Maintenance module

[Klapaucius87 (OP)]

I would like to know how those thing exactly works. 
I've built a few ships with those, totalling enough maintenace to repair the space stations i have at defense of jump gates, but i can't find a way to maintain/overhaul them.
I need to have cargo with resources on the maintenance ship? or is maintenance a feature limited to planets?

[deoved]

As i know, they must be on orbit of a colony to work.  Any colony will work even with no population.  Do not forget to drop some maintenance suplies on that colony.

[Charlie Beeler]

As i know, they must be on orbit of a colony to work.  Any colony will work even with no population.  Do not forget to drop some maintenance suplies on that colony.

Correct, the ship with the module(s) must be in orbit of a colony, any colony regardless of population since that part is a function of the ships crew.  But if I recall correctly, you still need minerals not maintenance supplies to maintain ships. 

[deoved]

Yes, the minerals, i almost forgot about.

[Brian Neumann]

Even with these limitations the maintenance modules are very helpfull in establishing forward bases near a point that you want to picket.  If you have a ship near the jump point for example you can tell when someone comes through and then mobilize the fleet sitting at the colony based on a handy asteroid to move in and take the enemy out.

Brian

[Klapaucius87 (OP)]

Even with these limitations the maintenance modules are very helpfull in establishing forward bases near a point that you want to picket.   If you have a ship near the jump point for example you can tell when someone comes through and then mobilize the fleet sitting at the colony based on a handy asteroid to move in and take the enemy out.

Never thinked something like this, but i like more have a few bases directly on the jump gate to use the enemy 'jump sickness' as much as i can.  I havn't yet to have something try to come in from any of my JG, but i don't want surprises .
I think i will swap my bases with some low speed ship, so they can go overhaul by themselves.

[Brian Neumann]

The only difference between ships and bases in this game is the engines.  As far as design work goes they are the same thing.  I have often used older ships for jump point defense as their speed is not a major factor.  In fact I often pull about half their engines out in a refit for more weapons to take advantage of that sensor blindness from jumping in.  It is an especially usefull thing to do with ships that have a really good crew grade.  If I scrapped them the crew would be moved back into the pool where their high crew points would be mostly wasted.  This way they stay together and I get the benifit of their skill.

Brian

[Peter Rhodan]

interesting idea Brian....

[waresky]

The only difference between ships and bases in this game is the engines.  As far as design work goes they are the same thing.  I have often used older ships for jump point defense as their speed is not a major factor.  In fact I often pull about half their engines out in a refit for more weapons to take advantage of that sensor blindness from jumping in.  It is an especially usefull thing to do with ships that have a really good crew grade.  If I scrapped them the crew would be moved back into the pool where their high crew points would be mostly wasted.  This way they stay together and I get the benifit of their skill.

Brian

+1

[Klapaucius87 (OP)]

The only difference between ships and bases in this game is the engines.   As far as design work goes they are the same thing.   I have often used older ships for jump point defense as their speed is not a major factor.   In fact I often pull about half their engines out in a refit for more weapons to take advantage of that sensor blindness from jumping in.   It is an especially usefull thing to do with ships that have a really good crew grade.   If I scrapped them the crew would be moved back into the pool where their high crew points would be mostly wasted.   This way they stay together and I get the benifit of their skill.

Brian

I sometime refit a ship even if it cost more than a new one just for that.

[ollobrains]

u can always drop an orbital habitat around colonies with no population anyway - does the amount of maintence tie to the workforce in anyway or is it pure technology driven

[UnLimiTeD]

Well, as you might have seen before I discontinued that AAR, I found it worth it to create massive Civilian Ships, train them with no maintenance costs for two years, and then refit them to a military design with the new engines that are available by now.
Sure, it costs more then double the build time and many more resources, but you get Elite Ships at the pinnacle of your tech level.
Not sure that's possible anymore.
As for jump point pickets, it's probably a good idea to have a reaction force on an asteroid and a sensor ship on the other side, if something approaches, move picket force there.
Old ships are obviously a good choice as well.

[Garfunkel]

How many and which minerals do you need for maintenance?

[Erik L]

How many and which minerals do you need for maintenance?

The bottom half of the Mining tab on the Economics screen shows that info.