Best satellite design?

[rdouglass]

quote:

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Originally posted by CW:
Missile Ships don't need a combat sensor right?

CW

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Nope, but they will need Multiplex Tracking to target more than 1 ship....

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

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Missile Ships don't need a combat sensor right?

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Missiles have an inherent accuracy of 100% if they survive.

The only reasons why you would put a sensor on a missile ship are:
a) You want more accuracy on your PDCs
b) You have some beam weapons too.
c) You have space and money to burn

quote:

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Lemmy, you CAN move sat's

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You do have to carry them in a ship (with sat bays) though.

[geoschmo]

I disagree that sat's are only good for warp point defense. In fact I think they are more useful for planetary defense then they are for wp def.

Against an enemy that knows what they are doing, you get one shot in warppoint d, then the ships that are not damaged scatter, and you can't persue. Unless you have a LOT of sat's, or the enemy has very few ships coming through, it won't do much good.

But as planetary defense they are very good, even early on. A small sat can hold one CSM and one PDC. That's a good combo to handle ships or fighters. Plus you can put heavier coverage on a tiny planet than you can with weapons platforms. This is good for small, but strategically important planets. And if the enemy wants to get at the planet, they have to come in range of the sat's, unless you are way out matched in weapon's tech levels.

Geo

[rdouglass]

quote:

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Originally posted by geoschmo:
I disagree that sat's are only good for warp point defense. In fact I think they are more useful for planetary defense then they are for wp def.

Against an enemy that knows what they are doing, you get one shot in warppoint d, then the ships that are not damaged scatter, and you can't persue. Unless you have a LOT of sat's, or the enemy has very few ships coming through, it won't do much good.

But as planetary defense they are very good, even early on. A small sat can hold one CSM and one PDC. That's a good combo to handle ships or fighters. Plus you can put heavier coverage on a tiny planet than you can with weapons platforms. This is good for small, but strategically important planets. And if the enemy wants to get at the planet, they have to come in range of the sat's, unless you are way out matched in weapon's tech levels.

Geo

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Personally, I never said they were only good for WP's. I said I only used 'em for WP's. And AFAIK, sat's will still clump together as 1 group and usually end up on the wrong side of the planet to do any good. Against that same enemy (that knows what they're doing), the enemy ships will just move to the other side of your planet, glass the planet, and ignore the sats. (Unless 0f course, they've fixed the sat grouping issue)...

[Sinapus]

I tend to use satellites as early-warning stations in as many border systems I can find. If I have them I put a cloak, anti-cloak sensor and a scanner on board so I can get readings on what's coming at me.


If the AI is doing the usual with mines (nothing) then I send a cloaked ship to drop a few satellites in every system I can reach.

[Marty Ward]

I would like to use sats more but now I only use them early in the game and as sensor units. If the problem with the deployment could be fixed to allow a wider range of deployments I think I would use them more. Better yet give them 1 movement in combat only.

[Jubala]

quote:

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Originally posted by Marty Ward:
I would like to use sats more but now I only use them early in the game and as sensor units. If the problem with the deployment could be fixed to allow a wider range of deployments I think I would use them more. Better yet give them 1 movement in combat only.

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You can give them combat movement yourself. Very easy. Like this:

Name := Small Satellite
Short Name := Small Satellite
Description :=
Code := SS
Bitmap Name := Satellite
Vehicle Type := Satellite
Tonnage := 80
Cost Minerals := 80
Cost Organics := 0
Cost Radioactives := 0
Engines Per Move := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := Satellites
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Number of Abilities := 2
Ability 1 Type := Combat To Hit Defense Plus
Ability 1 Descr := Small size makes unit 50% harder to hit in combat.
Ability 1 Val 1 := 50
Ability 1 Val 2 := 0
Ability 2 Type := Combat Movement
Ability 2 Descr := Built in thrusters generates 1 movement point during combat.
Ability 2 Val 1 := 1
Ability 2 Val 2 := 0
Requirement Must Have Bridge := True
Requirement Can Have Aux Con := False
Requirement Min Life Support := 0
Requirement Min Crew Quarters := 0
Requirement Uses Engines := False
Requirement Max Engines := 0
Requirement Pct Fighter Bays := 0
Requirement Pct Colony Mods := 0
Requirement Pct Cargo := 0
Launched from Ship := True
Launched from Planet := True