Designing for a battle

[captainwolfer (OP)]

So, I happen to know what space forces I am facing in a particular system, and roughly what sort of firepower I need to defend against. I would like some review of the designs I am planning to bring to the fight.

Enemy forces:
at least 13 ships, I think all are at least 8,000 tons in size, probably more for most of them, based on thermal signature
At least a few FAC that have 5 box launchers each
2 Gauss cannon or beam orbital bases (~16,000 tons)
2 AMM orbital bases (~16,000 tons)
Known enemy speeds: 2 go 8,000 km/s, most go 5,300 km/s
Known enemy volley size: Up to 96 Size 7 missiles, although I suspect that includes box launched missiles
Enemy missiles: Size 7, 30,000 km/s speed, 2 decoys per missiles, strength 8 warhead
My gauss cannon turrets have about a 5% actual hit chance per shot vs the missiles, due to the decoys.

Currently I have 12 Ajax cruisers, which I am in the process of refitting to the Ajax B class

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Ajax B class Cruiser      24,000 tons       492 Crew       2,826.5 BP       TCS 480    TH 1,200    EM 0
2500 km/s      Armour 8-74       Shields 0-0       HTK 130      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 21-8      PPV 128.96
Maint Life 3.16 Years     MSP 3,309    AFR 419%    IFR 5.8%    1YR 498    5YR 7,467    Max Repair 315 MSP
Magazine 1,208 / 90   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

NGC Engine  EP400.00 (3)    Power 1200    Fuel Use 40.0%    Signature 400    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,316,100 Litres    Range 24.7 billion km (114 days at full power)

Twin GC R200-50.0 Turret (6x6)    Range 20,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 20,000 km    ROF 5       
PDFC R32-TS12000 (2)     Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 12,000 km/s    ECCM-1     69 38 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

S10 Missile Launcher (40.0% Reduction) (20)     Missile Size: 10    Rate of Fire 950
Size 30 Decoy Launcher (3)     Decoy Size: 30    Hangar Reload 273 minutes    MF Reload 45 hours
Missile Fire Control FC62-R100 (2)     Range 62.8m km    Resolution 100   ECCM-1
Aki ASM Mk2 (120)    Speed: 13,500 km/s    End: 87.5m     Range: 70.9m km    WH: 9    Size: 10    TH: 45/27/13
6k Ship Decoy (3)    Signature: 6000 tons    ECM-1    Size: 30

Missile Search AS6-R1 (1)     GPS 24     Range 6.8m km    MCR 609.3k km    Resolution 1
Searcher AS31-R100 (1)     GPS 2400     Range 31.4m km    Resolution 100

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Missile 1
I also want to build at least 1 of the following jump cruiser design, although I can still change the design around a bit since both the Ajax B and Atlantis can be built in the same yard

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Atlantis class Jump Cruiser      24,000 tons       539 Crew       3,116.1 BP       TCS 480    TH 1,200    EM 0
2500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 8-74       Shields 0-0       HTK 116      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 20-8      PPV 114.24
Maint Life 2.27 Years     MSP 3,360    AFR 435%    IFR 6.0%    1YR 881    5YR 13,211    Max Repair 666 MSP
Magazine 0 / 90   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

J24000.0(3-50) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 24000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

NGC Engine  EP400.00 (3)    Power 1200    Fuel Use 40.0%    Signature 400    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,317,100 Litres    Range 24.7 billion km (114 days at full power)

Twin GC R200-50.0 Turret (14x6)    Range 20,000km     TS: 12000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 20,000 km    ROF 5       
PDFC R32-TS12000 (2)     Max Range: 32,000 km   TS: 12,000 km/s    ECCM-1     69 38 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Size 30 Decoy Launcher (3)     Decoy Size: 30    Hangar Reload 273 minutes    MF Reload 45 hours
6k Ship Decoy (3)    Signature: 6000 tons    ECM-1    Size: 30

Missile Search AS6-R1 (1)     GPS 24     Range 6.8m km    MCR 609.3k km    Resolution 1
Searcher AS31-R100 (1)     GPS 2400     Range 31.4m km    Resolution 100

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Missile 1I can't change the Ajax B as the shipyard is in the middle of adding a slipway, and I don't want to cancel that.

However, I have a free military yard that has been building up for a while, and has never been tooled for a class, so can do anything. That shipyard currently has 19,338 tons capacity and 3 slipways.
I was thinking I would build at least four of the following design in it:

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Cornwallis class Destroyer      12,000 tons       292 Crew       1,678.8 BP       TCS 240    TH 750    EM 0
3125 km/s      Armour 6-46       Shields 0-0       HTK 65      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 16-13      PPV 40
Maint Life 2.65 Years     MSP 1,524    AFR 192%    IFR 2.7%    1YR 307    5YR 4,610    Max Repair 375 MSP
Magazine 720 / 60   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

Ion Drive  EP750.00 (1)    Power 750    Fuel Use 28.58%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 579,000 Litres    Range 30.4 billion km (112 days at full power)

S2-R3 Missile Launcher (20)     Missile Size: 2    Rate of Fire 15
Size 30 Decoy Launcher (2)     Decoy Size: 30    Hangar Reload 273 minutes    MF Reload 45 hours
Missile Fire Control FC20-R1 (2)     Range 20.2m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-1
6k Ship Decoy (2)    Signature: 6000 tons    ECM-1    Size: 30
Asahi AMM Mk2 (360)    Speed: 34,200 km/s    End: 1.8m     Range: 3.6m km    WH: 1.5    Size: 2    TH: 114/68/34

Missile Search Sensor AS1.8-R1 (1)     GPS 160     Range 20.2m km    MCR 1.8m km    Resolution 1

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1    Missile 1I do have Ion engine tech, but its brand new, and I don't want to spend the time it would take to refit the cruisers with new engines before attacking.

My missiles:

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Atago ASM Mk3
Missile Size: 10.00 MSP  (25.000 Tons)     Warhead: 9.00    Radiation Damage: 9.00
Speed: 17,220 km/s     Fuel: 1,225     Flight Time: 68 minutes     Range: 69.99m km
Active Sensor Strength: 0.2   EM Sensitivity Modifier: 8
Resolution: 20    Maximum Range vs 1000 ton object (or larger): 1,937,141 km
Decoys: 2 ECM-1     ECCM-1     Retarget Capable
Cost Per Missile: 9.425     Development Cost: 485
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 172.2%   3k km/s 57.4%   5k km/s 34.4%   10k km/s 17.2%

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Asahi AMM Mk2
Missile Size: 2.000 MSP  (5.0000 Tons)     Warhead: 1.500 (MW-3)    Radiation Damage: 1.500
Speed: 34,200 km/s     Fuel: 137     Flight Time: 106.6 seconds     Range: 3,645,720 km
Cost Per Missile: 2.285     Development Cost: 239
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 342%   3k km/s 114%   5k km/s 68.4%   10k km/s 34.2%If there is good places for optimization, please let me know

[nuclearslurpee]

There are a few problems:

• Your ships are too slow. 2,500 km/s at NGC tech is too slow, you should be aiming for at least 3,000 km/s up to perhaps 4,000 km/s. This will be a problem for you because it will take too long to close on the enemy (so you know the enemy missile range? If they out-tech you, it is likely that their missiles outrange you as well), and their ships can keep you out of range and/or pursue you indefinitely.
• AMMs will be a good idea to try and eliminate the decoys before final fire Gauss turret PD takes place.
• Your missiles look rather slow. Probably another level of engine boost tech would be useful here, or building new missiles with Ion Drive tech. AMMs that are almost the same speed as enemy ASMs in particular are going to struggle.
• I doubt you will have enough ASMs in a salvo to beat enemy AMMs + beam PD and do much damage. Retargeting on ASMs will not help much since they will just get shot by PD, I think ATG would be better here.

Overall I would recommend to wait longer before engaging or you will probably lose most/all of your attack force. The enemy force you are facing is quite large and technologically advanced, you should not be in any hurry to face them until you have an overwhelming advantage or at least technological parity.

[Ultimoos]

I can share my thoughts about missiles.
You have AMM's that fragment 1.5 warhead into 3 0.5 attacks. Most of possible damage is wasted on decoys. Maybe use more less powerful fragments to ensure cleanup of decoys and leave real missiles for your PD's. Second approach. Use Smaller AMM's in larger number with retargeting. Or both! First valley clears decoys, second one clears missiles.

You have size 10 very slow and weak ASM with retargeting. That missile will be exposed to full PD power every 5s, for every time it misses. The biggest problem tho I see is it's range. You have to sacrifice a lot of performance to have a one stage missile with that range. Use two stage missiles. Copy that 7 size missile your opponent have. It looks exactly like what I'm using And stick it on a 2-3 size slower stage with big range. It depends tho on if your opponent uses AMM's and at what range.
This is a second stage of my missile. It's in tech 5 tho. I put that on 2.6 MSP first stage for range.

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Missile Size: 7.00 MSP  (17.500 Tons)     Warhead: 10    Radiation Damage: 10
Speed: 35,371 km/s     Fuel: 500     Flight Time: 84.7 seconds     Range: 2,995,958 km
Decoys: 2 ECM-2     ECCM-2     ATG: 20%     
Cost Per Missile: 10.99     Development Cost: 524
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 424.5%   3k km/s 141.5%   5k km/s 84.9%   10k km/s 42.4%
My math tells me that the best performance you get when keep engine to mass ratio at half.