Re: Some New Player Qs
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr> Shield Depleters seem to behave inconsistently against units, since units seem to count shield & armor HP together. How does this work? <hr></blockquote> Units don't track individual component damage; they're destroyed when they've taken the combined total of their components.

Re: Some New Player Qs
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>I guess the design decision rests on several factors. First would be your max ship speed. If odd, you lose combat speed on transport hulls. If even, there's no difference.
If you play -50% GC you're probably glassing everything but homeworlds & the enemy's breathables - cheaper and faster to rebuild than to capture when your troops are that lame. In this case you'd have to favor MT over CL and LT over BC/BB. I don't know if it makes sense to make a Troop Transport out of a DN hull<hr></blockquote>
I'm using a QNP mod, so the max speed thing dosen't factor in.
It is all a tradeoff between engines, armor and cargo, but the best balance is probably minimum cargo (50% on transport hull), 5 speed (+1 Racial) and layers of armor.

Actually, I'm not the genocidal type. I take care of the civilians, but mercilessly smite whoever shoots back. (Weapon platforms get the personal ground-pounder's touch if at all possible)

Re: Some New Player Qs
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by capnq:
Units don't track individual component damage; they're destroyed when they've taken the combined total of their components.<hr></blockquote>

Sorta. An exception is shields. A 300 hp, 30kt shield generator (I'm pulling #'s out of thin air here, so please forgive me) would add 330 AUDs (Arbitrary Units of Damage) to the unit it is on.

However, OA's, CA's, and shield regenerator's abilities are wasted on units. I think. ummm... maybe I'd better get back to you on that one...

Re: Some New Player Qs
 

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by dumbluck:


Sorta. An exception is shields. A 300 hp, 30kt shield generator (I'm pulling #'s out of thin air here, so please forgive me) would add 330 AUDs (Arbitrary Units of Damage) to the unit it is on.

However, OA's, CA's, and shield regenerator's abilities are wasted on units. I think. ummm... maybe I'd better get back to you on that one...<hr></blockquote>

Yes, all sorts of regeneration is ineffective on units. So, the shield regeneration of crystalline armor is useless, the self-repair of organic armor is useless, and shield regenerators are useless.

Re: Some New Player Qs
 

Reguarding the -50% GC.
Using 3000 Starting Points
Yes you will need 3 times the number of troops to capturer, (or protect a planet). The 800 points I get for going with -50% Ground Combat Gave me 28% in Happyness. Since Happyness affects your empire every turn and since it impacts Reasearch and Mining, I suspect I will be able to afford the exctra troops required. Since I get a 10 percent bonus to reasearch from the happyness level, I will be able to reasearch stronger troops.
I have not played this out. It looks like it would will be a good trade off as long as I deal with the logistics properly.