Scouts

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Cumberlow
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Scouts

Post by Cumberlow »

Scouts are for exploring but with insufficient space for even a single cargo module they are handicapped under current resupply mechanisms. If the space available were increased by 10 mt then the simple choice would be unarmed with extended range or armed and limited range. Furthermore, rather than call the whole class Scout why not call it Escort or Corvette? The unarmed scout could then be one of the variant builds within the class.

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FrozenFallout
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Re: Scouts

Post by FrozenFallout »

I find even with the back draw its not an issue. By turn 30 I have 30 scouts out and about checking on all the stuff in the galaxy. Scouts as exploration ships is actually very overpowered in its current state. Since nothing at the start attacks your ships while exploring I have most of the galaxy explored and dug up by mid game making me very powerful on the tech side of things.

IMHO scout ships shouldn't be used for or have the ability to do exploration (maybe see a system but not survey or dig) and the name should be changed to something else like Fighter or Shuttle. They should be support ships in combat and there should be more tech and options for them to pick from in design.

Exploration should be left to Cruisers and Motherships and should be much more dangerous. The galaxy should be a scary place at the start of the game and as the game progresses you are able to expand more and with less issues as you clean up and bring order to the galaxy. There should be stuff out there protecting powerful planets and if you haven't made friends with a race they shouldn't let you explore their systems or allow you to dig up sites in their systems. Also since the AI doesn't do exploration for what I can see it makes it very easy to become a tech power house by mid game via exploration of the galaxy.

IMHO I also think the ship range should be limited by cargo instead of just slowing down or the slow down for supplies should be a huge hit. This makes it so exploring the whole galaxy takes time and effort setting up outposts to extend your range and working gaining allies to extend your supply lines.
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Cumberlow
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Re: Scouts

Post by Cumberlow »

30 scouts sounds a little excessive, 4 or 5 are sufficient for me. Not that I disagree with you that getting out there and grabbing all the techs and booty from digs is the best way to get a big boost at the start of the game. I'm not sure that putting restrictions on that to slow it down is the best way forward. From what I can see it is the lack of survey/dig by the AI races that can be exploited by human players to give them a big lead. AI home systems are always worth surveying as they have untouched sites to dig for booty. I would love to see a sign that said "Too slow human, AI race was here first" when I surveyed a system.

Ashbery76
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Re: Scouts

Post by Ashbery76 »

I think scouting the galaxy is too quick and easy as in my view exploration should be a whole game thing and not just early game.

I do like a slower paced game so maybe an option for longer survey times and research times could be an option ala epic like in the Civs.

Cumberlow
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Re: Scouts

Post by Cumberlow »

I guess this is getting into an interesting discussion on movement restriction in game. Do you want a fixed system like MOO2 where cargo bays could extend range a further sector like extra fuel tanks did in the old classic, but no further so you have to colonise in order to expand your range. Or do you like the current system where with infinite resupply range a scout can go from one side of the map to the other from turn 1, which is good for pursuing quests but not realistic in terms of resupply. Surely the resupply ships have a limited range too?

I do prefer the first option but marrying that with quest requirements to move across the map outside of your territory would need some thought. That said if attacking ships would have to sacrifice some firepower to get cargo bays to extend their range in order to reach the target system whilst defensive ship could have max firepower as they would not need cargo to move in their own territory, then that would be an interesting dynamic (currently I don't bother with cargo, my warships will reach the target eventually). Maybe a lower kt for cargo bays could make it work if you could design long range ships to pursue quests.