Posted by: Sheb
« on: July 07, 2016, 03:22:51 AM »Just to make things clear, DSTS only provide passive sensor coverage, you'll need an active somewhere to paint the target for the PDC to fire.
So PDC still need actives as well as deep space tracking devices, yes? And hangars need maintenance storage and fuel tanks?-PDCs do need an active sensor bead on a target to engage. However, any active sensor contact on them from your empire will do. So you can have a PDC fleet with only one or two dedicated active sensor PDCs, with no sensors to speak of on the others, if you want. Deep space tracking stations are much more stronger than any particular sensor you'd stick on a PDC, however the sensors on your PDCs won't get destroyed by indirect planetary bombardment, so you could stick a few sensors on one as an emergency backup, if you so please.
And could you share some of your own builds and general rules of thumb? I really want to get it right the first time so I don't have to go replacing all the PDCs throughout my empire.
On that note, can yo replace things like the missile fire control and actives without leveling the entire base?
Ark-Zetu Mark I "Aurora" class Point Defence Base 475 tons 22 Crew 95 BP TCS 9.5 TH 0 EM 0
Armour 5-5 Sensors 1/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 6.6
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Spare Berths 2
Single R1.5/C1 HVS Meson Field Generator Mount (1x1) Range 15 000km TS: 48000 km/s Power 3-1 RM 1.5 ROF 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CIWS-HV Fire Control S01.5 32-48000 (FTR) (1) Max Range: 64 000 km TS: 48000 km/s 84 69 53 37 22 6 0 0 0 0
STR Micro-Fusion Reactor Plant PB-1 (1) Total Power Output 1.2 Armour 0 Exp 5%
This design is classed as a Planetary Defence Centre and can be pre-fabricated in 1 sections
Something to note:I don't understand deep space tracking systems. All it tells me is what "level" it is, saying nothing about the range it covers.The "Level" is flatly the amount of Deep Space Tracking Stations on a planetary body. What you want to look at is the "Strength" number next to the title of the Deep Space Tracking Station, which says how strongly your DSTS acts as a passive sensor for thermals and EM, equivalent to ship-based systems. Considering that it stacks, and increments in the hundreds, DSTSs are actually extremely powerful compared to shipboard sensors, and can be much better for monitoring points and systems than scoutships if a system body is in the right spot.
Do PDCs benefit from having their own active or passive sensors or do the planetary ones fulfill it just fine?If you're referring to Deep Space Tracking Stations, remember that those serve as thermal and EM sensors, but NOT actives. So you still need an active sensor somewhere to achieve a target lock.