Mine field

[Nathan_ (OP)]

Since this is just the first iteration of the field, only the approach to the inner planets is directly guarded.
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5563/minefield.jpg

[Shaitan]

Reminds me of a spirograph drawing.

[ollobrains]

Mine fields are an interesting ones would they be passive or active, what about deployable weapons platforms that lay domant until activated by proximinity carrying missiles fighters etc.

[Nathan_ (OP)]

The initial sensor on the mine itself is a thermal one, the submunition has an active sensor. I believe the way it works is that the mine sends the missile at the contact it detects, and it is up to onboard sensors on the missile to find how much the target has moved since it was launched by said mine.

There is as yet no way to put in, say, a ship counter on your mines, so no way to have them be dormant yet. As for missile "fighters" themselves, they have a lot going for them, but are much more expensive in general.

[Beersatron]

How long did it take to get them deployed and so well spaced?

[Nathan_ (OP)]

That took a while.

I first set up 14 waypoints in a semi circular fashion, and had my ships move between each waypoint at a speed of 10 km/s. Then from the individual unit screen I had both minelayers fire on the waypoint at the jump point. So that was reasonably easy to set up, but every 3 hours the simulation stopped. I forced 30x 3 hour turns a couple of times to get the pattern you see.

[Nathan_ (OP)]

All the mines are going to take forever to self destruct aren't they? Is there any way to blow them all up at the same time?

[chrislocke2000]

I hope you put some decent sized reactors in those mines!

[Vanigo]

The initial sensor on the mine itself is a thermal one, the submunition has an active sensor. I believe the way it works is that the mine sends the missile at the contact it detects, and it is up to onboard sensors on the missile to find how much the target has moved since it was launched by said mine.

Unfortunately, this is not how it works. The mine flushes its missiles when it sees a valid target, but does not give a target to the submunitions. The submunitions will then go after any target that they can see. If they can't see anything, they'll just sit there. This is why it's usually recommended to build your mines and your submunitions with the same sensors.
(Or at least, that's how it worked the last time I checked.)

[Nathan_ (OP)]

Well we'll see how it goes. It turns out that the combat page f8 has a destroy all function for system deployed ordinance, that will make life easier.

Here is a fully enveloped JP:
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/6027/minefield2.jpg

[Thiosk]

It is such a lovely pattern.

[Aldaris]

Unfortunately, this is not how it works. The mine flushes its missiles when it sees a valid target, but does not give a target to the submunitions. The submunitions will then go after any target that they can see. If they can't see anything, they'll just sit there. This is why it's usually recommended to build your mines and your submunitions with the same sensors.
(Or at least, that's how it worked the last time I checked.)

I remember steve saying that when sensors on a mine see a hostile contact, they launch their missiles at that spot. The missiles will need active sensors to actually start homing in on it though.

[Marski]

That's some deadly art right there