C# Suggestions

[Steve Walmsley]

There was an autoсalculated field in VB Aurora's Class Design window named Power Required - it was very helpful, especially for new players, and for anyone who doesn't have a fun with routine arithmetic.
Will be cool to have it in C# again.

As a quick fix, I have added the required power and reactor power to the 'insufficient power' alert on the class design window.

[Steve Walmsley]

(1) Preferably, remove the Ground Combat Command skill from the game. This has been discussed many times and the general consensus is that is a limiting, unfun mechanic (or it would be, if it worked) which functions uniquely to every other skill in the game which are strictly bonuses.

Yes, I agree on this. I had forgotten the bonus existed, but you are right that it is a limitation without adding any meaningful decisions. I've removed it for v1.13.

[Jorgen_CAB]

(1) Preferably, remove the Ground Combat Command skill from the game. This has been discussed many times and the general consensus is that is a limiting, unfun mechanic (or it would be, if it worked) which functions uniquely to every other skill in the game which are strictly bonuses.

Yes, I agree on this. I had forgotten the bonus existed, but you are right that it is a limitation without adding any meaningful decisions. I've removed it for v1.13.

Will higher ranked commander give any bonuses to lower formations as well now... I think that this also have not been working as intended either up until now?

I also thin it would be nice if we could give each formation a primary and secondary choice of skill? Not sure how commanders are pucked at the moment for different formations.

[nuclearslurpee]

I also thin it would be nice if we could give each formation a primary and secondary choice of skill? Not sure how commanders are pucked at the moment for different formations.

This could probably work automatically, similar to naval auto-assign, by simply applying special cases based on the type of the single largest formation element (by total weight). E.g. in a 5,000-ton formation with 3,000 tons of INF+PW and 2,000 tons of LVH+CAP the formation is typed as "infantry".

Suggested bonuses to consider would be:

• If the major element has a STO weapon, no commander should be assigned
• Artillery bonus if the major element has a bombardment weapon
• AA bonus if the major element is an AA weapon
• PRD/SRV/XEN bonus if blah blah blah...
• Manoeuvre bonus if the major element of the formation is a Vehicle type which does not meet one of the above classifications (assuming the formation is tanks, etc.)
• Otherwise no special bonus is preferred and a formation is assumed to be INF or STA and given any remaining commanders

Skills like GC Offense, Defense, Training, Logistics are useful for nearly all formation types and do not need specialization rules. GC occupation can be neglected.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I also thin it would be nice if we could give each formation a primary and secondary choice of skill? Not sure how commanders are pucked at the moment for different formations.

This could probably work automatically, similar to naval auto-assign, by simply applying special cases based on the type of the single largest formation element (by total weight). E.g. in a 5,000-ton formation with 3,000 tons of INF+PW and 2,000 tons of LVH+CAP the formation is typed as "infantry".

Suggested bonuses to consider would be:

• If the major element has a STO weapon, no commander should be assigned
• Artillery bonus if the major element has a bombardment weapon
• AA bonus if the major element is an AA weapon
• PRD/SRV/XEN bonus if blah blah blah...
• Manoeuvre bonus if the major element of the formation is a Vehicle type which does not meet one of the above classifications (assuming the formation is tanks, etc.)
• Otherwise no special bonus is preferred and a formation is assumed to be INF or STA and given any remaining commanders

Skills like GC Offense, Defense, Training, Logistics are useful for nearly all formation types and do not need specialization rules. GC occupation can be neglected.

Yes... I think that could work pretty well and I'm not sure if this is not already the case or not... but it seem to me most of the time that they are randomly put in charge of formations but I can be wrong.

There also are the Tactical skill which should be applied to STO formations, but this skill seem super rare and it also is not in the sorting list for some reason so perhaps it does not work properly. I think the Tactical skill should be more common for STO formations.

[nuclearslurpee]

I also thin it would be nice if we could give each formation a primary and secondary choice of skill? Not sure how commanders are pucked at the moment for different formations.

This could probably work automatically, similar to naval auto-assign, by simply applying special cases based on the type of the single largest formation element (by total weight). E.g. in a 5,000-ton formation with 3,000 tons of INF+PW and 2,000 tons of LVH+CAP the formation is typed as "infantry".

Suggested bonuses to consider would be:

• If the major element has a STO weapon, no commander should be assigned
• Artillery bonus if the major element has a bombardment weapon
• AA bonus if the major element is an AA weapon
• PRD/SRV/XEN bonus if blah blah blah...
• Manoeuvre bonus if the major element of the formation is a Vehicle type which does not meet one of the above classifications (assuming the formation is tanks, etc.)
• Otherwise no special bonus is preferred and a formation is assumed to be INF or STA and given any remaining commanders

Skills like GC Offense, Defense, Training, Logistics are useful for nearly all formation types and do not need specialization rules. GC occupation can be neglected.

Yes... I think that could work pretty well and I'm not sure if this is not already the case or not... but it seem to me most of the time that they are randomly put in charge of formations but I can be wrong.

There also are the Tactical skill which should be applied to STO formations, but this skill seem super rare and it also is not in the sorting list for some reason so perhaps it does not work properly. I think the Tactical skill should be more common for STO formations.

As far as I can tell it is random aside from a check on GC Command which is to be removed. If it's not Steve can feel free to correct me and give us all peace of mind.

I don't think I've ever yet seen the Tactical skill show up on a ground commander even once, though I have heard of it, so I discounted it. Of course if it does exist STOs should receive Tactical commanders with a top priority as they are after all the first line of ground defense for a colony.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I also thin it would be nice if we could give each formation a primary and secondary choice of skill? Not sure how commanders are pucked at the moment for different formations.

This could probably work automatically, similar to naval auto-assign, by simply applying special cases based on the type of the single largest formation element (by total weight). E.g. in a 5,000-ton formation with 3,000 tons of INF+PW and 2,000 tons of LVH+CAP the formation is typed as "infantry".

Suggested bonuses to consider would be:

• If the major element has a STO weapon, no commander should be assigned
• Artillery bonus if the major element has a bombardment weapon
• AA bonus if the major element is an AA weapon
• PRD/SRV/XEN bonus if blah blah blah...
• Manoeuvre bonus if the major element of the formation is a Vehicle type which does not meet one of the above classifications (assuming the formation is tanks, etc.)
• Otherwise no special bonus is preferred and a formation is assumed to be INF or STA and given any remaining commanders

Skills like GC Offense, Defense, Training, Logistics are useful for nearly all formation types and do not need specialization rules. GC occupation can be neglected.

Yes... I think that could work pretty well and I'm not sure if this is not already the case or not... but it seem to me most of the time that they are randomly put in charge of formations but I can be wrong.

There also are the Tactical skill which should be applied to STO formations, but this skill seem super rare and it also is not in the sorting list for some reason so perhaps it does not work properly. I think the Tactical skill should be more common for STO formations.

As far as I can tell it is random aside from a check on GC Command which is to be removed. If it's not Steve can feel free to correct me and give us all peace of mind.

I don't think I've ever yet seen the Tactical skill show up on a ground commander even once, though I have heard of it, so I discounted it. Of course if it does exist STOs should receive Tactical commanders with a top priority as they are after all the first line of ground defense for a colony.

I have one in my current game, but I generated a test in another where I have 1000 ground commanders with no Tactical skill in sight... so it is weird?!?

[serger]

There were 3 ground commanders with Tactical skill (10, 5 and 5%) in my last compaign, and all of them but one aquired it in STO duty.

[nuclearslurpee]

Sounds like it may be gained through experience but is missing from the random skill assignment when a new leader is generated. Maybe this is a bug?

[liveware]

I would like to suggest changing the research point (RP) cost for ground force headquarters units be changed to scale with the square root of command size instead of the current (linear?) model. I think the current model makes large command units prohibitively difficult to research, field, and upgrade. If scaled with SQRT of command size small HQ units would not be drastically different than they are now but large HQ units would be much less expensive.

[clew]

Can you bring back the "Destroy Salvo" button? As it stands, mines and buoys aren't the most useful because you can't remove or replace them once laid.

[serger]

I would like to suggest changing the research point (RP) cost for ground force headquarters units be changed to scale with the square root of command size instead of the current (linear?) model.

I'd say the game will benefit if all research point costs of components/weapons will be SQRT or even LOG2 from the size.

[nuclearslurpee]

I would like to suggest changing the research point (RP) cost for ground force headquarters units be changed to scale with the square root of command size instead of the current (linear?) model. I think the current model makes large command units prohibitively difficult to research, field, and upgrade. If scaled with SQRT of command size small HQ units would not be drastically different than they are now but large HQ units would be much less expensive.

Even just making HQ elements cost the same as every other element i.e. tonnage * armor / 50 would be a huge improvement. There is no reason why the ability to command a large number of troops, a capability mankind has had since at least the 19th century depending how you want to mark things and certainly has in abundance by the present day, should have a higher research cost than a cutting-edge ion engine.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I would like to suggest changing the research point (RP) cost for ground force headquarters units be changed to scale with the square root of command size instead of the current (linear?) model.

I'd say the game will benefit if all research point costs of components/weapons will be SQRT or even LOG2 from the size.

Yes... pick one "standard" size and it goes from there. It is not balanced for really small components to cost nearly nothing and then super large ones to be so expensive you would never ever consider them at all.

This is very noticeable by things like engines and sensors in particular but even for weapons this makes some sense as a small weapon should probably be more expensive to research and really large ones cheaper.

I'm not to fond of the linear research rates in general... for me this also goes for assigned labs to be honest... I would like them to have diminished returns as well, but that is a different question. This would help bridge the gap between weaker and stronger empires to some degree.

[TMaekler]

The Auto-Refit routine should not auto pick ships that are in a fleet that has an order list. It grabbed one of my transports which was loading cargo and then the fleet couldn't move.