I haven't been able to find a topic for this so here it is. I realize we have 'Colony Ships' already but they should be more appropriately called Cryogenic Migration Ships. When I hear Colony Ship I imagine a space station with a large infrastructure that can support millions of people and expand. It can also serve as a tanker, collier and maintenance dock
My suggestion is to add a class type (Ship, PDC, etc.) called Space Station or Colony Ship. Once created it acts like a colony like on a planet but can move; After one of these is built and leaves the planet, it can no longer dock with a planet and is treated like its own body type. Obviously you couldn't build mines but everything else should be available and add to the size of the ship. Their size should be equal to half of how man cargo holds it would take to transport it normally.
Default load outs should include:
Bridge x1Crew Quarters x1Fuel Storage x1Maintenance Facilities x1Cargo Space x100Infrastructure x100 (not necessarily shown on the class screen but required as a material and the base amount present for the station)
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I would also like to suggest a few more research options:
-Construction:
Independent Climate System/ Effect: Enables Space Stations/Colony Ships to be built. Prerequisite: Terraforming Module.
-Logistics:
Star Dock/ Effect: Allows one additional ship to be stationed at the colony and resupply/refuel/repair itself at a time. 50k Ton max. per ship
-Logistics:
Docking Rail/ Effect: Allows one additional ship to be stationed at the colony and resupply/refuel/repair itself at a time. No Tonnage limit, but it increases the time to load the ship by x10
-Logistics:
Munitions Hold/ Effect: Missile Capacity +1000 points. Only available to Colony Ships/Space Station.
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As well design type (Projects, Missiles, Turrets, etc.):
-Centrifugal Gravity Generator: It would affect the gravity rating of the colony.
Research options affecting this would be
-Power Plant Types
-Fuel Efficiency
-Internal Armor
Two fields you would need to enter info in would be the desired gravity rating and the weight of the station. Depending on the tech options chosen earlier, it would determine the size of the Gravity Generator needed to maintain the specified gravity on the station.
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Should the station grow beyond the supported weight of the gravity generator, the gravity will be equal to: Desired Gravity Rating*[(Supported Weight/Ship Weight)^2]
You can have more than one generator, with the supported weights being additive. The Gravity Ratings will be averaged.
I realize this is an immense suggestion and would take some time to implement if acted apon. This is just my opinion on how it should work out. Also, if this by chance is in the works, what version would we be most likely to see it in?
On a side note, I have a suggestion about beam weapons and the atmosphere. Rather than directly reducing damage, why don't you apply a range penalty to the weapon's damage calculation instead. Atm >=1;Range 1/10000. 0.5<Atm<1; Range 1/1000. etc. So if a weapon's target is in an atmosphere or is being fired from one, it acts as though its range is ridiculously short thus hitting the damage drop off sooner, but still allowing them to be used in PDCs.
