Best satellite design?

[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:

---

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

---

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:

---

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.

---

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

[Marty Ward]

I seem to recall trying that on time and it didn't work. Maybe something has changed, I'll give it another go.

[jc173]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LemmyM:

Originally posted by CW:
One more question: If you put 2 combat sensors on a ship will you get a 120% bonus?
CW

---

only one combat sensor or ECM is effective per vehicle, so the answer is NO

Actually I've been fooling around with components in my mod, and I've found you can make the combat to hit plus effects stack if you have different' components with bonuses. It doesn't work if the components have the same family numbers, but otherwise you can stack the effects.

Personally I haven't had much success with using sats for planetary defense. The grouping problem is the main issue. Even the AI seems to know to ignore sats that are deployed on the wrong side of the planet and hit the planet first instead. On occasion my sats have done some good, but I've come to rely on mines and use my sats mostly as sensor buoys.

[This message has been edited by jc173 (edited 16 June 2001).]