What about having Capital Logistics doing more than capital slots?

Capital ship strength is one of the most controversial debates in SINS.  Some want then to be able to smash frigates and others like them fine the way they are.  Early game they are fine, but later on in the game the debate over their strength comes up.  Giving them a flat bonus in strength would unblance the early game.

What I would like to propose is that the logistic reseaarch for capitals provides more than capital slots.  My idea would be for each level researched reduce the fleet cost of capital ships.  The goal is that by the time all 16 capital slots are unlocked, capitals cost 0 fleet capacity.

If each stage is kept small, only allowing an extra frigate or so each level then it would not be overpowered early game while making capital ships a better deal for those who fully research them.

If reducing fleet capacity cost is not enough, then build cost could be reduced a bit for each level researched as well.

This idea would encourage the use of capital ships while not changing their current balance in combat.

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Reply #1 Top

Race Specific? Fleet capacity seems TEC-ish to me, being that their strategy is to spam ships... and Missiles... Advent could be something like reducing culture spread by a bit more each level, and Vasari... hm. something that wouldn't change battles, but still useful... Structure Build Time? no... that'd work with Tacticals... Planet Upgrade Time? That may work... but no... Structure Cost? That seems nifty...

But this is all highly unlikely.

Reply #2 Top

I wouldn't necessarily agree with zero fleet capacity, at least greater than the frigate with the highest required Fleet Capacity (which would be the Aeria with 20 fleet supply). For Vasari players, this gives them even more fleet supply space when they already have a tech that increases their max supply by 7.5%/15%.

It would make sense if capital ships became less expensive, since the descriptions for each level of Capital Logistics is to make recruitment of capital crews easier. However, Vasari players have their already-existing advantage of ship price reduction through Enslaved Labour (-4%/-8% credit cost) and Optimized Construction (-4%/-8% resource cost) somewhat mitigated if decreasing prices are implemented in this fashion.

Reply #3 Top

Capital logistics should increase the maximum limit of purchasing crew training, while reducing the cost at the same time. That way, an early game fleet may be unable to purchase levels. A mid game fleet will spend lots of money to get fleets to a moderate level. A late game fleet may spend a decent amount (the cost of an extra cap?), but end up with a level 7-8 ship. 

Training should be worth the cost, which it currently is not, except for a few RARE cases.

Players will still be able to level ships up through combat, and that would be the preferred way since it'll be "free" (local devastation notwithstanding).