Ship Class Necessity

[turtlefang]

This discussion is interesting to read.

I find that the 7 design is a limitation on what I would like to have. Currently, I use the following:

- Escorts. usually ends up about size 300 by middle to late game. Never used in a fleet and set to partol my territory and protect trade from pirates and single ship raids. Usually has fighter bay, hyperdeny when available, and hvy weapons to finish off the opposition ASAP.

- Frigates. Usually missiles early, although experimenting with grav weapons now. Later, a mix of beams and torps. Designed to operate in 4 ship groups, sweep planets before a colony ship arrives, and patrol the planet until a space station or space station and defensive base is built. Size usually ends up about 300 but has a mix of torp and beams.

- Destroyers. Primarily against Pirates. Operates in six ship groups, uses in hvy wpns.

- Hvy Ships. Build as I can and have the technology.

- Carriers. Used to use them as about 30% of my battle fleet. With Shadows, not sure that fighters are as effective now, still testing it.

Would like to see a Scout class in addition the Exploration ship. The Scout would be assigned to fleets. carry weapons, etc...

CVL - Light carrier. Once that could be assign to support DDs rather than a full carrier.

BC - Would like to see a class between a CA and BB.

And given the new expansion, would like to see at least two DD classes - maybe Fleet DD and DD.

These classes are more to keep up with functions and upgrading.

Hull 1 to 12 would work too.

As far as absolute limits on class sizes - ie an escort is 200 pts or less - just dislike that idea. The player should be able to design a ship to his likes or dislikes - either as big or as small as he wants.

- Destroyers.

[Bingeling]

ORIGINAL: DeadlyShoe
Escorts never join fleets, and prefer to protect ships and stations

Frigates are fast attack ships armed with beam weapons

Destroyers are lighter warships that tend towards torpedoes (rarely troops)

Cruisers are heavy slow ships that mount fleet electronics and sometimes fighters or troops

Capital Ships are as strong and big as possible and often mount hyperdeny systems for winning big fleet battles. they often mount fighters.

AI designs have changed in shadows, so old rules may not apply.

Teekan frigates prefer 3 missile as weapon.
Teekan destroyer prefer 3 missile and 6 beam.

Sluken frigate prefer 5 phaser
Sluken destroyer prefer 7 missile, 1 bombard, 1 graviton (that graviton looks odd there).

Gizurean frigate refer 5 beam
Gizurean destroyer prefer 6 beam, 3 torpedo, 1 bombard

Quameno frigate has 4 torpedo
Quameno destroyer has 12 beam

It is not that hard to go through the files in the designTemplates folder, and this smallish sample say that there is no clear rule of how they do it.