Beef #2: Fighters

[General Hawkwing]

Fighters do need some tweaking before the final Version. Increasing fighter speed must be balanced by increase range of point def. guns. Increasing size is a valid option, also giving a def. bonus.
However, I have yet to met AI that uses fighters. Does anyone have any examples to share of AI using them?

[Darwin]

I encountered some fast moving AI fighters in the demo got to looking at them and it was a cockpit, life support and the rest engine. Un-AI'ed his empire and found it was that way on all his fighter designs.

[wingte]

Sure would like to know how to tweak the demo and not get a load error..
10kt is definately unreasonaly small. The only way I have found them useful is to build them with only one engine and an ECM, a combat sensor, a shield depleter and an electric discharge weapon. Then I build a carrier with minimum launch bays because that allows me to get the 3rd level shield depleter on it and the 2nd level ionic weapon that destroys engines and a standard plasma cannon. Add in 3 shields and a replinisher and fill it out with the best armor. Tactics;; put the carrier at point blank range and blow out the enemy shields with the big depleter then slam their engines. Launch 14 fighters and they will always end up less than 3 spaces from the enemy so I bLast the shields again and follow with the electric discharge. This will normally leave an enemy cruiser with no shields , no armor , half its engines and at least some weapon damage.
The enemy takes a shot and I usually lose half the fighters and 2-3 armor on the carrier. Carrier fires again if there is a replenisher on the enemy otherwise I take out another ships shields and engines. Launch the second fighter group and have the small group fire first then the second group. This usually leaves a nearly imobile hulk with one weapon that can be dispached with the plasma cannon or the electric discharge on the next turn..

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Wingte

[JenMax]

Another thing we might try is to change the damage over range of the larger weapons and make them "zero" at range of 1, perhaps 2, etc. That way, when the fighters get really close - the target cannot use BIG weapons to fire at the fighters.. but only smaller ones designed to close effects (like the PD batteries). What do you think?

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"nothing happens in a vaccum." - me

[wingte]

Hmnn,, That would also make it impossible for capital ships to do point blank range. Besides,, as the game is right now the only thing that can be used on fighters is the point defense cannons..

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Wingte

[Noble713]

No, I'm sure some of the organic weapons can target fighters. It was quite a nasty surprise when my carrier-based fleet (I'll never try this in the demo again) lost a quater of its fighters before they even got within range.

[wingte]

The PD cannons have a long range,, that is why I keep them in the carrier until I am at point blank range.

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Wingte