Favorite weapon tech for you vs. AI?

Yeah. I've been making my own computer empires, to see if they are more of a challenge. Ones which I give fighter tech to seem to be much more effective then others, to the point of keeping up with me far after...they would otherwise be dead.

I enjoy drones as kamikatzi devices, but they are more expensive to build and smaller then fighters, so arn't really that useful, but I use them anyways for flavor.

I really ADORE mines, especially engine-damaging mines, or other specialty type ones in trap-situations. (Such as near the entrance to a black hole system, or somesuch.) Though my real preference for mines is to massively, massively mine my home system and various wormhole gates leading into it.

I like building organic battleships. You put as much organic crap as you can on...And you end up with a semi efective ship: plus they build fast because they dont use as many minerals!!! I also like to build dreadnaughts with a few fighter bays...then slap some big guns on it and, you got fighters to chase, and big guns to rip apart other ships!!!! Oh and starbases. I like those...

Any new weapon type that the AI is not setup to handle IE Stellar Converter

only problem is i made it a found tech and rarely ever find it lucky for the AI

It's probably just a holdover from SE4, but I'm a big fan of Anti-Proton Beams. I haven't really done the math on them in SE5's Balance Mod, but in SE4 they had the best damage per turn per kT in the game. I also like the Subspace Rupture Beam since it's the only component I designed that made it into the game Otherwise, I use cruisers/battleships loaded with Large Mount APBs, since they hurt more but are no bigger than their non-mounted counterparts. I always prefer to have a large number of smaller guns, rather than a small number of larger guns, since then misses don't hurt as much.

Suction feet are not to be trifled with!

Try using engine disabling fighters, then have your DN catch the paralysed enemy.
High level battleships and hvy carriers can also have both fighters and weapons, but not as much as DN.

I like fighters, but in my humble opinion, theyre way too overpowered. Come on, 20 fighters can take over the universe... And they get constructed in only 1 turn! (on an average planet). They can take even the most advanced and bigger ship, and even when they are destroyed you can build them again cheap and easily. I suggest that, in next balance mod, fighters weapons get damage decreased a lot. I think that its OK for them to be so cheap, but not the high powered they are.
Think it rationally: is it logical that a bunch of single-piloted tiny ships take on a gigantic space fortress with little to no losses? OK, someone may say that it worked for the Rebel Forces against the Empire in Star Wars, but that doesnt count because Luke had the Force with him
Anyway, speaking of other weapons, Proyectile Weapones (yes, the ones you star with) can be pretty good at high levels (20+)

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Learn to overcome the crass demands of flesh and bone, for they warp the matrix through which we perceive the world. Extend your awareness outward, beyond the self of body, to embrace the self of group and the self of humanity. The goals of the group and the greater race are transcendent, and to embrace them is to achieve enlightenment.

* Chairman Sheng-ji Yang, "Essays on Mind and Matter"

Hmm...Currently my fighters are beeing destroyed by the dozen in an MP game. They aren't that strong for me. But then again, my opponent made ships armed to the teeth with short range defenses. Perhaps if I upgraded the fighters....

I'm seriously considering scrapping the whole bunch of 'm. (*Perhaps only the older models )

~Myrath

Fighters are overpowered in single player games because the AI doesn't use PD. Humans usually know this and have PD. Fighters are not useless but force the enemy to use space to PD instead of weapons, especially if they don't have PD blasters. Figs can defend from figs and especially drones so there is not always need for a ton of PD for fighter-using empires.

Shields really help your fighters survive the Point Defenses better. Slow down the fighters speed and add a shield or two. I personally make my fighter engines match speed with my slower ships that way they don't out run support and fight with my fleet together.

Also, add a Capital Missle to your Carrier and tell it to keep max range. Otherwise, the carrier will start to run away at the start of the battle all the while launching Fighters further and further away from the battle.

LOL I reprogrammed AI, but I put an extra zero in mines and ALL their planets hav at least 20 mines there...

REALLY stupid of them