My first real navy - Help?

[Vanigo]

I am guessing that spreading out your salvos over that much time will eliminate all of the benefit from minimizing how many missiles your enemies destroy per salvo. For example if your enemy has a single quad turret with really good accuracy then launching 12 missiles in one salvo will lead to 4 of them getting destroyed. Launching 12 missiles in 12 salvos at the same time will lead to 1 of them getting destroyed. Launching 12 missiles one at a time will lead to all of them getting destroyed.

That's against beam PD, though, and countermissiles are generally a much bigger concern. You do need to have more than just one ship ripple-firing to get past any CIWS, but that's not hard.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Besides, it's already annoying enough having to manually bind each FC to a tube since it won't do that for me automatically, and I don't want to have to do that every time I get into a fight.

Have you used the copy assignments buttons?

PS - Automated Fire will automate weapons assignments too, though its a lot more useful for beam platforms than missile ships.

On the other hand, if the opponent is using 3 vs 1 (or more) AMM PD, firing single-missile salvos will run him out of AMMs much faster.

Howso? It's a per missile setting, not per salvo. 

[Gidoran]

Have you used the copy assignments buttons?

PS - Automated Fire will automate weapons assignments too, though its a lot more useful for beam platforms than missile ships.
Howso? It's a per missile setting, not per salvo. 

I do use copy assignments once I have the flagship done. The problem is, to set up the ripple fire like he was describing, I'd have to go in and manually clear the fire controls and reset them every time I was in a fight because if they're all reloaded at the same time and I fire them all off the same FC, then I just get one salvo which defeats the entire purpose.

[Mormota (OP)]

I'm designing the new generation, most ships are done, but there is one thing I don't know. Can a, let's say, 10k ton ship with a jump drive capable of 25k tons carry 25k ton ships with it on a jump? If not, is there a simple way of increasing the jump ship's size?

[Vynadan]

It can't. Jump ships can guide only smaller or equally large ships through a jump point, regardless of jump engine size and capabilities. It's best to put your jump engine on the largest ship, either by design from the start, or by adding more weapons, armour, magazines, maintenance, fuel, ... whatever you fleet might need more of, until you reach the desired size.

[Mormota (OP)]

So I have the new navy designed. I assume that if the TS is lower than the target's speed, accuracy is reduced to TS/target speed. The navy will have a fuel, maintenance and collier ship with a jump engine.

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Baden-II class Escort    6 000 tons     494 Crew     1502 BP      TCS 120  TH 640  EM 0
5333 km/s     Armour 5-29     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 15     PPV 10
Maint Life 9.61 Years     MSP 2782    AFR 57%    IFR 0.8%    1YR 54    5YR 816    Max Repair 336 MSP
Magazine 550   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (4)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150 000 Litres    Range 150.0 billion km   (325 days at full power)

Abwehr-3 Launcher (10)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 5
Abwehr-3 Fire Control (2)     Range 47.0m km    Resolution 1
Abwehr-3 (550)  Speed: 82 700 km/s   End: 1m    Range: 4.8m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 1240 / 744 / 372

Abwehr-3 Active Sensor (1)     GPS 336     Range 47.0m km    Resolution 1

ECCM-3 (2)         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


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Hamburg-II class Corvette    3 950 tons     431 Crew     1620.5 BP      TCS 79  TH 640  EM 0
8101 km/s     Armour 1-22     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 18
Maint Life 7 Years     MSP 2769    AFR 41%    IFR 0.6%    1YR 99    5YR 1482    Max Repair 720 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (4)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100 000 Litres    Range 151.9 billion km   (217 days at full power)

300 mm Point Defense Railgun (2x4)    Range 350 000km     TS: 8101 km/s     Power 21-8     RM 5    ROF 15        7 7 7 7 7 5 5 4 3 3
300 mm Railgun Fire Control (1)    Max Range: 384 000 km   TS: 25000 km/s     97 95 92 90 87 84 82 79 77 74
300 mm Railgun Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 24    Armour 0    Exp 5%

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes


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Emden-II class Carrier    21 600 tons     1249 Crew     4314 BP      TCS 432  TH 2400  EM 0
5555 km/s     Armour 6-69     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 35     PPV 0
Maint Life 6.83 Years     MSP 7121    AFR 149%    IFR 2.1%    1YR 266    5YR 3988    Max Repair 560 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 3500 tons     Magazine 2704   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (15)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 400 000 Litres    Range 111.1 billion km   (231 days at full power)

Bremse-1 ASM (676)  Speed: 60 000 km/s   End: 8.3m    Range: 30m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 360 / 216 / 108

Abwehr-3 Active Sensor (1)     GPS 336     Range 47.0m km    Resolution 1
Emden-II Force Projection Sensor (1)     GPS 56000     Range 784.0m km    Resolution 100

Strike Group
15x Bremse-II Fighter   Speed: 24090 km/s    Size: 4.4

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


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Bremse-II class Fighter    220 tons     4 Crew     77.1 BP      TCS 4.4  TH 25.44  EM 0
24090 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 2.4
Maint Life 11.86 Years     MSP 22    AFR 3%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 0    5YR 4    Max Repair 35 MSP
Magazine 16   

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E360 (1)    Power 105.6    Fuel Use 3600%    Signature 25.344    Armour 0    Exp 50%
Fuel Capacity 10 000 Litres    Range 2.3 billion km   (26 hours at full power)

Bremse Launcher (4)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Bremse Fire Control (1)     Range 35.3m km    Resolution 100
Bremse-1 ASM (4)  Speed: 60 000 km/s   End: 8.3m    Range: 30m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 360 / 216 / 108

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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes


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Berlin class Battlestar    24 350 tons     1767 Crew     6096 BP      TCS 487  TH 2560  EM 1800
5256 km/s     Armour 20-74     Shields 60-300     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 22     PPV 60
Maint Life 5.27 Years     MSP 5878    AFR 395%    IFR 5.5%    1YR 354    5YR 5306    Max Repair 420 MSP
Magazine 2088   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (16)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 700 000 Litres    Range 172.5 billion km   (379 days at full power)
Battlestar shields (15)   Total Fuel Cost  180 Litres per day

Krieg-3 Launcher (15)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 20
Krieg-2 Fire Control (3)     Range 124.4m km    Resolution 7
Krieg-3 ASM (522)  Speed: 24 000 km/s   End: 83.3m    Range: 120m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 200 / 120 / 60

Active Search Sensor MR184-R16 (1)     GPS 6720     Range 184.8m km    Resolution 16
Active Search Sensor MR462-R100 (1)     GPS 42000     Range 462.0m km    Resolution 100

ECCM-3 (3)         ECM 30

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


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Prinz Eugen-II class Cruiser    8 500 tons     723 Crew     1924.5 BP      TCS 170  TH 960  EM 0
5647 km/s     Armour 12-37     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 16     PPV 32
Maint Life 9.49 Years     MSP 2849    AFR 96%    IFR 1.3%    1YR 57    5YR 856    Max Repair 112 MSP
Magazine 708   

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (6)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 200 000 Litres    Range 141.2 billion km   (289 days at full power)

Krieg-3 Launcher (8)    Missile Size 4    Rate of Fire 20
Krieg-2 Fire Control (1)     Range 124.4m km    Resolution 7
Krieg-3 ASM (177)  Speed: 24 000 km/s   End: 83.3m    Range: 120m km   WH: 16    Size: 4    TH: 200 / 120 / 60

Krieg-3 Active Sensor (1)     GPS 9100     Range 127.4m km    Resolution 100

ECCM-3 (1)         ECM 30

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


[Vynadan]

Looks pretty good (in my opinion). I don't see anything that'd critically hinder you after deployment.

The slowest ship is the Berlin class, but except for the corvette they are all in just about the same range. Since the corvette appears to be your beam PD ship, it'll stay rather close to the main body of the fleet - perhaps you could take an engine off, unless you intend to use the railguns as 'melee' weapons every now and then. If you do want to bring the corvette into the occasional beam fight, you might want to consider a layer of armour or two.

Your carrier might want an ECM unit, as it's the second largest ship in your fleet and also in possesion of a long range sensor.

The fighter seems to have a long maintenance life, although I currently don't have the effect of a single engineering space in my head. You should give him a maximum of one fighter sized engineering space, that's sufficient for his entire lifetime and might reduce the weight (and thus increase speed) a bit.

[Atlantia]

Personally, I'd up the armour on the corvettes to 2 or 3, just so you have a little wiggle room should it come under fire.

[Mormota (OP)]

The fighter has nothing else than a single fighter-sized engineering module. The corvette is indeed faster, but its intended role is to say in front of the fleet to give it more time to engage incoming missiles, and the increased speed should give a better chance to hit. It's a small target and I hope the enemy won't fire at it. I don't intend to use railguns against ships, except during jump point assaults. There, I will use this baby:

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Bismarck class Jump Assault Cruiser    23 450 tons     2940 Crew     9895.5 BP      TCS 469  TH 160  EM 0
341 km/s     Armour 20-72     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 25     PPV 225
Maint Life 2.07 Years     MSP 6319    AFR 879%    IFR 12.2%    1YR 1973    5YR 29591    Max Repair 720 MSP

Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E3 (1)    Power 160    Fuel Use 30%    Signature 160    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 5 000 Litres    Range 1.3 billion km   (43 days at full power)

300 mm Point Defense Railgun (25x4)    Range 350 000km     TS: 6250 km/s     Power 21-8     RM 5    ROF 15        7 7 7 7 7 5 5 4 3 3
300 mm Railgun Fire Control (3)    Max Range: 384 000 km   TS: 25000 km/s     97 95 92 90 87 84 82 79 77 74
300 mm Railgun Reactor (23)     Total Power Output 276    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Abwehr-3 Active Sensor (1)     GPS 336     Range 47.0m km    Resolution 1

ECCM-3 (3)         This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes

It shall be towed to the Jump point, then transit and, after its sensors come back online, lay waste to any possible defenses. Of course, several of these will be employed, and I tried to make as many redundant systems as possible.

Fakeedit: Atlantia posted while I was typing, and while I could add a bit of armour, it would increase the tonnage and the ship would be targeted even more. It can't survive enemy fire with 2 layers of armour anyway, so why waste tonnage and speed on that? Unless you believe that it would actually help.

[Vynadan]

I didn't consider that your corvette relied on its speed for the tracking, my bad. Depending on the enemy's sensors you might find them dying anyway if you put them ahead of your fleet, but keeping them unarmoured, smaller and cheaper might be the better solution here. My taste is a different one, but it's a solid tactic.

Your assault cruiser might have redundant ECMs and lots of other systems, but only one sensor that, if hit by luck, will render the whole ship without firepower. Might not be that much of an issue if they operate in packs.

[Mormota (OP)]

Your assault cruiser might have redundant ECMs and lots of other systems, but only one sensor that, if hit by luck, will render the whole ship without firepower. Might not be that much of an issue if they operate in packs.

Yes, I noticed that not long after posting and it now has 2 active sensors. 4 of them will be deployed in an assault, which should prove more than enough, especially if we consider that I have yet to find an enemy.

[Andrew]

Your corvette appears to be planning to use the railguns in an antimissile mode. For that you would probably be better with smaller 10cm railguns as you could mount more of them and have them fire every 5 seconds and killing a missile does not take much damage. Howver for antishipping work the 30cm railguns are probably better

[Mormota (OP)]

I'm using 30cm railguns for their range. If you do the maths, they can fire as many times as a smaller railgun, but an enemy missile could be so fast that a smaller one wouldn't have time to fire.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Typically antimissile beam ships should be optimized for final defensive fire. The range of the weapon is irrelevant to that, and as long as theyre in final defensive fire mode and the missiles are spotted on active scan they will fire regardless. 

You can dualrole ships as antimissile and antishipping but you should be aware of the sacrifices you are making in that respect.

[Vanigo]

Typically antimissile beam ships should be optimized for final defensive fire. The range of the weapon is irrelevant to that, and as long as theyre in final defensive fire mode and the missiles are spotted on active scan they will fire regardless. 

You can dualrole ships as antimissile and antishipping but you should be aware of the sacrifices you are making in that respect.

Firing beams at missiles at range is sometimes worthwhile, usually with dual-role beams that can get multiple shots off, but for a dedicated PD ship, lots of small beams on final defensive fire is the way to go. The thing about firing at range is your accuracy is pretty low at extended range, so you don't gain as much from multiple volleys as you might expect.
Also, the beam fire control on that corvette is seriously oversized. You want it to have at least 8100 kps tracking speed, but anything above that is a waste. You could cut it down to 37.5% of its current size with no loss of capability, I think.