cheap training for FACs?

[joeclark77 (OP)]

I want to do fleet training for some FACs that are only designed for a fraction of a month deployment.  And they guzzle gas like crazy.  What's the best way to do this?  I'm thinking of sticking them in some big carriers with nothing but a cheap civilian engine and let it go on "fleet training" for years at a time.  Could this be done also with a FAC with hangars?  Is there any better way?

[83athom]

Anything with large enough hangars can work. Commercial ship with an engine and hangars are the cheapest, but the best dedicated carriers are large, cloaked (included thermal reduction in engines), with many hangars, and PD (in form of CIWS or small turrets).

[GreatTuna]

Anything with large enough hangars can work. Commercial ship with an engine and hangars are the cheapest, but the best dedicated carriers are large, cloaked (included thermal reduction in engines), with many hangars, and PD (in form of CIWS or small turrets).

Hangar bay is military module. You cannot create a commercial carrier.

As for the training, Atom is mostly right. Huge ships with lots of hangars are one of the best ways to mass-train fighter crews. Dedicated carriers are fine too, with the slight advantage that you won't have to reassign fighters because they're already where they have to be.

[joeclark77 (OP)]

Can it be done with PDCs somehow?

[83athom]

Hangar bay is military module. You cannot create a commercial carrier.

As for the training, Atom is mostly right. Huge ships with lots of hangars are one of the best ways to mass-train fighter crews. Dedicated carriers are fine too, with the slight advantage that you won't have to reassign fighters because they're already where they have to be.

Your right about the hangar, I completely forgot even though I am designing a carrier right now.

Can it be done with PDCs somehow?

A PDC with hangars do work, but they should be for more mid range style fighters (more that 0.1 months) as you don't want ships firing missiles at your planet. But for training purposes no, its better for them to be in ships.

[Garfunkel]

Remember that you can still put commercial engines on military designs. So if speed is not of concern and you want to be as fuel economical as possible and not worry about engine maintenance (after sensors, engines are second most common MSP-guzzlers), go ahead with one or two 50 HS commercial engines on your carrier. After all, the fighters do all the work, right? If you also have a separate dedicated sensor ship, there's almost nothing breakable on the carrier itself. CIWS, magazines, crew quarters, hangars, fuel storage - I've never seen them break.

[papent]

you can stick a Station or another vehicle with out engines into the task group with the FAC's so they do not use fuel while training, I RP as stationary point attack and defense exercises.