going nuts on retrofit

[Gandalf Parker]

OK Im probably getting out of hand here but this is what Im looking at now....

(Crazy Idea A)
For forward locations where I need extra storage and launch capability I am now building a base with 1 cargo, 1 ftr launcher, 1 sat launcher, 1 mine launcher, and 1 drone launcher. I then upgrade it thru various steps to full function. It gets in place quickly, it frees my shipyard for other build projects quickly. And it gives me partial capability at least while it is being built. The easiest way I find to do this and helps to avoid the 50% rule is to design the max base I have in mind then copy it, delete a few things, copy that, delete a few more things, etc etc so I have all the stages I need between full and shell.

(Crazy Idea B)
Im going to play with trading cargo ships for shell ships. Deciding if this is economically feasable in the long run will probably take awhile but it feels OK so far. Since my military background was Supply Logistics I hated the cargo ships coming back empty (except maybe to move outdated weapon platforms and sats to interior worlds). So now Im going to try this. Build shells of my attack and launch ships ships with maximum speed and cargo holds. Fill them from the other home-system planets which are set to repeat build various units, fill extra space with population. Fly them forward, unload them, then retrofit them to forward-use ships for attack and launch.

(Crazy Idea C)
It seems as though 6 ships with cheap weapons is better than 1 ship with great weapons, especially if its 1 ship with great weapons that you are waiting for it to be built. If I design a ship with really expensive stuff on it, then I copy it a few times replacing the expensive items with cheaper items, I can have stepping-stone ships for a retrofit ladder to that 1-great-ship.

(Crazy Idea D)
And, instead of a retrofit where all of my lvl-1 guns become lvl-2 guns and my lvl-1 shields become lvl-2 shields... if I have stages where they change 1/2 or 1/4 at a time then I wont have abit more control over the gradual repair work than having to choose the "shields first then weapons" or "weapons first then shields" repair sequence.