Researching Sensors

What exactly is the point

from GalCiv2 Forums
I can appreciate the need for sensors - surely it must be an advantage to be able to see great distances - but I really haven't found a practical reason for researching them instead of, say, anything else. Sure, I could tech up my sensors and see my enemies coming from 1 million parsecs away.....or (and this may be a longshot here) I could spend the RP teching up weapons so that when they do get here I'll actually be able to fend them off.

I dunno, maybe life support and sensors could be combined into a 'Galactic Exploration' tech? Or maybe I'm the only person who plays this game that doesn't tech up sensors?
ideas
9,092 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sensors let you see enemies from your ships. It is easy to go right past an enemy Fleet if your ships are equipped with a lower tech sensor.

The higher level sensors are also smaller, so you might be able to fit that one extra component onto a ship if you are using higher tech sensors.

Tony
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
And Sensors are needed for most of the core ships if you care about them. Sensors only take a couple turns to research anyway. I'll create a special "Searcher" type ship loaded with engines and sensors and station them at key choke points or key trade lanes to give me advance warning of ships coming my way. Very key if your fleet is spread out across vast areas. They may not be as useful on smaller maps but if you play large and bigger they are very useful.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Knowledge is power!

Sensors let you explore much faster thereby finding planets and resources faster. This can give you the edge in a close startup.

Researching sensors unlocks the Eyes of the Universe wonder which gives ALL your ships the max 15 parsec sensor range and a huge area around planets and starbases.

Once I've got my basic techs down, better research, better engines, planetary requirements, basic defenders to crank up my military stats the next thing I focus on is sensors. Also, the AI just doesn't bother with this tree for a long time, so once you get the Eyes of the Universe built, you can trade out your sensor tech for other techs.

There's really no good reason not to unless you are playing on a very small map.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think in order to make sensors truely cost efficient, they need to make it add to the sensor radius of planets as well. It would have to be huge or anything, but more so than the tiny donut of visibility that surrounds planets now.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to agree with Spearthrower, in fact I research the sensors almost exactly like he does. After the basics, I go straight through to sensor level four so I can build the Eyes of the Universe quickly. What better way to gain an advantage on your opponents than be able to see their every move and nab all the resources too?
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
if you play with a lot of anomolys, building a few more survey ships can really really pay off... Esp if you keep upgrading them... Faster-farther- better vision. This also helps find all the resources
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Beginning sensors are pretty much good enough, if you load up a cargo ship with engines and nothing else, build it and position it at a corner of 4 intersecting sectors then convert to a AWAC it hardly costs you a thing and you get instant sensor cover.

I've used this several times to extend my sensor range cover. Since the ships cost little to produce they are a cheap way to map sectors and maintain sensor cover.

Try it.

J
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Eyes of the Universe gives all your planets, starbases, and ships a 15 parsec range. I think this is the most valuable galactic wonder if playing with large or larger sized maps!
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I just go straight for the Eye as well, as the sensor techs don't take long to research. I usually play on Huge or Gigantic maps so it really comes in handy to be able to see 15 parsecs. Plus with the Eye you never have to put sensors on a ship again, I wish you could do that for life support!
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
No need for sensors. Just research the whole tree, build Eye of Universe, thats it...
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A mix of sensors and engines will allow you to pick your battles, which Sun Tzu would argue is the first step to victory.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Advantages:

You cannot be ambushed, unless they've packed their ships with nothing but engines. I've had the Yor and Dread Lords swoop down on my fleets from out of my sensor range and I didn't even know they were there. If you don't know where they are, you'll just run around in circles trying to find them, while they laugh at you stumbling around.

You can ambush your enemy. If he doesn't know you're there, you can park yourself just out of their range, wait for the next turn, them bushwhack them. Also, you can build a fast scout with sensors and keep it near your fleet. You can ignore sensors for your warships and let the scouts find your enemy for you. I ran the Drengi around in circles for an entire war doing this.

You can pack cargo hulls full of engines and sensors and space them out for maximum sensor range. If someone is moving in your area, you'll know about it and can respond.