So has any one used the Drones Yet?

[Atrocities]

After all the *****ing that went on about having them, I just want to know if people are using them. So, are you using Drones?

I have not yet had the chance too. Hell, I haven't even had the chance to actually start playing a real game yet. Mostly been play testing.

[PsychoTechFreak]

I just have briefly tried them. Hell, they loose their supplies quickly, even if they remain in orbit and away they are... No, I do not want to start another *****ing against it, next time I will try to figure out, how to let the AIs would make a good use of them. Maybe a kind of organic kamikaze drones, or just as mobile mines...

[Dracus]

The AI's do use drones, if you play for a while.

[geoschmo]

In my mind, there is a pretty big problem with the drones in their recent form. And it has nothing to do with the lack of a "move to" order.

It's that they are so darned expensive. They use the standard ship engines. A decent drone is more than 2K minerals to build. Even with no maintenance, they are just so expensive.

Easy enough to mod in special drone engines, with lower cost and supply usage. Makes them much more viable in my mind. Many people on the beta team did just that, and suggested it to Malfardor. I don't think you will see large scall use of them unless that is done, either by mod or patch.

Geoschmo

[mac5732]

I'm similiar to Atrocities, just play testing the game (original, no mods) learning and looking to see what is new before I start Mods) What I found is like Dracus said, The AI does use them, in fact he has bLasted several of my planets with them, destroyed several colony worlds. I have not used them yet but currently researching them for use.

just some ideas mac

[Jourin]

Actually I have been using a modded "Drone" Version for many months in pre-Gold SEIII. I got the gold CD the day I was leaving on a business trip around Asia, so I have been too busy to play-although I brought the CD with me. Maybe when I get back and after IRS day.

[oleg]

IMHO, the major problem with drones is a next hell layer of micromanagement:

Usually, my spaceyards are building ships while rest of the planets build units. Drones are rather expensive and hence the build rate is slow. To fill the drone carrier I must move it all around the system picking odd drones here and there. It is much, much more easier with fighters, which can be launched, moved to the pick-up point and recovered by carriers. Drones can not be recovered.

Regardless of their effectiveness, I practically abandom drones in my most current game. No fun at all.

[Grandpa Kim]

I've used drones only on the demo. Haven't got far enough in the full Version to try them there.

In the demo, I found they were great for softening up targets before taking in a fleet and perfect for nailing lone ships or even fleets of two or three ships.
I usually launched from home to a system two systems away. Worked as advertised. One of the targets exited to an "unknown" system and two of my drones stopped. The target returned two or three turns later and the drones took off after him again finally smearing him.

Drones seem to have both pluses and minuses (Hey! What doesn't?):
1. You can build them anywhere
2. But without a spaceyard, they will take two turns to build
3. They cost like a ship
4. But require no maintenance
5. They use 'way too much supplies just standing still
6. Are a ***** to kill
7. Take so much planetary cargo space they make the Cargo Facility look useful.

Anyway, I can see myself using them, if I can steal the tech from another player. As I said, softening up and solo targets seem to be their forte... or at least one of their fortes. Remains to be seen what other good ways there are to use them.

Kim

[Sinapus]

They do seem a bit expensive, but somewhat useful. If there were some way of remembering the locations of planets, the long-range attack aspect would be even greater. You know, show what you saw in a system the Last time you had a ship there and don't update it until you have another ship or other unit in there.

The expense part might be limited by use of component enhancement by creating a mount that reduces the cost of each weapon type (including the catch-all of "none"). And, it'll be something the AI can use (and we mere humans can forget easily.)

[Captain Kwok]

Perhaps you can just mod the drones to have a maintenance bonus of say, -25%, since they don't have any crews and such.