Decoys can be any size. A few, smaller decoys would give you more flexibility if want to lessen a strike rather than commit everything.

I think the confusing part is that there appears to be no reason, mechanically, to make decoy missiles that match the ship size, or in fact anything larger than the minimum decoy size. As far as I can tell, only the total mass/signature of decoys determines the fraction of missiles deflected, and cost scales linearly for both decoys and launchers.

Intuitively, I think players expect a decoy to "look like" the ship it's decoying from, i.e., to have the same signature. I can see why the actual mechanic is different, as its more flexible and less micromanage-y than requiring exact size matching (plus avoid issues with ship sizes that aren't nice, round numbers), but the fact that an infinite swarm of size-5 decoys is arguably optimal (same performance and cost as any other option, maximum flexibility) seems to eliminate what could/should be a gameplay decision point.

I thought that only decoy missiles with the correct signature will defend a ship.  In other words, a 20,000 ton ship must be defended by decoys which each have a signature of 20,000, not multiple decoys with signatures that add up to 20,000. 

Hmmm...after reviewing the section on decoy missiles I can't rule out your take on it, or mine.  It isn't clear.  Arguably your take is better given the limitation on decoy launcher size, but that could be an oversight.

This way would make more sense to me as well. However, my observations of NPR designs is that they don't really match the decoy size to the ship size, and I assume Steve would not deliberately saddle the NPRs with an unworkable design feature.

A quick question on decoy launchers. 

After reviewing the section on the 2.20 changes list on decoy missiles and launchers, I'm left a bit confused and wondering if I've done something wrong.  After recent reverses, my navy is looking to install decoy missiles and launchers on its capital ships.  Easy enough.  I used the missile designer to design a decoy missile for a new 30,000 ton strike cruiser design.  The resulting missile is 150 MSP (375 tons), with a decoy signature of 30,000 tons.  As intended.  The problem arises in trying to design a launcher.  The section in the create research project window for designing the decoy launcher gives the largest size launcher as 99.  This appears to mean that I cannot have a decoy missile for anything larger than 19,800 tons.  Is this correct? 

I feel like I'm missing something.  Is there a research branch I'm missing? 

Kurt

I have noticed the same thing and believe this is an oversight on Steve's part. Probably copied from the regular missile launcher designer.

I'm still a bit unclear on the mechanics, but it seems like two decoys of half the size are as effective as a single full-size decoy. I'm not sure how the size scaling is supposed to work to make "right sized" decoys the most effective.

Looking awesome 2.6.

Keep up the creative work 

Quote from: Ush213 on July 01, 2025, 03:32:27 PM

Just on officers. Is it possible to get a few more stations for them, or maybe increase the number of positions in the current modules.
I tend to really like having detailed historys on my officers so i like to see them rising through the ranks.
more slots for positions would allow this. I usally end up just adding all the modules to my ships now just to make the positions available. I also make sure to have academies on every colony as i like to see officers from different homeworlds.
 
Purly for roleplaying but sure isnt that the aim of the game ha. 

Perhaps it could be based on tonnage. For example a 500 ton fighter has 1 pilot but a 1000T FAC has Caption a Gunner and Helmans and so on.

I dont know how the existing modules are programed so what i say above is only for a conversation purposes really. If it was easiler to do something else im all for it. 

I've Suggested something similar over the years.
Link:
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10640.msg158509#msg158509
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13020.msg163378#msg163378

If its been requested a few times then and not implemented it means there is more involved to implement it or it will cause issues with other systems or its just not in Steve's eyeline. Which is fair enough.
But If it was a bonus balancing issues I would be prefectly happy excluding any addtional bonuses more officers would cause. I want it purely for RP reasons, Career history,Medals ,Career XP and natural promotions. I like seeing that the Grand Admiral of my fleet started out as simple Fighter Pilot that worked his way up with loads of medals from command of a varity of ships.   

I seen on some of your posts also that other players have issues with having enough officers, so it would be cool also if the additional officer slots had a lower priority then the main ones like Captain or whatever. This would help prevent an officer being put into a useless RP role where they could have been better used commanding a war ship.

I dont know if its possible but if you take the bridge module for example with one slot for Captain. Could it be changed to allow up to say 3 slots with decending priority. Captain,Helmsman and Navigator for example. The last two dont provide any additonal bonuses and would only be filled if all other Captain slots in the fleet had been filled.

The other modules would have similar like Science Officer, Junior Science Officer etc/

Senior Army officers are generally always an issue for me also but I thinks thats becuase i leave Army build up to late. I usually have 100s of the lowest rank army officer with nothing above. I know i can just promote but RP wise i dislike this, mostly because of the aformentioned lack of history ha.