[grumbler]

A status update on Version 2.0 (such as it is).

Facilities, Vehicles, pretty much all of the componets bar weapons, and the Ai files seem to be good. I have a game running as the Minbari and after 220 turns am still in 7th place out of 18 races (computer players have medium bonuses). That's about what I would hope, given that I'm not trying all that hard to win, and the AI cannot shift around populations.

However, the computer AI for all the players except the LNAW seem to be building 80% of their attack ships as scouts. There are a few exceorts, destroyers, and light cruisers, but all of the battleship and larger sizes are "specialized" ships like troop transports, ship-based shipyards, and the like.

There is nothing in the AI files that is obviously driving them in this direction, and they are designing all of the attack ship classes they should be, but they are not building them. Is there something really obvious that I am missing (like having the planet per ship setting too low)?

I had a thought on satellites: maybe we need to deny satellites the ability to "armor up" in order to restore them to balance. They will still wax a lot of ships, but will be eggs armed with sledgehammers - kinda what we saw in Endgame. Any thoughts on this approach?

Also, does anyone else think armor is a bit too weakwhen placed on ships? It doesn't seem to make that much difference in the simulator runs I conduct - either it is too leaky or else it just doesn't absorb enough damage. I dunno enough about how it works to make any final judgements, though.