[Baron Munchausen]

Yes, that seems to be the only way to make this concept work in SE. I've considered doing this with phased-shields and some other technologies. As with all complicated mods the downside is that it makes AI editing more tedious at best, and might create a situation that confuses the AI and puts it at a disadvantage. I've been 'distributing' Stellar Manipulation techs to other fields, for example, so you have to pursue many branches of research to get them all instead of just one 'super powers' tech field. Then I have to go an edit all the AI files so they get around to all those fields sooner or later.. ugh.

For ship construction, I'd put the break at cruisers or battle cruisers and name the new field 'capital ship construction'. You might include some larger and heavier armor in that field as well. Then you might have some races that would only research standard ships up to cruisers and not go any further with standard ships. They might switch to carriers. (The 'Colonials' in the Battlestar Galactica universe, for example).

[ 16 February 2002: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]