Finalizing Neostandard

[AstralWanderer]

Imperator Fyron said:
+ Worldship (generally spheroid, for the death stars et all)

This would be a nice addition, particularly if its maximum size was limited only by the resources of the owning empire. Would it be possible to allow such a class access to some of the planetary facilities (e.g. Base Space Yards, Solar Generators, Planetary Gravitational Shields) or have new ship components replicating such features limited to this class only?

Imperator Fyron said:
Light and Heavy already called for by stock, so I don't think we really need any more.

Adding a carrier large enough to include multiple space yards (so it can build its own fighters) might be useful. Heavy Carriers don't seem to have enough space to allow for this without severe compromises elsewhere (unless their maximum TL is greatly increased). This role could be handled by an expanded Baseship though.

Imperator Fyron said:
Small/Large freighters already called for by stock.

Again, a larger freighter capable of building its own drones, mines, troops may be worthwhile.

Imperator Fyron said:
+ Battle Station (base to go between space station and starbase, as in all previous SE versions)

There is a bit of a gap between the SS and SB but this could be closed up by increasing the maximum tonnage per TL and max TL. This would allow for the Battle Station to be a supersized SB instead. The reason for this is to allow for larger bases to compensate for their lack of mobility (both a tactical and strategic weakness) and to provide something to fill the gap between the SB and the Worldship above.

There is a certain "large ship fetish" in my suggestions above, but it seems strange that a game allowing the construction of Ringworlds (Larry Niven's weighing in at 2.1 x 10^27 kg) and Dyson Spheres has such comparatively low limits on ship tonnage.

[Tim_Ward]

If I had my way, destroyer, battleship, corvette et al would be design types and hull sizes would be called something else.

But for what it's worth, I endorse corvette over escort.

[Santiago]

Corvette ftw

[Fyron]

AstralWanderer:
This is all about relative scale, not about stock hull sizes. Nothing stops a mod from making heavy carriers bigger so they can mount multiple space yards (or adding a "small" SY designed for such unit building roles). We don't necessarily need to force modders to make a (probably non-distinctive) 4th carrier size for that.

The problem with adding "massive" versions of a basic hull type is that with SE4 shipsets, it almost always ended up as just a larger picture of the same thing, maybe with very minor detail modifications. When there are already 3 model types for it, a 4th doesn't necessarily add much variety, but it adds more work for modelers. Worldships are distinctive. Scout/corvette adds a possibility for a small, less combat-oriented military hull design. Juggernaut is certainly less distinctive than the other proposals, but many people seemed to want a large warship hull possibility. Unlike a "massive carrier," it probably has more possibility for uniqueness.

IMO, the name "battlestation" has to go between space station and starbase for purposes of continuity (all previous SE games had them in that order). Again, its just a matter of scale. Make your mod have the battlestations at the stock starbase size, and have starbases be even bigger. Nothing forces a modder to use stock hull sizes for anything; he just needs to maintain the relative size ordering for sensible play.

[AdmiralMartin]

Uh, Battlecruiser?

[Tim_Ward]

You need hull sizes like Juggernaut to provide a continuity between a baseship (somewhat larger than a dread) and a worldship (absolutely enormous).

[Combat Wombat]

AdmiralMartin said:
Uh, Battlecruiser?

I second the battlecruiser and I think another type of colony ship might be a good idea.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Aww, nobody likes Escort.

Eh. Corvette does sound neater anyway, even if it doesn't maintain continueity.

[se5a]

I vote escort!

not that it matters, it's just model names anyway.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Everything matters; there is only different levels of relavency.