Space mines suggestion

[Cumberlow]

How about adding mine layers to the tactical combat? If attacking ships are starting at the edge of a system this would give the defender a few turns to layer a field in their path. It could be based on bomb game mechanics (giving them more utility) to leave something nasty in a grid space with varying density based on number of launchers used, or perhaps just use 1 at each successive grid to spread out a line of welcome gifts. Detection could be based on sensor/stealth level of attacker/defender when close enough to add tension. Perhaps make regular sized beams most effective for sweeping mines with a chance to hit undetected ones to give that size more utility. I would envisage mines dispersing between turns so they wouldn't persist, but could seriously delay attacking fleets the turn they are lay, giving planetary defences more time to inflict loses on top of those lost to mine hits.

[Zaimat]

I do love the idea of space mines and it would be easy enough to implement the basics for the player but we would need to make sure the AI can handle it also and be smart about it. I won't promise for the release but it's definitely something I'd like to add at some point.

[True_poser]

Space mines IRL would be far closer to "usual" space missiles.

A large enough group of missiles, just "put" in some orbit, aware of each other initial location, locking their passive sensors in a grid via low-energy, stealthy communication lasers (or even wires).

Waiting for you.


In-game space mines may be a cheap analogue to missile defense facility.
Seven or eight salvos of missiles orbiting the planet, each salvo may be assigned their own target.
They're cheap, but may be deprecated - when your scientists create a new missile version or an entirely new warhead - to update your minefield you'll have to scrap it and build a new one.