Protecting Planets

[pathfinder]

windbourne: your mines will not blow up your own ships. so use at warp point and planets but beware that, like staellites, they tend to congrgate in one spot NOT as a "around the planet" field; unless you build a whole bunch.

[God Emperor]

I've personally hardly ever use mines or satellites (although I dont usually play above low bonus - played medium a few times).

I rely on WP's equipped with point defence and large/massive mount weapons backed by ships. I try to avoid spending on defensive weapons and buy ships, ships and more ships.
Might change my strategy a bit once the AI can use cloaked ships properly.

I dont use fighters or missiles much because my mod incorporates heavy point defence on the AI ships, which means I have to have a lot to make it worth while.
As a note though, I play tactical combat...

[Sinapus]

quote:

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Originally posted by pathfinder:
windbourne: your mines will not blow up your own ships. so use at warp point and planets but beware that, like staellites, they tend to congrgate in one spot NOT as a "around the planet" field; unless you build a whole bunch.

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Actually, mines clumping together isn't much of a problem since they don't appear in tactical or strategic combat. They just attack any enemy ship that goes into that sector.

[Nitram Draw]

I use all three for defense.
The only problem with the WP is space. On a domed planet you can only fit a few medium WP before you run out of space and then you can't build any mines or sats. It's quite a juggling act.
I like mines because even if they don't kill the ship they can come into the battle with damage on them. It's nice when they lose all their shields or weapons before the battle starts.
Using all three options lets me reduce my fleet size. In fact I don't think I have ever exceeded 25 combat ships at one time in any game I have played. I always have more support/colony ships than warships.

[Triumvir Emphy]

The other great thing is that shields don't seem to block mine damage, so if you have an opponent who is shield heavy, this might be your only chance to get some licks in.

[pathfinder]

God Emperor: I am currently using the Xi'Chung (no intel) MOD, MOD pack 1.6, patch v 1.27(?). These &*^%$ little bugs are using cloaking to the max. I have to have scanners in a system or ship to see the little *&^%$#@. So the AI does, at least on occaission, use cloaking.

oh yeah and your research mod along with sundevil's politcs/anger mod

[AJC]

Mines do appear in tactical combat if you launch them during tactical combat or if you launch them while the enemy ships are in the same sector as yours and then enter tactical combat with the enemy ships.

note however - the entire enemy fleet will take a pounding - the first time they move just one ship to re-enforce their fleet - into the sector with your mines and ships.

I wont waste too much space puting sensors that detect cloaked ships on a ship - I usually put a single satellite in the system - with sensors to detect cloaked intruders.

This includes sending a ship with my invasion fleet that contains a supply of satellites designed to detect cloaked ships in the systems I am attacking.

Often I will also place a single cloaked satellite with sensors in an unoccupied system to keep an eye out for intruders.


[This message has been edited by AJC (edited 14 March 2001).]

[Daynarr]

quote:

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Originally posted by AJC:
Often I will also place a single cloaked satellite with sensors in an unoccupied system to keep an eye out for intruders.

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Yeah, I remember this one.