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[Greenbane]

CIWS are purely self-contained defensive systems.  Just slap it on your ship, and it will kill missiles.  I think...

Pretty much. They don't need any configuration to work as advertised. And as forsaken1111 said, it can only protect the ship it's mounted on, as if it were another weapon set in Final Defensive Fire (Self Only) point defense mode.

On the plus side, IIRC their inability to deal damage (or do anything besides self-defense) means they're also classed as civilian. Of course, if your civilian ships actually have to use CIWS, they've probably got bigger problems than a couple of missiles. 

I believe you can slave them to an external fire control and manually fire them if you want. But you obviously can't do that on a commercial freighter: a fire control module would make it a military vessel.

But to avoid confusing the issue, yes, you can install CIWS on commercial ships and have them work normally. It's rather pointless, from my point of view, but it's possible nonetheless.

[Micro102]

How is it pointless to protect your commercial ships with what is likely to be the first thing they get hit by when an enemy attacks?

[Thexor]

How is it pointless to protect your commercial ships with what is likely to be the first thing they get hit by when an enemy attacks?

It's not that protecting your commercial ships is bad.

It's that there's no possible way your CIWS are going to extend the life of said commercial ship by more than a few 5-second increments. 

[Neonivek]

Personally I don't know why you cannot extend military power to commercial ships.

It isn't like the corperations (who can become richer then you are) wouldn't want guns of their own. Even if it is rediculously expencive.

I mean... even today there are many buisnesses that have tanks, missles, and possibly even nukes.

[Sirus]

Personally I don't know why you cannot extend military power to commercial ships.

It isn't like the corperations (who can become richer then you are) wouldn't want guns of their own. Even if it is rediculously expencive.

I mean... even today there are many buisnesses that have tanks, missles, and possibly even nukes.

You are too paranoid, methinks 

The only companies that could concievably have tanks and missiles are private military contractors, though they tend to be distrusted by governments. For a broader definition of "tank", many banks and private security forces have access to armored cars, though I believe that arming them is illegal.

Anyway, most commercial ships in Aurora tend to be freighters, colony ships, and maybe asteroid miners, none of which are expected to need guns. They are counting on the military (aka, you) to protect them. Since piracy isn't an issue in Aurora, you can't expect a freighter safely in the home systems to be armed to the teeth.

At least, that's my take on it.

[Sheb]

Yup. Mounting enough gun for an effective defense on civies would never pay back for itself, since if they're facing any kind of threat, it probably won't be enough to save them.

[Neonivek]

Yup. Mounting enough gun for an effective defense on civies would never pay back for itself, since if they're facing any kind of threat, it probably won't be enough to save them.

Given that the creators of Aurora are such firm believers in the free market that commercial ships can essentially mine entire planets bare before even you get to (though unlikely) it is sufficiant to say that the commercial enterprise can field a lot of resources.

They could field a few hundred ships, maybe a thousand. Given population versus resources that is.

[Sheb]

Yup, but they wouldn't earn back their investment.

[Neonivek]

Yup, but they wouldn't earn back their investment.

True it is more profitable to let your mining opperations die...

UNLESS of course you factor in time lost.

Hmmm... I just realised I am essentially recreating merchant guilds except with less black market backstabbing.

Though I guess there is also alien technology and salvage rights. Afterall if that Alien has the new MacOC they could earn billions! As we know... Aliens run Macs.

[Sheb]

Well, the state is supposed to be providing protections. And well, a mining complex is providing 250 monies per annum to its owner. Would fielding a whole fleet on the off chance that it get attacked would be worth it? Especially since the state (you) is supposedly protecting its border, so any aliens penetrating them would probably have defeated your whole fleet. What is the chance that one mining consortium would be able to push them back?

[Neonivek]

Well what you do is you combine the resources of all corps interested in space and require them to put money into a space fund. This fun fields a commercial army to defend their interests within their boarders.

Why does this make sense? because the government armies are incompetent.

[forsaken1111]

How do you guys usually organize your ground units? Currently I have two divisions each with 2 brigades of mobile infantry, 1 assault and 1 heavy assault brigade. So 8 mobile infantry, 4 assault, 4 heavy assault, 4 brigade HQ 1 division HQ. I also have one full division of garrison forces to defend Earth.

[Sheb]

Combining ressources from all Corps to field an army? Isn't that what you're doing by collecting taxes?

And I don't know for you, but my armies tend to be quite efficient, thank you.

Forsaken, I usually have Brigade of garrisons units staying inside my PDCs, then a division of Marines and a varying number of Assault Divisions, made up of 1 Heavy Assault Brigade and 3 Assault Brigade.

[Neonivek]

The point is that I am surprised by how uttarly passive the economic drive of the planet is despite their enormous resources that can often dwarf your own.

To the point where they just feel so passive...

I mean... even Mc.Donalds has a larger army then the corps in Aurora.

They just lack the... enterprise.

[Sheb]

Well, their ressources aren't that big. Have you ever tried not subsidizing your shipping lines? They can barely afford a couple freighter, let alone a fighting fleet. Hell, it'd take years for them to earn enough money to buy a single one of my trirem (10,000 tons missiles ships, the mainstay of my navy) and that now, after I spent thousands and thousands of monies making them growth.

As for the mining outpost, they don't make that much. As I said, one mining outpost is bringing in 250 a year. Now, it contains 10 automated mines, that cost 2400 (discounting minerals). The mass driver cost 300 more and the garrison unit 60. So it takes around 10 years to pay for itself, not counting interest on the capital. You really think they can afford so many battleships?