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[Taricus]

That's the thing though, COULD they actually bug their troops out in those circumstances?

[RAM]

According to the rules, yes, that is all that you can do when cut off, retreat.

[Chiefwaffles]

Troops can be extracted unless there's a blockade in orbit around their planet. What Moerth did this turn was loading up two of their ITCs with equipment, then extracting the troops on C3 and A3 to new sites. This is about the max you can do with ITC's, but as you had already expended all your fighters on B2 at this point, their transports were able to move without resistance.
Sorry if I was vague, but I had assumed that my wording of the rules regarding retreating were clear enough, as "retreat" doesn't have to be to one specific place. Please feel free to PM me if you feel wronged by anything this update.Combat Phase of 2209

Most of our efforts this year are in the realm of orbital combat. Hoping the Moerth warship was still located at B2, we sent ITCs #2 and #3 there, loaded with our new A-ASF-8s.
We were in luck.

Telemetry was gathered and sent with the launching ITCs as they left Amaok. We had gathered data of their warship's location based on our ITC's last encounter with it. Using some very broad telescope data along with an extreme amount of hope, we predicted the warship's location when our would arrive. It relied on the IMW not adjusting its orbit significantly, but it worked in the end. In their report, Central Command includes a subtle note that they would really like better detection and/or communication equipment. We got lucky this time.

ITC #2 was unable to obtain the advantage of surprise. According to the report from ITC #3, ITC #2 was already deploying its complement of A-ASF-8s, but the extremely long deployment time allowed their warship to adjust its heading. Only three fighters were deployed when a volley of Moerth missiles ripped apart ITC #2, obliterating it and the remaining two fighters inside. Of the surviving two fighters, one was destroyed in another missile volley. The last A-ASF-8 began to empty its unguided missiles at the warship, with only one missile ultimately hitting.
Surprisingly, this missile didn't destroy the ship as we expected. The missile detonated as intended and there was massive damage to the ship (according to our pilots), but it didn't cause the warship to be completely destroyed; just crippled. Luckily, it was then that ITC #3's first fighter arrived. We had one more positive missile hit, destroying the Moerth warship.
We've also took the opportunity to perform some basic intelligence regarding Moerth's warship. This is the sole aspect helped by our lack of targeting systems, as when our fighters were close-up and engaging, they took some pictures. The photos reveal that the Moerth warship is clearly based off of an ITC. If anything, it looks like they made some minor modifications to one and called it a day. Rows of missile pods are situated on the front.

With the warship threat dealt with, ITC #3 dispatched its accompanying courier with news of the battle and began shuttle deliveries of ABR-1s planetside. The remaining fighter was deployed to cover the shipment, but no hostiles were encountered. The four A-ASF-8s remaining in orbit were loaded onto ITC #3, and once the shuttles were back, brought to Amaok. ITC #3 made another trip to pick up the remaining A-ASF-8 that had landed on the planet, and arrived just recently. A bit after the battle, our troops reported Moerth transport shuttles bringing down new supplies, and without any remaining fighters, we were forced to do nothing as the Moerth presence on B2 was reinforced.
The Orbital Zone of B2 is now Conflicted.
Amaok has lost ITC #2 and 3 A-ASF-8s. These vessels will be unavailable next Combat Phase.


With the new ABR-1s distributed to our entire Unit on B2, we started to gain ground. It was only when new a Moerth shipment arrived that the tabled were turned. Their transports to B2 had clearly included another Unit as well as some kind of new weapon. Our soldiers reported amusement at first; what kind of Moerth "invention" could best the perfect ABR-1? But we were surprised.
Rifles shooting missiles. That's what Moerth is fielding now. Their new rifles are distributed to the bulk of their forces, and instead of traditional rounds, they fire micro-missiles. The missiles are clearly unguided and have limited explosive power, but Moerth replaced their bullets with missiles. Our soldiers' morale experienced a significant drop when instead of falling over dead, their comrades started exploding. The rifles - evidently called "Bolters" as heard from multiple occasions of cheering Moerth soldiers - don't have enough explosive power to usually affect more than one person, but the missiles pierce our Kevlar with extreme ease. The part where the missiles explode inside the person ensures a very high fatality rate from Moerth Bolters. Occasionally, we see reports of particular near-misses still exploding in the ground, injuring adjacent troop(s).


But despite this, the battle wasn't a disaster. Their missiles are notably innacurate at range, allowing our ABR-1s to easily wipe up the opposition. In short-range, they intentionally avoid using the Bolters. Though apparently there have been several occasions where Moerth soldiers did use Bolters in close-proximity, usually resulting in missing hands for the wielder. At moderate range, where their new weapon has a reliable accuracy, we experience much less luck. The ABR-1 can hold its ground quite well against the Bolter, but the lethality of the Bolter, its armor-piercing, morale effects, and damaging near-misses all result in us losing ground at an alarming rate.
This advantage is compounded by Moerth reinforcements. Accompanying their Bolters is another Unit, reinforcing the clear outnumbering tactics that Moerth is embracing recently. With just the Bolters, we would have been able to hold our ground (at least for this year, if not longer), but with more Moerth soldiers in the field we simply start having to retreat.

Their Commander seems to be embracing their numbers and is just sending soldiers straight past the killing zones our ABR-1 marksmen and straight into moderate range where they still outnumber us and begin taking full advantage of their weapon. Eventually our own troops begin adapting slightly more guerilla techniques, with more skilled marksmen lying concealed in the various growths and hurting their numbers by small amounts. In most engagements, we begin to scatter our soldiers. They may be on the winning side in our standard engagements, but the ABR-1 makes many of their victories pyrrhic at best. Close-up, it's a return to the pistols for the most part and Moerth still leaves the victor in the majority of these skirmishes. They can thank that to their continuing minor advantage in pistols.

Miraculously, we just barely hold our ground thanks to the ABR-1 and our standing territorial advantage from last year, but Moerth is extremely close to pushing us out of one of the zones next year. Our Commander is concerned, as while armor countering their new weapon is a good idea, it may be extraordinarily difficult to design armor that can protect its wearer from explosives. If we could build on our long range or at least eliminate their short range advantage, then we may be able to slightly shift the tides of the battle. The Commander does attempt to remind us in his report that while their new weapons are devastating, the ABR-1 remains an excellent weapon on par with it. Expanding our equipment in other areas may be the best idea. Reinforcements would be of huge help here too.
Neither side has gained ground at Planet B2. [M: 1/3, A: 1/3]


In the nights on A3 and C3, Moerth troops are evacuated from the planet. For a brief period during this evacuation, their forces begin wielding Bolters, keeping us from stopping their evacuation. But ultimately, Moerth retreats from A3 and C3 and our forces begin to secure the rest of the planets. After next year, our Commanders report they'll have finished the infrastructure on the planets necessary for resource extraction. With an ITC assigned to one of these planets, civilians can be brought over and the ITC can start shipping the resource to Amaok.
Amaok has gained ground at A3 and C3. [A: 3/3] If they hold it for another year they will gain access to the resources here.


Moerth forces land on A2 this year, meeting our stationed Unit. This is the first site where our Armoured Spacesuits are tested, and while they give us the edge in pistol battles close-range, their Bolters cut through it just like they did our Kevlar on B2. Without the advantage of our ABR-1, we swiftly lose ground here. The same thing we did last year to them with our ABR-1s is happening to us: Our soldiers are getting annihilated as they desperately try to close the gap to engage with their pistols. It isn't as bad because their Bolters don't work as well at long range, but it still hurts us a lot.

Our Commander at A2 tells us that some ABR-1s would be really nice. The Armoured Spacesuits help us by small amounts, but with ABR-1s our Unit on A2 could perhaps hold its ground long enough for a new design to be brought in. That, and the barren terrain of A2 makes our ABR-1s a bit more effective against their medium-range Bolters.
Moerth has gained ground at A2. [M: 1/3, A: 2/3]


C2 is the last planet with conflict on its surface. Here, the Moerth troops also seem to receive another shipment of Bolters. Only one of their two Units on the planet begins fielding the Bolters, but it's more than enough and with just pistols and spacesuits, our forces are absolutely demolished.
They no longer use an ITC for transport around the planet, but with their continued heavy advantage from last year plus the introduction of Bolters, it only becomes more devastating for our men.

The Commander is requesting IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY EVAC NOW. His words. Our forces are all in hiding scattered across various islands and without evacuation they'll certainly be eliminated. He's also requesting some kind of support for the evacuation - shuttles are an obvious thing, and currently our forces may not be able to hold off the enemy if we evacuate. Including better weapons, reinforcements, or orbital support may either help in evacuation or if enough, help us regain some ground. He again requests for a water-based vehicle. "It could also help in other planets like the seas of B2!" he says.
Moerth has gained ground at C2. [M: 3/3, A: 0/3] If they hold it for another year they will gain access to the resources here.

Spoiler: Amaok Designs (click to show/hide)

Interplanetary Transport Craft: A primitive “shuttle” capable of carrying a unit and basic equipment to another planet. It’s quite large, and built completely in space. Docked to it are SSTO rocket shuttles designed with just enough fuel to carry things to/from planetside and return. However, the lack of large empty spaces in the shuttle and craft as well as limited fuel in the rocket shuttles means it can’t carry “heavy” things. The ITC relies on efficient chemical engines for thrust and powers essential systems via solar panels. While it can still carry units, the ITC cannot carry any item with a minimum weight above 1 CU.
Cargo: 4 CU
Expense: 3x
Resources: Metal, Exotics

A-ASF-8 Light Combat Vessel: A tiny "fighter" designed to intercept threats in orbit and provide limited atmospheric support while being deployed from a transport ship. Its extremely tiny amounts of fuel means it can't leave the vicinity around its mothership and if it heads into the atmosphere, it can't return until picked up by the mothership manually. Has basic jet engines allowing ~10 minutes of powered atmospheric flight, but is still very cumbersome when powered and mostly flies by gliding downwards towards the ground after deorbiting from its mothership's orbit. Has 4 unguided very low-yield missiles that have to be expertly aimed to even have a chance of hitting things. Targets by vision alone; takes huge time to find targets in space+air and is also slow in both space+air. In ITCs, he vessel is deployed via a very long process in which it is manually pushed out of the ITC. Sometimes called an "attack glider".
Weight: 1 CU = 1x
Expense: 6x
Resources: Metal

Printed Pistol: A basic pistol that’s created via advanced 3d-printing techniques, making it very cheap. Unfortunately, its benefits stop there. It’s uncomfortable to use, inaccurate, works at short ranges, and fires very weak rounds. Fortunately, these rounds are still enough to puncture the basic suits and unarmored clothing used by soldiers on the field. Very light. Unreliable.
Weight: 1 CU = 10x
Expense: Unlimited

ABR-1: A simple yet effective semi-automatic battle rifle completely designed in Amaok, using custom-designed ammunition. Works best at a moderate-long distance, but still works well at long and moderate distances. Grows less effective at closer and more long-ranged engagements. Very effective at punching through light Kevlar, but ammo shortages require use of the ABR-1 to be limited in close-range engagements.
Weight: 1 CU = 4x
Expense: 4x
Resources: Metal

X112 Space Suit: A bulky space suit originally designed for the vacuum of space. It’s relatively flexible compared to spacesuits used by earlier space agencies such as NASA, but greatly restricts agility. Its complete lack of armor doesn’t help either. Luckily it’s cheap to produce.
Weight: 1 CU = 3x
Expense: Unlimited

Armoured Space Suit: A version of the X112 with very light Kevlar covering vital parts of the body. Notably increases overall injury survival rate, but wearers will still be heavily wounded by projectiles and the like.
Weight: 1 CU = 3x
Expense: 1x
Resources: Metal

Kevlar Armor & Uniform: Very basic thin-layered and light-weight partial Kevlar armor. Not even a helmet is included. This armor was originally used for security personnel sent with the colonies. It cannot be used in conjunction with regular armor. The facilities for producing Kevlar are still very limited in the colonies, making this armor a luxury.
Weight: 1 CU = 5x
Expense: 1x
Resources: Metal

Radio: Communications are done via basic radio systems. However, the size required means units would have to lug expensive radio systems to planets with them in order to communicate with Central Command back at their homeworld.
Weight: 2 CU = 1x
Expense: 2x
Resources: Metal

Fusion Engine: A huge 1-mile in radius Tokamak-based Fusion Reactor. Produces power comparable to a much smaller conventional power plant. Requires very long and energy-consuming warmup time. Once activated, will start to meltdown, produces extreme magnetic effects in 10-mile radius while stunning people in radius.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Planets
A1 - 1 Metal 
Unclaimed
A2 - 1 Exotic 
A: 2/3, M: 1/3
A3 - 1 Metal 
A: 3/3, M: 0/3
B1 - Nothing 
Unclaimed
B2 - Nothing 
A: 1/3, M: 1/3
C1 - 1 Metal 
Unclaimed
C2 - 1 Exotic 
A: 0/3, M: 3/3
C3 - 1 Metal 
A: 3/3, M: 0/3

Spoiler: Production Lines (click to show/hide)

Production Line 1: Interplanetary Transport Craft (3/3)
Production Line 2: Printed Pistol (Unlimited)
Production Line 3: X112 Space Suit (Unlimited)
Production Line 4: Kevlar Armor & Uniform (0/1)
Production Line 5: Radio (2/2)
Production Line 6: Armoured Space Suit (0/1)
Production Line 7: ABR-1 (1/4)
Production Line 8: A-ASF-8 (3/6)
Production Line 9:
Production Line 10:

Spoiler: Units (click to show/hide)

Items covered in [brackets] aren't fully deployed, and the Unit must be sent the design again successfully to fully deploy the item. Partially deployed items still cost an expense level, and attempting to fully deploy it does not cost any expense levels.
Unit 1:
Equipped: X112 Space Suit, ABR-1, Printed Pistol
Location: A3

Unit 2:
Equipped: X112 Space Suit, ABR-1, Printed Pistol
Location: C3

Unit 3:
Equipped: Armoured Space Suit, Printed Pistol
Location: A2

Unit 4:
Equipped: X112 Space Suit, Printed Pistol
Location: C2

Unit 5:
Equipped: Kevlar Armor & Uniform, ABR-1, Printed Pistol
Location: B2

Spoiler: Vessels (click to show/hide)

Transports
Interplanetary Transport Craft #1: Unassigned
Interplanetary Transport Craft #2: Under construction
Interplanetary Transport Craft #3: Unassigned

Combat Vessels
A-ASF-8 #1: Under construction
A-ASF-8 #2: Under construction
A-ASF-8 #3: Under construction
A-ASF-8 #4: Unassigned
A-ASF-8 #5: Unassigned
A-ASF-8 #6: Unassigned

It is now the Design Phase of 2209.

[Tyrant Leviathan]

Neo Naughts: Organization c spliced nano machines that encase troops and act as a solid mobile force field capable of absorbing impacts and obeying commands as attack, medic ( regrow limb) , outer space shell or transport option n. Can even Command molecules via microbes to have pseudo super powers.

Sand casters: gigantic star ship shotguns full of pellets to fire off and rip into targets or burst out to premature denigrate enemy missiles.

Mule: Multiple utility munitions launching engine. Lobes grenades, can convert to a guided rocket launcher, seeker rocket launcher or set traps with sticky bombs/mines.

Maybe robotic/cyborg soldiers too?


I know the first is as ambitious as the fusion power. Just thought was cool.

[helmacon]

We are going for an energy centric build, so we need to lay down some ground work for that. I think a good start to that would be
Design :
Metallic hydrogen superconductors.
Created by placing hydrogen under immense pressure and temperature, metallic hydrogen is metastable, retaining its properties even after it's removal from the conditions of it's creation.
The metallic hydrogen acts as a superconductor at remarkably normal temperatures. Networks of the material allow us to shuttle energy around systems at virtually no loss. The hydrogen would also exhibit several unique reactions to magnetic fields and rotations that are beyond my ability to understand. It's applications in electronics and energy technology are powerful and irreplaceable.

Metallic hydrogen has already been created in miniscule amounts present day*, so it shouldn't be anything too far fetched. If we intend to go an energy route this is something we almost have to do, and the sooner we do it the better. It opens up so many new applications to us.
*it's debated whether it was actualy metallic hydrogen. Point is, we are close.

I know, I know. This isn't directly applicable. I know it's tempting to try to recap our advantage, but this is some necessary ground work, and we need to do it before the game progresses any further. If it goes well we can still use our revision to help us out. Maybe revise the ABR down into a sidearm thing? Small smg like thing? Maybe revise our missiles to the guided kind, so we can wreck their ITCs and provide ground support?

[RAM]

"Capricious Day" class Autoturret.
A pair of infra-red receivers tracks and distance-finds heat-signatures and uses electric motors to rapidly aim its ABR-1 rifle at the enemy and put a hole through their centre-of-heat. It cycles through targets to prevent overkill, hitting the nearest and then cycling to the next-nearest and onwards until a timer has passed indicating that its prior targets should have cooled, and then resumes from the beginning again.

This device is highly adjustable, with a slot for a command terminal to be attachedm and the terminal itself, that can be used to change its settings. These include adding an offset to targetting, so that multiple turrets will divide the work rather than all shooting at the same thing, Prioritising targets at certain angles(with a default setting for standing-people only, which tends to be useful against inconvenient space-suits or slowing down an advance, and protects against flares above or below a certain height), shooting only at things that are coming towards it, or marking specific targets as non-targets(though they have limited memory and can easily lose track of an object) to avoid expending ammunition on hardened opponents that need to be surrounded or such. It can also recieve an off-set to allow an operator to account for inaccuracy, or counter-measures that warp the target's centre-of-heat. and, of course, the overkill command to focus upon a single point on a single target, to deal with targets that require multiple hits, there is even an effort to have it identify and target the heat from the impact from its previous shot...

The processors and controls reside in a wide, flat base, no higher than most ankles, upon which sits a turn-table with a side-armoured ammunition box sitting in the centre. The gun is mounted on a vertical-rotating disk between two braces that extend from the turn-table up to an altitude of about a metre. The gun uses an ammunition-belt and has an I.R. reciever either side of it. so as to base the adjustments off the gun rather than its mounting, should the gun vibrate off-course. The singlas from the reciever, as well as a stop-signal if the gun repeatedly fails to fire, are transmitted down the braces and to the centre where it transitions from the turn-table to the base which contains the processing devices. The gun is protected its small size and the fact that it is shooting at the things that are likely shooting it, the ammunition is protected by three layers of mesh, deigned to catch and detonate bolter-scale missiles before reching the centre, only damaging a bit of scaffolding, while the centre has solid but light andti-shrapnel armour, and an open top...

I want to get targeting down. It should be applicable to either devence-turrets or guided missiles for a revision. And I would love to expand on our theoretical stuff, but we are losing B2 and would love to Recover C2 and A2... If we can block them from there, they will have zero resources and we will have an abundance. Autoturrets are smaller than peoples, so they should be defensive against enemy bolters, and ought to have quicker response times and, with a bit of ministrations from an operator, be more accurate than meat-bags are.

Just to double-check, we can't use our presumed extra two metal until after next combat report?
Oh, and it would be really nice to get a list of our current items and their costs and sizes in the revision result update... But we can do that ourselves!

[helmacon]

See, I like the idea of turrets, but I think most of the benefit would also be the experience with automation and targeting. They would be better, but not game changingly better, than just having people standing gaurd. Furthermore, they would mostly be useful for moderate to close range encounters, which plays to the enemys strength, and the ABRs weakness.

If we take the bait of trying to match them at every moment, we will never get around to building our really game changing stuff. Arguably, we are still in the lead right now, and will be next turn, barring them disrupting the planet's we have captured. Now us the time to start laying ground work. We do this now, and next turn we could make something like magnetically reactive armor, or even a field defence that cause their missile bullets to detonate early. And that's just gen 1 applications. We need to do this!!

1- Metallic hydrogen superconducters: Helmacon
0 - Capricious Day Autoturret:
Something else?
 

[RAM]

I feel taht the turret would be best at long ranges, where it would hopefully be more precise and definitely be a smaller target, although its lack of mobility would hurt. It would also be invaluable at night, and in rough terrain, where its near-perfect vigilance and heat-vision would really shine. I also like to think that its firing discipline would keep it from being lackluster in a pressure situation. But hey, we do need to complete our theoretical technology. We are already behind a turn because of it and perhaps we can combine these two, and a bit of luck, into a fusion-powered space-vessel with a laser-cannon and enough disposable hull-compartments to take a few hits. It would need a revision to get it working, but it is not impossible.

I realyl feel that right now we need turrets to support our lines and to revise turrets for our fighters to defeat enemy missiles. Could lead us into a really strong position to do theoretical tech instead of getting basted by their upgraded space-combat craft and likely some sort of guided antipersonnel missiles(Though I would expect them to hit other missiles more than they do our troops...) Or ground-attack aircraft, or space-bombardment.

Also not that we are down a transport, so we can choose two of:
 support A2 for a run at exotics,
 support C2 to delay them from getting any resources at all, and
 subbort B2 to protect them from air bombardment/warm ourselves up for a colonisation technology to get more units.

Now I would tend to A2 nad B2 because both of those forces are underequipped.

Ehh, Solid metallic hydrogen could work, but we would need to turn it and the fusion generator into something next turn.

[VoidSlayer]

Command-Carrier

This modification of the Standard shuttle removes almost all carrying capacity to include additional fuel reserves and external mounts for two A-ASF-8 ships.  This will allow the ship to operate for longer in the field, beyond a single engagement at least, and for instant deployment of the ships.

More importantly it has an in built radio for at least orbital/planetary communication along with basic encryption.  This should allow communication with the ground and fighter ships.

The last change is a basic triple sensor array containing infrared, radio and optical telescopes along with a computer system to track orbits.  Command staff for the ground troops will be included so that they can watch the battles from orbit and coordinate using the intelligence gained.

(miniaturize radio for orbit only and place it in 1 or .5 slot, place two external docking points plus extra fuel in 2-3 slots, place radio telescope in 0-1 slots, should use up the same space as the transport)

The most important aspect of this ship is it can be useful for coordinating even if we develop better war ships.

[Happerry]

Battlepod Class Combat Shuttle

Based on the design of an Interplanetary Transport Craft, the Battlepod replaces the cargo hold of said shuttle with a rack holding Missile Pods, either which carry a few radar guided missiles (Upgraded beyond the crap of our current ones using the experience of designing said current ones), as well as a nose mounted radar to detect and illuminate the targets for the missiles. This works by taking inspiration from early airborne radar guided missiles, which instead of carrying a radar themselves depended upon the launching fighter craft keeping the target illuminated by radar until the missile hit.

This pod system is designed to be adaptable to new missile designs, as if a new missile is designed it can be fitted within a pod and launched just like the current ones.

If the Battlepod finds a target that actually has Point Defense, the Battlepod can always launch several missile pods, but not trigger the actual firing of said missile pods until enough are launched that they will overwhelm the enemy point defense systems.

1- Metallic hydrogen superconducters: Helmacon
0 - Capricious Day Autoturret:
1 - Battlepod Combat Shuttle: Happerry
1 - Command-Carrier: Voidslayer

Personally while I think the Command-Carrier would be very very useful, as it it'd probably just get shot down. We really should invent a heavy machine gun sometime, and then revise or design said machine gun into being a viable point defense system. But right now we already have a decent infantry weapon in our rifle...

[chubby2man]

Ouch that hurt.

We only have one crappy transport left, and we need a targeting system and a better weapon on the ground. We need a ship that can transport and hold its own in a fight.

High Orbital Transport Dropship Resistant Operational Placement

H.O.T.D.R.O.P specializes in hostile placement, being more heavily armored and armed than the standard ITC, while also being able to carry a heavier load. It has 4 turrets on the bottom of the craft, 2 in the front and 2 on the side, able to provide fire support. On the top it carries 2 missile pods, carrying 20 missiles (Or a more appropriate number?) guided by radar. Preferably it would be able to carry twice the C.U of the ITC, but 1.5X would be okay as well, as the defenses are arguably more important.

I do like the Battlepod idea, but since we lost 1 transport this turn, we need more capacity and more flexibility, which I feel the H.O.T.D.R.O.P. provides.
The command carrier is also strong, but same problem as above.
The turrets are also a good design choice, but we probably wouldn't even be able to deploy them to the field with the state of our transportation.
We should probably improve our radar technology next turn. While we will lose even more advantage on the ground next turn, that won't matter if we cannot get there in the first place.

[RAM]

We also blew up their combat ship. I think it was a more-than-fair trade, so long as we are judicious with our cargo assignments. They did lose the battle, so they might invest in more combat craft, but I suspect that they will be hesitant and focus on other fields and just wait fortheir combat ship to recover before revising it to something better.

Oh, Wafflelord! I had an idea for a rules-change. Units cannot be rebuilt unless they are on a production line. Well, with the exception of "Units" which presumably happen when a mummy A.I. and an assembly plant love each other very much... But otherwise it doesn't really cost you anything if you have an alternative... I guess it could be fun to see old designs being considered rather than a new design with less numbers, but, ehh...

[VoidSlayer]

I was under the impression you do not need traditional radar in space.  Everything is visible to light infrared or radar detection, you just need really good telescopes.

Also the fact that their bullets first penetrate our kevlar completely THEN explode is devastating.  We need to developed armor that both blocks bullets and explosives or it will be useless.

[chubby2man]

I'm pretty sure they can rebuild their ship right away, unless I misunderstood their rules. If they can't, we won't be able to either and then we only have one ITC. It may not be cool, it may not be sexy, but we need transport capacity, or something ambitious enough to turn the tide on its own without relying on transport. Like I said, turrets would be nice. But to have enough to be helpful, it's probably going to weigh more than we can carry.

[Chiefwaffles]

Radar is something that isn't automatic but that you easily know how to do well. The challenge is in finding a place for it and integrating it with the ship systems while fulfilling the rest of the design requirements.

Right now your ships are engaging at extremely close ranges while Moerth's warship seems to engage at a bit longer range, but the problem is finding the other side's ships. Telescopes and the like are good at long distances if you know where to look. You just happened to know where to look this time because of your prior engagement with the warship and it not moving.
You basically predicted the location of their warship based on its apparent speed and location in 2208's engagement, then used this to plot an intercept course for the ships. From here, it was largely luck that let you find their warship, as your A-ASF-8s just work on the pilot's vision from the cockpit. This saps any element of surprise since if Moerth has any detection system on their ship they can see your stuff well before you can see theirs.

@chubby:
You only lost one ITC this turn, and like their warship (and 3x of your ASF-8s), you won't be able to use it in 2210. So this strategy phase you have to plan things around two ITCs.

@RAM:
The problem with allowing legacy units without an assigned production line is bloat; while saying "LET'S SEND IN THE A-ASF-8s" in 2263 is cool and all, just imagine all the different ships and stuff I'd have to track. I may (but probably won't) consider something like that by the time your production lines are all used up, but for now probably not.