What kind of "extra" ships do you create?

[tjhkkr]

I was thinking about this after another post. With IGards extra ship set idea, what other extra ship types do you guys operate?

Cruiser Light (No troops, fighters -- early in the game when the size is at issue)
Fast Destroyer (No troops, fighters)
Regular Destroyer (standard design)
AWACs Destroyer (With a Long range sensor aboard)
AWACs Long Range, High Speed Scout destoyer (minimal weapons, extra engines, extra fuel, and everything else gone that I can get rid of) I find more pirate bases that way and other races BEFORE they find me.
CV (Carrier with lots of fighter modules -- later in the game)
And most of my ships have stronger shields than the original designs call for. ESPECIALLY my scouts.

A typical early game taskforce for me will run a mix of destroyer types plus one AWACs destroyer

[Kalthaniell]

Usually my ships are the standard designs with few extra shield generators.
I never equip combat ships with long range sensors - they consume a lot of energy which in turn use fuel quickly. I build monitoring stations on every colony insted.
Early in the game I push all the reaserch towards Heavy Cruisers (Costly, overpowered and packed with shields). They usually make up 50% of my empire forces. I can cover less ground (or space [:D]) but they rarely lose to any pirate ships or AI designed ships, so I don't have to spend money on new ones.
I use fighters only in capital ships designed as Carriers - 4 fighters/bombers is not equal to 50 units of cargo filled with beam weapons or shields.

Tjhkkr, why do you build your scouts with extra shields? They avoid enemy ships anyway?

[Data]

The shields on scouts, in my case at least, are mostly for storms. For the reast speed and fast turning rate are the rule on scouts [:)]

[Braedonnal]

I don't put troop compartments on any warship, I build specialized troops transports instead.  I also go light on fighter bays.  Those extra beams, shields and point defense make up for it.

[tjhkkr]

Scouts:
Mostly because (1) if they investigate a ship, and the ship explodes, it does not destroy the ship.
(2) Storms.
(3) My scouts enter into enemy territories or are attacked by pirates, they are protected.

[Data]

I used to also put some armor on them, if they get damage armor will go down first giving them more time to jump away.

[cookie monster]

I put the armour on to allow them to survive a Kaltor attack.

The escape routine is not perfect. I dont know why, it's very easy in programming terms to reverse the ships current direction and warp out the system.

The loss of an explorer could cost you a potential colony, and the replacement explorer will take a long time to arrive before being in the same location.

[Data]

For such strategical locations I'd use them on manual anyway....get them there fast and in numbers then let them on auto, once they finish where I'm interested they can go do their usual drunken rounds.

[cookie monster]

ORIGINAL: Data

For such strategical locations I'd use them on manual anyway....get them there fast and in numbers then let them on auto, once they finish where I'm interested they can go do their usual drunken rounds.

Sorry my memories failing me, I did used to micro my explorers giving them manual commands.

Oh the joys of micromanaging explorers, I almost forgot LOL.

It's been a month since I last played ROTS. I don't think I'm gonna repeat my simple but succesful formula for success again.

After I found all of the bugs in my game and explored the AI's "capabilities" I don't have the heart to invest so much time again.

I'll stick with some instant gratification from a FPS while I learn computer programming.

[Kalthaniell]

I can recommend putting stealth component on scouts as soon as it is available. Make them as small as possible too. After most of the nearby stars had been explored, the AI sends scouts to spy on other empires systems. Scouts would jump out near the border of the system and remain there until they are attacked or run out of fuel or they are send somewhere else. With stealth , nothing but long range sensors nearby can detect them. Such scouts provide an excellent intel and target lists during wars.
I also use stealth on figates ,later in game, to attack remote or less protected locations. AI will not send reinforcements until it spots your ships, and with small frigates it's when they are already in the system. It pays to equip stealth frigates with troops to take over colonies from which troops had been taken away by a leaving fleet.

[Data]

And you can build many of them fast....it's worth a try, good idea.

[Anonymous]

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