaining initiative is well worth the sacrifice of one weak ship. Zoq-Fot-Pik and Shofixti are the most commonly deployed starters for this reason. Use of slightly more expensive starters such as Syreen and VUX is also frequent, as they are just powerful enough to lay waste to the cheapest of ships without leaving you at a disadvantage afterwards.



Countering

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Counters.gif)

Although the most expensive spacecraft are also typically the most effective, they each have a weakness to at least one ship which costs less. It's good to get in the habit of holding back certain ships until the other player deploys ideal prey. For instance, Orz has a tendency of leaving a long trail of death and destruction whenever it's deployed. That is to say, until Androsynth shows up in the arena with its comet form and slices right through it without even trying. Androsynth costs a little more than half the price of Orz, so if the other player has Orz in their fleet then you had better keep your Androsynth in reserve. Strive to hit every ship the other player uses with the most effective counter available.



Mirroring

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Mirror.gif)

This is another solution to difficult enemy craft. If someone has a ship out that you have no counters to use against, match them with the exact same ship yourself. If the other player's ship is already damaged, then the odds of winning are in your favor. If the other player's ship is at full crew capacity (or very close it), mirroring them is not a smart move.



The Arena

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Arena.gif)

This diagram is a representation of the entire arena in melee. The arena is actually the size of four fully zoomed-out screens. Within the arena's confines there are always five asteroids and one planet. If an asteroid is destroyed, it will respawn off camera. Why is this information useful? Because during a significant portion of ship match-ups, one player will begin searching for the planet as soon as combat begins. Even when this is not the case, you should constantly be on the lookout for the planet so as to minimize your chances of crashing straight into it. Get in the habit of doing this and you'll find yourself ramming the planet much less often.



Blind Spots

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Blindspots.gif)

A ship can only face 16 different directions. If you approach an enemy ship while hiding between their firing lines, they will be unable to hit you. Although this is usually not a major factor, blind spots exist on every ship in the game. If you find that your opponent is approaching along one of your blind spots, it's generally a good idea to reposition yourself so that you have some possibility of landing a hit on the other player. Weapons that fire in a wide spread or automatically home in on their target almost totally negate the presence of blind spots.



Braking

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Braking.gif)

The above header is a bit misleading here; there are no actual brakes in Star Control. If you want to bring your ship to a stop, turn your ship exactly 180 degrees from the direction you're moving in and apply just enough thrust to negate your inertia. Due to differences in acceleration, top speed and ship mass, you'll find that the various warships each require a different amount of thrust to bring themselves to a stop.



Flanking

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Flanking.gif)

Flanking is a tactic in which an attacker maneuvers around their opponent's front and strikes them from the side or back where they cannot retaliate effectively. When piloting a fast and agile craft such as the Arilou Skiff, this the only way to fight. In some situations, a flanking ship can use an enemy's blind spot to help close the distance without being shot at.



Pillboxing

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Pillboxing.gif)

For vehicles with fast turning speed, Pillboxing is the best answer to a flanking adversary. To pillbox, simply bring your ship to a halt and then rotate in place so as to lead your opponent with your guns. A stationary craft is extremely difficult to flank, for if it is not travelling in any direction then there is no obvious opening to rush in from.



Asteroids

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Asteroids.gif)

Asteroids are a minor factor, but never to the point where you can totally disregard their presence. Crashing into an asteroid inflicts no damage, but will bounce your ship away from it. Asteroids exist in Star Control melee to add a random element to combat. It is unusual for a player to win or lose a bout because of an asteroid, but it does happen. Situations where one can actively capitalize upon an asteroid are rare, but here's one tactic you can use:



Covered Charge

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_CoveredCharge.gif)

This is a fun one. If you happen to notice an asteroid directly approaching the enemy ship and you're close enough to it, you can hide behind the obstacle and advance under its shadow. An asteroid can only absorb one good shot, but sometimes one deflected shot is a huge advantage. This is a tricky and highly situational technique that you won't get to perform very often, but there's satisfaction in using a stray space rock to win.



The Planet

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Planet.gif)

Behold the planet. The overlay you see around it shows the area upon which a planet exerts its gravitational pull. The approximate distance that this area extends across is three times the planet's diameter starting from the planet's outer edge. When your ship's center of mass crosses into this boundary, the effects of gravity begin to slowly drag your ship inward. A direct collision with the planet will kill either one fourth of your current crew, or a single crew member if your vessel has very few staff aboard.



Gravity Whip

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_GravWhip.gif)

The above figure demonstrates the ever popular Leyland Gravity Whip, a handy trick that will significantly boost the speed of most spacecraft. To perform this maneuver, accelerate straight through the planet's gravitational field. Once you've left the planet's immediate vicinity, stop accelerating. Using thrust beyond the planet's area of effect will rapidly bring your vessel back down to its default speed. Due to this limitation, a gravity whip can only be used to travel in a straight line. This maneuver has a wide range of applications within melee. The most obvious use of the gravity whip is to send spaceborne artillery such as the Earthling or Mycon careening so that they become much more difficult to engage up close.



Orbiting

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Basics_Orbit.gif)

Orbiting is a defensive technique with some similarities to pillboxing that allows the player using it to escape by gravity whip at any time, in any direction they want. As you can see from the diagram, orbiting involves placing your vessel in the planet's gravitational field in such a way that you automatically revolve around it. Lots of players seem to have trouble with this, but it's actually fairly easy to do. Remember how to brake? Simply repeat that procedure in close proximity to the planet. As you grind to a halt, your ship will begin to circle the planet on its own. You can adjust your orbit by accelerating very slightly in a given direction, and may need to do so to avoid colliding with the planet itself.

Shiver that is quite beautiful

Nicely done, so far.

A few comments.

"The approximate distance that this area extends across is three times the planet's diameter."
This is a bit confusing; if not for the image, I would think that this is three times the planet's diameter, counting from the centre of the planet, instead of three times beyond the planet's surface.

As for finding the planet, moving diagonally may increase the chance of you finding the planet without adjusting your direction, but it will also lengthen the time that it takes to make one round trip. And you may still miss the planet altogether, as the screen isn't always zoomed out all the way. The main advantage of moving diagonally, as I see it, is that you "sweep" with the diagonal of your screen, instead of with a (shorter) side.

I like it. It covers a lot of the details that you pick up with a lot of practice in a relatively simple way.

I'd add, about gravity whips, "Ships with lower acceleration should may want to travel in a curved path around the planet, so as to maximize the time spent in its influence" - with an illustration of, say, a Chenjesu doing a gravity whip on the same panel as the Yehat. Also, it would be useful to show the planet-influence-circle there.

The distance is 3.5 from the planet's center, or 3 from the surface. I tested this out. Ledmeister's guide says almost 4 planet diameter lengths, but he's wrong as far as I can tell. Adjusting that paragraph now for clarity.



Good point, except a person's opponent will be dancing around the screen as well, changing the camera's orientation. It would be very hard for a diagonal path to miss the planet over and over given this. I'll have to see about changing that section later.



A curved gravity whip using a slow ship? Never even heard of that one. I think I'll snake that in there at some point. The Fundamentals page I had planned isn't quite done yet, I still need to cover countering and starter picks.

Well, in general terms, the way to get the most time in the planet's circle for a gravity whip is to go as close to moving from the point where you enter the planet's circle to the point opposite that as is practical. That means cutting it close with the planet, preferably moving in somewhat of an arc around it. Ships with high acceleration, though, don't need to do that to get to max gravwhip speed.

Come to think of it, I'd also mention the idea of gravity whipping in a direct vertical or horizontal direction in order to come to the planet again soon, allowing you to change course or, in the case of very low-acceleration ships, get another go at the gravity whip to get up to the real maximum speed. (Diagonal might work too, but it'd be a lot harder to line it up so that you come near the planet without hitting it.)

I've updated Fundamentals with three new sections at the top. "Planet Seeking" has been removed as it wasn't really that accurate.



Most of that information is useful, but also very particular. There are many variations on gravity whipping and orbiting but it would be difficult to explain all of them to a new player. I've already said this to EP in the chat room and he seemed to agree. I'm responding again in the thread so that people aren't confused when I don't bother to add any of his suggestions above.

I only started playing UGM this autumn, but I have already played the game very much on PvP too. I'd like to add one thing:

Planet rushing (Got better name ideas?):

When playing a ship which requires to be close to enemy vessel in order to attack efficently (Zoq-Fot-Pik, Umgah etc.), one tactic is to stay in the  gravitation area of the planet, orbiting it very fast, making you very hard target to hit. When the enemy is near, bounce off the gravitation field and get to close ranged combat.

Pretty obvious, but it wasn't included yet.

That's a variation of orbiting. If a player knows how to orbit, it isn't too difficult to figure out a few extra nuances of the same technique.

The Androsynth Guardian

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Androsynth_01.gif)

Androsynth is versatile and deadly enough to put up a decent fight against almost every ship in Star Control. It is also easily the most overpowered ship in the game when considering its low point value of 15. Androsynth is not the most effective combatant, but anything that can outperform it costs quite a bit more. You should always have one of these in your fleet for the purpose of getting the most bang for your buck.



Primary Function: Acid Bubbles

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Androsynth_02.gif)

These adorable little hazards move slowly and erratically in the general direction of the enemy, inflicting two damage each on contact. Acid bubbles are insignificant by themselves, but quite lethal as a large cloud. While these aren't used as often as the ship's comet form, there are a few enemies which warrant a technique known as the "bubble bath". To perform a bubble bath, spam the bubble weapon whenever your opponent draws near and maneuver around to keep the bubbles between them and yourself. You would be surprised how many different ships are unable to break past this defense. Unfortunately, bubble bathing is also considered foul play in many situations because of its tendency to create long, boring stalemates. With that in mind, the bubble bath is best used against very fast opponents that can easily avoid the Androsynth's comet form.



Secondary Function: Comet Form

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Androsynth_03.gif)

The Androsynth can compact into a tight little ball and launch itself like a battering ram at enemy craft. As questionable as that sounds, it's amazingly effective against a wide range of different enemy craft. A single bump against an enemy ship counts for three damage, but the comet will often crash against its victim's hull multiple times before bouncing off in another direction. Occasionally the Androsynth can even wedge itself into its opponent, destroying them almost instantly. The comet form can also be used when your battery is low to make a quick leap away from imminent danger. The turning rate of the comet is rather poor, so whenever you fly past or bounce off a target do not attempt to turn around for another attack run until you've bypassed them by a reasonable distance. Attempting to turn back around in close proximity to your opponent is a great way to get yourself shot up.



Ship-to-Ship Comparisons


[Androsynth]

Outlook: As with all mirror matches, the ship which arrives with full crew has a slight upper hand that will usually result in a win.

Tactics: Both weapons are effective here, although decisive damage to you and your opponent will likely come from head-on comet bashing. If you're mirroring your opponent and their ship has already sustained damage, you want this to occur as much as possible. This will inflict mutual damage, eventually destroying the other ship. On the other hand, if you're the one going into this fight at a disadvantage then it's best to avoid a frontal collision and instead carry out guerilla warfare using bubbles. In either case, it's good to force the other player to deplete their battery while conserving yours. If you find yourself with a full battery and the other player is drained, comet charge them and get in as much damage as possible. When placed in this position yourself, evade the other player using quick, low energy comet bursts.



[Arilou]

Outlook: Good. Androsynth should win, but it isn't a sure thing.

Tactics: Maintain a bubble bath to the best of your ability. Arilou can only withstand three bubbles total and may sometimes teleport directly into them. The Arilou doesn't have enough top speed to catch you very often. Don't use your comet form except as a low battery escape mechanism to make a quick hop from one side of your bubble cloud to the other.



[Chenjesu]

Outlook: Uncertain. The match is fairly even between equally skilled players, with results varying quite a bit.

Tactics: Hurl yourself at the Chenjesu, but do not attempt to ram its front. The sides and back of your opponent are much more vulnerable. When the comet form uses up most of your battery power, get far away from the Chenjesu so you may recover energy in relative peace. If Chenjesu performs a gravity whip, stop trying to bash them with your comet and instead drop a full load of acid bubbles directly into their flight path. This will either destroy them or force them to abandon their gravity whip.



[Chmmr]

Outlook: Bad. This is Chmmr's fight, but there is a slight chance that you will destroy them with a lucky wedge.

Tactics: Try to wedge your comet form in the space between the Chmmr's bow and wing. If you don't achieve a perfect wedge, you won't deal damage fast enough to bring the Chmmr down before it kills you. A smart Chmmr will move directly away from you and maneuver around so as to make it very difficult to approach them without walking into their terawatt laser. If possible, move your ship around so that you aren't chasing directly after Chmmr when you activate your comet form.



[Druuge]

Outlook: Good. The Androsynth's comet form is too small of a target for the Druuge's cannon to hit reliably.

Tactics: Launch yourself at the Druuge and do your best to keep between its firing arcs. Do not turn away the first time it fires at you. You want to force Druuge to throw itself backwards hard with its cannon's recoil, which takes 3-5 shots. Once it is travelling fast enough, reverse direction and attempt to ram it as it sails in from the opposite direction. Never stay in the Druuge's firing line for more than an instant. This should be an easy fight if you play it correctly.



[Earthling]

Outlook: Excellent. Androsynth should win, but the amount of crew it will survive with varies by quite a bit.

Tactics: Go into comet form immediately and run the Earthling down. Missiles are fairly easy to dodge past and the point defense laser simply doesn't hit hard enough to stop you unless you bumble within the Earthling's range for an extended period without hitting them. If the Earthling manages to reach the planet and perform a gravity whip, the fight will become much more difficult so try to kill it before it gets there.



[Ilwrath]

Outlook: Good. These two ships fight on an even playing field, or at least they would if Androsynth didn't have a chance of instantly destroying Ilwrath with a wedge every time it collides with any part of the Ilwrath's front. That skews things often enough to call this Androsynth's match.

Tactics: A cloaked Ilwrath can avoid acid bubbles indefinitely so you'll have to kill it with the comet form. Whether you win or lose comes down entirely to how well you can aim and control the comet. Wedging into the gap in either of the Ilwrath's wings will destroy them instantly, but that is easier said than done. Try not to fly directly into the Ilwrath's fire spout.



[Kohr-Ah]

Outlook: Terrible. You're screwed, but it's not unheard of to squeeze out a win here.

Tactics: If the Kohr-Ah sets up a wall of blades around themself, force them to move out of their defensive perimeter with acid bubbles. Otherwise just charge straight at the Kohr-Ah in comet form. Kohr-Ah's flamewall can put you out of commission very fast, so try and fake them out by veering away before you collide with their hull. Only when the Kohr-Ah empties its battery is it truly vulnerable, and at that point you definitely want to try and crash into one of their sides. Kohr-Ah players will be expecting you to perform feints, so hitting them straight on might sometimes work. Watch out for stray blades.



[Melnorme]

Outlook: Good. Androsynth's small outline in comet form works to your advantage here.

Tactics: You want to be as aggressive with your comet as possible whenever the Melnorme is not carrying a full red charge. If it is, play more conservatively and try to find a good opening. You can harass Melnorme with acid bubbles until it loses its red charge to a stray asteroid, but that shouldn't be necessary.



[Mmrnmhrm]

Outlook: Uncertain. The odds are pretty much 50/50 here. It's a very fun and dynamic fight, so do yourself a favor and give this match a whirl.

Tactics: You can force a pillboxing Mmrnmhrm in X form to move from its defensive position by dropping acid bubbles outside of its range. For the most part though, you'll be using comet form to ram them to death while they do their best to rip you apart with their laser lance at close range. If Mmrnmhrm makes the mistake of switching to Y form in close proximity to you, attack immediately. Mmrnmhrm Y form has a slow recharge rate and it is often possible for you to close the gap and bash the other ship before it has the energy to shift back to X form.



[Mycon]

Outlook: Uncertain. This is a tricky fight from both sides.

Tactics: Charge Mycon right from the onset. If it makes it to a planet before you ram it to death, you're very likely not going to win. Never ram Mycon's front unless it's running on an empty battery. If you can lead one of the plasmoids it fires at you back into the ship itself, that will make the fight much easier.



[Orz]

Outlook: Excellent. This match is so one-sided it's considered the definitive textbook example of one ship destroying another more expensive one.

Tactics: Seek and destroy with your comet form. It's really that easy. Orz isn't fast enough to avoid you unless it gravity whips, and even that doesn't do much to turn the fight around. Orz marines die if they touch your comet form and the Orz cannon isn't accurate or powerful enough to stop you. Be aggressive; an indecisive Androsynth is less difficult for Orz to stand up to.



[Pkunk]

Outlook: Uncertain. Assuming the Pkunk never revives after its first destruction, you've got the upper hand. But even one revive is enough for a skilled Pkunk pilot to become a serious threat.

Tactics: Maintain a bubble bath as best as you can. Don't use your comet form except as a low battery escape mechanism to make a quick hop from one side of your bubble cloud to the other.



[Shofixti]

Outlook: Good. Androsynth will virtually never be killed by Shofixti. It also has a decent chance of walking away from a Shofixti suicide charge unscathed.

Tactics: Stay as far away from the planet as possible. If the Shofixti gravity whips, move clear out of its path. When Shofixti closes in on you using its default speed, drop some bubbles and move away. If you're feeling daring, comet at the Shofixti and turn away just as you enter its Glory Device radius -- if you do this right, your opponent will detonate without damaging you very much.



[Slylandro]

Outlook: Bad. Sorry buddy, you're going to lose unless the other player slips up. Slylandro is well designed to pick Androsynth apart.

Tactics: Bubble bath and hope you get lucky. Consider making a surprise attack on the other player with comet form; it's not really a good idea, but you're probably not going to win anyway and you might catch them by surprise.



[Spathi]

Outlook: Excellent. The Spathi's weapons prove clumsy and ineffective against a blazing comet and the ship itself isn't fast enough to keep away from an attacking Androsynth. Spathi's bizarre shape is very easy to wedge a comet into, which often proves fatal.

Tactics: Turn on your comet form and go after the Spathi. As you get close, you'll have to dodge some torpedoes and the Spathi is probably going to prance around a lot to make themself difficult to hit. Despite this, Spathi is a wide and vulnerable target which you will find quite easy to collide with.



[Supox]

Outlook: Excellent. Androsynth is fast and powerful enough to overwhelm Supox.

Tactics: Once again, take the direct approach. Avoid the Supox's shots when possible, but don't be shy about attacking.



[Syreen]

Outlook: Uncertain. This match favors Androsynth, but when Syreen wins it usually comes out stronger due to crew stealing. Avoid it unless you have no viable alternative.

Tactics: If you see the Syreen orbiting the planet, dump bubbles at them from a distance until they are forced to abandon the area in favor of open space. You do not want to attempt a comet charge against a Syreen next to a planet. No self-respecting Syreen is going to follow you into a bubble trap, so you'll have to use the comet. I hope your aim is good! Once the Syreen is destroyed, pick up your stray crew members from space to the best of your ability.



[Thraddash]

Outlook: Uncertain. This match is so slowly paced that it will bore you to tears. Avoid it unless you have no viable alternative.

Tactics: Stall the Thraddash with bubble clouds, but try and get the drop on them with your comet form every so often. The Thraddash's flame trail can kill Androsynth very quickly, but if you ram into Thraddash straight from the front there's not much danger of falling into this. You will lose this fight if you aren't patient.



[Umgah]

Outlook: Excellent. Umgah can't stand up to Androsynth's acid bubbles.

Tactics: Umgah's cone and backwards zip ability are not friendly to your comet form, so don't stick your neck out. The answer is "bubble bath".



[Ur-Quan]

Outlook: Good. Ur-Quan is powerful, but clumsy. If you're a good enough pilot you should have this in the bag.

Tactics: Turn on your comet form and attempt to flank the Ur-Quan. You'll find after some practice that this is actually not all that difficult to do. Whenever you see fighters, break off your attack immediately and get to a safe place. Acid bubbles are decent at killing fighter craft, but even that isn't really necessary. Ur-Quan fighters crash into asteroids and expire in space often enough that simply avoiding them will slowly wear the Ur-Quan down. Do not attempt to ram an Ur-Quan that is traveling on a gravity whip speed boost. Drop acid bubbles in its flight path to force it to abandon the gravity whip, then resume comet charging as normal.



[Utwig]

Outlook: Uncertain. This is another slugfest which can go either way.

Tactics: No Utwig player is going to chase you, so a bubble bath isn't an option. You'll have to ram them and hope for the best. It's possible to wear the Utwig down if your aim with the comet form is precise. There's also a faint possibility of achieving a wedge, but don't depend on that.



[VUX]

Outlook: Good. VUX limpets have no effect on Androsynth's comet form, leaving the VUX with very little leverage against a superior craft.

Tactics: You're probably skittish around VUX limpets, but in this case it's perfectly safe to run into them. If you can avoid incoming limpets then that's great, but never let them stop you from ramming the VUX in the sides or back. Even the VUX's front is a viable route of attack if its battery is low enough.



[Yehat]

Outlook: Bad. Yehat's spammable shield makes it well-suited for destroying Androsynth.

Tactics: There's no nice way to do this. The Yehat's shield makes it virtually immune to bubbles. Ramming the Yehat from the sides or back will easily be negated as well. You're going to have to hit them head on and hope for a lucky wedge. After crashing into their front, you have an opportunity to bump the Yehat's sides or back for a little extra damage after they've unloaded their battery on you.



[Zoq-Fot-Pik]

Outlook: Excellent. Zoq-Fot-Pik's weapon systems are hopelessly ineffective against Androsynth.

Tactics: Comet charge at them, but make sure you never hit the front of the Zoq-Fot-Pik square in the center. Their tongue weapon inflicts tremendous damage, but is too narrow to catch you. The Zoq-Fot-Pik scattergun can definitely hit you, but its damage is laughable.



Ideal Purpose

If your opponent has an Orz in their fleet, hold your Androsynth in reserve until given the opportunity to counter and destroy it. That Orz will do horrible things to you if you deploy your Androsynth prematurely. When faced with an opponent that has no Orz, think of your Androsynth as a "spare" that can be used to take out almost anything which you have no specific counter to use against.



Reprisal

If you absolutely, positively have to crush an Androsynth into scrap metal right this instant then use Kohr-Ah. But before you do that you should consider your less expensive alternatives. If the other player's Androsynth is damaged all the way down to half its crew capacity or less, Ilwrath is a more economical solution. Slylandro is also an effective Androsynth killer regardless of the target's crew, but you'll need good reflexes for that.

For Androsynth vs Chmmr, I'd advise to fly around the enemy and tear up its zap-sats rather than go for the unlikely wedge.

For Androsynth vs VUX, the fact is that the limpets have no effect whatsoever on the comet form. I'd say something like: "It's impossible to do damage to the VUX without taking on limpets, but that isn't terrible for the Androsynth since its comet form is unaffected. After being disabled by the first limpet, additional limpets will have hardly any effect even on the normal form."

Unless you can remove all three satellites, this seems like a bad idea. We'll have to test that out later and see how it goes.



Oh, thanks. I've fixed that part now.

Wow Shiver, this is just plain amazing!!! Cant wait to see more installments!

Really nice stuff! It is fun to read that and notice how much I have played with it or how much I have played differently. Keep up the good work!

Supox can actually evade the blazer form by using the special correctly. I have succeeded in it a few times and if the Guardian captain doesn't get lucky, Supox will win then.

"a few times" does not a reliable strategy make.

It means that the Androsynth Guardian does not overwhelm the Supox Blade. By using the best available strategy, the Supox captain can make it into a match and at least take some Androsynth crew down with him.

Incapable Guardian captain will definitely lose to a capable Blade captain.

I've seen Earthling kill Androsynth before too. Doesn't mean the match isn't one-sided. At best, the Androsynth vs Supox fight odds could be bumped down from "Excellent" to "Good", although I'm inclined to leave it as it is.


This is a meaningless barometer. I've listed the fight outlooks as if both players are skilled at the game.

I always get the feeling that the Supox's special has so much potential if you can just use it well.


Also, I think Shiver's guide is more for the basic fundamentals, so even though an ace pilot could do things that are normally very black/white, the guide is based on the averages.

I registered just to say how much I enjoy this topic, I look forward to the rest of it.

My next post breaks the 20,000 character limit so I'm gonna have to split it up into two parts. There will probably be a lot of this going on from here on out.

The Arilou Skiff

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Arilou_01.gif)

Being the first of several ships designed for flanking, the Arilou is built around the premise of being able to pick apart its enemies without taking any damage in return. With only six crew members, this craft does not allow its pilot any room for error. While the Arilou is sometimes useful, it does not live up to its 16 point price tag. The ship's maximum velocity is not high enough for it to flank most opponents the conventional way, so Arilou pilots must instead rely heavily upon a frustratingly random teleportation ability to get into attack position.



Primary Function: Auto-Aiming Laser

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Arilou_02.gif)

Not much to say here. It's a short range laser that is always pointed at your opponent. When you unload on another vessel with this weapon, make sure you do not exhaust your battery entirely. You'll need a small amount of energy in case an emergency teleport becomes necessary.


Secondary Function: Teleport

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Arilou_03.gif)

For only three points of energy, the Arilou may instantly teleport to a random location within the arena. This ability is most frequently used as an escape mechanism but it also has offensive potential. To teleport offensively, use the secondary function repeatedly until your ship appears close to your opponent at an angle they are not able to stop you from flanking them. Between each teleport you should wait for your battery to recharge so that you are at your maximum capacity when the moment to strike finally presents itself. This technique is known as "chain teleportation". It is irritating, yet effective against a range of different enemy ships.

Teleportation has a catch to it: There is a miniscule chance of the Arilou spawning inside an asteroid or planet, destroying it instantly. The more you use Arilou, the more you will learn to hate this flaw in the ship's design.


Bonus Feature: Inertial Nullifier

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Arilou_04.gif)

Arilou is the only ship in the game which does not continue to coast in a direction after it turns off its thrusters, allowing it to come to a full stop in an instant. Arilou is also not affected by the planet's gravity, nor the Chmmr's tractor beam.



Ship-to-Ship Comparisons


[Androsynth]

Outlook: Bad. Arilou is not fast enough to catch a bubble bathing Androsynth off guard very often and will collapse quickly after contact with a few acid bubbles.

Tactics: Do the best you can to fly in close and zap at the Androsynth. You will probably have to teleport to escape the mess of bubbles following you after a successful attack run. If the Androsynth uses their comet form, nip at them for a split second with your laser and then teleport away before they make contact with you. Do not chain teleport, for this will more likely drop you into a cloud of acid bubbles than any position you can attack from safely.



[Arilou]

Outlook: As with all mirror matches, the ship which arrives with full crew has a slight upper hand that will usually result in a win.

Tactics: There is no strategy to this fight whatsoever. Fly at them and turn on your beam just as you get in range. If you have more crew, you should win. If not, accept the inevitable.



[Chenjesu]

Outlook: Terrible. If Chenjesu gravity whips, there's really nothing Arilou can do to hurt it.

Tactics: Chenjesu has vulnerable areas behind its back that Arilou can attack without being hit by shrapnel from photon shard detonations. These weak spots are both at an angle -- shrapnel travels in a straight line directly behind the Chenjesu so you don't want to be lined up with it perfectly. All that said, you're not going to beat Chenjesu if the other player has the sense to seek out the planet and perform a gravity whip. Once it does this, you will be unable to attack the Chenjesu's vulnerable points as it sails at a high speed. With that in mind, the best thing to do is rush the Chenjesu as quickly as you can and hurt it before it gets to the planet.



[Chmmr]

Outlook: Terrible. There is no way to win this match, do not even try.

Tactics: Attack the Chmmr from a blind spot if possible. You might get off a few points of damage before being shredded into atoms.



[Druuge]

Outlook: Good. Druuge can kill Arilou in one shot, but landing a hit is quite difficult for them.

Tactics: Arilou doesn't have enough top speed to catch Druuge off guard so the only thing to do is chain teleport until you land next to it and attack from there. If you appear anywhere in front of the Druuge, teleport again immediately. The Druuge's cannon slugs travel too fast to dodge unless you are very far away.



[Earthling]

Outlook: Good. Arilou is agile enough to evade the Earthling's missiles and shred its target apart. Unfortunately, a single missile hit virtually guarantees Arilou's defeat.

Tactics: The thing that will make you lose most frequently in this match are missiles that whirl around after missing you the first time and surprise your Arilou from off-camera on a second pass. Missiles can also crash into Arilou as they come out of a bad teleport, so be prepared to teleport multiple times to escape a bad situation. I recommend chain teleporting until you find a suitable position to attack from. You want to be appear in the direction they are drifting towards. If the Earthling is pillboxing, landing close to them from any direction should be sufficient. Once you've got good positioning, you will have to sidestep a missile or two as you move in on your target. Unload most of your battery with your laser at close range and teleport to escape. You have vastly superior firepower to the Earthling's point-defense laser, but they will whittle you down to nothing if you dawdle around next to them with a depleted battery. Your laser also has a slightly longer range than theirs so it's technically possible to take down Earthling without sustaining any damage at all.



[Ilwrath]

Outlook: Bad. Arilou's beam has a miniscule range advantage over the Ilwrath flamethrower, but the Ilwrath's cloaking device prevents the Arilou laser from auto-aiming. This allows Ilwrath to give Arilou a very hard time.

Tactics: The Ilwrath is probably going to stay cloaked most of the time to screw with you. You'll have to move in and point at them manually if they refuse to uncloak. Additionally, Ilwrath's flame thrower will often block your beam from hitting its mark. Flying straight at the Ilwrath's position and turning on your laser will generally result in a very quick death, so don't be reckless. Play conservatively and be sure to let your battery recharge completely between attack runs. This match can be won, but it doesn't allow you any room for mistakes.



[Kohr-Ah]

Outlook: Bad. The Kohr-Ah's defenses aren't perfect against Arilou, but Arilou's low damage threshold dooms them to crash into a flame burst or spinning blade eventually.

Tactics: There are three ways the Kohr-Ah can play this...

1) Remain stationary behind a wall of blades.
2) Run away constantly while firing back at you.
3) Careen wildly off an extended gravity whip.

If the Kohr-Ah remains stationary behind a wall of blades, move in reasonably close to it and wait for the blades to drift after you. A gap will appear in the blade wall and you will be able to attack with impunity. Be prepared to veer off and avoid a flame wave or two. Once the Kohr-Ah has drained their battery power, tear into their hull. You will most likely have to teleport to escape them at some point.

When the Kohr-Ah is flying away from you at their default speed, chain teleport until you can approach them from the direction they are traveling in and attack. Watch out for flame waves and stray blades as usual. If you can fake out the Kohr-Ah into wasting their flame waves and remain in their immediate vicinity, that will give you a perfect opportunity to unload your laser on them.

A Kohr-Ah on a gravity whip must be attacked from the front. They are faster than you in this state, so line yourself up with the direction they are careening in and fly away from them on this pathway. As they draw near you should nip them with your laser for only a split second before teleporting away. They will definitely run you over with their flame wave if you stick around for very long. Expect to have to evade a few stray blades as you do this.



[Melnorme]

Outlook: Uncertain. Both ships are quite capable of tearing the other apart.

Tactics: If the Melnorme pillboxes, chain teleport until you land next to it and rip it apart. You can circle Melnorme faster than it can turn, so once you appear close to it the fight is pretty much over. Unfortunately, most players aren't going to stay put and let you do this. If the Melnorme performs a gravity whip, they'll be travelling too fast for chain teleportation to be of much use. You'll have to line yourself up with the direction they're traveling, fly into them and then blast away as you pass along either their left or right side. If you can approach them from a blind spot they won't be able to hit you until you reach striking distance. Even when this attack is executed perfectly, the Melnorme will probably hit you if they guess which side you decide to fly past and spam their energy bolts in that direction. Given the danger of this situation, you need to blitz the Melnorme as fast as possible before it reaches the planet.



[Mmrnmhrm]

Outlook: Bad. The Mmrnmhrm X-Form possesses a weapon which can wipe out Arilou in the blink of an eye, whereas Arilou must make several successful strikes to defeat Mmrnhrm.

Tactics: If the Mmrnmhrm pillboxes, chain teleport until you appear behind them and attack from there. You will have to teleport to escape them after a successful strike. It takes forever, but you'll almost definitely win. Smart Mmrnhrm pilots will enter X-Form while traveling at Y-Form speed in a straight line, however, making them much more difficult to defeat. You will have to sneak by either their left or right side and blast them as they pass by. Also consider juking to one side, then attacking the Mmrnmhrm straight from the front. This is most effective when your opponent has become conditioned to guessing which side you'll attack from.



[Mycon]

Outlook: Excellent. Mycon is helpless against Arilou.

Tactics: This fight is so mindlessly easy that I shouldn't have to write anything at all here. However, if the Mycon performs a gravity whip before you can get to it then things become more complicated. You will need to move directly into the Mycon's path and fire on them as they approach. After damaging them a bit, teleport away so that they don't lob plasmoids into you. Do not let Mycon collide with Arilou when you do this. Plasmoids can still hurt you if they are fired as the Mycon is touching your ship, even if Mycon is sailing at ridiculous speeds while facing the direction it is traveling in. Watch the Mycon's battery and get in as much free damage as possible whenever its reserves are low.



[Orz]

Outlook: Bad. Orz's cannon is very dangerous to Arilou due to its ability to fire from the aft of the ship, respectable range and high projectile velocity.

Tactics: If Orz deploys marines, do the best you can to nip at them with your laser and avoid the Orz itself. Your laser does not target marines however, it always points at your opponent. You will have to maneuver around quite a bit to zap a marine, but it's worth the trouble. Take it slowly and carefully. Only when the arena is clear of marines should you begin chain teleporting to attack the enemy ship itself. A smart opponent will not deploy marines against you at all, in which case you should start teleporting immediately.

If you're not playing a tournament or you're already winning the net melee game at large, consider not attacking marines if you see them. Marine zapping is a highly obnoxious and time consuming activity, especially when the Orz pilot decides to screw with the camera by flipping back and forth across the screen edge to throw you off.



[Pkunk]

Outlook: Uncertain. Arilou has the advantage against a single Pkunk, but multiple incarnations will likely ravage Arilou.

Tactics: Fly away from the Pkunk and let it come to you. As it closes in, whirl around and attack them. Avoid the exact front of the Pkunk as best as you can; they will steamroll you for certain if you rush headlong into their front guns. Aside from that, most exchanges of ordinance will favor Arilou by quite a bit. After squaring off with Pkunk you should avoid taggling with them again until you have recovered your entire battery.

Very nicely done! I really like the illustrations, too. :)

I'm curious about all those edits. Did you change anything important? I'm not going to read the whole thing again. :P

Also, I'm really interested in what other veteran players think. *pokes the other veteran players*

I don't use neither Androsynth nor Arilou so I can't comment on those, but I'd say the Supox can take the Arilou down even though it is an even match-up. The best strategy is to hang around the planet's orbit, so the Arilou has a smaller chance of a successfull teleport. Then, when the Arilou is in sight, shoot one burst and reverse-thrust back behind the planet or if it's not possible, into deep space. And when in deep space, the Arilou starts chain-teleporting, and then there is time to get back into orbit.

Sometimes in that situation I have seen the Arilou to just sit in deep space waiting for the Supox to get away from orbit, but I think in that case, the Arilou is the one who has to make the initiative because as Shiver stated, Supox can't win without the planet.

Yeah, they really bring it to life. Can't wait to see the final product.

Tiberian, we're going to need to do some test bouts at some point. I'm doing the majority of my testing on Elvish Pillager but he doesn't see everything all the time.



Yeah, I wouldn't recommend that either. This whole thread is going to be edit city. When a final product is released maybe then would be the best time to re-read.

There's a little problem here. You say that Arilou is bad against Shofixti, and cite as a reason that the fight usually ends with both ships being destroyed.
So what do the words "terrible"-"bad"-"evenly matched"-"good"-"excellent" stand for? Chance of victory, or whether it is cost-efficient to bring an Arilou against a Shofixti?

Good question. When Shofixti scores a mutual kill, the victim player is supposed to pick their next ship first. The Shofixti player gets to see exactly what the victim brings into the arena before responding. This initiative advantage is decisive. So the Shofixti may die to Arilou, but the Arilou player being forced to pick first is such a handicap that it may as well be looked upon as a victory for Shofixti. That's how it's supposed to work.

This gets more complicated because of a flaw in net melee that Meep-Eep has stated will be fixed in the next UQM release. Currently the player hosting a net melee match will always force their opponent to make first pick when a Shofixti - any Shofixti - destroys a ship with the Glory Device. Not too many players know about this, but the ones that do frequently lament this 'homefield advantage'. A hosting player's Shofixti is awesome while a challenging player may as well not use the ship at all, at least in UQM 0.6.2.


The outlooks are based upon a ship's chance of destroying another ship regardless of point value. They assume that both ships have full crew. If one ship has low crew then the dynamic changes, sometimes by a lot. Zoq-Fot-Pik is an awful pick against an Arilou with full crew, yet a fantastic pick against that same ship if it's already beaten up a bit.


LATE EDIT: All of the Shofixti outlooks are weighed by the Shofixti's general effectiveness, not its chance of victory. Because that ship is a suicide bomber and not a proper combatant, I'm measuring that one differently. I hope this thread isn't too confusing.  :-X

This topic needs to be stickied and/or converted into a html FAQ when it's completed. But to start, this needs a sticky.

Extremely useful. The orbiting tactic had made the VUX a very useful ship to me now as well as some others.

Good work so far. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, but I don't see the point in putting up a sticky for a pet project that isn't finished.

Chenjesu update coming in a day or two.

The Chenjesu Broodhome

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Chenjesu_01.gif)

To say that Chenjesu is lacking in mobility would be an understatement. Due to its mediocre acceleration, abysmal turning rate and high ship mass, this ship lurches about during combat like an obese sea turtle. This ship will crash into the planet more frequently than anything else in the game, and due to Chenjesu's large crew capacity, even one crash will sting like a swift kick to the crotch. An expert player can minimize these collisions, but they are still going to occur. Despite this, Chenjesu is a reasonably effective ship. Its choice of armament is powerful and versatile enough that this ship is effective at all distances against just about everything in the game. It's a good combatant, but the price tag of 28 points is a little too high.



Primary Function: Photon Shard

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Chenjesu_03.gif)

I wasn't aware it was possible to charge up a large piece of jewelry to the point that it could explode with a force greater than that of a hydrogen bomb, but this is a nice weapon regardless of its silliness. Photon shards can be launched all the way across the screen and continue traveling beyond the camera's boundaries and come back again on a wrap-around. While that is a neat demonstration of the weapon's infinite range, it's also a phenomenally stupid way to fight. Lots of players like to try and hit their opponent with a crazy wrap-around shot and I have no idea why anyone would think that's a good idea. The technique is not reliable in the least bit and wastes far too much time, so don't do it.

With that tangent out of the way, let's go over the specifics of this weapon. The photon shard inflicts six damage on a direct hit. If you release the primary attack button before the shard strikes an object, it will explode into eight little pieces of shrapnel that travel in different directions and inflict two damage each. You do not need to line up your shots perfectly to damage an enemy craft thanks to shrapnel. These smaller fragments are not very precise, but they do help. Rapidly tapping the fire button will unleash a flurry of ordinance nearby that can be devastating at short range. This technique--which has been dubbed "shrapnel spamming"--is a good way to deal with small enemy craft attempting to flank you, for it will cover your ship from almost every angle with weapons fire. Shrapnel spamming does leave two diagonal openings behind the Chenjesu itself that are not covered, so try to keep enemies away from your back as much as possible.



Secondary Function: De-Energizing Offensive Guided Interceptor

(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/SunBloom/Chenjesu_04.gif)

Using their entire battery, the Chenjesu can construct and deploy DOGIs during combat. DOGIs seek out the opposing craft and attempt to bump into them. A DOGI collision inflicts no damage, but rather drains ten points of battery power and knocks the other ship off course. Chenjesu can only maintain four DOGIs during combat at a time, though even one DOGI can potentially disable an opponent by keeping their battery empty. DOGIs have varying amounts of usefulness depending upon what the Chenjesu is up against. Even when you're in a match where DOGIs do not appear to be decisive, it's good to make one if you've got the energy to spare and the opposing ship is not an imminent threat. DOGIs are vulnerable to your own weapons so try not to shoot them down.



Ship-to-Ship Comparisons


[Androsynth]

Outlook: Uncertain. The match is fairly even between equally skilled players, with results varying quite a bit.

Tactics: Don't pillbox and don't gravity whip. Coast around at your default speed and harass the Androsynth with photon shards from a distance. If Androsynth is foolish enough to try and comet charge into your front, several direct hits from your main weapon should blow them away. They are more likely to try and flank you, so spam shrapnel while they are on your front or sides. Do not deploy a DOGI unless the Androsynth is drained of energy from using their comet form. You don't want to fall under attack without a full battery on hand.



[Arilou]

Outlook: Excellent. Arilou cannot stand up to Chenjesu once it performs a gravity whip.

Tactics: Find the planet and send yourself on a gravity whip as quickly as possible. You don't want to boost your speed up too high, just enough to prevent Arilou from catching up to you if they try to chase you down from behind. If you gravity whip at too high a speed, tap your accelerate key a few times to balance your speed out. When travelling at the correct speed, Chenjesu is unassailable to Arilou. You will likely have to accelerate out of your gravity whip and perform the maneuver again once your speed boost carries you back towards the planet to avoid colliding with it. The Arilou may attempt to flank you as you search for the planet, but they are easy to repel with a little bit of shrapnel spamming. You need to keep your battery high at all times so do not deploy DOGIs during this match. Sooner or later Arilou will get caught in your shrapnel and the match will be over.



[Chenjesu]

Outlook: As with all mirror matches, the ship which arrives with full crew has a slight upper hand that will usually result in a win.

Tactics: If you start right next to the other Chenjesu, turn and blast them to death before they do the same to you. You need to react quickly if this occurs.

At any other distance you should deploy a DOGI when the match starts. Travel in any direction you want except towards the other Chenjesu directly. That makes you easy for them to hit while at the same time difficult for you to return fire. Try and shoot the other Chenjesu from across the map. You will have to spin towards the other player's DOGIs to ward them off. This is frustrating, but the player who does a better job of this usually wins. You can also destroy enemy DOGIs with two shrapnel blasts, though this activity should be avoided for the most part. If the enemy Chenjesu comes flying towards you, that is your best opportunity to bombard them with multiple direct hits with your photon shards.



[Chmmr]

Outlook: Bad. Chmmr can reel in Chenjesu with its tractor beam easily, negating Chenjesu's long range. Chmmr will win a shoot-out at point blank range almost every time.

Tactics: Do not use DOGIs, they get torn to pieces by Chmmr's satellites. Always try to land direct hits with your photon shards rather than shrapnel explosions. Beyond that, there's not much you can do to swing the fight in your favor. The Chmmr player might allow you to slip away and recover energy after a brief weapons exchange at short range. Slipping away to recover energy is good, for you will probably win if this happens. If it does, unload on the Chmmr as they approach to catch you a second time and destroy them before they get in range again. Do not expect this to occur, but capitalize upon it if it does.



[Druuge]

Outlook: Excellent. Druuge is capable of landing a few shots on the massive Chenjesu, but it definitely won't survive for long.

Tactics: Deploy DOGIs and try to keep away from the Druuge. If they launch themselves towards you to attack, cease creating DOGIs and instead try to take Druuge out with your main gun. A Druuge that does not press the attack at some point will be taken apart by your DOGIS. Once you have four DOGIs deployed, you can try to hit them from across the map.



[Earthling]

Outlook: Good. You have a decent chance of winning, but the damage you will likely sustain over the course of this encounter makes it one you should try to avoid.

Tactics: Fly straight towards the Earthling and shoot down incoming missiles with point blank shrapnel explosions. I prefer to fire off two blasts per missile just as they get close. If you do this right, you should be able to shoot down most missiles. If the Earthling cannot find the planet, you will eventually gain on them enough to ravage them at short range. If they manage to perform a gravity whip, you will have to line yourself up and catch them from the direction they are travelling in.



[Ilwrath]

Outlook: Excellent. Ilwrath stands no chance whatsoever against Chenjesu.

Tactics: Move towards Ilwrath and bomb them to death with your main gun. If they survive long enough to inflict any damage on you, you've screwed up somehow.



[Kohr-Ah]

Outlook: Bad. Kohr-Ah is faster and has more effective weaponry.

Tactics: In a direct shoot-out, you should win. Your photon shards deflect their spinning blades upon contact and inflict more damage when they land a direct hit. Unfortunately, that's about the only advantage you've got and most Kohr-Ah players aren't going to fight you head to head. Instead, plan for a long distance artillery battle. What you want to do is bombard Kohr-Ah while occasionally deploying DOGIs when you've got battery power to spare. Keep the pressure on them and they might buckle before you do. Dodge spinning blades when possible, but realize that you aren't maneuverable enough to avoid them altogether. Do not under any circumstance perform a gravity whip, it will only bring about your defeat that much sooner. If the Kohr-Ah gravity whips, do everything in your power to make sure it does not pass right by you. If it succeeds at this then you will probably lose your ship to a double flamewave. A gravity whipping Kohr-Ah is easiest to land shots on when it is travelling in your general direction, so try to attack it from the direction it is moving towards without moving directly into its path.



[Melnorme]

Outlook: Uncertain. The outcome of this fight is determined by the skill and luck of the Melnorme player. Chenjesu can do only a little to skew the results.

Tactics: Deploy DOGIs whenever you get a full battery and keep your distance as much as possible. Bombard Melnorme from long range and remember that their red charge will block your photon shards. You will probably have to do most of your damage with shrapnel because of this. DOGIs and asteroids can wreck the Melnorme's red charge, so prolonging the fight as much as possible raises the chance that your opponent will be left exposed. When Melnorme zooms in on you by gravity whip carrying a red charge, try and hit them with shrapnel but don't empty your battery firing on them until they've used up that charge first. You may be able to kill them before they escape you after that red charge is used up. Confusion pulses are very frustrating to deal with, but having four DOGIs deployed will often distract Melnorme enough that they don't get the opportunity to take advantage of it.



[Mmrnmhrm]

Outlook: Uncertain. Mmrnmhrm can wear down Chenjesu with its Y-Form missiles given enough time. Chenjesu's ordinance hits very hard, but is difficult to land on target.

Tactics: Try to keep your ship travelling away from the Mmrnmhrm at all times. If Mmrnmhrm can line up with the direction you're travelling and shoot back at you as you move towards them, the Mmrnmhrm will ravage you very quickly. The opposite position (them moving towards you while you fly away) is ideal, so try to maintain that. Mmrnmhrm moves very fast but turns like a pancake in Y-Form. Shrapnel strikes alone won't win you the match. You will need to land several direct hits. Mmrnmhrm might try to surprise attack you with its laser lance, in which case shrapnel spam destroys them easily. DOGIs are not very helpful during this match, but it doesn't hurt anything to deploy them during a lull in combat since you don't really need a full battery.

I think its worth noting that your own weapon can destroy a DOGI

Good call. I've added a sentence in there about that.