So am I just a huge noob or what? |
Well, I am a huge noob. Gotten two full games in finally, and I really feel like I'm missing some things.
I also installed BM 1.03 after my first game, and while it definitely improves the game, it still has a lot of the fundamental issues that the stock game has. Maybe I'm just totally missing something though! A few things that totally jumped out at me:
1) Capital Ship Missles. WTF, why is this weapon that you start with SO much laughably better than anything else that you start with, as well as better than the "higher tiered" Torpedoes that require some serious teching to get to? Honestly, you can load two cap-ship missles and cap out engines on a Frigate and kill a Destroyer fully loaded up with any direct fire gun 3 levels higher than the CSM tech as long as you can be bothered to stay near maximum distance. Fortunately, this is only insanely overpowered until:
2) Fighters. Pretty funny seeing a Carrier that I had built 70-80 turns ago in stock (and we know how fast tech flies in stock) completely wipe the floor with a Dreadnaught that I equipped with only PD, shields, and armor. I don't even know how you beat a Carrier in the late game, except with another Carrier. The computer certainly couldn't figure it out.
3) Drones. I feel like I must be missing something here. They are like fighters, except on a different tech tree, and they use standard ship components rather than mini ones. Hence, they cost quite a bit more than a Fighter to produce, take up WAY more space on the Drone Carrier, launch, fire a few missles or lasers or whatever you've got on there, and then suicide into an enemy, dealing a pretty insignificant amount of damage for the pretty expensive investment. Even on the off-chance that your Drone Carrier wins the battle, he gets to turn around to the nearest Shipyard and pick up a new compliment of Drones.
Is it just me, or are Fighters superior in every conceivable way?
I dunno, I'm probably missing something. I really like to build concept races, but Drones in particular seem so awful that I don't really see how to do it successfully.
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
Huh. For some reason I didn't make the connection between BM and Balance Mod. What can I say except, owned.
Suction feet are not to be trifled with!
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what? Me Too!
I'm enough of a Noob to bother actually READING posts before i respond...
I also installed BM 1.03 after my first game, and while it definitely improves the game, it still has a lot of the fundamental issues that the stock game has.
Each of your points has been discussed in the Forum - not that I'm knocking you for not searching it(the search function on this site works quite well - but there is already alot)...
Were I not admonished not to, i would send you to some of my old threads where I can discusss it:)...
ANYWAY:Rather, the fact that these have already come repeatedly proves you right, perhaps not in specifics, but as concerns.
Just btw:
most people complain drones do Too Much damage(its a bug),
and i have to wonder WHY on earth are you bothering launching them from a SHIP?
Missiles? there is a current thread, not even mine, about CSM's and torpedoes...
The "stay out of reach & fire missiles" - Parthian Shot is a well-known tactic- I consider it a valid one, but the AI does not adapt to it well... One proposed solution is to up the AI use of fighters...
the fighter imbalance is well known...
I'm sorry - in my opinion the answer you got was a little pat, and not worthy of your concerns, which were valid and well-expressed. I hope you find your future input better treated.
...in defense of the posting fellow, Balance Mod IS in my opinion a great improvement over stock - a pal of mine says stock should be treating as a "bug".
On the other hand, and at risk of being burnt at the stake:
BALANCE mod is NOT the only mod.
Peruse the list, is my advice.
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
The best anti-fighter defense in the SEV galaxy is emissive armor. The benefit of damage reduction stacks. A dreadnought with pure emissive armor (or a base for that matter) is completely immune to fighter attacks, as a matter of fact, lower level ships without mount benefits suffer as well. It's worth the research investment.
"Light travels faster than sound, that's why people seem bright until you hear
them."
Drones
I dunno, I'm probably missing something. I really like to build concept races, but Drones in particular seem so awful that I don't really see how to do it successfully.
A drone needs to be fitted with one or more warheads if you want it to do significant damage when it rams, which is what they're mainly designed for.
That said, I've rarely found effective uses for drones in SE IV, either.
"Good morning, Pooh Bear," said Eeyore gloomily. "If it /is/ a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.
Drones
and with that i can only assume is a bug in drones (if launched from a planet never run out of fuel. So when equipied with basic sensors make scouts once you edit there VehicleSizes.txt to give then a couple more engines
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
Well, for playing that much and not understanding much of the mechanics of your favorite weapons, yes. The Capital ship missiles are great, but they can be shot down by point defense weapons. (I started to build specialty, strictly point defense frigates to protect my drop ships when I try to capture planets. This is much more effective than just putting more shields on my drop ships.) The Drones are good, but I prefer not to use the fighters or drones. I run into too many ordnance and supply problems with drones. Instead of dealing with constantly resupplying my carriers, I am just sticking with the other ships.
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
In the stock game I found that the best defense against fighters is . . . your own fighters, but I don't play that any more for all the reasons listed on this forum. In the Balance Mod, however, it seems to me that the imbalance for fighters has gone too far the other way. I usually put two PD Cannons on each of my ships (that could arguably be a left over from my experience with the stock game), and have found that half a dozen destroyers and light cruisers can plow right through a fighter group of 40 or more. The only use for fighters in BM that I have found is to facilitate ground invasions. I don't think it's PD that is too strong as it seems about right (to me) against seekers. Maybe fighters need beefing up in the Balance Mod?
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
You should have good results if use an approximately equal kT of fighters versus ships.
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Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
In early game, rocket pods are still really nasty - it only takes the fighter to fire once, after that he has pretty much done it's job.
Re: So am I just a huge noob or what?
Yes. You are indeed a huge noob. For not downloading Kwok's Balance Mod and forgetting that stock SE5 exists at all. Seriously though, it looks like you've run into a few of the many imbalances that plague stock SE5. If you arm your direct-fire destroyer with even a single PDC, you'll see another imbalance as 2-3 CSMs get swatted out of the sky with a single PD volley.
The best advice I can give you is to visit http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php , and download the mod. It's no different to stock, other than the fact that a lot of work has been put into making it well, balanced.
Suction feet are not to be trifled with!