[PvK]

The Proportions AI is currently occasionally storing a few units on BSY's. It only happens when a BSY itself builds units, which only happens when it builds from the construction_vehicles file, which usually uses BSY's to build ships and bases rather than units. It happens sometimes, and is OK for storing units for example for satellite carriers to pick up, since they can't be launched from the BSY. However the AI already seems to keep enough sats and mines sitting on planets somewhere for a layer/launcher to come get.

In general though since they can't launch, and since non-domed planets have huge unit capacities in Proportions, I think it's best the AI not do this. Also, if such a design is wanted, you can just add cargo compartments.

I saw an interesting thing with the Phong ships - in one game, several of them were carrying a few infantry units each in the 1 kT space given to their supply bays! It might be possible to get an AI to frequently capture small colonies this way... at least, ungarissoned ones. Though, they might equally often just get themselves sawed in half by weapon platforms.

The reported inbalance was coming from Proportions' ~30% maintenance reduction for transports, and the availability of medium transports two tech levels before cruisers, so relatively early, human players were making SY ships on med transport hulls as minelayers, able to build 5 mines per turn. The typical low-tech design that I came up with has speed 4, range 23 one-way, costs around 6500 resources, but only about base 900 to maintain, and is an easy target. I don't see a similar warship-hull design until battlecruiser hulls, at least that can both build and lay mines in one ship (though you could do the same thing with a little more speed using a cruiser and an escort, but it would be more expensive).

Compared to conventional minelayer designs, let's see, a "fast-laying" low-tech med transport which stores and lays 30 mines per turn, range 34 one-way, costs about 4200 resources, 580 to maintain, but of course can't build anything (neither does it need to stay in the target sector for .6 years to lay 30 mines, though.

I think the main observation was that it allows construction far away from the homeworld (combined with resupply ships and supply outPosts). In Proportions, the homeworld tends to be where most of the unit construction goes on, and economical long-range transports are slow, so although the conventional minelayer looks better in the above case, the SYS looks better the farther away you are from a construction center.

Actually though, having looked at those examples, it's not seeming bad to me. Mainly I think they were worried that the AI won't do this, but the AI has always been at a disadvantage with minelaying (and lots of other areas).

I think though that mines in general may be a little more annoying/powerful than in the unmodded game, because the mid-game stage tends to have a more limited budget and efficient minesweepers are slow and cost a fair amount.

PvK