mines and mine sweeping

[gwichman]

i've got some questions regarding sweeping mines..

As far as i can see, it's impossible to see how many mines are in a square. I don't see any components that scan them (i.e. scanners) and moving a ship into the square doesn't tell you how many there were either. So that got me thinking..

If i build a mine sweeper that can only sweep 8 mines a turn, what happens if i move that shpi into a square with 16 mines in it? Does it sweep 8 and then blow up? Or does it sit there for 2 turns until it's swept all 16 and survive?

What if i build a mine sweeper and put it in a fleet of warships. Move the entire fleet into the square. Now what happens? Does my mine sweeper get to sweep 8 mines first, and then the remaining 8 start hitting my ships? Or does the whole fleet sit there while i sweep? Or perhaps no mine sweeping at all occurs.. all 16 hit?

Lastly is there any way to tell how many mines are in a square that i'm not noticing?

Thanks much!

[Phoenix-D]

If you don't sweep all the mines, the remaining ones start hitting your ship. Ussually they kill it.

EDIT: in a fleet, sweeping happens first, then the remaining mines go after your ships. and no, mods notwithstanding mines are always invisible.

Phoenix-D

[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: Phoenix-D ]

[gwichman]

so if theres a warp point with mines in the same square, and my opponent parks 5-6 ships there as well, will it go like this:

#1-my mine sweeping ships sweep up whatever they can
#2-if i dont sweep all the mines, my fleet starts taking hits
#3-if i sweep all the mines, combat starts between what i have left alive and my opponent.

[MegaTrain]

exactly.

Also #4 - If you failed to sweep all the mines, but your ships survive the remaining mines, then battle will ensue between your wounded fleet and the enemy ships.

[gwichman]

hmm that brings up another question..

with satellites i can instruct a planet to build the satellites, then on the subsequant turn launch them.

Can a planet also launch mines? Or do i need to build a mine layer anytime i want to lay mines? i.e. if i want to lay mines on my planets (which seems like a good strategy as some additional defense) do i need mine laying ships to go around and do this?

[Phoenix-D]

Yes, planets can launch mines.

Phoenix-D

[MegaTrain]

1 important clarification, though. Unlike satellites, once you launch the mines (from a planet or ship or base or whatever), they cannot be recovered by any means. They can be self-destructed, though.