stealth armor

[javaslinger]

First, how does stealth work exactly? It says on armor gives you a 'chance' at being undetected. How much do you typically need to be hidden? Is stealth armor the only was to be undetected? Scattering armor? How's that work?

Second, in a full tech game (all tech trees are fully researched at the beginning of the game), is stealth more or less useless since the best sensors are all available at the beginning of the game anyway, and other armor is cheaper?

Thanks,

Ken