Drones

[Phoenix-D]

The header information in the files is quite old and rarely updated. That particular section pre-dates SE4 Gold; it's been in there since the begining. It's out of date..drones cannot be controled in tactical and can be given only attack orders in strategic, that's how it works.

Phoenix-D

[tbontob]

Originally posted by Hotfoot:
Need some really powerful, hard-to-stop anti-capital ship missiles? Drones. They kind of combine the role of the fighter, the capship, satellites, and mines, all in one small package. They are also the only units that can travel through warp points.

I know next to nothing about drones...

How are drones harder to stop than CSM's? Drones have a damage resistance of 50, the same as CSM's. What am I missing here?

Also, drones require 5 supply per turn. Can you put a solar collector on it and let it "hang" in space until it is needed?

And finally, "They are also the only units that can travel through warp points." What does this mean in practice?

[Fyron]

Drones don't have a damage resistance of 50. They have as many hitpoints as the components you place on them (including shields, as well).

[Hotfoot]

Originally posted by tbontob:
I know next to nothing about drones...

How are drones harder to stop than CSM's? Drones have a damage resistance of 50, the same as CSM's. What am I missing here?

Drones have a defensive bonus of 50%, not a damage resistance of 50. Also, please note that missiles get slightly better damage resistance (or hitpoints, as it just measures how much damage they can take before they go boom) as they increase in tech level.

Drones can be fitted with armor, ECM, shields, shield regenerators, and even scattering/stealth armor. Why, if you felt so inclined, you could make a large anti-ship drone with a 140% defensive bonus, 12 movement, and a 600 damage anti-ship warhead, with 250 points of armor protecting it.

Also, drones require 5 supply per turn. Can you put a solar collector on it and let it "hang" in space until it is needed?

5 supply per turn? First I've heard of that, to be honest. But yes, you could slap a solar collector on one. That, or you could simply create a drone carrier ship, or space station, or just leave them on a colony until they are needed. Once they're launched, however, that's it, you can't recall them.

And finally, "They are also the only units that can travel through warp points." What does this mean in practice?

It means that, in practice, you can send them through a warp point and have them bombard enemy planets from several systems away, similar to ICBMs of the modern era. Alternatively, you can use them as disposable scouts and explorers, at least once the next patch comes out.

"Sir, we're getting a transmission from one of the Probe Droids..."

And, as someone else has noted previously, you can slap allegiance subverters on them to make them especially nasty little gits.

[ November 12, 2002, 07:29: Message edited by: Hotfoot ]

[Fyron]

Drones lose 200 supplies per turn. This is controlled in Settings.txt. When they run out of supplies, they are destroyed.

[tbontob]

Thanx Fyron

It clearly answers the first question

Done some research and found:

1) the answer to my second question which is yes.

2) that drones can move into another system and continue with its instructions providing there is a "spotter" there. Like either a planet, ship etc.

But another question. Since a spotter is needed, can another race serve as the spotter under a military alliance? The manual (page 74) talks of "share all Military information (what they can see)" This would seem to imply another race can serve as a spotter.

And finally, can drone instructions be changed? I seem unable to do so. But one thread spoke of having to give the drone instructions each turn.

Any assistance on the above would be appreciated

[tbontob]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Drones lose 200 supplies per turn. This is controlled in Settings.txt. When they run out of supplies, they are destroyed.

Hmmmm

Quite right Fyron

The warhead uses 5 supply and I "assumed" it applied to the drone.

And even installing the best solar collector (150 supply per turn), the drone will eventually run out of supplies.

However, it should be able to "hang" 4 times longer.

[Hotfoot]

In the next patch, you will not need a spotter, as Drones will be able to "attack" warp points, and thus move through them without knowing what is on the other side. At least, that's how I read the beta patch updates.

[tbontob]

Thanx Hotfoot

That is a lot of info in your [Edit: second-] Last post. Need some time to digest all of it.

For some reason I have 50 damage resistance for all missiles in my data base. Thank you for pointing out the error to me.

[ November 12, 2002, 08:13: Message edited by: tbontob ]

[tbontob]

Originally posted by Hotfoot:
In the next patch, you will not need a spotter, as Drones will be able to "attack" warp points, and thus move through them without knowing what is on the other side. At least, that's how I read the beta patch updates.

Sounds like a good patch.

But does anyone know if a race (with which you have a military alliance) can serve as a spotter?

And can the drones instructions be changed? Like if the target moves out of the system (no spotter there), is the drone doomed to wait until the rest of its supplies are consumed for the target to come back into the system?