Disappearing Wrecks

[Theokrat (OP)]

So in my second game I found a system populated by what I heavily suspect is the Star Swarm. Lots of 800t, meson-armed 10,000km/s soldiers; some shield-600, 60,000t 1000km/s Queens, and some 6,000t vessels of unknown purpose. All bleed fluids when hit.

The first surprise to me is that there are a couple of wrecks of the 800t class every now and then. I thought the swarm does not leave wrecks? It certainly does not when I destroy the ships myself. What is causing these wrecks then? Natural death?

More puzzling however is the fact that these wrecks dont stay around for long. After a while I get the message that a wreck disappeared from the sensors and its gone. The same goes for the wreck of the unlucky gravsurvey ship that first encountered these hostiles. Initially I thought that maybe they were devoured by the 6,000t vessels, but I have full control over the system now. And the wrecks disappear even as my own task force is right on top of them. So why do the wrecks disappear?

Lastly, I noted there that this alien has different classes with exactly the same characteristics. I.e. there are two different classes of 800t ships, two classes of 60,000t ships and two of 6,000t ships, without apparent differences. Whats happening here? Two different hives? Maybe one swarm was generated by an NPR exploring, while the other was generated by me? I am puzzled.

[metalax]

So in my second game I found a system populated by what I heavily suspect is the Star Swarm. Lots of 800t, meson-armed 10,000km/s soldiers; some shield-600, 60,000t 1000km/s Queens, and some 6,000t vessels of unknown purpose. All bleed fluids when hit.

The first surprise to me is that there are a couple of wrecks of the 800t class every now and then. I thought the swarm does not leave wrecks? It certainly does not when I destroy the ships myself. What is causing these wrecks then? Natural death?

The 'wrecks' are the eggs created by the swarm to produce another ship. From what I've seen before the queen will come to them and 'fertilise' them causing them to hatch into a new swarm ship. Wrecks of your own or an npr's ships can also be fertilized in order to produce more swarm ships, if an npr on the other side of the system is regularly sending groups of ships through that are unable to take out the swarm then they end up feeding the swarm into a massive host.

More puzzling however is the fact that these wrecks dont stay around for long. After a while I get the message that a wreck disappeared from the sensors and its gone. The same goes for the wreck of the unlucky gravsurvey ship that first encountered these hostiles. Initially I thought that maybe they were devoured by the 6,000t vessels, but I have full control over the system now. And the wrecks disappear even as my own task force is right on top of them. So why do the wrecks disappear?

Normally the wrecks disappearing is due to them hatching into new swarm ships. The wrecks disappearing once you have control of the system are I believe due to the eggs having a limited period in which they need the queen to fertilize them before disappearing, presumably to stop situations in which you kill off the queen but leave workers alive ending up cloging the system with 'egg' wrecks.

Lastly, I noted there that this alien has different classes with exactly the same characteristics. I.e. there are two different classes of 800t ships, two classes of 60,000t ships and two of 6,000t ships, without apparent differences. Whats happening here? Two different hives? Maybe one swarm was generated by an NPR exploring, while the other was generated by me? I am puzzled.

Not entirely sure about that. It is certainly possible for hive swarms to migrate, or more accurately expand, between systems, So it is possible that it is two seperate hives.

[Theokrat (OP)]

Ah I see, thanks for the info, did not know about the eggs. What is the role of the 6,000t creatures in this process? Do they lay the "eggs"?

Also, I did not get my savager in in time, but can these "wrecks" be savaged at all?

[Mel Vixen]

The 6000 tonners are iirc. some type planet sterilisation ship. You will notice a steady increase of radiation on a populated planet if the Swarm decides to attack and gets into the orbit of the planet.

[Theokrat (OP)]

The 6000 tonners are iirc. some type planet sterilisation ship. You will notice a steady increase of radiation on a populated planet if the Swarm decides to attack and gets into the orbit of the planet.

Oh, alright I thought the Queens did that. Anyway, thanks for the clarifications!

[Garfunkel]

Aren't the 6,000 tonners mining ships?  The Queens sterilize planets through radiation.

[Steve Walmsley]

Aren't the 6,000 tonners mining ships?   The Queens sterilize planets through radiation.

Yes, that's correct

Steve