In late game Phoenix Point needs aircraft to explore the Ancient Resources… and it is “free” for only -6 diplomacy.
Against our late game overpower team, other human factions can´t have a chance to fight it, so to get an aircraft we only have to steal it for 6 diplomacy penalty, what is easily recovered by destroying a nest/lair/citadel.
Stole an aircraft and kill the guards is an act of war, penalty should be much higher… like -25 diplomacy and the risk to have a war with that faction, what is impossible to happen like the game is now.
Player never builds aircraft, waisting resources and time, when can have it for -6 diplomacy with zero risk (even in legendary it is almost impossible to lose a soldier in late game vs other human factions unless player plays real bad moves).
This is not an “exploit” - describing it in this way is just melodrama.
I accept that it is not hard in late game to carry out a valid “steal aircraft” mission and then recover the faction lost by clearing a nest/lair - but this is the game as designed, and actually playing that game is not “exploiting”.
It would be like me going to buy an item in a closing-down sale at a fraction of the normal price and then being accused of being a thief.
It is an exploit because is a lame strategy that i am describing here and is giving ideas to one more way to destroy the challange of the game.
Against overpowered super hero late game team, is impossible to human factions to even kill a soldier, and fight back. Is just a slaughter massacre and the penalty is lose -6 diplomacy that easily recover cleaning a nest. So aircraft is free.
You do well. Meanwhile devs don´t correct this kind of exploits of stealing other humans without (or almost) no consequences, the fair way to play this game is a self rule of non attacking other humans.
Anyway, in late game, you have near 100 diplomacy with all other factions, if you drop to 90 is still good relations that you easily put in 100 again doing a mission agaisnt pandora nest/lair.
An EXPLOIT is breaking the terms of service you agree to when you buy the game. An exploit is a borderline criminal or contractual offence. It is something the game was not designed to be used for. It is something the developers can take action against you for doing.
Raiding havens to steal aircraft is none of those things. It is a valid game action that is built into the game deliberately by the developers. It is something that a new player buying the game TODAY might do immediately as there are directions inside the game to allow raiding havens. It is part of the very fabric of the game design.
If we use your definition, then any player who plays the game as it was intended and designed to be played is an EXPLOITER. This is not the case.
I get that you think it is overpowered. I get that you think it is lame. Others will agree with you. I partially agree with you myself, although I do not go as far as you do.
But that does not make it an EXPLOIT. The use of this language invalidates much of your argument.
That is a matter of english that obviously is not my native language as i am portuguese.
Anyway, the ideia, is that is a fault in the devs program of the game. It is not logical that when you trade you have a cooldown to can trade again with that Haven, and in this kind of mission you can do it until stamina soldiers is finish. That is a fault of the game, and for me use it, is exploit a fault of the game programers (or other word you can use it for.
That is complety different from the penalty of doing this action is so soft (-6 diplomacy).
Raiding Havens for a small penalty of the game is a valid action of the game as you say, do it 4 times in a row is to “exploit” a fault in devs programing imo.
It’s not only with Aircraft but resources too. You can raid heavens for enough resources to build every building in every base and still remain 100/100/100. Maybe some Heaven leaders will be peeved off, but they will still trade with you.
That is true and also a fault in the game basic programing allow player attack several time in a row (until soldiers have stamina) the same Haven for resources.
Like it is now, to have a fair game player should not attack other human Havens, or at maximum only one time and don´t repeat it.
Limiting raiding abilities should be done, but not only in a diplomacy way.
Raiding 2 times research center before used to destroy it, so raiding at least that heaven became unavailable. You are punished by not being able to trade it.
Just a little inner AI that if aircraft is stolen, no more aircraft of same sort appear for few months is punishment enough.
I find game pushing towards stealing a plane since it enables faster exploration and resource discovery, much much earlier. I dont mind making an aircraft not because of price, but because few days needed is critical in game time.
So if game had slower “evolution and attack mania progress” less raiding would be needed, plus it needs to be limited.
If so i don’t understand why it is no more. That is a good measure.
Everything to punish player from attacking other human factions and kill other humans is realistic imo. And stole aircraft should be an act of war… with - 25 diplomacy to that faction at least.