going nuts on retrofit

Gandalf Parker · #1 October 23rd, 2004, 12:28 PM

OK Im probably getting out of hand here but this is what Im looking at now....

(Crazy Idea A)
For forward locations where I need extra storage and launch capability I am now building a base with 1 cargo, 1 ftr launcher, 1 sat launcher, 1 mine launcher, and 1 drone launcher. I then upgrade it thru various steps to full function. It gets in place quickly, it frees my shipyard for other build projects quickly. And it gives me partial capability at least while it is being built. The easiest way I find to do this and helps to avoid the 50% rule is to design the max base I have in mind then copy it, delete a few things, copy that, delete a few more things, etc etc so I have all the stages I need between full and shell.

(Crazy Idea B)
Im going to play with trading cargo ships for shell ships. Deciding if this is economically feasable in the long run will probably take awhile but it feels OK so far. Since my military background was Supply Logistics I hated the cargo ships coming back empty (except maybe to move outdated weapon platforms and sats to interior worlds). So now Im going to try this. Build shells of my attack and launch ships ships with maximum speed and cargo holds. Fill them from the other home-system planets which are set to repeat build various units, fill extra space with population. Fly them forward, unload them, then retrofit them to forward-use ships for attack and launch.

(Crazy Idea C)
It seems as though 6 ships with cheap weapons is better than 1 ship with great weapons, especially if its 1 ship with great weapons that you are waiting for it to be built. If I design a ship with really expensive stuff on it, then I copy it a few times replacing the expensive items with cheaper items, I can have stepping-stone ships for a retrofit ladder to that 1-great-ship.

(Crazy Idea D)
And, instead of a retrofit where all of my lvl-1 guns become lvl-2 guns and my lvl-1 shields become lvl-2 shields... if I have stages where they change 1/2 or 1/4 at a time then I wont have abit more control over the gradual repair work than having to choose the "shields first then weapons" or "weapons first then shields" repair sequence.

Starhawk · #2 October 23rd, 2004, 02:06 PM

Sounds like a massive headache to me sorry

though I often find that those cheap ships usually get pasted by a superior warship when they do end up meeting.

So imho I'd rather have 30 superior dreadnoughts that are expensive then 100 inferior dreadnoughts that are cheaper.

Kamog · #3 October 23rd, 2004, 02:17 PM

They sound like great ideas that could give you an advantage if you don't mind some micro-managing.

mottlee · #4 October 23rd, 2004, 02:18 PM

What happen to me when I try this is I forget what one are cheep and they wind up in combat and gettin' trounced!

Gandalf Parker · #5 October 23rd, 2004, 02:23 PM

But what about 100 dreadnaughts in various stages to becoming superior dreadnaughts in the same amount of time that it would take to build the 30?

As for micromanagment, I can understand those who hate it not wanting to use this. But then like everything else in SEIV you can also turn it on automatic. I havent tested it but I suspect that if its turned on, that the ship upgrades would still have to walk up the same line of ships that I have designed due to the 50% rule. If I have 4 levels of dreadnaughts then the minister would still do them in order and probably catch the ones that can be upgraded alot better than I can.

Captain Kwok · #6 October 23rd, 2004, 03:52 PM

The first method you described is often referred to as "retroseries" building. It's fairly common when resources and repair points are plentiful to use retroseries building as a way of decreasing construction time for big ships.

Starhawk · #7 October 23rd, 2004, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Gandalf Parker said:
But what about 100 dreadnaughts in various stages to becoming superior dreadnaughts in the same amount of time that it would take to build the 30?

As for micromanagment, I can understand those who hate it not wanting to use this. But then like everything else in SEIV you can also turn it on automatic. I havent tested it but I suspect that if its turned on, that the ship upgrades would still have to walk up the same line of ships that I have designed due to the 50% rule. If I have 4 levels of dreadnaughts then the minister would still do them in order and probably catch the ones that can be upgraded alot better than I can.

Well the problem I can see with that at least imo is that I would have 30 reliably superior dreadnoughts while you would have a hodge podge of ships that are inferior annd some that are equal and some that are dramaticaly inferior and in the midst of battle your best ships might not get into the fight till it's too late and you may lose.

Especially because at any given time you may only have a small handful of ships that are up to specs to my 30 dreads and they may not be up to specs in the same areas (I.E. they may have equal weapons but inferior shields and be crippled before they can get involved. Or they may have equal shields but inferior weapons and not do enough damage and end up getting torched by a concentrated volley of superior weapons).

I'd still take my 30 to your 100

then again that's just me I'm sure others would prefer your way but I prefer a stable reliable fleet to a hodge podge of various upgrade phases.

AND that's not taking into account....what happens to you if since your retrofitting so much my 30 dreadnoughts are on the move (being that they need no retrofit) and they stumble across your 100 ships while many of them are retrofitting? It'd be a turkey shoot

Gandalf Parker · #8 October 23rd, 2004, 05:55 PM

Im still not seeing it. Im not choosing 100 inferiors to 30 great ones. Im going to great dreadnaughts also. I havent done the timelines but I dont see any reason that I cant have 30 max-ships in the same time frame as your 30. Repair time on weapons and shields is slower than build time on the same items?

Hmmm they are abit more expensive so I guess there might be some time increase but not much. So I end up with 28 maxxed ships and 10 maxxed but slightly damaged and 20 half-capable max and a bunch of inferior in stages. I dont see a turkey shoot.

Raging Deadstar · #9 October 23rd, 2004, 05:58 PM

Also, It means you have a huge ammount of half completed ships. Make sure they have full movement, give the early designs a ramming strategy and watch the enemy waste his time destroying the more immediate threat while the Complete ships pound from a distance

Starhawk · #10 October 23rd, 2004, 07:05 PM

Well Gandalf what I was saying and I guess I'm not wording it right is a fleet of 30 dreadnoughts is mobile 100% of the time while your refitting ships are immobile 90% of the time that the 30 superiors are mobile.

And remember I too would be building warships at the same time you are refitting okay so I have ships that are top of the line and mobile right from the start while you'd need to stop gap your fleet everytime you built new squadrons.

A force that is 100% mobile could get the drop on an entire system and what if most of the ships in it are inferior?

Does that make sense my brain is still slothed because I'm so tired?