[PvK]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
All of those become useless given enough time in MP games. They can be useful against those that are not prepared for them (eg: someone only puts one PDC on each warship). Ample (2-3 per ship) PDCs will slaughter fighters and satellites easily, and Mine Sweepers are not very expensive. It is really easy to get enough to sweep 100 mines in a fleet (5 light cruisers with Sweeper IIs will do it). In the early game, these units are indeed useful, but they decline in strength steadily as the game progresses.

Good points, but something of an exaggeration.

If every enemy fleet needs to be able to sweep 100 mines, then you've got the enemy to invest and to concentrate forces.

If all of the enemy's ships have 2-3 PDC on them, that's a signifigant investment of space and resources.

If the fighters have high-tech shields on them, they can each absorb one or two PDC hits. It therefore starts to become possible to overcome PDC, also when combined with seekers and drones to also absorb PDC.

The reasons I would say it is an exaggeration to say these units become useless at higher tech levels, are:

1) They still get the enemy to deploy resources to counter them.
2) They cost zero maintenance, so if you've built up your fleet to your maintenance limit, they don't count against that important limit.
3) In large quantities, they can be quite powerful. A pile of satellites or fighters, stacked full of defenses and weapons, sitting on the right side of a warp point, can do a lot of damage, and can tip the scales of a battle.

PvK