Minesweepers

Weson102 · #1 March 21st, 2001, 07:05 PM

I'm playing Version 1.30 with TDM 1.61 mod.
My mine sweeper blows up after entering a mine field. It removes some of the mines but then is destroyed.

I don't remember having this happen before.
Didn't the minesweeper remove mines according to the component makeup of the ship, it may take several turns to clear the field, but the ship wasn't destroyed.

Or am I just losing my mind.

Nitram Draw · #2 March 21st, 2001, 07:09 PM

I think if the minesweeper doesn't remove all the mines then it gets attacked by them. If it can't take the damage then it will be destroyed.

Alpha Kodiak · #3 March 21st, 2001, 07:24 PM

In my experience with previous Versions (back to 1.19) if a minesweeper failed to sweep all of the mines in the turn it entered the field then it got hit by the mines.

Master Belisarius · #4 March 21st, 2001, 07:49 PM

The minesweepers are working.
The question should be that was a large mine field, then, after clean the mines that can (depending the type and quantity of the mine sweeper devices into the ship), the ship take damage like any ship.

I saw a problem when the AI player manage the minesweepers: if the minesweeper have sucess cleaning the minefield, stay there, without come back to a safe place, then, usually is destroyed by others ships after some time.
I suggested to Aaron, to include mniesweepers into the fleets, because the more common reason for the AI to lose a fleet (including wars between AIs), are the mines.

Sinapus · #5 March 23rd, 2001, 05:02 PM

The AI should also stop sending ships to places where a minefield has been encountered until the minesweepers clear it.

Sure, 20 ships w/o minesweepers will "sweep" mines in their own, but very much slower than 20 minesweepers could.

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Q · #6 March 23rd, 2001, 07:03 PM

I only can support your comments: minesweepers must be included in attack fleets! A lonely minesweeper is a very easy target and even cloaking is not a certain protection, because the sensors in SE IV are very powerful compared to SE III.

Sirkit · #7 March 23rd, 2001, 09:42 PM

My experience with a computer my prove interesting in this case. I was busy mining a couple of warp points when I get a message that tells me that the computer has lost 30(!) ships to my mine field but the mine field died when I looked closer at the ships that made it, they were all escorts! Is it just me or is the computer sometimes both incredibly smart yet stupid at the same time? Any way this hole in my defences allowed them to invade my home systems and greatly hinder my ability to retaliate because I had lost 4 builder worlds. My score dropped and there were rebellions, it sucked, they died, I hold 5 of their ships in orbit in my "museum du dead species" may they rot in peace

mottlee · #8 March 24th, 2001, 04:57 AM

I have found that mine sweepers SHOULD be with other ships, I had the problem when I sent a sweeper into a sector with mines alone it was killed and did NOT clear any mines, when sent in with another ship it cleared mines (started getting cleared measages)

Q · #9 March 24th, 2001, 09:00 AM

Until we will have this fixed by MM (I proposed a "fleet design file", that would allow to specify the fleet composition for the AI similar to the "vehicle construct file"), I consider to include one mine sweeping component in every attact ship. That is certainly not ideal, but it might be better for the AI than the present situation. Did anybody already try this?

Baron Munchausen · #10 March 24th, 2001, 09:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Q:
Until we will have this fixed by MM (I proposed a "fleet design file", that would allow to specify the fleet composition for the AI similar to the "vehicle construct file"), I consider to include one mine sweeping component in every attact ship. That is certainly not ideal, but it might be better for the AI than the present situation. Did anybody already try this?

Hey, that's what I've been asking for over the Last several months. Thanks for adding yet another chalk mark to my record of anticipating what the Users will want...

Besides mine sweepers, the AI needs to be taught to include repair and supply ships with fleets that will leave it's own systems and go on the attack, and it needs at least one new ship class/type, the PDC defense ship which we tend to call "Aegis" after the current ship class in the USN.