Advice for my Level 7 Core Network?

[Lily]

This is my layout.

[Fluffington]

Not bad design. As someone who used access and stealth a lot, I would generally avoid this base.

A couple of things:

1. What is that first turret going to do on that first code gate? Try and group it with the rest of the defence nodes so it gets supported

2. Move one of the sentries back. You only need one sentry in the defence clutter. The other one can be used to spread antivirus to your resources quicker.

3. Make more choke points. I see you've already done that with a scanner but I think you can make one more with the guardian. More choke examples here

Other than that, looks good!

[Lily]

1. The only non-stealth way to take out the second Code Gate (that wouldn't take fucking forever with Beam Cannon or Blaster) would be with a Battering Ram. Battering Ram takes up 1/3 slots on the first Code Gate if/when they capture it. The Turret being level 5 (for people around my level who'd be the ones trying in the first place) means they'd need at least 1 ICE-Wall, and if they don't notice the ICE-Wall being destroyed, the Turret can reclaim the Code Gate fairly fast. But only having 1 slot left to attack/defend against the Turret while waiting for the Code Gate #2 to be shattered will make it tough, or at least that's what I'm hoping.
2. Thank you for the advice!
3. I've read the thread, but can you help walk me through/explain it a little more? I'm slow at understanding things like this D: I'm also worried my level 1 Guardian is too weak and will only be a bigger vulnerability than a help/choke-point. Or I guess it being weak might be better since it can be easily retaken?

EDIT: Also, it's a little demoralizing sometimes to see how effective using like 30+ Beam Cannons + a dozen or so ICE-Walls is. Also, Blaster with its damage and disable is really irritating to go against. Any tips?

[Fluffington]

Hello, I see where youre coming at and its not bad thinking. However...

1. Have you actually seen this work? I like the idea of using the code gate as a tank, but if I were to hack you with, like you said, an ICE a beam and a battering ram, the beam would attack the turret first before going for the gate.

So while the turret is hitting my ICE wall, my beam is taking out your turret no problems. 1 beam and 1 ICE is enough to take down your turret even with a possible antivirus on your code gate firing on my ICE wall.

All this is happening while my battering ram is breaking your code gate. Once the turret is gone, theres also no hope of getting it back

This would be a different story, if the turret was linked up to other defence nodes that could reclaim it. Right now the defence meta is all in or nothing - meaning that you would have to clump your defences in choke points.

Straight onto point 3
Heres an example of a guardian choke point. I'll explain it too:

So once the attacker has broken through the code gate, the only way to the mixer is through the guardian. Lets assume that the code gate is the entry point of the attacker, and that the mixer is where the attacker wants to get to.

The attacker gets to the guardian, takes it down quickly because it has a low firewall. It has 4 attacking slots. Lets say they put down an ICE wall and 3 beam cannons

ICE wall doesnt even last a second because it has two turrets and a black ICE shooting at it. This combined with antivirus from the sentry.

Then all this damage from the defence nodes goes to the weak and unprotected guardian. If the attacker doesn't put down another defence virus like ICE wall or protecter, that guardian is taken back really fast.

When the guardian is taken back, those three beam cannons are gone and need to be replaced if the attacker wants to continue

The guardian also has shields around the 3 defence nodes protecting it, making it harder to take down the defence nodes. This is why guardians are such a good choke point!

On to your edit:
Yeah I feel you, you just need to get on their level. Upgrade your nodes

I find that high level code gates are really effective at dealing with mass beams as they take forever to take down. They are relatively cheap to upgrade too.

Using choke points too will help with (hopefully) clumsy attackers using this strategy.

Other than that, you just gotta play the game and upgrade your base

[Lily]

Thank you so much for all the help! ^^

[Lily]

Basically copied the full layout you had sans third Sentry on Database/Mixers (not high enough Core for that yet), and rerouted Core to a NetConnection because of Kraken atm and Code Gate being still relatively low level. Do you think it'll be okay?

Would you recommend me deleting my low-level Scanner to get a third Sentry instead and start upgrading that?
Or is keeping the Scanner there to at least have some measure against early-on Access/Wraith attempts against things like the Code Gate good?

[kingofsnipers]

I honestly would not do what you suggested, I quite like your layout.
It would minimally make me spend wraith on it, which is quite expensive (at least I consider it expensive).
So I think, having two scanners and two sentries at this lvl is optimal

[Lily]

Alright, thank you for the help! ^^

[Fluffington]

1 scanner is usually enough for me. I would trade it in for a 2nd mixer. My scanner is level 6.

[Lily]

But I'm fairly low level right now and so are my nodes, with my highest Scanner (the one in the back that actually matters) being only level 4.
If/when I get rid of the other Scanner, it'll be later when I'm higher level/have better nodes/more node slots/etc I guess?

Or would you say it's not worth it? @Fluffington/kingofsnipers
Because I feel like without the low-level early Scanner, they could just Wraith both Code Gates and then at least 2-3 of the 5 other defense mechanisms on the Guardian (5 including said Guardian).
Or depending on how fast Stealth works (IDK), they could even try to go for a Portal on the level 4 Scanner in the back.

Also, do scanners boost the passive 20/s stealth bar increase?

Also, what would you two (or others as well?) recommend as the upgrade order for the defense nodes in this layout?