Edit 2: decided to put aside Thunderfury designs in favour of dedicated bomber and CV (see next post). Thunderchief design is still open question. Good day, Gentlemen. I'm a fairly new to Aurora 4X (like for a month or so), and looking for some insights. Please forgive if my English is not perfect, it's my second language.
I'm playing 2. 3. 1 with 10% Research, 10% Survey, i. e. I tend to prefer longer and epic campaigns, something like WH40K/Dune universe.
In the current playthrough I go heavily on economics and economies of scale - that is, I dont have any problems with minerals, production or research.
I am now at the stage of Solid Core AM & EM/TH 32 Sensors. Previously I was using a number of different designs that worked fairly well, but were usually not efficient and rather oversized.
So, I decided to standartize everything now, and basically rebuild the fleet. I started with some basics like ASMs and patrol/fast response crafts against pirates and perhaps some new spoilers. And I have already ran into some problems.
Inputs:
- 13 systems & 20 colonies, grouped into 2 sectors with self-sufficient construction&maintenance
- In-system max engagement radius (from planet with maintenance facilities to JG/JP) is no more than 5 bkm
- Have DSTs in almost each system covering JP/JG radius with 1000 signature strength, providing early warning
- Have no problems with Gallicite or any other mineral and if nesessary can scale up the mining by a lot without stripping the sources
Below I have some first designs (I'm going to post more later as they become available). Looking for some roasting here :)
I have started with a standard fleet missile:
Shipwreck Mk2 Anti-Ship Missile
Missile Size: 6.0000 MSP (15.00000 Tons) Warhead: 16.000 Radiation Damage: 16.000
Speed: 88,000 km/s Fuel: 2,916 Flight Time: 13 minutes Range: 69.7m km
ECCM-5 ATG: 40%
Cost Per Missile: 17.8499 Development Cost: 668
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 1,232% 3k km/s 410.7% 5k km/s 246.4% 10k km/s 123.2%
Materials Required
Corbomite 0.25
Tritanium 3.9999
Boronide 6.60
Uridium 0.4
Gallicite 6.60
Fuel: 2916
It's simple, without retargeting or decoys to be able to fit both adequate speed and a punch into 6MSP size. I have chosen the standard missile engagement range of 70 mkm since it fits (as I see it) quite well with current sensor technology. Later it could could be extended with second stage for planetary defense platforms (have not decided on that yet).
13 minutes flight time means there should not be much of an overkill and retargeting package is not required. Decoys probably will go into a larger 9MSP variant or a shorter range 6 MSP.
I'm not sure if 16 dmg warhead and 80-100k km/s are adequate numbers for current tech level?
The next thing that I designed was fast response crafts for in-system defense against spoilers.
I would like to use Corvette-sized vessels of 6k tons with 35k km/s as a standard.
For later larger designs for destroyers I expect to have 25-30k km/s @ 12-17k tons and for cruisers it could be 20-25k km/s and 25-50k tons (these are still wild estimates and yet to be tried to be designed, but should give a glance on fleet speed doctrine).
Again, since there are not that much info on Antimatter tech level designes, I'm not sure if these numbers are adequate.
Now, the designes themselves. These are going to be operated in groups of 10 or 20, with 1 or 2 lead ships that provide active sensor coverage. Their job is to zip from a colony OR a carrier (yet to be designed! should have 30k ton hangar bay with a sensor suite so there will be no need for lead variant; basically it extends the range and provides jump/sensor capability, with perhaps 10-15k speed to be parked in empty systems with civilian traffic).
Thunderfury Mk2 class Corvette 6,000 tons 115 Crew 6,455.9 BP TCS 120 TH 503 EM 0
34960 km/s Armour 7-29 Shields 0-0 HTK 32 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 34-50 PPV 26
Maint Life 2.15 Years MSP 2,689 AFR 72% IFR 1.0% 1YR 780 5YR 11,698 Max Repair 2622.000 MSP
Magazine 120 / 0
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 15 days Morale Check Required
Thunderfury Mk2 Solid Core AM Drive EP2097.60 (2) Power 4195.2 Fuel Use 180.83% Signature 251.7120 Explosion 28%
Fuel Capacity 659,000 Litres Range 10.9 billion km (3 days at full power)
Gauss Cannon R500-67.00 (2x5) Range 50,000km TS: 34,960 km/s Accuracy Modifier 67.00% RM 50,000 km ROF 5
Raytheon GMD Beam Fire Control R60-TS35000 (5%) (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 35,000 km/s ECCM-5 83 67 50 33 17 0 0 0 0 0
Size 6.00 Box Launcher (20) Missile Size: 6.00 Hangar Reload 122 minutes MF Reload 20 hours
Shipwreck Mk2 Missile Fire Control FC95-R10 (5%) (1) Range 95.3m km Resolution 10 ECCM-5
Shipwreck Mk2 Anti-Ship Missile (20) Speed: 88,000 km/s End: 13.2m Range: 69.7m km WH: 16.000 Size: 6.0000 TH: 293/176/88
AMM Active Search Sensor AS6-R1 (5%) (1) GPS 5 Range 7m km MCR 629.3k km Resolution 1
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 5 Fire Control 5 Missile 5
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes
Now, I'm really not sure if it packs enough punch! In group of 10 this would be 200 ASMs. Also not sure about PD viability and adequacy. I decided to go with 67% accuracy since it's 1/2 size for a Gauss Cannon. MFC designed with 20-25% extra to cover possible ECM/ECCM ratios.
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 5 Fire Control 5 Missile 5
- do I really need them on each craft on that range given TCS 120? It's 450 tons in total.
I had to go with MSP 2,689 to cover max repair for engines. On the other side, while in orbit due to IFR 1. 0% it should require a tiny amount of MSPs shipped to a colony.
Thunderfury Mk2 LEAD class Corvette 6,000 tons 129 Crew 7,809.1 BP TCS 120 TH 503 EM 0
34965 km/s Armour 10-29 Shields 0-0 HTK 35 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 33-50 PPV 12
Maint Life 2.09 Years MSP 3,010 AFR 78% IFR 1.1% 1YR 916 5YR 13,746 Max Repair 2622.000 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 15 days Morale Check Required
Thunderfury Mk2 Solid Core AM Drive EP2097.60 (2) Power 4195.2 Fuel Use 180.83% Signature 251.7120 Explosion 28%
Fuel Capacity 658,100 Litres Range 10.9 billion km (3 days at full power)
Gauss Cannon R500-67.00 (3x5) Range 50,000km TS: 34,965 km/s Accuracy Modifier 67.00% RM 50,000 km ROF 5
Raytheon GMD Beam Fire Control R60-TS35000 (5%) (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 35,000 km/s ECCM-5 83 67 50 33 17 0 0 0 0 0
AMM Active Search Sensor AS6-R1 (5%) (1) GPS 5 Range 7m km MCR 629.3k km Resolution 1
Thunderfury Mk2 Active Search Sensor AS106-R10 (5%) (1) GPS 2400 Range 106.5m km Resolution 10
Thunderfury Mk2 Active Search Sensor AS229-R100 (5%) (1) GPS 24000 Range 229.5m km Resolution 100
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 5 Fire Control 5 Missile 5
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposesThis is the same variant that provides target painting (also against possible cloak tech) and is a little bit more durable.
Again, do I need EW on each single ship in a group, or just on a lead class?
The third variant is a flying cannon with engines attached to it designed to knock-out opponents from 480k km distance:
Thunderchief Mk2 class Corvette 6,385 tons 157 Crew 9,546.2 BP TCS 128 TH 503 EM 0
32856 km/s Armour 7-30 Shields 0-0 HTK 41 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 33-50 PPV 27
Maint Life 1.50 Years MSP 2,803 AFR 109% IFR 1.5% 1YR 1,400 5YR 20,999 Max Repair 2622.000 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 15 days Morale Check Required
Thunderfury Mk2 Solid Core AM Drive EP2097.60 (2) Power 4195.2 Fuel Use 180.83% Signature 251.7120 Explosion 28%
Fuel Capacity 659,000 Litres Range 10.3 billion km (3 days at full power)
Raytheon 60.0cm C10 Far X-Ray Laser (1) Range 480,000km TS: 32,856 km/s Power 94-10 RM 80,000 km ROF 50
Gauss Cannon R500-67.00 (2x5) Range 50,000km TS: 32,856 km/s Accuracy Modifier 67.00% RM 50,000 km ROF 5
Raytheon GMD Beam Fire Control R60-TS35000 (5%) (1) Max Range: 60,000 km TS: 35,000 km/s ECCM-5 83 67 50 33 17 0 0 0 0 0
Raytheon Beam Fire Control R480-TS35000 (5%) (1) Max Range: 480,000 km TS: 35,000 km/s ECCM-5 98 96 94 92 90 88 85 83 81 79
AMM Active Search Sensor AS6-R1 (5%) (1) GPS 5 Range 7m km MCR 629.3k km Resolution 1
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 5 Fire Control 5 Missile 5
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes
This one should also be operating in a group with a target painting variant.
And with this one I have problems with fitting everything into 6k tons range & 35k km/s. Looking for advice here!
I would like to retain some PD capability and not design a specialized PD variant since it will lose the punch from Spinal mount.
Edit: it's yet to fit capacitor for the laser, but I'm already 400 tons over budgetThank you!
