Advanced strategy guide : Reaction[ | ]
We have seen in the basics section the common openings that do not use advanced units. In this article, we're going to see some openings that take advantage of advanced units. Obviously, the more advanced units in the set, the more possibilities of good openings, so it is impossible to be exhaustive. In this one, we'll stick to base set +1 We'll use the same notation as used in the previous section, to which we add 1 for building the advanced unit.
For example : 2.D1 means "on turn 2, build a Drone and the advanced unit"
Advanced Drones[ | ]
Advanced Drones are all the advanced units produce gold passively each turn.
Auric Impulse[ | ]
Auric Impulse is pretty much a Drone on steroids : as long as you keep buying it and feeding it an energy per turn, it is no different from a Drone, thus the openings are similar and will greatly vary depending on the rest of the set. However, at any point, you have the ability to stop buying another one and thus having a sizeable boost for one turn. So buying some instead of Drones before a big purchase like Lucina Spinos can help you.
Trinity Drone[ | ]
There is no good standard opening with Trinity Drone for P1, at least not when the unit is alone.
However, as P2 you have this wonderful line : 1.DD 2.DDC 3.D1. Then you are left with 6 gold. Either buy Animus or Blastforge or a third Engi plus a Conduit. This opening has the same efficiency as a classic third conduit opening if you click the Trinity Drone, but you keep the possibility open to not go for a third Engineer, or even to not click the Trinity and keep the G. For any set that has only Trinity as advanced Drone, that is the line to go for P2 (except if you need your Drones alive for stuff like Savior ...).
Thorium Dynamo[ | ]
Arguably the most efficient Advanced Drone, there is a line for both P1 and P2, with little variance : P1 has 1.DD 2.D1 3.DD. This is the most efficient line as it spends all your resources each turn. Also, you keep enough resources to be able to defend in case of an early aggression.
P2 has 1.DD 2.11 3.D. This one is quite efficient because you get 2 of the best Drones there are, but it leaves you vulnerable to aggression from your opponent, as on turn 3 you're left with 3 gold only. If aggression is a thing in the set, you will prefer the less efficient but safer option 1.DD 2.D1 3.D1 (you can adapt your turn 3 to your needs, for instance 3.DB or 3.DA).
If aggression is a thing and P2 still went for the unsafe route, as P1 you can punish with the Evil Animus : 1.DD 2.D1 3.A. That will let you build attackers on the following turn, and P2 will not be able to prepare defense with only 3 gold left on his turn.
Vivid Drone[ | ]
As P1, Vivid Drone let you build a third Engineer in a set where you're unsure of being able to do it : if your opponent replies aggressively, instead of building 3.DDD you can build 3.D1 and still have some resources left to buy a C, B or A. Apart from that, if the set is very Red and aggressive, there is this line : 1.DD 2.A1 which lets you build an animus very fast without cutting too much economy. Last but not least, P1 has a high economy line using Vivid Drone : 1.EE1 2.11 3.DDDD, followed by either 4.DDDD for maximum economy, or mixing Vivids in order to get some tech (such as 4.DDB1 or 4.A11)
As P2, there is also a high economy line : 1.EE1 2.DD1 3.DDDD, and you can also adapt the turn 3 by buying some Vivids instead of Drones and getting tech earlier (such as 3.DDC1 or 3.A11). Apart from that, P2 also has the possibility to opt for a more aggressive build with 1.DD 2.A1, but it is not as efficient as P1 because you float 2 gold.
Wild Drone[ | ]
Wild Drone has overall the exact same efficiency as a normal Drone, however it is more flexible in openings. The tradeoff is that is enables abuses from your opponent.
As for the openings, P1 has the high economy 1.E11 2.111 3.DD1. However, that makes P1 very vulnerable to abuses and a good part of his economy is exposed, therefore you might want to add more normal Drones if the Wilds get targetted. There is also the aggressive 1.DD 2.A1 which is quite similar to the Vivid opening, but weaker : you get 1 gold less overall, and your Wild is vulnerable.
P2 has similar options : 1.DE1 2.DD1 followed by whatever you want : 3.DDD, 3.DDDE for even more economy, 3.B111 for faster Blue... And for an aggressive set, P2 has 1.DD 2.A11 which is good value.
Galvani Drone[ | ]
There are no real openings with Galvanis only, just some aggressive openings which are pretty obvious (but as you could say the same for Vivid and Wild, here you are : P1's 1.DD 2.A11 and P2's 1.DD 2.DA1).
As a side note, when playing Galvanis, keep the Galvani count low enough to be powered up by your Engineers, including the casualties on defense (as a general rule, only rebuy Galvanis when your opponent kill yours, and usually stick with 3 max). When playing against Galvanis, don't target them unless :
- you get an abuse of your opponent's defense from that
- or you make your opponent overtech (he's not able to spend all his tech)
- or it stops him from buying something powerful
Mega Drone[ | ]
There is no real opening for Mega Drone, it depends on what else is in the set. Simply try to set up a 4 attack permanent force (it is hardly worth it to spend temporary attack on a Mega Drone) on a turn that you have 3 Engineers ready (don't forget the 3 energy cost !). On the other hand, If your opponent is setting up for a 4 attack on 3 energy, feel free to be lax on defense (defending with a Rhino or other inefficient defender), but still defend anyway : if you don't, your opponent will breach and not buy the Mega Drone.
Doomed Drone[ | ]
There are no specific openings with Doomed Drone for P1, usually you throw in a mix of normal Drones and Doomed ones depending on how much you have and what you need.
For mid to high economy, P2 has a good opening with 1.DE1 followed by a mix of normal Drones or more Doomed depending on what you need.
Apart from that, here's a little tip on its usage : if your Doomed Drone is on 1-lifespan and can block damage, keep it on defense to get the maximum value from it.
Specific units[ | ]
Some units have openings that are tailored to them and you would not use in any other case.
Flame Animus[ | ]
Flame Animus is an aggressive option, usually used along with Shadowfang and other Red aggressive units.
For P1, it goes : 1.DD 2.DB 3.D1, usually followed by 4.DD1.
For P2, usually following P1's lead : 1.DD 2.DB 3.D1 4.D1 or 4.DW to defend the opposing Flame Animus. If there is a 2 or lower cost advanced Drone in the set as well (let's say a Vivid Drone in position 2), you can even consider 1.B2 2.12 in order to get the priority on the aggression.
Zemora Voidbringer[ | ]
Zemora is a slow, but very efficient unit. Avoid buying it in an aggressive set.
Zemora will be build usually with a natural Conduit for P2 : 1.DD 2.DDC 3.DDC 4.DD1.
P1 will however get it first with 1.DD 2.DC 3.DDC 4.DD1. You cut a drone, but you get the Zemora a turn earlier.
In both cases, don't forget to add a few Conduits before Zemora is up (having 4 or 5 Conduits on the turn Zemora is firing is good, then you need to buy the missing Conduits to get to 8 or 10 Conduits). Keep an eye on your Green resources in order to make sure you can fire it each turn.
Gauss Fabricator[ | ]
Gauss Fabricator is like Zemora : slow, but a ton of value for its cost. It's even slower than Zemora because you won't be able to defend at all for the first turns. However, it also provides breachproof, given enough time.
P1 has a good line for it, using 2 or 3 Conduits (depending on the Green units in the set) : 1.DD 2.DD 3.DCC 4.DD 5.DD1 (or alternatively 4.DDC 5.D1 for an extra Conduit).
P2 Also has a good line for it, and will get it earlier, but with 3 Conduits : 1.DD 2.DDC 3.DCC 4.1. It will also require to cut more Drones, so it is not an economical option.
Urban Sentry[ | ]
P2 has a natural line for Urban Sentry : natural Conduit Blastforge 1.DD 2.DDC 3.DDB 4.DD1.
P1 can get it a turn earlier, but will have to cut a Drone for it : 1.DD 2.DD 3.DCB 4.DD1.
These also work for Redeemer, but you rarely want Redeemer as your first attacker : it doesn't have enough value.
Deadeye Operative[ | ]
P1 has one good line for using Deadeye with a mid econommy setting : 1.DD 2.DDE 3.DDD 4.DBB 5.DDD1
P2 has a two lines depending on the size of the economy you want : 1.DD 2.DD 3.DBB 4.DD1 for aggressively sniping your opponent's Drones or 1.DD 2.DDE 3.DDD 4.DDBB 5.DDD1 for a higher economy.
Tatsu Nullifier[ | ]
P2 can also punish a third Engineer from P1 with a Tatsu Nullifer rush : 1.DD 2.DD 3.DAA 4.1 and then add as many Tatsus as you can afford. Works better if there is R sink, particularly cheap defense, as you're stuck with 12RRRR (or less if you have to hold Drones) for the whole game. Again, I don't know of any specific line using Tatsu for P1.