Author Topic: What do I need by way of components for an optimal fleet support ship(s)?  (Read 2846 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Panpiper (OP)

  • Sub-Lieutenant
  • ******
  • P
  • Posts: 101
  • Thanked: 11 times
Assuming I have a fleet of warships that will leave support ships behind if they get into a fight, while the support ships retreat, what should I bring in that fleet? There are a few things that are obvious to me like extra fuel and missile ammo (if using missiles). But what else might there be that is less obvious? And what degrees of such support would be optimal? Would say maintenance modules be useful?

Is it possible to build a slow and exceedingly large civilian baseship (mobile Starbase) to say, park at a strategic point where one might wish to station a war fleet and have it contain everything necessary to allow that war fleet to stay there indefinitely? If so, what should it contain to do the job? Can anything be added to allow it to also repair warships as well?
 

Offline Steve Walmsley

  • Aurora Designer
  • Star Marshal
  • S
  • Posts: 11649
  • Thanked: 20350 times
Other things you might consider are maintenance supplies, tugs to tow damaged ships, ships with large commercial hangars to conduct repairs, ships with maintenance modules to act as temporary bases, troop ships to secure enemy colonies, maybe even freighters with deep space tracking stations to setup sensor outposts.

For ships above you could also read space stations.
 
The following users thanked this post: bro918, Panpiper

Offline RougeNPS

  • Lt. Commander
  • ********
  • R
  • Posts: 217
  • Thanked: 38 times
Mobile Starbases is a good idea. I imagine them like the Tycon-class Battle Stations. Capable of repairs (MSP.), refueling, and resupplying.
 
The following users thanked this post: Panpiper

Offline captainwolfer

  • Lt. Commander
  • ********
  • c
  • Posts: 224
  • Thanked: 87 times
Assuming I have a fleet of warships that will leave support ships behind if they get into a fight, while the support ships retreat, what should I bring in that fleet? There are a few things that are obvious to me like extra fuel and missile ammo (if using missiles). But what else might there be that is less obvious? And what degrees of such support would be optimal? Would say maintenance modules be useful?

Is it possible to build a slow and exceedingly large civilian baseship (mobile Starbase) to say, park at a strategic point where one might wish to station a war fleet and have it contain everything necessary to allow that war fleet to stay there indefinitely? If so, what should it contain to do the job? Can anything be added to allow it to also repair warships as well?
I support my Cruiser and Destroyer Squadrons with Logistic Squadrons (LogiRon). My standard LogiRon consists of the following:
- 1x Support Vessel with Squadron size 4 jump drive, Maintenance storage, Cargo Shuttle Bays (To transfer maintenance to fleet), a 1,000 ton hanger, and 2x small cryogenic bays. The hanger carries a FAC designed to pick up lifepods from both sides after the battle so that I can rescue my crews and capture enemy crews for intelligence. The Cryogenic bays are so that the ship doesn't get overcrowded from picking up lots of lifepods.
- 2x Fast Tankers: What it says on the tin.
- 1x Collier: Carries missile reloads for the fleet.
All of my fleet support ships have some armor and shields, so that they won't instantly die if targeted. They are 30,000 ton military vessels, compared to my 24,000 ton cruisers and 12,000 ton destroyers. I am considering making my Fleet logistics ships bigger though. Also, these ships are designed to keep up with the fleet, being only 1,000 km/s slower than my standard fleet speed. For bulk logistic needs I use much slower civilian ships.

On the topic of building a Basestar or a ship with maintenance modules, I wouldn't bother giving such things engines, I would just use Tugs to pull stations to where I need them. Stations are made by checking the "no armor" option in the ship design menu, which allows them to be built using normal factories as long as you don't put military components on, but they can't have engines.

A fleet base capable of keeping a military fleet fully ready needs the following, and I would recommend separating each of these functions into their own station design so that if you need more of one area (maintenance capacity, fuel, etc) you don't have to build all the other components as well.
- Refuelling Station: Obviously needs fuel storage, can have sorium harvesters if you plan to park it in orbit of a gas giant with sorium. Needs a Fuel hub component, which is 100,000 tons but allows any number of stationary ships to be refueled at the hub.
- Maintenance Station: Should have maintenance modules, large amounts of MSP storage, and at least one cargo shuttle bay. I recommend having multiple maintenance stations in a fleet instead of trying to build one huge station that can maintain everything. It also is used to resupply the MSP on ships. I usually use stations with 25 to 50 maintenance modules and 10 to 25 large maintenance storage modules.
- Ammo Station: Should have lots of commercial magazines, and an ordnance transfer hub. If it is full of missiles and an enemy hits it, it will go up like a firework.
- Recreational station: Should have a Recreational module, which will allow ship crews at the station to relax, aka reducing deployment time like if they were at a colony.
 
The following users thanked this post: Panpiper

Offline Froggiest1982

  • Gold Supporter
  • Vice Admiral
  • *****
  • F
  • Posts: 1331
  • Thanked: 590 times
  • Gold Supporter Gold Supporter : Support the forums with a Gold subscription
    2021 Supporter 2021 Supporter : Donate for 2021
    2022 Supporter 2022 Supporter : Donate for 2022
    2023 Supporter 2023 Supporter : Donate for 2023
Assuming I have a fleet of warships that will leave support ships behind if they get into a fight, while the support ships retreat, what should I bring in that fleet? There are a few things that are obvious to me like extra fuel and missile ammo (if using missiles). But what else might there be that is less obvious? And what degrees of such support would be optimal?

I use the Admin Commands to help me in this assigning each ship to the dedicated command inside the mission. You need then to identify the kind of mission and then organize considering that. You may need:

  • Logistic Support
  • Combat Support
  • Invasion/Bombardment Support
  • Supply and Maintenance Support

Logistic Support
All ships that are needed to actually carry on the mission from the logistic point. Mainly Fuel Tankers are part of this fleet, but also tenders if they are required.

Combat Support
Here there is the bulk of your combat fleet. Occasionally a Collier and a Sensor (or more) ship is attached, although they could be included in another fleet (more on this later) for security purpose.

Invasion/Bombardment Support
If the mission includes a planetary invasion, you may have troop transports with few escorts. the escorts can have a double role and be used to soften enemy resistance on the ground with some bombardment action.

Supply and Maintenance Support
Here you are keeping your service ships. A supply ship with MSP, some extra ammo, and fuel if you like me prefer a unique ship. Individual units if you want to keep it separate. A couple of emergency Tugs to tow away stranded ships could also be also a good idea. I put commercial tenders here too because if you are keeping this fleet on the other end of the Jump Point some commercial ships may be not able to jump in using the military tenders.


Would say maintenance modules be useful?

I wouldn't, but I guess it's a personal choice. It really depends on how far enemy are from such ship/base.

Is it possible to build a slow and exceedingly large civilian baseship (mobile Starbase) to say, park at a strategic point where one might wish to station a war fleet and have it contain everything necessary to allow that war fleet to stay there indefinitely?

I wouldn't, but I guess it's a personal choice. It really depends on how far enemy are from such ship/base. Stations have only 1 layer of Armour and very easy to be destroyed without the proper defense. A long operation or war could benefit from a little outpost on a rock more than an actual base. Some STOs and a good presence of military troops should hold the enemy long enough for you to send some backups if it got attacked.

If so, what should it contain to do the job?

Protection first as said before. Then a Refuel Station, and some MSP second. Ordnance transfer Station with extra missiles are also worth consider if you do use them.

Can anything be added to allow it to also repair warships as well?

If you want to run repairs or keep some ships you need minerals and population there (it makes things hard and I will avoid unless vital). For repair armor atm you'll be required a Shipyard but from 1.13 there is going to be a dedicated structure. If you have enough MSP ships will be repaired by the Damage Control component at higher MSP costs then if it gets repaired on a colony but still good. So I guess it's important that you remember to add damage control to any ship.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2021, 02:12:15 PM by froggiest1982 »
 
The following users thanked this post: Panpiper