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[RedKing]

Ah, nothing quite like the feeling of spending a free afternoon setting up a new game. I'm falling back into my old RP-intensive habits, but at least I haven't started giving individual names to my freighters yet.

I tried using Designer Mode to give individual names to my civilian freighters. 
I do wish you could specify default naming conventions for your civvies.


As far as the laser range thing, consider that the top researchable FC range is 170,000km. That's for 50% accuracy. So max range is double that, or 340,000km. If you're willing to bulk up your FC, you could extend that x4, to 1,320,000km. And if the FC is a PDC-only design, you get an additional 50% bonus to max range, so you're looking at a theoretical max targeting range of 1,980,000km. With a 50% threshold of 990,000km. And that's in addition to the "attenuated damage" thing people have mentioned. So yeah, there's definitely a utility to having beams with crazy long range.


EDIT: Game seems to respect the speed of light (roughly). Beam weapons are limited to 1.5Mkm range because that's roughly the distance of 5 light-seconds (and the smallest possible combat increment is 5 seconds). It's respected elsewhere in the game as well.

Even with an overthrusted photonic fighter engine and stripped down to minimum weight (command module, tiny fuel tank, fighter engineering space), the fastest fighter I can design is 270,000km/s (just a hair over 0.9c).

And in missile design, there appears to be a speed cap of 300,000 km/s. Technically that's faster than light-speed (299,792.45 km/s) but Steve appears to be rounding for simplicity, as the max beam weapon range of 1.5Mkm in a 5s burst also works out to 300,000 km/s.

[FritzPL]

Built a jumpgate, sent Cargo TG to deliver infrastructure to soon-be-colonized planet, found out that jump gates are one-way.

well fuck, at least it's not too far from Earth


Is it normal for Black Holes to have a lot of jump points? Because I have surveyed two 'rings' of survey locations, and I already have discovered 8 new JPs.

Also, any cheap, reliable and fair laser design for early game? I kinda have one, but don't feel it's right, just take a look

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12cm C2 Visible Light Laser
Damage Output 4     Rate of Fire: 10 seconds     Range Modifier: 2
Max Range 80,000 km     Laser Size: 4 HS    Laser HTK: 2
Power Requirement: 4    Power Recharge per 5 Secs: 2
Cost: 8    Crew: 40
Materials Required: 1.6x Duranium  1.6x Boronide  4.8x Corundium

Development Cost for Project: 80RP

I think that's, like, the first laser you can design in game.

EDIT: I managed to design some very simple missiles, launchers and magazines, and get an early-tech Missile... that's the problem - how to make a Fighter class ship an actual fighter? Either way, I got this design:

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Furious class Fighter-bomber    750 tons     74 Crew     117.2 BP      TCS 15  TH 120  EM 0
8000 km/s     Armour 1-7     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 2
Maint Life 15.47 Years     MSP 98    AFR 4%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 12    Max Repair 32 MSP
Magazine 34   

GB Ion Engine E80 (1)    Power 120    Fuel Use 800%    Signature 120    Armour 0    Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres    Range 3.0 billion km   (4 days at full power)

Size 1 Missile Launcher (2)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 15
Missile Fire Control FC25-R20 (1)     Range 25.7m km    Resolution 20

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

[Dutchling]

Wouldn't giving it a fighter engine make it a fighter design?

[Metalax]

For it to be classed as a fighter, it has to use a fighter engine and be 500 tons or less in mass.

[Dutchling]

''Yo mama is so fat, she isn't even classified as a fighter!''

[RedKing]

Well, based on the "GB" in the engine name, I'm assuming that's a FAC engine. Never going to be a fighter with that.

Is it normal for Black Holes to have a lot of jump points? Because I have surveyed two 'rings' of survey locations, and I already have discovered 8 new JPs.

Not normal, but then the number of jump points in a system is semi-random. It's not normal for any system to have a ton of JPs, but you will find that about 5-10% of systems will be "hubs" with lots of JPs. I think 12 or 13 is the most I've ever seen in one system. Having a Black Hole "hub" certainly would be interesting...

Also, any cheap, reliable and fair laser design for early game? I kinda have one, but don't feel it's right, just take a look

Code: [Select]

12cm C2 Visible Light Laser
Damage Output 4     Rate of Fire: 10 seconds     Range Modifier: 2
Max Range 80,000 km     Laser Size: 4 HS    Laser HTK: 2
Power Requirement: 4    Power Recharge per 5 Secs: 2
Cost: 8    Crew: 40
Materials Required: 1.6x Duranium  1.6x Boronide  4.8x Corundium

Development Cost for Project: 80RP

I think that's, like, the first laser you can design in game.

Meh, that's about right. I'd research Capacitor Rate 3 as soon as feasible, and then design a 10cm laser with Cap 3, so you can have a rapid-fire (5 sec recharge) laser for point-defense stuff.

[gimlet]

That's a lot of "stuff" just to carry 2 size 1 missile launchers - I am guessing from the fire control resolution that these are supposed to be anti-FAC FACs?   I think you really want a bigger sized missile - size 2 or 3 to have a big enough warhead to do any kind of damage to an enemy FAC, probably even size 4 if you're hoping to get by with 1-2 missile hits to destroy each enemy FAC.   This design will be way less effective per BP/resource than a larger ship with more missile launchers too - on that you could afford to put a few anti-ship resolution fire controls and it could at least do double duty as anti-FAC/anti-ship, plus have a lot more launchers per BP spent.  (On the minus side it will be slower - getting even 3500 km/s with ion engines is spending a lot of space on engnes)

This is the problem with low tech FAC/fighter designs - it takes a LOT of research points to get all you want: the engines, small size components and especially the reduced sized launchers (ESPECIALLY box launchers) that lets you give a decently big punch to a hangar based ship.

[RedKing]

Yeah, I've found fighters to be mostly ineffective at lower tech levels. They do have a couple of non-combat uses, however:

1. As a sponge for soaking up all those extra officers, giving them experience and resulting in a skilled officer pool to draw from when you start building up your 'real' navy.

2. A cheap and cost-effective way to provide "Protection" value to colonies. Colonies hate to feel undefended. Stationing a couple of squadrons of fighters (with a cheap PDC aerdrome base) makes them feel loved, even if they'd be meat to the grinder if any real aliens showed up. And in a pinch, they could probably take out (or at least seriously cripple) any errant scout or noncombat vessel from an alien civ that wanders by. To minimize logistics, I usually make such "Colonial Fighters" ammoless, relying purely on lasers or gauss cannons.

[Flying Dice]

I tend to do the same thing with my early frigates and FACs; once they become hopelessly obsolete, they get put into permanent guard/officer holding duty. That, or I crew them with terrible officers and use them to absorb missile fire.

Incidentally, got my first generation of combat vessels up in my new game. I went for something a bit different this time around.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

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Hermes class Light Carrier    10,500 tons     830 Crew     3599.2 BP      TCS 42  TH 228  EM 0
2171 km/s     Armour 1-42     Shields 0-0     Sensors 110/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 11     PPV 0
Maint Life 2.13 Years     MSP 2357    AFR 80%    IFR 1.1%    1YR 696    5YR 10439    Max Repair 2450 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 2000 tons     Magazine 360    Cargo Handling Multiplier 10   

Magneto-plasma Drive E4.5 (6)    Power 76    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 38    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 565,000 Litres    Range 215.2 billion km   (1147 days at full power)

Claymore-4 I (90)  Speed: 27,500 km/s   End: 18.8m    Range: 31m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 210 / 126 / 63

Thermal Sensor TH10-110 (1)     Sensitivity 110     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  110m km
Cloaking Device: Class cross-section reduced to 20% of normal

ECM 10

Strike Group
8x Peregrine Fighter   Speed: 10816 km/s    Size: 4.9

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Peregrine class Fighter    245 tons     4 Crew     61.1 BP      TCS 4.9  TH 53  EM 0
10816 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 1.8
Maint Life 13.76 Years     MSP 16    AFR 4%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 0    5YR 2    Max Repair 21 MSP
Magazine 12   

FTR Magneto-plasma Drive E600 (1)    Power 52.8    Fuel Use 6000%    Signature 52.8    Armour 0    Exp 50%
Fuel Capacity 30,000 Litres    Range 3.7 billion km   (3 days at full power)

S4 X/O Rail (3)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC30-R20 (1)     Range 31.0m km    Resolution 20
Claymore-4 I (3)  Speed: 27,500 km/s   End: 18.8m    Range: 31m km   WH: 9    Size: 4    TH: 210 / 126 / 63

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes


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Raven class Scout Cruiser    4,500 tons     382 Crew     1021 BP      TCS 90  TH 462  EM 0
6844 km/s     Armour 1-24     Shields 0-0     Sensors 110/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 0
Maint Life 2.7 Years     MSP 284    AFR 81%    IFR 1.1%    1YR 56    5YR 837    Max Repair 210 MSP

Magneto-plasma Drive E6 (7)    Power 88    Fuel Use 60%    Signature 66    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 170,000 Litres    Range 113.3 billion km   (191 days at full power)

CIWS-200 (2x6)    Range 1000 km     TS: 20000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Active Search Sensor MR46-R16 (1)     GPS 1680     Range 46.2m km    Resolution 16
Active Search Sensor MR186-R65 (1)     GPS 13650     Range 186.2m km    Resolution 65
Thermal Sensor TH10-110 (1)     Sensitivity 110     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  110m km

ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Traveller class Support Vessel    10,750 tons     642 Crew     1692.8 BP      TCS 215  TH 990  EM 0
6139 km/s     Armour 1-43     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Life 6.2 Years     MSP 5148    AFR 616%    IFR 8.6%    1YR 230    5YR 3447    Max Repair 55 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons     Magazine 670    Cargo Handling Multiplier 10   

Magneto-plasma Drive E6 (15)    Power 88    Fuel Use 60%    Signature 66    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,320,000 Litres    Range 368.3 billion km   (694 days at full power)

CIWS-200 (4x6)    Range 1000 km     TS: 20000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Hawkesbury class Jump Tender    12,000 tons     1144 Crew     3236 BP      TCS 240  TH 400  EM 0
1666 km/s    JR 5-250     Armour 1-46     Shields 0-0     Sensors 550/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 10     PPV 0
Maint Life 1.72 Years     MSP 1685    AFR 115%    IFR 1.6%    1YR 692    5YR 10385    Max Repair 1050 MSP

J12000(5-250) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 12000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 5
Magneto-plasma Drive E5 (5)    Power 80    Fuel Use 50%    Signature 80    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 585,000 Litres    Range 175.4 billion km   (1218 days at full power)

CIWS-200 (2x6)    Range 1000 km     TS: 20000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Active Search Sensor MR816-R50 (1)     GPS 52500     Range 816.7m km    Resolution 50
Thermal Sensor TH50-550 (1)     Sensitivity 550     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  550m km

ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Siren class Missile Frigate    5,100 tons     400 Crew     1077.9 BP      TCS 102  TH 330  EM 0
4313 km/s     Armour 4-26     Shields 0-0     Sensors 88/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 12     PPV 12.8
Maint Life 2.09 Years     MSP 264    AFR 104%    IFR 1.4%    1YR 81    5YR 1208    Max Repair 210 MSP
Magazine 288   

Magneto-plasma Drive E6 (5)    Power 88    Fuel Use 60%    Signature 66    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 250,000 Litres    Range 147.0 billion km   (394 days at full power)

S4 X/O Rail (8)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Size 4 Missile Launcher (25% Reduction) (8)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 3000
Missile Fire Control FC123-R20 (1)     Range 124.0m km    Resolution 20
Sabre-4 I (72)  Speed: 32,000 km/s   End: 41.7m    Range: 80.1m km   WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 256 / 153 / 76

Active Search Sensor MR103-R20 (1)     GPS 4200     Range 103.3m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH8-88 (1)     Sensitivity 88     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  88m km

ECCM-1 (1)         ECM 10

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Astraea class Escort Frigate    5,100 tons     408 Crew     928 BP      TCS 102  TH 330  EM 0
4313 km/s     Armour 4-26     Shields 0-0     Sensors 88/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 13     PPV 33.6
Maint Life 4.3 Years     MSP 341    AFR 69%    IFR 1%    1YR 30    5YR 446    Max Repair 88 MSP

Magneto-plasma Drive E6 (5)    Power 88    Fuel Use 60%    Signature 66    Armour 0    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 300,000 Litres    Range 176.4 billion km   (473 days at full power)

Single Gauss Cannon R3-100 Turret (4x3)    Range 16,000km     TS: 20000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 3    ROF 5        1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S01 8-20000 (1)    Max Range: 16,000 km   TS: 20000 km/s     37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PD AS MR6-R1 (1)     GPS 63     Range 6.9m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH8-88 (1)     Sensitivity 88     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  88m km

ECCM-1 (1)         ECM 10

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


I've got a carrier TG composition of a pair of the CVLs supported by one each of the supply vessels, scout cruisers, and TJs; the carriers, cruiser, and TJ pop in-system; the CVLs get a bit away from the point and kill their drives while the cruiser runs recon and the TJ provides overwatch. The pair of 8-fighter squadrons have enough speed and punch to knock out most small groups of enemies and if worst comes to worst, the CVLs can hide and wait for reinforcements. Basically the design relies completely on speed and stealth, which will help once I get better engine tech and good enough stealth tech for proper stealthed sensor frigates. In a pinch, the support ship could even use the replacement fighter it carries to finish off a damaged ship. And of course there are the required frigate squadrons with a 3:1 missile:PD composition.

[Dutchling]

Just so you know: code tags inside spoiler tags make the whole thing nigh unreadable.

[RedKing]

Reminds me a bit of my early Terran Alliance designs -- pocket carriers w/ 1 squadron each, ferrying rail-mounted missile fighters.

But I detest having to deal with the whole logistics train of colliers, tankers, jump tenders, etc. so my carriers had jumpdrives and were the centerpiece of the battle squadron. They'd bring along 4 missile boats, and acted as the tanker/collier for the fighters. The missile boats didn't have a collier, so their combat duration was pretty limited, about 20-30 salvos IIRC.

[Flying Dice]

Just so you know: code tags inside spoiler tags make the whole thing nigh unreadable.

That's why I left in the useless "Military Vessel blah blah" line: to take the brunt of the horizontal scroll-lines. Unless you're talking about something else, because apart from that it is always fine for me.

Reminds me a bit of my early Terran Alliance designs -- pocket carriers w/ 1 squadron each, ferrying rail-mounted missile fighters.

But I detest having to deal with the whole logistics train of colliers, tankers, jump tenders, etc. so my carriers had jumpdrives and were the centerpiece of the battle squadron. They'd bring along 4 missile boats, and acted as the tanker/collier for the fighters. The missile boats didn't have a collier, so their combat duration was pretty limited, about 20-30 salvos IIRC.

Yeah, self-sufficiency is a thing for civs with decent tech; I tend to shift to that sort of design philosophy as soon as it isn't prohibitively BP-intensive because of the annoyance of dealing with fleet support. As it is, a real fleet carrier with JD, 4ish squadrons, massive magazines, PD suite, sensor suite, etc. would take about 4-5 times as much tonnage as my largest milyard can handle and would be horribly inefficient. 

[Person]

Tried a new nebula-start game last night. Didn't look closely before I started. Level 19 Nebula. 1 level of armor for every 131 km/s.

Dang, yo. Even my freighters have 17 points of armor. Sadly, the DB seems to be bugged all to hell and back (new installation on home machine). Would have enjoyed seeing how my scouts and whatnot would fare outside the nebula, given they'd be armored like a battleship.

How do you go about starting in a nebula? It sounds interesting.

[Karlito]

Choose the "Create a Spacemaster Empire" option when you start a new game. Then you have to use the buttons on the bottom of the System Window (F9) to generate new systems (I think there's a separate button for nebula generation) until you generate a system with a habitable planet. I think the only real requirement is an oxygen containing atmosphere. Then you plop a new species down on that planet, add homeworld minerals, switch over to your new race, exit SM mode and play!

I was sparse on a few of the details, but you should be able to figure it out.

[Flying Dice]

I'm trying to recall if we're able to make methane-breathing species in SM mode yet. I'm almost certain it was supposed to be added at some point, though I'm unsure if it was in the future or the past.