Killing the Generator?

Mauler · 2003-06-14, 05:24 PM

I've been wondering what are the conditions under which an attcking or defending force should resort to detroying the base's generator? Obviously, it would kill an enemy's ability to respawn there, but are there other factors as well? Sometimes my SL tells me to kill it and other friendlies urge me not to....I'm stuck. Could anyone give me a decent explanation on the generator and everything one needs to know about it?!

Sorry if this has been overed in another post...I searched but didn't quite find all the answers I was looking for.

Any insight on this would really be appreciated.

ColdbringeR · 2003-06-14, 05:50 PM

Basically, if you are attacking a very heavily guarded base, and you have been attacking this base for quite awhile, and no one can seem to start a hack on the CC (or keep it going), then you might want to consider taking out the generator first.

It is usually much harder for enemies to defend the generator and the control console. If they are all defending the control console, then chances are no one (or hardly anyone) is defending the generator. Either destroying the generator or starting a hack will prevent them from spawning at that base, and generally win the battle for you.

Another reason to destroy the generator would be if the base you are attacking is no longer connected to an allied base. If a base is not connected, then it cannot be hacked. However, if you destroy the generator, the base will gradually run out of power and eventually go neutral, in which case you can then hack it.

This will only work however if the base is relatively low on power, (30% tops) because it takes quite awhile for power to run out. Unless of course there is already a big battle going on, in which case the power will most likely already be running out rapidly.

Frozen-Monkey · 2003-06-14, 07:25 PM

another reason for destroying the generator is if your loosing that base, you can sabotage it so they cant use it, leaving the base neutral and useless

gonnagetyou · 2003-06-14, 07:41 PM

I would only do it if I was facing superior numbers and as long as I had some Engineer to repair it afterwards.

Mauler · 2003-06-14, 08:02 PM

Thanks guys...appreciate the valuable info!

Streamline · 2003-06-14, 08:16 PM

Also you cannot repair equipment that you don't own. So you can't blow the gen, clean the base, and think you can fix the gen and everything be peachy.

This all OFN but i don't think you can talk about it enough.

Don't gen kill if:

1) You have a hack in place.
2) You have a lattice and the NTU is really low anyway. Yes, killing the gen will deplete the NTUs. But so will blowing the tubes.

A good time to gen kill... The base was nuetral. The enemy has a hack in place and refilled the NTU silo. You own no towers. You are way out numbered and about to loose your AMS.

ColdbringeR · 2003-06-15, 05:26 AM

Originally posted by Stream|ine
Also you cannot repair equipment that you don't own. So you can't blow the gen, clean the base, and think you can fix the gen and everything be peachy.

This all OFN but i don't think you can talk about it enough.

Don't gen kill if:

1) You have a hack in place.
2) You have a lattice and the NTU is really low anyway. Yes, killing the gen will deplete the NTUs. But so will blowing the tubes.

A good time to gen kill... The base was nuetral. The enemy has a hack in place and refilled the NTU silo. You own no towers. You are way out numbered and about to loose your AMS.

You cannot repair an enemy owned egenerator, (not even if the base is being hacked by your epmire) but i believe you can repair a neutral one. Once the power is run out of the base (from destroying the gen) the base would be neutral and then it could be repaired. If you were trying to use this tactic though, then you would need an ANT anyway, in which case you wouldn't really even need to repair the generator until the base was captured anyway.

Also i thought of one more specific reason in which attacking the generator would prove useful. If you were close to finishing the hack on a base with 10% power left, and ANTs are just waiting to refuel it, then it wouldnt hurt to take out the gens and make the base neutral so that the ANTs can refuel it before the hack completes. Then you can simply repair the generator afterwards and be on your way.

This would eliminate the risk of capturing the base just to have it run out of power a split second later. This would also reduce the chances of your ANT/ANTs getting picked off by a reaver or a determined tank, while they're just sitting there like ducks.

Streamline · 2003-06-15, 05:56 AM

I believe that when you have hack in place on a base with 10% ntu. Then run out. The still goes nuetral and you gotta rehack and your timer starts over.

Blowing tubes is always better than blowing the gen and basicly accomplishes the same thing.

If you are capping a base that is relitively close to another enemy base. Where the enemy can send reinforcments. Then go over to the base they are coming from and blow their gen. This will keep them from retaliating alot faster and harder than they would or could.

In theory you can basiclly lockout another empire without ever capping a base. If you could blow every generator at every base and every tube at every tower. As long as they don't have an AMS to spawn at. They'll be loggin closet time at the sanctuary as soon as they die. But these are extreme conditions.

ColdbringeR · 2003-06-15, 06:10 AM

Originally posted by Stream|ine
I believe that when you have hack in place on a base with 10% ntu. Then run out. The still goes nuetral and you gotta rehack and your timer starts over.

Blowing tubes is always better than blowing the gen and basicly accomplishes the same thing.

If you are capping a base that is relitively close to another enemy base. Where the enemy can send reinforcments. Then go over to the base they are coming from and blow their gen. This will keep them from retaliating alot faster and harder than they would or could.

In theory you can basiclly lockout another empire without ever capping a base. If you could blow every generator at every base and every tube at every tower. As long as they don't have an AMS to spawn at. They'll be loggin closet time at the sanctuary as soon as they die. But these are extreme conditions.

If a base runs out of power while it's being hacked, it does not stop the hack. If the base does not have any power once the hack is finished though, then the base is not captured and all XP is pretty much lost.

The biggest downside about attacking a generator is that is generally takes quite awhile for the NTU level to drain from loss of generator alone. I believe enemies can spawn at a base with a disabled generator as well, just not a neutral base (a base with no NTUs).

NightWalker XI · 2003-06-15, 06:17 AM

I never saw the point in destroying the generator....

Doppler · 2003-06-15, 08:30 AM

Once they implement defenders being able to spawn in and use a hacked facilitys equipment terms blowing the gens will be much more strategicly sound/mandatory, as it stands i seldom do it.

MrVulcan · 2003-06-15, 09:02 AM

Until the new defence stuff is in game )can spawn with a hack in place, energy walls, etc) the only reason to hit the gen is if it is a base that is well behind the lines. It is nice to hit it to take it off the lattice system, and create a good hackable base in the middle of nowhere.

Kyler · 2003-06-15, 10:46 AM

I dont know how to quote someone, so here it is:
". I believe enemies can spawn at a base with a disabled generator as well, just not a neutral base (a base with no NTUs)."

I tought the opposite, i tought killing the generator would actually prevent spawning in a base, that it would induce the same effect as being neutral.
I know for a fact i was in a base with a blown generator before and i could not buy anything from the terminals, it would say that the base was unpowered, NTU levels were high....

In this line of tought, it is VERY sound to kill the gen.
In some bases, the Gen is not near the CC, in thoses instances, it may be easier to access it the the CC. If the Gen is on the same floor as the CC, go for the CC unless you are the lone wolf sneaking in and cant get a hack alone.

Example, Amp stations have a CC at top floor, Gen in basement, can be easier to sneak in.
Bio lab (we got plenty of thoses), CC in the basement, Gen on the roof...

MilitantB0B · 2003-06-15, 02:27 PM

The only time I find it usefull to blow the generator is when the base is no longer in your lattice.

Often times, my squad will spend a long time trying to take a base. While we are doing that, the enemy hacks the next base in their lattice, disconecting the base we are fighting over. Knowing that we can't take this base anymore I tell my squad to go ahead without me while I take out the generator. just a nice little way to leave.

Lonehunter · 2003-06-15, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by Kyler
I dont know how to quote someone, so here it is:
". I believe enemies can spawn at a base with a disabled generator as well, just not a neutral base (a base with no NTUs)."

When you want to quote someone's post, look in the bottom right corner of their post and click on the quote button.