I tend to start games, play them a while, and then start new ones. Each time, I've learned something new about the game which has made me want to restart, complete with that new knowledge.
This is my current battle fleet, which I'm pretty happy with now. The last two NPRs I met with it, with older versions of the same ships, were conquered without my fleets suffering a single casualty, so I know it works. I used to play a great deal of Harpoon 2 and 3, mainly as the Soviets, and that experience has also factored into how I play Aurora.
Currently my battle fleet contains 4 Carriers:
Carrier 2044 class Carrier 58,850 tons 897 Crew 7816. 8 BP TCS 1177 TH 3840 EM 1500
3262 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 6-134 Shields 50-300 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 20 PPV 0
Maint Life 0. 6 Years MSP 5830 AFR 2770% IFR 38. 5% 1YR 9742 5YR 146135 Max Repair 2065 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months Flight Crew Berths 0
Hangar Deck Capacity 12000 tons Magazine 1500
J60000(3-50) Military Jump Drive 2041 Max Ship Size 60000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
320 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (12) Power 320 Fuel Use 21. 47% Signature 320 Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 4,500,000 Litres Range 64. 1 billion km (227 days at full power)
Delta R300/300 Shields 2041 (20) Total Fuel Cost 250 Litres per hour (6,000 per day)
CIWS-160 2044 (4x8) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
Size 1 Anti-missile Missile 2043 (300) Speed: 19,200 km/s End: 107. 1m Range: 123. 4m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 102/61/30
Size 2 Anti-ship Missile 2043 (600) Speed: 19,200 km/s End: 53. 6m Range: 61. 7m km WH: 4 Size: 2 TH: 70/42/21
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Each carrier houses 1 x AWAC, 10 x FAC, 2 x Gunboats
6 Destroyers:
Destroyer 2044 class Destroyer 28,650 tons 634 Crew 4532 BP TCS 573 TH 1920 EM 750
3350 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 5-83 Shields 25-300 Sensors 6/18/0/0 Damage Control Rating 20 PPV 63
Maint Life 1. 45 Years MSP 1989 AFR 656% IFR 9. 1% 1YR 1047 5YR 15712 Max Repair 593 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 72 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 462
J30000(3-50) Military Jump Drive 2044 Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
320 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (6) Power 320 Fuel Use 21. 47% Signature 320 Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres Range 43. 9 billion km (151 days at full power)
Delta R300/300 Shields 2041 (10) Total Fuel Cost 125 Litres per hour (3,000 per day)
Single 20cm C4 Far Ultraviolet Laser 2044 Turret (4x1) Range 192,000km TS: 15000 km/s Power 10-4 RM 5 ROF 15 10 10 10 10 10 8 7 6 5 5
Single 12cm C4 Far Ultraviolet Laser 2044 Turret (2x1) Range 192,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 4-4 RM 5 ROF 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Single Gauss Cannon R4-67 2037 Turret (1x4) Range 40,000km TS: 15000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 4 ROF 5 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
CIWS-160 2044 (2x8) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
Fire Control S16 96-16000 2039 (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 16000 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 2037 (4) Total Power Output 24 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Size 2 Missile Launcher 2039 (4) Missile Size 2 Rate of Fire 20
Size 1 Missile Launcher 2039 (4) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 10
Missile Fire Control FC133-R50 2040 (1) Range 133. 6m km Resolution 50
Size 1 Anti-missile Missile 2043 (100) Speed: 19,200 km/s End: 107. 1m Range: 123. 4m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 102/61/30
Size 2 Anti-ship Missile 2043 (181) Speed: 19,200 km/s End: 53. 6m Range: 61. 7m km WH: 4 Size: 2 TH: 70/42/21
Active Search Sensor MR123-R150 2040 (1) GPS 25200 Range 123. 5m km Resolution 150
Active Search Sensor MR6-R1 2039 (1) GPS 105 Range 6. 3m km Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1-6 2025 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 6m km
EM Detection Sensor EM3-18 2041 (1) Sensitivity 18 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 18m km
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
6 Escorts: (Another 2 in production)
Escort 2044 class Escort 19,600 tons 430 Crew 3000. 2 BP TCS 392 TH 1280 EM 750
3265 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 4-64 Shields 25-300 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 18 PPV 36
Maint Life 2. 24 Years MSP 1765 AFR 384% IFR 5. 3% 1YR 475 5YR 7125 Max Repair 286 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 64 months Flight Crew Berths 0
Hangar Deck Capacity 1000 tons
J20000(3-50) Military Jump Drive 2030 Max Ship Size 20000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
320 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (4) Power 320 Fuel Use 21. 47% Signature 320 Exp 8%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres Range 42. 8 billion km (151 days at full power)
Delta R300/300 Shields 2041 (10) Total Fuel Cost 125 Litres per hour (3,000 per day)
Single 12cm C4 Far Ultraviolet Laser 2044 Turret (4x1) Range 192,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 4-4 RM 5 ROF 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2
Single Gauss Cannon R4-67 2037 Turret (2x4) Range 40,000km TS: 15000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 4 ROF 5 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
CIWS-160 2044 (2x8) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
Fire Control S16 96-16000 2039 (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 16000 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 2037 (3) Total Power Output 18 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Active Search Sensor MR35-R50 2039 (1) GPS 4200 Range 35. 6m km Resolution 50
Active Search Sensor MR6-R1 2039 (1) GPS 105 Range 6. 3m km Resolution 1
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Each Escort houses 1 Gunboat
40 x FACs:
Fast Attack Craft 2043 class Fast Attack Craft 900 tons 25 Crew 164. 4 BP TCS 18 TH 120 EM 0
6666 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 4
Maint Life 4. 69 Years MSP 34 AFR 21% IFR 0. 3% 1YR 3 5YR 38 Max Repair 21 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 17 months Spare Berths 0
Magazine 49
24 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (5) Power 24 Fuel Use 136. 41% Signature 24 Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 14. 7 billion km (25 days at full power)
Size 2 Missile Launcher 2039 (2) Missile Size 2 Rate of Fire 20
Missile Fire Control FC37-R100 2040 (1) Range 37. 8m km Resolution 100
Size 2 Anti-ship Missile 2043 (24) Speed: 19,200 km/s End: 53. 6m Range: 61. 7m km WH: 4 Size: 2 TH: 70/42/21
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
14 x Gunboats:
Gunboat 2044 class Gunboat 1,000 tons 27 Crew 207 BP TCS 20 TH 72 EM 0
3600 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 8
Maint Life 1. 54 Years MSP 26 AFR 40% IFR 0. 6% 1YR 12 5YR 187 Max Repair 58 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 9 months Spare Berths 1
24 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (3) Power 24 Fuel Use 136. 41% Signature 24 Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 105,000 Litres Range 13. 9 billion km (44 days at full power)
Twin Gauss Cannon R4-50 2039 Turret 2044 (1x8) Range 40,000km TS: 14050 km/s Power 0-0 RM 4 ROF 5 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fire Control S03 48-8000 2044 (1) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 8000 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
4 x AWACs:
AWAC 2043 class Early Warning Craft 1,000 tons 27 Crew 299 BP TCS 20 TH 120 EM 0
6000 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/3/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 2. 75 Years MSP 56 AFR 26% IFR 0. 4% 1YR 11 5YR 160 Max Repair 105 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Spare Berths 1
24 EP Magneto-plasma Drive 2043 (5) Power 24 Fuel Use 136. 41% Signature 24 Exp 15%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 13. 2 billion km (25 days at full power)
Active Search Sensor MR5-R1 2043 (1) GPS 84 Range 5. 0m km Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR77-R150 2039 (1) GPS 15750 Range 77. 2m km Resolution 150
EM Detection Sensor EM0. 5-3 2041 (1) Sensitivity 3 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 3m km
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
I like for the ships to be as self-sufficient as possible. Even though most of the vessels carry scanners, after zoning into the hostile system they stay passive and run for open space. I launch two AWACs, set their scanners to active, and start hunting targets. Once targets have been identified, I start having the AWACs alternate which of them has their active scanners on, to confuse pursuers. If hostile ships head towards one, it switches off and goes passive, and the other AWAC on a different bearing goes active. I launch the FACs, who are guided to their targets by the AWACs and who can pummel their targets with their missiles. After the missiles have reached their targets and the FACs are empty, both AWACs go passive, and they and the FACs return to the carriers. Most enemy warships die to my FACs without firing a shot. In the event that my main fleet is detected, all Gunboats launch and maintain position between my fleet and the inbound missiles, shooting down as many as possible, and the Destroyers can add their missiles to those fired by the FACs. Beam fire controls are set to area defence.
I expect that many of you have been playing much longer than I have, what flaws do you think I'll run into later on? (I know that you'll say that my fleet is slow, but it hasn't really caused me a concern yet. I don't need the speed if I'm not spotted, and if I have enough defensive fire to defend from incoming missile swarms. )