Weapon Platforms @ Warp Point - Newbie Question

[tbontob]

Up till now, I've been playing my games with attack ships to deal with assaults on my systems.

That can be expensive because of the maintenance costs.

Then I came upon a thread discussing the relative merits of mines, weapon platforms and satellites at warp points.

So, I started a new game, built some small weapon platforms, loaded them into a transport, went to a warp point and........couldn't unload the platforms!

What did I do wrong?

[sachmo]

Weapons platforms can only be present on a planet, not in space. You can unload satellites, mines and drones into space, however.

[SlamrFest]

well this seems to be a small problem for me too
where do the weapon platforms sit ?? in Cargo ?? how do i get them to work ?? sry im a real noobie ) all i have is the demo right now waiting for them to get it back in stock and send me a copy of this WONDERFUL game ) .

[ckotchey]

This is one of the concerns I had when learning this game as a newbie myself. I had downloaded the demo Version of the game, and had to play through 5-10 games simply to answer questions like "what is a weapons platform" and "how do I use them" and so forth. Then, I played a game to learn about fighters. Then, I played a game to learn about troops, then I played a game to learn to use satellites.
Now I own the game.
And I play a game to learn to create planets. And I play a game to learn to create wormholes.
And I play a game to learn about boarding parties.
And I play a game to learn about psychic technology.
...
Sooner or later I'll have to play a game to learn what ringworlds and sphere worlds are - and how to use them, and how to build them, etc. etc.
Sometimes, such learning is fun, but when there are so many aspects of the game that one has to learn (since they aren't mentioned or even hinted at in the manual and tutorials), you could easily go down the path of a bad assumption and totally ruin your current game.

[ckotchey]

FYI - the weapons platforms simply sit takign up cargo space, and they "just work" when they are needed.
Satellites, however, only take up cargo space when they are on the ground. Once launched, they do not take up cargo space. Note that they do not WORK unless they are launched.
One more tip: You can't scrap WP's like you can a ship or a facility. You have to use the planet's "jettison cargo" orders.

[Suicide Junkie]

Weapon platforms sit in a planet's cargo space.
They will give the planet extra hitpoints, and weapons which it can fire out into space.

The only way to get platforms at a warppoint, is to have a planet on top of the warppoint.
With Warppoint openers, you can easily do that.

Only one platform per planet needs combat sensors and ECM, since a stack of platforms will share the bonus.

[capnq]

Also, if you control a planet in Tactical Combat, you can click on it and fire the weapons platforms' weapons, launch satellites, fighters, and drones, the same way as you do with a ship.

[ August 19, 2002, 20:21: Message edited by: capnq ]

[SlamrFest]

Cool thanks much ) .. and yeah the learning curve is a bit much i havent even gotten into combat or diplomatic stuff .. lol but ill say this just on what i have seen so far it is a head and shoulders above anything i have played to date .. i dont think my jaw left the floor for the first 20mins into the demo .. and im still going WOW ...

LOL .. anyway Cool thanks for info .. now if i can just figure out what the heck kind of uses a tiny planet with one facility on it is good for lol ..

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by SlamrFest:
now if i can just figure out what the heck kind of uses a tiny planet with one facility on it is good for lol ..

Oh so many uses ...

1). If it's rich in a resource you need (and that's probablly minerals) one facility is better than none.

2). System-wide benefit facilitys -- there are many of these

3). Shipyard - you can always use one of those.

4). Resupply depot - especially if it's in the path ships usually take

5). Cargo facility, and it will hold tons of units and ships can take them elsewhere.

6). Just there to deny them to an opponent

[tbontob]

Slamrfest says...

now if i can just figure out what the heck kind of uses a tiny planet with one facility on it is good for lol ..

I usually do not colonize them in the early game (unless there is tech there), but if I do, I usually use them for something inexpensive like resourse storage. Then when I research the Atmospheric Modification Plant and decide to convert the air of this one facility world to one my species can breath, the cost of demolishing the "resource storge" facility is low.

Of course, the 1 faclity world is low on the priority list (coming after 2 to 5 facility worlds), and I may never get to it.

Also, if the conditions are optimal, they can provide a good source of colonists for colonizing other worlds.

[ August 19, 2002, 21:18: Message edited by: tbontob ]