[Swarm]

1) In the unmodified game, no difference in function between Hyper Optics, Gravitic Sensors, and Tachyon Sensors. They all pierce the level of Cloaking specified in the component description. They are unrelated to Combat Sensors and Scanners. A single unit with one of these in the system will enable you to see all cloaked objects - their range is the entire system.

Scanners let you see the components and cargo on ships which you can see. They have a range of 1, 3 or 5 sectors. They are blocked by Scanner Jammers or Scattering Armour. They do NOT let you see cloaked ships or planetary facilities or cargo.

2) The cloak button switches it on or off. Cloaking devices use supplies, so you may not always want it switched on. All levels of Stealth Armour function the same as the first level of cloaking, and still needs to be switched on before your ship is cloaked, even though it does not use supplies. (As the captain of Nasty Surprise 0001 found to his cost.)

3) I wish there was :-/

4) They may do a trivial amount of damage - I'm not sure - but the main effect is to warp the target ship to a random spot of the combat map. I think the distance is generally greater with larger weapon mounts. The ship will still be in the same sector of the same system.

5) Phased weapons do normal damage to Phased Shields.

6) I believe so.