Taking on Alien bases early?

[Junion]

I honestly have ulterior motives for asking this..but the answer I want is the same non the less.

So one of my maps I'm playing on..had a relatively not good start. All resources have alien bases pretty close them. My main spot to get oil, has a view of an alien base if I pan out fully (my iron was also there). My good iron expansion strait south of it.

I tried going at some bases early without using turret creep, and had issues even taking down a single base.

Which brings me to my question. Is there a good way to take down alien bases before you tech up decent capsules and stuff? Or do yo just really need those distracters and poison capsules to take on a base?

How early can people take on an alien base, without using turret creep? (which apparently there are plans to put a stop to).

[silman]

I took out about 15 alien bases (with giant worms in each one) by crashing cars into the spawners and running away. Then you make another car to do a drive-by pick up of the alien artifacts (or just leave them until you can face the worms, they won't de-spawn). I've gone through a hell of a lot of cars, but in the end i was able to clear out a good sized area for my factory during the early stages of the game.

[n9103]

For me, it depends on if there's anything larger than small worms or medium biters.
If not, then I can take down any reasonable base (say 6 or less spawners?) with just an SMG and standard ammo. If a majority of the creeps are medium, and I don't have piercing ammo, then I'd probably put a small turret base up nearby (say 4x2) to retreat to when there get to be too many/in between surgical strikes.
If there are bigger threats, then I just nope out of there until laser turrets and turret creep, if it happens to be a critical resource patch. (Nothing else nearby or less defended.)
If it's bigger threats, and not a critical resource, I don't bother until power armor, shields and capsules. (Or at least until cars, and defenders are automated.)

Personally, I don't really bother with poison capsules, as the risk seems too high in taking on a base that deems them worthwhile. Before shields, it's too easy to die to the medium and big worms, and after, it's usually easy enough to just step/drive aways for a few to recharge your shields and repair.

[DerivePi]

I beeline for piercing ammo and try to clear out all of the locals as soon as I get about 30 clips per hive. Worms are avoided until I get poison.

[DaveMcW]

I take out single spawners with the shotgun only.

When the swarm moves in on you, start firing. Retreat a bit to keep them in the shotgun cone if needed, but remember you need to kill them before more spawn. When you get in range of the spawner, dance around the single biters to keep them between you and the spawner so you can kill both at once.

With steel armor and an AP machine gun you can handle up to 3 spawners.

Worms are indeed a problem. Turret creep and poison capsules are the main way of dealing with them. I guess you could stock up on fish if you want to solo them, but it's much easier to leave them alone until you have poison.

[-root]

I'd probably put a small turret base up nearby (say 4x2) to retreat to when there get to be too many/in between surgical strikes.

This.

If you gun for the spawners each time you enter the biter base, you'll reduce the overall biter numbers gradually.

In the early game its tough though.

[Junion]

Ok, I thought some of the answers given might be pretty much what is needed..sadly.

The carbombing method is amusing though. The nearby base makes sense, is something I tried..it's just rough to walk in.

Still, it sounds pretty much like how I thought, but I'd like to hear if anyone else has methods for taking them on early. Because right now if your resource spots are a bit too spread out (like my maps apparently do naturally...) then you wind up with a bit of a rough time due to biter bases being in the way..though I spose I can find ways round em...I did manage to walk in and wall off a large iron deposit, plus give it some defenses, before the bitey ones got too close.

[xnmo]

If there are only small biters and worms still it is easy to clear them out as long as you have a good chunk of the green science military research done, you don't even need an offensive turret wall. In my most recent game there was only 2 iron deposits (one extremely small) in the safe zone, and there were quite a few bases close by so going after them early was really helpful. What I used was just 1 or 2 defender drones for support as well as grenades and shotgun with speed upgrades. Grenades are great against small enemies and useable against medium ones. You don't really need poison capsules until big worms start appearing, and even then you don't really need them if you just use laser turrets, or later on distractor capsules.