Jump Point Observation

[Silentbrick (OP)]

I've searched and while it gets mentioned occasionally, there's never anything flat suggesting how to do it.

I want something to observe the Jump points in my empire.  I have a number of colonies and while I can build either some kind of OWP and tow it there or plant a Civvie ship whose sole job it is to stare at the JP and scream if something comes through.

I've been looking and it seems like a bouy might work AND avoid me having umpteen million task groups.  All it needs to do is sit there and say "Hey something came in.  If it gets nuked then, it's fine.

So, any thoughts or suggestions?

Oh and no, planting a listening post means I have FAR too many colonies showing on my F2 screen.    Besides, it doesn't work when the JP's are really far out.


Silentbrick

[Brian Neumann]

A bouy will work for a while.  The problem is that a bouy once it has been placed is not recoverable.  If it has a long enough endurance then you can keep an eye on a jump point fairly easily.  You just need to remember to replace them before they go dead and your eye is blinded.  There is a function that lets you send a message to yourself for a particular date.  That way you could send a reminder to replace system xyz's bouys before they run out.  I have designed a decent sensor bouy with an eight year endurance so it is not to hard to keep track of them.

Brian

[sloanjh]

I use picket ships - a single engine, size-3 each of thermal and em sensors, plus a size-1 active.  No bridge needed since it's under 1K ton.  I go to the JP, then picket them (at speed 1) about 2-4 minutes travel time away from the JP (so the bad guys won't see them unless they go active).  Haven't tried drones.

John

[waresky]

Am use sensor buoy with huge reactors,10 years.Obviously the main trouble r replace whole set around:).-.
But in a Empire ("SERIOUS" Empire,am mean) this is a normal Task,to be asigned at Ensign:).

Other solutions?Civie single ships,so maintenance not trouble ur mind...or deploy some of "Junk" ship,with a nominally "1 drive",..and not crew onboard?.

[Another]

I haven't tried this but how about extra small civilian vessels with no engine and bridge and with size 1 sensors? Pack multiple into a carrier and place at JPs. With just one of the sensors you can make a 150 tons, 20 BP (mineral cost) commercial ship. Comparable to a large buoy.

[MoonDragon]

I haven't tried this but how about extra small civilian vessels with no engine and bridge and with size 1 sensors? Pack multiple into a carrier and place at JPs. With just one of the sensors you can make a 150 tons, 20 BP (mineral cost) commercial ship. Comparable to a large buoy.

I was just going to suggest this. You can put size 1 sensors onto a ship and still classify it as commercial. So no maintenance clock. With a reasonably decent tech you should be able to see 1-2 mil km around the JP with size 1 sensors without any problems. Either slap a single engine on it so that they can be repositioned on their own when necessary, or as Another suggested, have them dropped off by a carrier ship. You can stick "undesirable" commanders in there to get rid of them.

[waresky]

Guys..am like RolePlaying Stylez..so put an CREWED's Civie ships alone in the Dark and without any chance to return at Home..not r for my "EMpire's POsture".

[Silentbrick (OP)]

I have decided to use Buoy's, which are size 50 and good for 10 years.  While I'm not roleplaying per say, that makes more sense and doesn't bog down my task group screens with 2-5 TG's PER system.  It's bad enough I have Jump point defense fleets in the home system.  Only two more years til my recon frigate with the buoy launcher is built.

[waresky]

Am use Buoy always.
R good,cheap and easy to deploy.

[sloanjh]

Guys..am like RolePlaying Stylez..so put an CREWED's Civie ships alone in the Dark and without any chance to return at Home..not r for my "EMpire's POsture".

Agreed.  That's why I use the small military picket ships.  At some point I should probably look into the bouy option, just haven't done so yet....

John

[MoonDragon]

Perhaps a good idea would be to have a picket ship that drops off a sensor buoy when it needs to leave its post for an overhaul.

[Shade]

I'm considering using this design. I would position it with a tug.

Code: [Select]

C - Argos-T class Sensor Outpost    150 tons     16 Crew     26.5 BP      TCS 3  TH 0  EM 0
1 km/s     Armour 1-2     Shields 0-0     Sensors 11/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 110 MSP    Max Repair 11 MSP


Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  11m km

This design is classed as a commercial vessel for maintenance purposes

[Erik L]

Why not drop a buoy with a scanner and long lifetime? They'd be cheaper than a ship, not need any sort of overhauls. Just need to remember to replace them every x months.