What good are drones? [EOM]

[PvK]

Originally posted by steveh11:
PvK: In your Proportions Mod are Drones altered in any way? I ask as that's what I'm playing at the moment...

In any case, how do you group Drones together for strike purposes? The high shields available to homeworlds would seem to make anything short of a massed strike rather futile!

Steve.

I just noticed this question. Yes drones are a bit different in Proportions, though not a whole lot. Drone armor is different - they can't use Proportions' high-capacity not-hit-first armor types, because drones don't take component-level damage (like all units, they don't degrade in performance until they are completely destroyed).

The combat modifiers in Proportions are all changed from the standard set (q.v.).

Drones in Proportions use quasi-Newtonian movement, and do not get an "advanced materials" speed bonus.

Supply components are less expensive in Proportions.

If your Proportions game is earlier than Version 2.2, then medium and large drones have a lower maximum speed than small drones. In 2.2 the engine limit on larger drones was increased to allow them to keep up.

As for massing them for attack, I think you just need to launch them all at the same time/place with the same speed. Trying to conquer or just cripple or destroy a homeworld in Proportions is (intentionally, since success is a major event) a difficult task requiring massed forces. Drones can be useful for this because of their massive warheads and zero maintenance cost. If you can establish a base on a breathable world that is in drone range of a target homeworld, the huge planetary capacity can be used to amass a very large drone force. You may want to send in large numbers of fighters with similar combat speed at the same time to draw planetary PD, and some ships as well, and then you will have a potent combination.

PvK

[Trajan]

Gentlemen,

I am using drones in my DevNull Mod game vs the CPU. My current tactic is to use them to glass the computer's unprotected rear planets, rather than launch a ship to do it. The zero maintenance is a big bonus.

I especially enjoy launching them from a system where I sent a cloaked troop ship to capture the planet. I had some drones in the cargo bays to begin with, and have been building them ever since. Occasionally, I deliver a new load via transport.

This keeps the damnable CPU players off balance while I grind through their systems one at a time.

Cheers!
Trajan

[Skulky]

<start> A long time ago, actually an original scenario with GOld was the drone wars option. I am thinking of expanding this. </end>

comments?

[Puke]

i doubt this will be incorporated into the game anytime before SE-V, but maybe some of the beta-brigade can suggest it:

it would be nice if drones served the same function they do TODAY. a way to do things remotely (move-to order, please) and with out the risk of life. well, of friendly life. if the loss of drones in combat did not affect happyness, or had a reduced effect on happyness, that would be GREAT. preferably moddable from the happyness types file, if killing things with drones made people happy but loosing drones had no adverse effect on your populations mood, there would be a compelling reason to use them.

this could also be extended to master computers. and satelites. it would be neat if it could be extended to replicants produced by organic facilities, but that could be ambigious and unbalancing.

Ideally (would require a complete game overhaul to support) some sort of cultural value system (similar to those in the MOO3 design doc, which probably wont exist in the final Version) where different cultures would view the use of robotic ships differently, or using organic replicants in combat had different morale effects for different cultures.

and while im dreaming, i want a pony. no scratch that, while im dreaming, i want one of these:

http://members.tripod.com/~Slippery_.../Steyr_AMR.htm

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by Trajan:
Gentlemen,

I am using drones in my DevNull Mod game vs the CPU. My current tactic is to use them to glass the computer's unprotected rear planets, rather than launch a ship to do it. The zero maintenance is a big bonus.

I especially enjoy launching them from a system where I sent a cloaked troop ship to capture the planet. I had some drones in the cargo bays to begin with, and have been building them ever since. Occasionally, I deliver a new load via transport.

This keeps the damnable CPU players off balance while I grind through their systems one at a time.

Cheers!
Trajan

The other way to do this is build a base or two in the "empty" systems scattered through the enemy's territory (asteroid-only systems, nebulas, "proto-star", etc.). With space station sizes, it'd take 2 bases - one with space yard, one with drone launchers. Base station size & above could combine a space yard & launchers. Of course, you also have to provide a "spotter" ship to warp into the occupied system, and then lauch drones, but you could use a very small ship for that...

[sachmo]

I guess what I'm not understanding (actually started another thread about this) is HOW you are grouping the drones for ATTACK. If you shift-right click, and target an enemy fleet, all of the drones arrive at the same time, but attack the fleet individually in seperate tactical combats. I would imagine that the same thing happens when attacking a planet. So, is the only way to launch multiple drones in one tactical combat to enter combat with a ship loaded with drones, and launch them every turn?

BTW, I am not asking about the denuvalmod...I'm using TDM and Standard.

[ July 15, 2002, 19:45: Message edited by: sachmo ]

[Baron Munchausen]

Originally posted by Puke:
i doubt this will be incorporated into the game anytime before SE-V, but maybe some of the beta-brigade can suggest it:

it would be nice if drones served the same function they do TODAY. a way to do things remotely (move-to order, please) and with out the risk of life. well, of friendly life. if the loss of drones in combat did not affect happyness, or had a reduced effect on happyness, that would be GREAT. preferably moddable from the happyness types file, if killing things with drones made people happy but loosing drones had no adverse effect on your populations mood, there would be a compelling reason to use them.

this could also be extended to master computers. and satelites. it would be neat if it could be extended to replicants produced by organic facilities, but that could be ambigious and unbalancing.

Ideally (would require a complete game overhaul to support) some sort of cultural value system (similar to those in the MOO3 design doc, which probably wont exist in the final Version) where different cultures would view the use of robotic ships differently, or using organic replicants in combat had different morale effects for different cultures.

and while im dreaming, i want a pony. no scratch that, while im dreaming, i want one of these:

http://members.tripod.com/~Slippery_.../Steyr_AMR.htm

Request? We positively demanded it. We told MM that recon and patrol were inherent in the concept 'drone' and he'd be bashed forever if he didn't include the ability to send drones to an arbitrary location or on patrol. He still didn't include the abilities we wanted. What else can we do? Like so many other things, it would apparently require some huge ground-swell of protest from the Users to get it included.

[ July 15, 2002, 20:11: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]