----This tactic will only work against AI. It will never work against a human with half a brain------
This strategy is long term but easy to put into motion. It can be hard to deploy once all the required buildings are complete. Tactical missiles are used infrequently because of their strength and range; because of this the plan could work if pulled off correctly.
Take into account that this exact strategy won't work on everybody or every faction, so flexibility and quick thinking is key to not have wasted precious resources on a plan that fails on the get go.
Setup[]
This requires that your units be stealthy and/or not be provocative to your enemy lines. First establish your base with a sturdy defense: while you're focused on this strategy you be always pulling yourself away from your main constructions. Essentially SCU are the best builders to be used, but T3 engineers are the only other alternative. First setup a staging area just inside the range of your defenses. The buildings necessary are:
- T3 Land Factory(1): To build engineers and other units to support this base.
- T2 Artillery(5): These will be used as the primary land defense for this base so make sure you build these fast enough before your enemies think about engaging your builders.
- T3 Shield Generator(?): Just build enough to cover your staging area for defense.
- AA Flak(25-35) and SAMS(15-25): Build accordingly, if your enemies are using more land then air, you can use point defense to support you artillery, but the numbers of these defense structures is entirely up to you. Remember: there are few situations where you can have too much defense.
- T2 Tactical Missile Defense(2) and T3 Strategic Missile Defense(1): Build these first when you get approximately half way to the target base.
- T2 Tactical Missile Launcher(3): This is the main focal point of this staging area. These units can be used for defense against land attacks, but later on is when you`ll be using them for offense.
Intelligence[]
Intelligence is a key factor, seeing that you're virtually blind as you pursue your next building site, "Seeing around the Corner" is extremely useful but not completely necessary, even if your T3 Sensor reaches as far as you want it to.
Mass Production[]
After finishing your first Tactical staging area it's time to mass produce (this is where the "Network" part comes in). Build another staging area well within range of your T2 Artillery, but outside the sight range, or if you're really ambitious you can build them within SAM range for added protection, but this would take a lot longer. Keep copying this same principle and work your way up to the enemy's base. An "S" pattern in more effective but less cost efficient, but a straight line is less effective but more cost efficient. If you're up to the task you can build a T3 Heavy Artillery to pester the base your going after, but it's entirely up to you.
Action[]
After a while of this you should be getting pretty close to your opposition's base. Hopefully the defenses implemented in the other staging areas have proven useful. When your next Tactical Missile reaches the target base, the building plan changes slightly. Build more defense towers first (SAMs, Flak, Tactical Defense, Strategic Defense and Point Defense) in larger numbers since you're at a critical location that you can`t afford to lose. Once you feel that your defenses are adequate begin building 5 Tactical Missile launchers (or as many as you deem necessary). There you have it, a very capable Tactical Attack Network. Now you can bombard your enemy as much as you want with little worry about a counter attack from the opposition.
Targets[]
You should already know what targets to attack but here's a list from most important to the least:
-Shield Generators
-Experimentals (Alive or under construction)
-Commander then SCUs(If available)
-Mass Fabricators then Power Generators (T3 -> T2 -> T1)
-Strategic then Tactical Missile Launchers
-Air and Land Factories
-Remaining units and buildings.
Miscellaneous[]
I've attempted this strategy 4 times with a 50% success rate. I believe UEF is the best faction to use this strategy but I think Aeon, Cybran and Seraphim could sometimes pull this off.
ADDITION:
Tips for each faction:
Cybran can pull of this strategy pretty well early on, as their T2 Artillery has AOE and their shields are cheaply and quickly built, and they have the best stealth generator, and they can use their engineering station to build additional defenses later. However, as the game progresses, their weak shields and PD will fail you, as the shields aren't sturdy and the PD lacks damage. However, their T3 SAMs and T2 TMD are the best and will keep the base safe from air and tactical missiles reasonably well.
Seraphim should be very affective at this tactic, as their shields are very powerful and they have the best T2 PD. Also, they have great T2 artillery. A recommended tactic is to build these small bases mid-game, when you have the economy and building power to contend with their prices and build time. Try to capture an enemy engineer of any other faction to get better T3 AA, as the Seraphim T3 AA is the worst since it doesn't track targets. When starting to build a tactical network as the seraphim, do it late so that your T3 Mobile Shield Generators and T3 Siege Tanks can arrive to protect engineers or SACU's.
Aeon get to enjoy the benefits of their long-range T2 PD but it should be paired with T1 PD as the T2 has overkill. Aeon should try to establish Tactical Networks in the areas in between the back of naval base/beaches and mass extractors as their T2 assault tank and shield can hover {Seraphim can do the same thing better since they have better mobile shields and amphibious tanks but their mobile shield generators come later in the game, Cybran don't have any mobile shields, but they can combat submarines while on their way, then you can drop off a few engineers and mobile stealth when the area is secure}. The Aeon also feature a decent and not too expensive stationary shield generator, along with the best T3 mobile artillery, as it can move up and fire at the same time.
UEF have the best amphibious tank, so they can clear out both beaches, seas and land with this unit. Use it to control the ruins of a sea base you destroyed so you can reclaim and capture the remains with your engineers. Don't forget to make some of the engineers Sparky engineers so you can repel a counterattack more easily. Also, when you've set up a decent Tactical Network, make a few Spearheads to support against attacks. Utilize the Percival with the Riptide to have great ROF and DPS. Don't forget to add Ravagers to make your network impossible to destroy.
If you have all factions or you just are playing 4v4 with all factions on your team, then assuming that you and your team are doing this together, send in seraphim T3 shields supporting Riptide tanks, and secure the area with an airdrop of a few Aeon T3 mobile artillery. When have Aeon shields in the middle with seraphim shields behind so that you have an impenetrable barrier, in front of them have Ravagers then seraphim T2 PD and T2 artillery. Then have some a mix of cybran, UEF, and Aeon T3 SAMS and make the Tactical Missile Launcher cybran, as it has the best missiles, fire rate, and gets out of the launcher faster. Don't forget about SACU's to increase build speed, and use Kennel engineering drones to make the walls as since they fly they will fly around while building and their build range is pretty far so they don't have to stop building to move { I once stopped an army of loyalists by blocking them in since their army had no anti-air }. If you are near the shore then put a few HARMS in the water and put up some Aeon T2 artillery on shore to shoot down naval units. Don't forget to support the HARMS with Aeon T2 AA since it floats.