they only work if you also consider that Vasari mine layers are mobile and can accompany your fleet. the idea is to set traps with them. go have the mine laying cruiser put down some gravity mines either directly on top of the enemy or in their retreat path. that way if they try to run away from you they get stunned and you finish them off easily. 

for just defensive purposes you're almost definitely better off with regular explosive mines. 

In a previous thread (can't remember which one), a guy made a good suggestion; he said that the gravity mines should not be a different mine, but an upgrade of the explosive mines. A mine that does damage + disables ships. I always thought that this idea was great. Right now I dont see the point of those mines, worse yet, you have to research them if you want to use them, maybe if they did not require research (available when Ruiser is researched), they might be more useful.

You're entitle to your opinion, but you miss the point completely. The points was that they are mostly never used, so why even have the research. Its not about the cost of the research, its about the usefulness of that research. If you dont have to research this ability, some people MIGHT use them more often.

oh, BTW, nothing personal!

Going a bit off topic (although I guess I'm really not since this is in the OP), I believe the Entrenchment logo is supposed to resemble a shield.

i find that the mines in this game lose purpose, since they are visible without scout.

driving in to them means you are in hurry, retard, or got capital ships clearing the way.

I don't get why they are visible without scouts, honestly.  It seems strange.

Thats a good idea, thanks for that.

They should be visible for a limited range near your ships, or increase the range that scouts can see them greatly.  But one guy in a gravity well shouldn't be able to detect every single mine there.

How about scouts get an additional mine finding ability, that is a passive, and has longer ranger than the decloaking ability, that allows them to see mines within a certain radius. Then, once the mines a re visible, they can go in and make them vurnerable so your fleet can destroy them. i always thought mines were much less useful if every unit can see them.

Another idea that could make gravity mines much more useful, is to make them unseeable, while keeping the explosive ones as they are now. That way, they could be left around as snares, because they were invisible, but it wouldnt be completely game breaking (i.e. invisible mini-nukes destroyed my fleet).

good ideas!

Agreed with invisible grav mines idea. They should become visible some distance away, but generally not be seen.

They don't kill, but unless the enemy is cautious, they can hinder.
Perfect surprise for the careless spammer.
Another thumb up for this idea.