Shield Generators

[Jubala]

I agree that boarding tech is too hard to come by. I've been toying with the idea of moving it up one level in military science tech area so it's available at once in a medium tech start game.

I also agree that the selfdestruct device is to powerful. The description says it destroys the ship by overloading the weapons. So logically I thought, then destroy the engines and it won't work. So I researched engine busting weapons and proceeded to test my theory. No go. The self destruct device works even if all the engines are destroyed which makes no sense imo considering the description of it. I wonder if it's possible to create a weapon that only targets selfdestruct devices?

[Shadow99]

Well it would be nice if the engines being offed would end the auto-destruct, but I think they truly mean the power core for the engines blows (using the self-destruct). & while yes it would be nice if you could simply have say a 'explosion containment field' weapon that would nuke the self-D it's not currently possible (no ability for it). As is I've been trying to get a large fighter item which is a boarding unit or maybe make an even larger 'fighter' hull which I'll call shuttles... it would be a large ship (say 60 kt?) & the boarding unit would be 40 kt (but the rating would be higher than ship ones). That way you risk a 'shuttle' instead of your precious BC...

[General Hawkwing]

While the self-destruct device would be a cause for concern in multi-player games, I have yet to see the AI use one. Also there is no reason to place marines on a BC, a small ship serves the purpose much better when used in a fleet. Especially when armed with the correct weapon (shield dep).

Shadow99, Would your shuttle be classed as a fighter and therefore able to be targeted by point defense weapons?

Psitticine, Thanks for the info on shield gen's and shield points.

[Taqwus]

In my present game (255-system 1-planet start, ca. turn 250 w/ probably only the two known non-neutral AIs left as well a handful of neutrals), pretty much every remotely-recent enemy ship class has a self-destruct device. Most (but not all) also have ECM and sensors, and I've even seen it deploy spy satellites (tachyon sensors)...

(of course, I've also noted that the previously-destroyed [surrender] Ukra-Tal had Cloaking II, but apparently never used it... !)



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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[DirectorTsaarx]

In my current game (large galaxy, 8 non-neutral AI's, 4 neutral AIs), I saw self-destruct devices on my closest enemy before turn 50!!! I haven't seen any ECMs or Combat Sensors yet though...

[Commander G]

quote:

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Originally posted by General Hawkwing:
While the self-destruct device would be a cause for concern in multi-player games, I have yet to see the AI use one. Also there is no reason to place marines on a BC, a small ship serves the purpose much better when used in a fleet. Especially when armed with the correct weapon (shield dep)

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I agree, use as small a ship as you can manage so that it is harder to hit and add ECMs. If a larger ship self-destructs before most of its components are gone, who is the real winner here? I'll trade frigates for cruisers any day. If it is a carrier, you could lose the battle, but take out the carrier, leaving the fighters stranded.

Pirates in the Carribean would often attack a Galleon with a fleet of small ships or boats and board it, because the Cannons had a lot of problems targeting the small vessals. Sometimes they would have just one cannon on these small vessels mounted on the bow to fire while closing on the vessel. Of course, the pirates wanted to capture the contents, so they'd be firing for the rigging or firing something like canister to harass the Spanish crew instead of trying for a Hull breach. Fortunately for them, the Spanish had no self-destruct devices.

Here is a question to consider, how many ship commanders would really trigger the self-destruct device if their ship were being captured? Klingon and Romulan commanders might. Starfleet commanders would surrender to their captors, except Kirk. He would at least bluff using the device to stall the enemy while Scotty would fix the engines. Picard would probably surrender and try to get out of the situation later (lure the enemy to the holodeck).

Self-destruct devices should have a failure chance based on the personality of the race. Violent races would be more willing to commit suicide than neutral or peaceful races, which would surrender. I would also suggest that the device should only work if the Bridge or Aux. Control room are still intact. Otherwise, the officers who can initiate a self-destruct are probably already dead.

[Taqwus]

I believe the description of the self-destruct device states that it's computer-controlled, presumably to avoid the problem of a sudden boarding preventing manual activation.

You don't have to be a reader of the RISKS Digest to realize how absolutely terrifying that should be for the crew...

HAL9000: Possible intruder detected. Activating self-destruct sequence. 30... 29...

Dave: TURN IT OFF. It was just me coming here, HAL.

HAL9000: I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that. My orders were to ensure that this ship does not fall into enemy hands. 25... 24...

Dave: ARRRRRRRGHHHHHH!



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-- The thing that goes bump in the night