Drones: Magic Cheat?

[Skulky]

I think to help level the playing field, we need a sat/weapon platform only weapon that is reasearched in tandem with PD and is 2-3x as effective and can only be used against drones. This way the advantage will again lie with the defenders and make it harder to wipe out your enemy with drones.

[PvK]

I'd say it's already pretty hard to wipe out your opponent with drones, if he's not caught off guard. Given the scenario that the attacker has got access to a system with several relatively unprotected planets, a group of escorts can do the same thing as a drone carrier, and isn't used up in the process. Just like with escorts, mines and/or weapon platforms, bases, or even satellites, can block the attack.

At least from the few games I've seen them used in, it didn't seem like PD really needed to be made tougher on drones. I saw PD wasting drones pretty easily. If you lost a colony with a couple of WP's on it to one drone, and one of the WP's was a PD WP, then I expect either it was an expensive high-tech drone or a low-tech PD WP, or both.

PvK

[tesco samoa]

so people are using drones. I think their too expensive for what they do.

[Fyron]

Yeah, drones are useless. Now, if you could give them the "move to" order, then they might have a few uses. Or, if they could turn into satellites (or maybe just stop in one spot and act like a satellite), then maybe they could be used as remotely deployable satellites, so that you could set them up at warp points or other planets without having to use satellite launching ships.

[PvK]

I wouldn't say they're "useless", but the satellite mode is a cool idea, I think.

I think the main efficient uses of drones are as surprise weapons (can be hidden from human opponents in ways that ships can't), and as relatively maintenance-free build-up arsenals. Depending on your enemies' technology and designs, I think they can be effective in several situations.

Another use is in concert with fighters and missiles - drones can soak up a lot of PD and weapon fire, making the other systems more effective.

They are quite expensive, but I think that helps keep them from becoming too powerful.

PvK

[dmm]

Geoshmo and others point out that a mine field will wipe out your drones. Anyone considered using (cheapest possible) drones purposefully as "minesweepers?" Probably not cost-effective but, since colonies can build them without shipyards, you may be able to field lots of them quickly enough to overwhelm even a maxed-out minefield.

[PvK]

Drones will be a lot more expensive than the mines they would detonate - the engines are one of the most expensive parts. It might be a little more effective if you piled armor on the drones, but still it'd be pretty wasteful. I tend to think minesweeping components should be allowed on drones, but that would require programming work that might better be directed elsewhere.

PvK