Massive Action Game fansite: The DUST and Slay Connection

Monday, July 23, 2012

The DUST and Slay Connection

It is no accident that CCP has had people playing Slay at E3 and in PSN Home to win Beta access to DUST. The game of Slay is still going on strong today in EVENT HORIZON (CCP Space in Home) granting people DUST Dropsuits for their avatars in Home. But is there something more to this small little game then just winning cool stuff? I believe there is.

“Helpful guide to playing Slay

Slay Maps and DUST districts are both made up of Hexagons that from my knowledge of DUST you can only attack a district that is adjacent (Next) to your own. This causes a greater strategy within DUST to the point of a true Real Time Strategy in every aspect of the term. You could look at DUST planetary takeover as just a game of Slay between two Commanders in War barges and Space bridges looking down at their little Hexagons and planning where to hit next.

“Should your territory be split into two, you will get two separate capitals, and very often you can find yourself in a situation where you can't afford your units and you will go bankrupt…”

Helpful guide to playing Slay

So picture this. You are an attacking Commander launching an invasion upon a planet with 300 of your best troops. You are engaging multiple districts at one time ordering your MCC Commanders where to strike next. You decide the best course of action is to take over the outer districts of four prime pieces of territory before attacking them. You succeed in completely isolating the area at every boarder, cutting it off from the rest of its owned territory. Now what happens to it? Any forces remaining within this enclosed area will now suffer penalties and also be cut off from and incoming supplies, making them easier to take over if otherwise highly fortified. Which bring us back to the Slay tactics of bankrupting your opponent and bring forth an easier victory for you and your forces.