What's going on in your empire/planet/battlefield?

[xeryon]

Would it be possible to make a dedicated minelayer parasite?  Something fighter sized that has a single tube?  Just launch it and launch your mine, land, reload and repeat?  Or was that what you meant by having a specialized minelayer?  Possible to even have something tractored?  Like your ship is towing a minelayer trailer?  It's technically still one craft then.

[Vandermeer]

Yes, that is what I meant with the minelayer. The plan is already set into motion, but I needed another 15k shipyard for this, even though I used maximum-before-box reduced size launchers. (my mines and buoys are size 100 only, so sensor technology can shine without obstructing payload too much)
I thought about tractoring too, but it turned out to be impractical. You will still have to detach the minelayer on every procedure, because otherwise the launch order will still empty all the fleet's tubes, and furthermore, tractoring military craft for long times has been proven to be ineffective, because any maintenance failure results in the ship losing the tractor grip. That is ok if you have it docked for most of the time, but it becomes a problem if you take it on longer 2+ years trips. ..So if you have to dock it anyway, and detach it anyway, tractoring doesn't really add anything sadly.
Then, if you ever wanted a real minefield instead of just these singular intrusion alert flash-bangs, you would need a fleet of smaller minelayers with engines anyway to do it in any effective/not-micromanage manner.

[Mastik]

February 2127

  Relations with the Diboll Imperium have improved to +4231, sensor data is being shared between the 2 nations.  Diplomats tell me they are working on a military alliance.

  Earlier in the campaign, i lost 3 survey ships in the Ross 154 system.  In January 2127, a fleet of attack ships was sent into Ross 154.  What did they find?  Nothing but wrecks.

  Survey craft have been sent back, Ross 154 AII is a beauty, massive mineral content, and some alien ruins.  Some one has put up jump gates on all JPs.  I am going to make a grab for Ross 154 AII.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

...But.. that leaves me with having to re-assign 560 tubes to 8 different controls every time I jump to new systems.   It is right though, I guess I blocked that solution out after all the effort. Seems like I will be making a minelayer still.

If you have two of these ships, you can copy the assignments from the unaltered ship to the one laying mines/buoys when you are done

[Vandermeer]

Right, though for now in this game the ship is 5 megatons large (+about 400kt in escorts and fighters) and thus currently the only one I can afford with just Sol resources and all the other coming galactic infrastructure needs. However, 7-8 are ultimately planned, so that would work. I will see in practice which solution ends up being the fastest and easiest later.

[GodEmperor]

Atm my Earth is recovering from the Third World War. Conflict, fought between NATO, Russian Federation and Peoples Republic of China, started at what was named a "Pegasus Incident". Pegasus was the name of the illegal Chinese military spacecraft launched in 2038 which was direct violation of the Berlin Treaty that prohibited the two non-NATO powers from having any kind of military spacecraft in the Earths orbit. NATO launched all out ground and space assault backed up be the heavy ICBM bombardment of the Russian and Chinese territory and industry. Pegasus was reduced to dust in seconds by the Saratoga class Battleships orbiting Earth, PDC's were destroyed by the TN-ICBM's and both superpowers surrendered but not before more than 1k TN-ICBM's were detonated on the surface of Earth.

The result was terryfing, average temperature dropped by almost 30 degrees and amount of radiation lowered growth rate ( -12% ) and industry efficency ( - 40% ).
Thankfully massive NATO industry was capable of providing infrastructure for the survivors in less than a year but Earth population is still shrinking albeit slower and slower everyday. Currently it is 2064 and annual growth rate is still -2% and i have almost 150m worker shortage and combined casaulties of the post war radiation sickness are almost 1bn.

On the bright side : no hostile Xenos found yet and there are some JUICY planets in the nearby systems.

EDIT: My marines have a hard time defeating Soviet Garrisons on the Mars... and aside from Meson armed BB's i have no other combat ship so i have no choice but to stuff more and more people in the grinder

EDIT nr 2 : Mars have been completely terraformed and first 5 mln people have settled there. Earth radiation level is still high, population growth is -0.05% and population have fallen below 1.85 Bn.
Meanwhile i've established few colonies in some INCREDIBLY juicy systems.

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Kepler system and the Atlantis colony ( deserted intact city present - almost 2k instalations ) :
Rocky Planets: 4   Surveyed: 4
Gas Giants: 2   Surveyed: 1
Moons: 27   Surveyed: 9
Asteroids: 212   Surveyed: 0

Atlantis Mine 2
Duranium 81 715 330  Acc: 0.1
Neutronium 43 296 400  Acc: 0.1
Corbomite 36 192 260  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 10 824 100  Acc: 0.1
Mercassium 37 332 100  Acc: 0.1
Uridium 42 068 200  Acc: 0.1
Corundium 76 422 560  Acc: 0.1
Gallicite 52 388 640  Acc: 0.1

Atlantis Mine 1
Duranium 46 657 800  Acc: 0.1
Neutronium 24 010 000  Acc: 0.5
Corbomite 20 702 500  Acc: 0.1
Boronide 9 486 400  Acc: 0.8
Gallicite 37 945 600  Acc: 0.6
Uridium 44 222 500  Acc: 0.5
Corundium 9 060 100  Acc: 0.1

Atlantis Mine 3
Tritanium 7 433 802  Acc: 0.1
Duranium 79 821 620  Acc: 0.3
Neutronium 15 920 100  Acc: 0.1
Corbomite 38 248 040  Acc: 0.5
Sorium 24 875 160  Acc: 0.1
Gallicite 1 432 809  Acc: 0.1
Vendarite 13 868 180  Acc: 0.1
Uridium 1 432 809  Acc: 0.1

Atlantis
Duranium 231 125 000  Acc: 0.1
Neutronium 34 515 620  Acc: 0.1
Corbomite 72 250 000  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 68 062 500  Acc: 0.1
Boronide 7 562 498  Acc: 0.1
Sorium 126 562 500  Acc: 0.1
Uridium 110 250 000  Acc: 0.1
Mercassium 14 062 500  Acc: 0.1
Gallicite 138 062 500  Acc: 0.1

Kepler-A IV
Sorium 761 100  Acc: 1

Kepler-A IV - Moon 3
Duranium 141 512  Acc: 0.6
Neutronium 2 989 441  Acc: 0.1
Corbomite 902 500  Acc: 0.1
Boronide 51 984  Acc: 0.2
Mercassium 866 761  Acc: 0.1
Uridium 3 249  Acc: 0.4
Corundium 12 996  Acc: 0.4

Kepler-A IV - Moon 7
Duranium 12 168  Acc: 1
Neutronium 9 216  Acc: 1
Corbomite 841  Acc: 1
Boronide 3 025  Acc: 1
Vendarite 400  Acc: 1
Sorium 7 225  Acc: 1
Gallicite 1 849  Acc: 1

Kepler-A V
Corbomite 176 400  Acc: 0.8


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Roma system - Rome Prime is the first extrasolar Human colony, easily terraformed ( just removed some Sulphur Dioxide ). Unfortunately there is NO sorium in the entire system apart from 250k tons on some lousy comet :( . Good thing Rome is dead end system with on jp leading to Sol.

Rocky Planets: 3   Surveyed: 3
Gas Giants: 0   Surveyed: 0
Moons: 1   Surveyed: 1
Asteroids: 0   Surveyed: 0

Roma Mine 1
Duranium 7 144 200  Acc: 0.1
Neutronium 5 731 236  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 18 352 660  Acc: 0.1
Mercassium 3 337 929  Acc: 0.1
Vendarite 17 816 840  Acc: 0.1
Gallicite 14 288 400  Acc: 0.1

Rome Prime
Duranium 18 507 530  Acc: 0.6
Neutronium 97 344  Acc: 0.4
Corbomite 23 386 900  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 29 811 600  Acc: 0.1
Boronide 10 227 200  Acc: 1
Mercassium 3 218 436  Acc: 0.1
Vendarite 26 501 900  Acc: 0.1
Uridium 1 028 196  Acc: 0.3
Corundium 17 089 960  Acc: 0.7
Gallicite 19 079 420  Acc: 0.3

Roma Mine 2
Duranium 140 281 200  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 16 000 000  Acc: 0.1
Boronide 14 062 500  Acc: 0.1
Corundium 17 015 620  Acc: 0.1

Roma-A Comet #1
Mercassium 75 994  Acc: 1
Vendarite 145 299  Acc: 0.9
Sorium 220 112  Acc: 0.8

Roma-A Comet #2
Duranium 482 556  Acc: 1
Mercassium 32 900  Acc: 0.9

Roma-A Comet #3
Neutronium 27 560  Acc: 1

Roma-A Comet #4
Neutronium 128 100  Acc: 1
Vendarite 21 551  Acc: 0.8
Uridium 137 542  Acc: 0.7


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And third extrasolar colony on Sparta, fed by the minerals from Lacedonia and Platea.

Rocky Planets: 5   Surveyed: 3
Gas Giants: 4   Surveyed: 3
Moons: 89   Surveyed: 44
Asteroids: 38   Surveyed: 0

Sparta
Duranium 14 623 230  Acc: 0.1
Neutronium 1 557 504  Acc: 0.5
Corbomite 97 344  Acc: 0.1
Tritanium 6 492 304  Acc: 0.1
Mercassium 24 920 060  Acc: 0.1
Vendarite 3 312 400  Acc: 0.3
Sorium 3 904 576  Acc: 0.1
Corundium 7 033 104  Acc: 0.1

Lacedonia
Corbomite 54 756  Acc: 0.9
Tritanium 142 129  Acc: 0.6
Boronide 1 249 924  Acc: 0.4
Mercassium 169  Acc: 0.4

New Athens-A III
Sorium 20 445 000  Acc: 0.4

Platea
Duranium 5 120 000  Acc: 0.1
Corbomite 9 610 000  Acc: 0.7
Boronide 1 322 500  Acc: 0.1
Mercassium 9 302 500  Acc: 0.7
Uridium 562 500  Acc: 0.1
Corundium 810 000  Acc: 0.1

New Athens-A III - Moon 9
Corundium 200 704  Acc: 0.5

New Athens-A VI - Moon 5
Boronide 461 041  Acc: 0.8

New Athens-A VI - Moon 18
Duranium 4 050  Acc: 1
Corbomite 5 625  Acc: 1
My galactic map is in the attached pic - Remus system was kinda dissapointing - one colony cost zero planet and one 0.95 colony cost ... but really poor, at least when compared to Sparta and Rome Prime.
Also - Tau Ceti has only one planet with milions of every mineral ( but low acc ) but it has atm 120 and nice Carbon Dioxide/Sulphur Dioxide atmo and 2.49 gravity  ... i hate when this happens.

[Viridia]

Setting up...you guessed it...that ruddy TATO/TEU game again with a third faction. Hopefully this one goes somewhere.

In other news, the glorious surveyors of SICON and the Federation are scouring the jump points in Sol for any trace of the Bugs.

[sneer]

How could I did not notice this thread earlier
so many batles fought ...

Possibly much better place to talk with Vandermeer than more dedicated thread as well
especially he was curious how the nastiest enemies taste - yes - battle vs spoilers so read on own risk

situation
clearing 1 of 4 wormhole race groups within my teritory
year 2094
enemy
6x 34kt ships - type already salvaged 21 twin 10cm lazor turrets with extreme FC confirmed by intelligence
2x 34 kt ? ships - unknown class and capabilities
these 2 operating as 1 group

supported by 3x 16.7kt ? unknown  class and capabilities
due to termal signature ( I have placed there few deep space stations ) all unknown class are expected to be military ships
enemy speed 8k ecm=6 and deep armor no shields

tonnage by groups 270kt + 50kt
friendly forces
cruiser fleet - 18 of my generation 2 to 2+ ships 19kt each + 1  cruiser 15 kt 2+gen  + 3 fresh 27kt gen 3 battlecruisers

tonnage used 450kt
speed 8 km/s for main body and 9km/s for BC, ewar level 3 for all, armor 6 to 8, shields- 200size on BC only

initial tactics unless something bad happens is to go to 10-20mil km for cruiser missile broadside and finish by beams with BC missile broadside as situtational reserve 
expected outcome - kill / damage enemy group - if enemy PD too good at least break their formation and kill with beams one by one
logistics not needed - run well within my operational range to homeworld , auxilaries / tugs next door

weaponary
missiles -all in boxed launchers ( wh-speed-range)
cruisers
660 size 5    18-60-44
120 size 15  47-60-44 1p of armor
battlecruisers
180 size 5    26-77-55
30 size 15    58-77-55
beams 
3x38c10 spinals +42x30cmC10 +45x30cmC6+24x 25cmC6
PD-turrets
9 quad r4 gauss 
37 triple r3 gauss

[sneer]

It was much easier than I thought - total overkill

3 small were missile asm - with asm size 6 missile having almost 1bn range and salvo density 3x7 so no leaks through PD
2 main group unknown class remained mystery - I have witnessesd only energy weapon 3 PD fire from previously known class - so salvagers will provide answers
at 22 mil km group opened fire from cruiser launchers with salvo density 660 size 5 and 120 size 15 missiles
over 170 missiles were destroyed by enemy small laser PD - it was less than I expected tbh - I expected half of missiles eaten by PD
almost 200 size 5 and 70+ size 15 hits
multiple secendery explosions
enemy eliminated

total action cost 5k trit and 5k gallicite for ammo which will be restored from wrecks with ease alongside with some nice tech

[Ostia]

First contacts are always FUN.

2 Grav Survey Ships (obsolete ones, but still) lost to Particle Beams, Jump Gates on all JPs, 3 Jumps distance.

And I don't  have a standing fleet. 

[sneer]

1st contacts ususaly means nobody even will scoop Lifepods
fortunately AI is not aggressive enough to trace into homesystem

[Ostia]

Looks like I panicked to hard. Just some crappy Precursor beam ship. Status: Wrecked.

Swept the inner system, found nothing. Geo Survey vessels dispatched to confirm that find.

Edit: I have to mess around with ship design a bit more. 30% engines give me the ability to out run these ships, but the range is awful and I feel like I still lack things to make the ship complete.

[canshow]

1st contacts ususaly means nobody even will scoop Lifepods
fortunately AI is not aggressive enough to trace into homesystem

They traced into mine 1 day after I sent 3 survey ships into an adjacent system and then they started nuking earth.

I'm never again leaving myself undefended when I scout out of Sol.   

[Vandermeer]

It was much easier than I thought - total overkill

3 small were missile asm - with asm size 6 missile having almost 1bn range and salvo density 3x7 so no leaks through PD
2 main group unknown class remained mystery - I have witnessesd only energy weapon 3 PD fire from previously known class - so salvagers will provide answers
at 22 mil km group opened fire from cruiser launchers with salvo density 660 size 5 and 120 size 15 missiles
over 170 missiles were destroyed by enemy small laser PD - it was less than I expected tbh - I expected half of missiles eaten by PD
almost 200 size 5 and 70+ size 15 hits
multiple secendery explosions
enemy eliminated

total action cost 5k trit and 5k gallicite for ammo which will be restored from wrecks with ease alongside with some nice tech

Was that on the tech level of the cruiser you had presented in the other thread? If so, then 2:1 mass advantage is actually not that frightening as a requirement for only internal fusion age (and for overkill no less). Fielding a 1000 unit broadside however sounds like much of a steeper achievement.
...I wonder if this could have been done with just 300kt in size-1 missile ships (also 1000 salvos), and rest pd. The size-1 wont destroy the enemy in one salvo, but they will have 15-20 of them too. ...Only obvious issue would be that they most likely wont catch the enemy missile ships if they part the formation, which is likely with the short engagement ranges at that age, but the beam ones should run right into the spear.

[sneer]

yes - it was fleet made of variants of this presented cruiser
the 3 other BC did not shoot in this fight and were not necessary - backup and fast element to chase enemy empty asm ships
so tonnage used in battle was 370kt vs 270kt  - not bad outcome for a early to mid tech level

total damage inflicted was around 10k I guess so 10-12 salvoof size 1 would work
but this fleet design is much more elastic , carry lots of beams and can dictate range in fight than 1 ship