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As far as I can see, you initially get more power output and storage from fission, but better fuel usage from fusion (and, of course, fusion uses hydrogen instead of caslon). I guess the improved fuel usage would give better range for fusion, but I've not found range to be that much of a problem.

This holds good up to and including the tier 5 Advanced Fusion Physics/Quantum MicroUtilization.

Then you get Fusion Balance at tier 6, giving the hyper fusion reactor and at that stage it seems there's no point in ever going fission again.

So leaving aside any issue with the relative availability of caslon and hydrogen (which has never been an issue for me), it seems you go fission reactor then quantum fission reactor up to Fusion Balance, then switch to hyperfusion. Fusion itself, wouldn't be used at all. Is this what others do, or am I missing something?

Also, what's the point of Fusion Cycle Secrets and Quantum Mastery? They seem to be improving reactors which are already redundant. Or is it just to provide an improvement for those who don't want to retrofit all their fusion/quantum reactors? Again, I don't see why you wouldn't just retrofit, but then I am still pretty new to this game.

Osito

Splitting the military/rest on hydrogen/caslon can help in having enough fuel in "challenge" areas. Gas mines often collect both, anyways.

ORIGINAL: Bingeling

Splitting the military/rest on hydrogen/caslon can help in having enough fuel in "challenge" areas. Gas mines often collect both, anyways.

How does the design AI handle the options in your opinion? I can imagine that even civilian ships will move on to the Hydrogen based reactors as well.

Quantum reactors are great, but you ended up becoming to addicted on caslon making it harder to move to hydrogen on tier 6.

I tend to analyse the galactic demand and change as it fits, but i dont like fusion reactors as i need so many to make my ships move, wasting precious space.

Personally i make so many caslon stations that i dont have any shortages to justify such change.

I think one reason was to give you multiple options in the event of you missing resources (can't remember off top of my head, but IIRC, each weapon uses a different gas as an example)
Also, they should have different costs based on which resources they use
Problem however, after the initial sorting out your economy you'll often have plenty of resources going and can ignore this aspect and go based purely on stats

If you look at efficiency it appears the Fusion are better. I always try to find the frogs and woo them into giving me their Nova Core reactor tech. That engine is the best in the game hands down!
Energy per fuel unit is great as is output and space used.

If I have a rare resource Ill trade it with them to get on their good side.

Quick math

First number is Energy Output per unit of space taken
Second number is Energy Storage per unit of space taken

Hyperfusion Reactor: 16.25 / 33.75
Quantum Reactor: 9.72 / 18.33
NovaCore Reactor: 9.6 / 18.75
Fusion Reactor: 8 / 17.33 /
Fission Reactor: 3.91 / 6.81
Basic Space Reactor: 2.55 / 5

By this math (if done right)
Ignoring the hyperfusion reactor, which is supposed to be superior in every way since it's end-game tech, you should use the Quantum Reactor for your military ships unless you have access to the Novacore Reactor (close enough together to be worth taking advantage of the lower fuel usage)
Afterall, the less reactor space you're using up the more that goes towards other modules you might want while keeping similar speeds

If you feel you need to split the gas types for the private sector, use the Fusion Reactor on them, but simply change them over to the Quantum Reactor once you put your military with Hyperfusion

Well, I have to admit that I indeed often favor Quantum reactors over Fusion ones, especially on small ships where space is scarce.

However Fusion reactors are actually a good choice for ships of a respectable size and/or equipped with power hungry weapons. In that case you may save some space with Quantum reactors, but you end up with a ship that sucks gas at such a rate that it needs to refuel all the time.

I like to stick with the fusion set once you get past the first few fission reactors because of the efficiency and also because making the economic transition to hydrogen earlier is easier. I like playing with the Quameno; their novacore is the bomb and holds you until late-game until you decide to move to the hyperfusion reactors.

I've never really had problems with fuel supplies in my empire that wasn't fixed within a reasonable time frame by my private economy or pirate smugglers.

ORIGINAL: Mansen

ORIGINAL: Bingeling

Splitting the military/rest on hydrogen/caslon can help in having enough fuel in "challenge" areas. Gas mines often collect both, anyways.

How does the design AI handle the options in your opinion? I can imagine that even civilian ships will move on to the Hydrogen based reactors as well.

The AI can't do that, only the player can.

So if you want to keep the game more challenging for yourself (or just like logistic headaches) don't split the designs.

Ah right - because the ship design won't change the reactor type, only upgrade the existing ones right? (Caslon to Caslon 2, Hydro to Hydro 2 et cetera)

No, because there are no setting for what reactor to use in the templates the AI designs from. The AI will pick the same reactor for all designs.

ORIGINAL: Mansen

ORIGINAL: Bingeling

Splitting the military/rest on hydrogen/caslon can help in having enough fuel in "challenge" areas. Gas mines often collect both, anyways.

How does the design AI handle the options in your opinion? I can imagine that even civilian ships will move on to the Hydrogen based reactors as well.

it kinda makes ai design messy, but you just have to deal with manually adjusting your designs each time you upgrade. i find its worth the extra effort tho, mid-early game its a nice way to keep your military ships zooming around and allows you to enforce your empire borders with custom fleets much more easily