PDC Building

[MarcAFK]

I set up a few in a ring around Jupiters orbit for redundancy, it's mostly an RP thing since tracking stations add power linearly so it's usually better to cram heaps on one body.

[Borealis4x (OP)]

I don't just want tracking stations, I want missile launchers and hangars.

[MarcAFK]

My standard tracking base has 1000 tons of maintenance bays, at least 1000 ton hanger for reloading, at least one tracking station, and a few missile launchers.  Generally it's added piecemeal rather than one giant PDC being put down.

[Borealis4x (OP)]

So PDC still need actives as well as deep space tracking devices, yes? And hangars need maintenance storage and fuel tanks?

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?

[iceball3]

So PDC still need actives as well as deep space tracking devices, yes? And hangars need maintenance storage and fuel tanks?

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?

-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.
-Hangars on PDCs are currently only good for flight reloads, refueling, and storage.  They cannot repair ships that do not have their own internal maintenance storage, because the inability to put engineering spaces automagically sets the maintenance supply capacity of PDCs to 0, even if you use maintenance storage bays. So if you want to fix your fighters, you'll either need to stick them in a ship-based hangar, or scrap and replace them.
-There is a dropbox in the Industry tab of the Population and Production window that lends to the refitting of PDCs, but checking it now, I'm not so sure if it works.

In terms of rules of thumb, I haven't really set many yet, but it's worth noting that you have a bit more design freedom on PDCs, and if you (ab)use PDC specific bonuses and the fact they never need maintenance, you can probably make some pretty unique designs. In fact, I'll post the Final Fire Point Defense PDCs I've designed.

Code: [Select]

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:
-This was at roughly Ion Drive tech, without specializing Fire Control or Turret Gear techs.
-Speaking of which, look at the tracking speed.

[Sheb]

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.