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Original work done by Willis of LoK
Comments in blue are from Coyote25.

Using Vtols

Vtol's are rarely considered legal, and when they are they serve little usage. Because a little AA is all it takes to destroy the vtols. One of the biggest things to know is to never use vtols at the beginning of a game because you wont have anything to defend against a tank attack. Another thing to remember is to not continue creating them when your opponent is starting to make AA. Making stronger vtols may seem the thing to do, but SAM AA is easy to reach and can destroy more powerful vtols with ease. Also since stronger vtols cost more, and you could put that power to better use.

(coyote25 observation - legal or no - they do serve a very useful purpose and that is as base defense / roving sensor platform - uncovers a greater amount of terrain than a sensor tower, although the contact, when it is made, is only visible for a short time, it can give you an early warning of an impending attack.)

When using vtols though there are really only three types that are useful in the game, which are hyper velocity cannon, bunker buster, and pulse laser. Bunker busters are good for the T1 level, with little wall research they can kill bunkers in one shot. And since people can commonly forget to research AA in T1, its easy to take out A LOT of bunkers from just a few vtols. Giving you a great lead for how your power is spent. Also if going aggressive, it saves your tanks from being destroyed by the bunkers. Hyper velocity Cannon is more of a T3 level weapon. They are great for killing oil wells and trucks, and some base structures, Not defense. later in the game, pulse laser is the tool to use, but they work well with reptilian body, since that type can take in damage from the smaller types of AA. Pulse is the all around assassin for trucks and structures, but above all things go for trucks and factories, if he has no factories to make trucks, and no trucks to make factories, he's as good as dead.

If being attacked by vtols, make AA near your defense, (if you have defenses) and make some in front and behind your base. That way when they attack, there is not a safe location. The biggest thing to do, is never build too much AA. Your opponent may have spent so much power to make the vtols, but that's no reason to spend about 5x as much power in just AA. Its easy to trick a person into doing that by only making a few vtols and pretending it to be many, that way the opponent thinks they are being bombarded and that a little AA wont help. My own rule of thumb is that if you see them making some Vtols make a little AA around your base and defenses, just maybe 3-4 pieces of it in different areas, but if he starts attacking with a lot of vtols, then start making AA to fight them off.
(coyote25 observation - don't wait - when / if you have the power make aa emplacements after a few defensive mounts - because you never know if the opponent is honorable or not. They may say - oh no we don't use vtols - and the next minute - your wiped out - he lied. Never assume - because it only makes an ASS out of U and ME - from an experience comes knowledge - use it or don't.)