I wish to know about Fighters.

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> The War Room >> I wish to know about Fighters.

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I wish to know about Fighters. - 2/27/2013 7:35:39 PM

Bloodly

Posts: 94
Joined: 4/14/2010
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Everything you can muster. I've gone from Distant Worlds straight to Legends, so I've lots of questions.

How effective are they? How many bays is enough for a ship or base? Would you want your Carriers(Be they real or just an Escort with fancy gear) to be armed or not? How far from their launch point(Ship or base) can they go?

I'd be most grateful for help in this.

Post #: 1

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 2/28/2013 11:37:05 AM

Bingeling

Posts: 5186
Joined: 8/12/2010
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Lots of views, and no answers. Ask easier questions, please

.

The fighter swarm from a well defended AI system hurts quite a bit. So whatever numbers the AI got on larger spaceports and defensive bases is a good start.

I have no solid info on the "launch range", but fighters don't seem to cover more area than a long range weapon. They may end up quite a bit away from their carrier though, if they jump from ship to ship. But no, a fighter group at a spaceport won't defend a whole system. Or maybe, if a carrier gets "attack" order, they may launch from a bit out, but the static defenses don't seem to target things far out...

Are they effective? Yes. In one part they help protect you from enemy fighters/bombers, which are also effective. And the initial launch can carry a serious punch.

The AI keeps some weapons on carriers, but they are not really needed, nor is there a huge problem in having them there. You want the carrier to "evade" other ships, but if there is something weak nearby them taking a shot won't hurt (and an evading carrier will find itself under attack now and then). I would focus on defenses, fighter bays, and decent movement though. Not fast, just moving...

I like to keep a good number of carriers in my battle fleets. Maybe 10 cruisers and 5 carriers in a powerful one where capital ships are not yet available.

(in reply to Bloodly)

Post #: 2

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 2/28/2013 10:32:36 PM

CyclopsSlayer

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Joined: 2/11/2012
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Going by the Weapons DPS analysis post it looks like the following. Initial range to high tech range.

Fighters - Range 200 -> 300
Torpedo Bombers - Range 300 -> 400
Missile Bombers - Range 500 -> 700

Point Defense (Cannon & Autocannon) - Range 200 -> 300

Given that and that most AI ships make sweeping passes I commonly assign 20 Fighter bays to MSP's and 30 to LSP's. DFB's have an evolving number, always long range heavies weapons, fighters as short range coverage, hyper deny to keep them from escaping.

(in reply to Bingeling)

Post #: 3

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 2/28/2013 10:56:00 PM

Bingeling

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Joined: 8/12/2010
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That is a rather expensive set of spaceports...

MSP with 20 fighter bays? I peeked at a quick start "developed" with humans. 4 bays on the MSP.

Maintenance is 5539.

Increasing from 4 to 20 fighter bays with the required reactor and hab stuff, bumps maintenace to 7744. But I guess it may be able to defend itself quite well.

(in reply to CyclopsSlayer)

Post #: 4

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 2:18:05 AM

ehsumrell1

Posts: 2529
Joined: 8/17/2010
From: The Briar Patch Nebula
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That is high maintenance, yes. But you'll be happy you have that many fighters to assist
any Ion weapons the base has if a SilverMist or two find their way into your system!

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Shields are useless in "The Briar Patch"...

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RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 4:01:59 AM

unclean

Posts: 163
Joined: 12/31/2010
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bingeling
I have no solid info on the "launch range", but fighters don't seem to cover more area than a long range weapon. They may end up quite a bit away from their carrier though, if they jump from ship to ship. But no, a fighter group at a spaceport won't defend a whole system. Or maybe, if a carrier gets "attack" order, they may launch from a bit out, but the static defenses don't seem to target things far out...

Not sure either, but my guess is that fighters launch at ~800 range and return to the carrier at 4000 or whenever hyperdrives get fired up. But yeah, very fire and forget, you just want carriers launching a swarm and getting the hell out.

Personally I never build fighters early on (missiles are the best long range weapon for the first few years IMO), but carriers are great. They're more for fire support compared to missiles and torps because they have trouble actually focusing things down, but with some fleet backup they're really good vs the AI unless they have a tech advantage with lots of nasty PD and beam weapons.

(in reply to Bingeling)

Post #: 6

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 10:02:04 AM

Bingeling

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Joined: 8/12/2010
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

That is high maintenance, yes. But you'll be happy you have that many fighters to assist
any Ion weapons the base has if a SilverMist or two find their way into your system!

It is not like that "just happens" from what I have seen of SilverMist movement. If a mature colony is attacked by SilverMist, you need to explore more...

I think fresh colonies are better eaten than defended by 20 fighter bays.

It is better to assist any ion weapons of the fleet sent to kill the silvermist, with fighters from the carriers of the same fleet. I am not sure if the ion weapons are that important either.

(in reply to ehsumrell1)

Post #: 7

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 2:48:55 PM

Jeeves

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From: Arlington TN U.S.A
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Ion weapons slow the speed of the silvermist, fighters wear them down.

Lonnie Courtney Clay

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Live long and prosper!

Lonnie Courtney Clay

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Post #: 8

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 5:22:00 PM

CyclopsSlayer

Posts: 583
Joined: 2/11/2012
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ehsumrell1

That is high maintenance, yes. But you'll be happy you have that many fighters to assist
any Ion weapons the base has if a SilverMist or two find their way into your system!

Expensive yes, but most games my play style has me with too much money.
My SSP is stripped down, no labs, minimal weapons and shields, all for fast and easy builds. Just to get the yards, med center, commerce etc going.

High Tech R&D - Focus Improved Labs and Commerce, also always the first 4% Maintenance reduction, then into colonization.
Weapons R&D - Torpedoes, Fighters, Armor, Ion (ignore the rest)
Energy R&D - Construction to Rapid (for Bakuras shipyard), Hyper deny, rest no particular order

Build as many colony ships at the yards that I can afford and have targets for.
Build Lost Colony conquest fleet, 3 Transports and 3 DD's and hit every NPC world. I have found 3 Transports to be sufficient for all npc's, especially if you pick your newly landed troops back up for use at the next world.
Retire every lost ship to fill in the tech holes. (most special techs are a waste of time as eventually you will need the basic line to get the best anyways, not all, just most)

BTW; 1 DFB with 30 Plasma Torpedoes, 30 fighter bays, 5 Ion Cannons and Ion Defense, 40 Tallsos Shields and a Robotic Repair just held off a Fleet of 20-30 some Ikkuro ships, killing most of them before reinforcements arrived.

< Message edited by CyclopsSlayer -- 3/1/2013 5:28:09 PM >

(in reply to ehsumrell1)

Post #: 9

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/1/2013 6:41:24 PM

w1p

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Joined: 11/23/2011
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Fighter's are handy but their not efficient enough for me, they take too long to launch and against sluken and ackdarian's with their faster drives their ships have already closed and can outpace my carriers in my recent games as a human / kaidian / naxillian. I tried running carriers and bases with them but their not as effective as other weapons imho.

I personally think DFB's and MSP's with area weapons and phasers/titan beams (depends on your preference) are the best mix, I find that by the time reinforcements arrive it's already too late, even on 10x10 1400 star games.

I agree with CyclopsSlayer with his SSP build, but not his tech.
High Tech - marsh / continental (whichever one you don't get free with race, or both if you cant colonise either) first then high tech and rush the three tech improving wonders.
Weapons - beam weapons upto level 3 of the basic laser, then one armor level, then basic ion defense, then basic pd, then straight to phasers or titan beam. If i'm going titan beam i'll go shatterforce lasers first and use those till titan's arrive.
Energy - construction to bakuras, Reactor, engines, hyperdrive, shields, then bit by bit so i'm fairly level. Not massively interested in hyperdeny till late game really.

(in reply to CyclopsSlayer)

Post #: 10

RE: I wish to know about Fighters. - 3/26/2013 7:45:39 AM

Unforeseen

Posts: 608
Joined: 3/26/2013
From: United States of Disease
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There is nothing like a swarm of over 300 star fighters in the early game. I like to grab the tech early, design a defense station with fighter bays and PD Cannons and watch the fire works when an enemy fleet jumps in.

Other uses, i often design and build a small number of "Escort Carriers" that carry 1-2 Squadrons using the Escort Role. Typically i assign 1-2 of these to Escort Capital Ships that i've assigned to non-fleet related activities.

Lastly, i cant help but build a few "Super Carriers" in the late game. Carriers that can field enough fighters to crash most computers. (Think Halo 2)

< Message edited by Unforeseen -- 3/27/2013 8:03:04 AM >

(in reply to w1p)

Post #: 11