Drones Are Useless

[Baron Munchausen]

If that's true that the AI is using planetary warheads in its anti-ship drones then there is a design problem in the AI files. What is more likely is that the AI just doesn't distinguish between the two types and launches any available drones at ships. Since planetary warheads do NOT do damage to ships, unless there is another bug, this is a huge waste of resources used to build the drone and of available strategic options.

[Nodachi]

Check the target types on the planetary warhead, it won't harm a ship. Just another case of stupid AI.

Almost any escort design you can come up with can be done with a drone. The drone would be cheaper and more importantly you can build more than one at a time. The downside is limited movement capabilities and they blow up when they run out of gas.

I've found that they work well for early game defense. Mid to late game you just have to be more creative with them.

[geoschmo]

What if from an AI design perspective you simply made them build drones with one of each type warhead? If I recall correctly there is room on a drone for two warheads and some engines right?

Geoschmo

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Nodachi:
Check the target types on the planetary warhead, it won't harm a ship. Just another case of stupid AI.

Try it. Works just fine, text not withstanding.

If I want to be a @$$#@!@, I use it myself. I get ticked off sometimes when something's "not fair to the AI" and do it anyway, you know training facilities, ship capture, tactical combat, and other cheats/exploits of this sort.

[capnq]

According to this old thread {link}, anti-planet drones only do ramming damage against ships.

[Baron Munchausen]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
What if from an AI design perspective you simply made them build drones with one of each type warhead? If I recall correctly there is room on a drone for two warheads and some engines right?

Geoschmo

Well, then, screw the special target types if the AI is too stupid to tell the diff, and just make a drone warhead that damages anything a drone can hit. (Let's see... Ships\Planets and Ships\Sat but no Ships\Planets\Sat targetting type. Hmm, go with 'All But Seekers' I guess and don't worry about fighters since drones can't target them anymore anyway...). Then have the AI build ONE type of drone and be done with it.

[ September 13, 2002, 21:15: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

[Gozra]

Drones are useful. However if you approach the use of drones as a stragetic weapon it will let you down over and over. If you think of drones as advanced fleet missles then they will not disappoint you. They are expensive but when you are making a long term effort they are worth it. The combined arms aspect are very worthwhile. You can also make several types of drones for instance an anti fighter drone is good for cleaning out enemy held systems of satilltes and fighters.
I think the main factor that makes drones unpopular is that it take a great deal of foresight, and planning, and luck to have them in the right place at the right time. Every single weapons system represented in SEIV is useful in some way or another at any point in any game you play.