Advice, what would *you* do?
 

Venue-
Geo's elimination tourney, round one.
4 players, Last 2 survivors graduate.
Small mid-life, 5 planet Low-tech start
No AI's or neutrals, medium tech cost.

Let's imagine the biggest ship you knew how to build was a CL (ship construction 4).

Let us further imagine that you captured (heheheheh) a BC (ship construction 6).

Would you immediately analyze the BC, taking ship construction 5, and calling it lucky. Or would you wait, research ship construction 5, and then analyze the BC, taking ship construction 6?

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

Anything else of value on it? If there were 1 or 2 additional items I'd analyze it. If not, and I going to research ship 5 soon, I'd save it to get ship 6.

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>wait, research ship construction 5, and then analyze the BC, taking ship construction 6?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just me though

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

Certainly you'll be getting more "payback" on your investment by waiting and using it to get level 6 -- assuming you cannot easily capture another. This is just the sort of value judgment that the game is about, though. How much will the maintenance cost you in the mean time? If it is a signifigant amount of your total resource stream you might lose in the long run by keeping it too long. Also, as others have pointed out, if it has other technologies that would help you it might be worth the 'loss' of the extra research points in the cost of level 6 if you gain something else from it as well.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 30 June 2001).]

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

You also need to take into account your strategic situation. Do you really need a step up the ship size ladder? It looks like your opponent is at least two steps ahead of you, is that making your life miserable or can you hold off?

Also, what is the nature of your empire? Are you looking to outclass the others in the long run or are you going to try and knock them out quick? It is a small galaxy you are playing in, I would be inclined to get bigger ships that are more likely to Last built than to wait for the really big ships. I would also get your boarding ships in action again, before he starts getting new ships that have defenses against that. If you capture another BC, then life is a lot simpler and you don’t have to listen to our advice :-)

I wouldn’t worry too much about the maintenance costs, you can always mothball it at the location you intend to scrap it. You can also reactivate it if someone nasty shows up, so you get some extra defensive value from it, presuming it isn’t gutted from combat.

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

you could apologize to the race you took the ship from and return it intact...

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

It may change on what technology it has, what is my technological level, and what is my weapons preferability.

If the ship is strong, but does use weapons i do not even bother to research (say, organic weapons when i am nom-organic race) i'd look - if it is a strong ship, and barely damaged (or damaged in such way i can repair it) i might not analyse it at all but keep it at defense/attack. If it is damaged, or not the most powerful thing in the game, i'd analyse it.
But when? Though it'd be nice to retrofit it and get the lvl 5 S.C, the question is - how many research points you have?
If it is not a problem to research lvl 5, (lvl 6 is far more expensive than lvl 5), then research level 5 and then retrofit. but if your research is a problem, then retrofit it and be happy - cruisers are FAR more powerful than LCs (read: CR is my favorite ship size, i barely go beyond lvl 5 untill i reach realy high-techs).
Another thing to think about is that the lvl 6 gives you the Large Transport.

Now what would i do?
I usualy tend to have high number of research points, so i'd research lvl 5, and then analyse the ship to obtain the far more expensive lvl 6.

------------------
Emperor Klis't of the Taera Republic.
Proud member of the League of Empires.

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Ora Planet - Taera Republic - League of Empires

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TaeraRepublic:
... cruisers are FAR more powerful than LCs (read: CR is my favorite ship size, i barely go beyond lvl 5 untill i reach realy high-techs).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Interesting, I never build Cruisers. They are not that much bigger than LC's, but they require 2 Life Support Systems and 2 Crew Quarters. I build lots of LC's since they are the first hull with Large Mounts and then skip to Battle Cruisers - the largest hull with no movement penalty.

Re: Advice, what would *you* do?
 

Unless I were really pressed, I would hold it for level 6. If the ship has other techs, you would still get them in the end. I would also put an immediate emphasis on getting to level 5.

I tend to build the biggest I can. Sure CRs require extra life support and crew quarters. That's why Aaron invented computers. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif