Weapon Platforms

[General Hawkwing]

Does anyone utilize weapon platforms and if so in what ways?

I just started designing multiple types of single weapon-type plats (beam,missle,etc) and then constructing all of them on planets to provide a net of coverage. I have not had combat occur over a planet like this yet, so I'll have to test it in a combat simulator. My question is whether a planet can select multiple targets to fire at or if it is restricted to 1 "living" target per turn? Example: Can I fire by beam platforms a ships with point-def and missiles at those without them?

[Noble713]

I put weapon platforms on every non-major system that isn't currently building something until I've maxed their cargo capacity. Major systems tend to have plenty of ships around them and are too busy to build platforms anyway.

As for designs:

1) All capital missiles
2) 1 PD, meson bLasters
3) Massive Shield Depleter (if I have the tech, rare in v 0.56)

As for targetting different ships, yes you can do it but with dozens of platforms it becomes too tedious to be useful. Also, planets can track multiple targets as I've had my meson bLasters (25 platforms with 4 each) rip apart a cruiser and then clicked on another ship and they fired the remaining weapons at it.

[Seawolf]

FYI you will need mutli targetin too to use them effectively

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Seawolf on the prowl

[Baron Munchausen]

A planet has a multiplex tracking level of 10 by default. Adding multiplex to your WPs will not change this. In fact, it's not available in the design screen for WPs by default. There's actually a "fix" in the history file where he says he stopped the AI from putting multiplex and ECM on WPs. Apparently ECM on a WP doesn't have any effect either. So all you need is the computer core and combat sensors. Then stuff it with weapons and armor and shields.

[General Hawkwing]

Baron Munchausen and Seawolf,
How do you utilize weapon platforms? We await your wisdom O'warriors of legend. Seriously, do you have any pointers for beginners?


[This message has been edited by General Hawkwing (edited 25 September 2000).]

[Cyrien]

Well this is how I use them and it has seemed to work pretty good so far. At least on larger worlds, or small military worlds where I use Cargo Facilities.

Have 3 specialized types of WP or 2 semi-specialized.

With the 3 specialized you want:
--1 type with the longest range weapons you have available. Generally the Missile tech works pretty good for this in the Demo (being the longest range weapons in the demo and all)

--1 type with massive damage decent range weapons. Incinerator and Wave Motion as well as Graviton Hellbores all work nice in this area. This is just some incentive to keep them back.

--1 type with lots and lots of PD cannons. Don't let them just stay outa range and pummel you with missiles if theirs are better than yours. Shoot the things down and force them in closer.

For the semi specialized approach just subtract the pure PD ones and put one or two PDs on the first two types.

This little strategy has normally kept my planets pretty safe... as safe as can be expected with nothing but WP for defense anyways.

Of course no defense will ever stop a truly determined offense. All it takes is time.

[Baron Munchausen]

I like Cyrien's exposition. That's about how I do it. I lean toward "normal" beam weapons rather than High-Energy Discharge. The problem with missiles is that they have a long lag time between shots. So do HED weapons. So, a normal 1 shot per turn beam weapon in the heaviest mount available is preferable for me. But otherwise that's about it. Missile platforms and beam platforms, both with some PDC for defense. At least one of each type per planet if possible. I tend to do the same with ships, too. Make it either a beam ship or a missile ship. The one goes in close and slugs it out, the other stands off and lobs missiles.
Some cross-over doesn't hurt. A beam ship with a missile or two has an alternative if the target has emissive armor that you can't break with your beams. A missile ship with a beam is not totally defenseless for two turns at a time.

[General Hawkwing]

Thanks for the info fellow galatic leaders.

NEWS BREAK NEWS BREAK

The AI will use weapon platforms, you may have to spoon feed them the tech, but they will use them! The Eee have been seen arming planets with beam-weapon armed platforms starting around turn 60 in a low tech game.

[Psitticine]

I've never seen the AI use WPs in the demo so that's interesting!

I know WP usage and other improvements in AI planetary defense are cited as having been upgraded after 0.56 so I guess we can look forward to much tougher opponents in that area in the near future.

[Seawolf]

Haven't gotten to WP.s as of yet.

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Seawolf on the prowl