Newtonian Aurora - Strategy and Tactics

[procyon]

That is why I commit the second half of the parasites to moving in system and directly attacking targets, while the first half try to make pick up with a follow on unit.  I also do not want the carriers on a direct course away from the inner system, but one oblique to it in the hopes of drawing defenses out/getting various locations to commit to attacks.

Getting them to commit to out system courses would be great, but just getting them to burn enough fuel to become combat ineffective would be adequate.

And just ask my kids.
They never trust what they see in a game.  I am horrible about 'bait and drag' as they call it....

 

[Bremen]

The massed launch from the extreme limit would give the defender a great deal of time/opportunity to plot interceptions and organize a defense.  But it would make destroying the bug ships very difficult - if not impossible.  But from the fiction I have read, it seems that building big and fast missiles is expensive and time comsuming.

And if you can make 'extreme velocity missiles', they will only get faster if you ramp up the launch vehicle's speed before releasing the missile.

Missiles are pretty much by definition going to be cheaper than similar speed disposable ships. Even if you want to accelerate the ships before launching, just do that outside the hyper limit; since missiles are essentially infinite ranged you don't gain anything by sending disposable ships in then launching.

[procyon]

Missiles are pretty much by definition going to be cheaper than similar speed disposable ships. Even if you want to accelerate the ships before launching, just do that outside the hyper limit; since missiles are essentially infinite ranged you don't gain anything by sending disposable ships in then launching.

This is one of those things I will have to puzzle out during game play.  Missiles may be cheaper, but will have to be launched by something.  I would rather send an expendable craft to draw fire and locate future targets than risk a more expensive, dedicated missile platform.

It will also depend on how effective anti missile defenses are.  If the parasite can provide decent cover for the missiles during part of their time to target, then this could be a bonus.  With rail guns and a laser it may also be able to engage some defenses that are identified.  How successful it will be is yet to be seen.

How the game's dynamics will work will shape a lot of the tactics.  If missiles can reach enormous velocities from a slow ship, and missile defenses are poor against that target, a pure missile attack from long range may be good.

Since I don't have a clue how it will work, my first plan will be to test the waters with craft that are fairly 'expendable' and armed with a variety of weapons.  I like the missiles versatility and payload.  I like the rail guns lethality in what I assume will be a nearly invisible and difficult to stop package.  I like lasers as a nimble target will still find itself in trouble against them - and they don't run out of ammo.  So I would go with all of them and see what my opponent finds hardest to counter.

And if he does counter all of it - I'm only out a bunch of 'expendable' craft.  Granted it will be more expensive than missiles - but hopefully they will also have identified more targets and weaknesses than a single form attack.