Jumping in at the deep end

[Jtownsend]

It seemed pretty clear, but I'm not sure if I'll have a heavy-enough cargo fleet when I get my breathers for it to be worthwhile - unless repeat orders means something more complex and evilly brilliant than having the computer do ferrying for me over time.

Incidentally - the word is out that I'm fielding PPBs. Do Phased Shields make PBBs really sad, or do they simply act like normal shields, making PPBs like normal weapons? The damage on PPBs is quite adequate for my needs, but if phased shields actually make them useless that'd be good to know.

And on that note, what is next after PPBs for direct fire weapons? High Energy Discharge? Seems a bit far off, although the numbers look tasty. Need more research.

[Fyron]

Phased shields cause Phased Polaron Beams to act as normal weapons.

Note that every single shield point on the ship must be from phased generators, otherwise they will count as normal, non-phased shields.

Anti-Proton Beams (energy stream weapons) are the most powerful general purpose weapon. Far cheaper to build than Phased Polaron Beams, and they have one of the highest damage ratios in the game. Combined with long range (8), they are killer. Very expensive to research, but well worth it.

Wave-Motion Beams are very weak weapons. In situations where you are only going to get one shot, they are ok. But for combats that last more than 3 rounds, Anti-Proton Beams are vastly more powerful. Damage ratios (damage / kiloton (size) / rate of fire) are a very important comparison tool.

[Jtownsend]

Ah! Good point, I had actually failed to give thought to weapon size differing.

[douglas]

Jtownsend said:
Ah! Good point, I had actually failed to give thought to weapon size differing.

Don't forget rate of fire, too. There are only two weapons I would recommend in most circumstances as an improvement on PPB's: APB if you have TONS of research and your opponents have phased shields, and shield depleters if your opponents have phased shields. Neither one is worth concentrating on before getting maximum CS/ECM/scattering armor/stealth armor/training.

[Jtownsend]

Ok, more good thoughts, although I do tend to sometimes shift my research around a bit - back off APBs back onto PPBs It's hard to tell if my PBB design coming out in a recent skirmish will actually lead to phased shields being very common in the level of game advanced-ness we have.

Facility upgrades - I'm wishing I had more research and being outpaced by some people with TRs and uncrippled trade. I have a TR with a harmless seeming partner, but I have that crippled all the way. With upgrading, do I want to get research III and upgrade I -> III or is that possible?

It can be tricky, without the feel of experience, to know precisely what economic/shipaccessory/scientific/weapon tech to focus on over time. I want to keep my fleet up to date, but it may be that the only player strong enough to pose a serious threat has agreed to permanent peace out of a desire not to grind himself down against his strongest opponent. So I'm left in a bit of a cold war sitution hoping he doesn't use his greater free space to win, or gobble up the colonies of smaller neighbors.

Still number 1, but a generic figure like that isn't too reassuring.

[Fyron]

douglas said:
Neither one is worth concentrating on before getting maximum CS/ECM/scattering armor/stealth armor/training.

I'd say these things are worth getting before PPBs even. Having DUC V and more advanced CS/ECM is generally better than PPBs and less advanced CS/ECM. PPBs are very expensive weapons...

Jtownsend said:
With upgrading, do I want to get research III and upgrade I -> III or is that possible?

Facility upgrades will always be to the most advanced type available.

Jtownsend said:
It can be tricky, without the feel of experience, to know precisely what economic/shipaccessory/scientific/weapon tech to focus on over time.

This is when the game is still fun. When you know the tech tree inside and out, it becomes boring and repetitive. This is where mods come in.