Practical use of long range scanner jammers

[CW]

I've been thinking about whether I should put a scanner jammer on my newest battlecruiser which is, naturally, chronically short of space. I reckon unless you put it on a transport it is not going to do much more than annoy your opponent, since he can always look up your ship's design anyway once he has engaged the class once. Even if you are thinking about using the scanner jammer to keep your latest dreadnought a secret weapon until you use it, I'm still not convinced that the 10 kt of space and 500 minerals you waste per ship is worth it.

When you click on a ship, even if it is jamming your scanner, you are still told what class the ship belongs to and that's THE problem. If that info is not given than the scanner jammer will be so much more useful!

[Q]

Good arguments and I almost never use either scanners or scanner jammers. Probably this is not possible, but if you could modify the effect of the jammers so that you no longer see the ship class name, it might be more useful.

[Baron Munchausen]

quote:

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Originally posted by CW:
I've been thinking about whether I should put a scanner jammer on my newest battlecruiser which is, naturally, chronically short of space. I reckon unless you put it on a transport it is not going to do much more than annoy your opponent, since he can always look up your ship's design anyway once he has engaged the class once. Even if you are thinking about using the scanner jammer to keep your latest dreadnought a secret weapon until you use it, I'm still not convinced that the 10 kt of space and 500 minerals you waste per ship is worth it.

When you click on a ship, even if it is jamming your scanner, you are still told what class the ship belongs to and that's THE problem. If that info is not given than the scanner jammer will be so much more useful!

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Yes, as it currently works the scanner jammer is not worth much. We've asked many times that it be made to work IN combat, as well. Unless and until it is destroyed in the normal fashion. If it prevented you from seeing internal components of a ship in combat it would be much more valuable. All you would know is class, fired weapons, and total shield capacity. It seems unlikely that this request will make it into the Gold edition.

[Phoenix-D]

Use Scattering armor instead. Same space, much more useful.

I sometimes use long-range scanners, but mostly to tell things like- is that baseship in front of me combat, or a spaceyard?

Phoenix-D

[Cheeze]

I will agree and disagree on this one. Yes, after you have fought with an opponent, they know the design of your ship so in that sense the scanner jammer is useless. However, putting one on a transport won't let your enemy know WHAT that ship is carrying, he will only know how much that transport can carry. More, if your ships are damaged, an enemy won't know how much and where, which may be enough to dissuade an attack..all the more so if they do know what is on a particular warship. And if they have never seen a class of warship, not having scattering armor or a scanner jammer (if they have long range scanners or psychic scanning facilities) will leave your opponent wondering just how a ship is designed.

While it may cost more to have a scanner jammer AND four pieces of Armor 3, the latter provides more protection (except for the defense bonus of the armor). Scattering armor adds 150pts, but 4 pieces of Armor 3 is 160pts. Perhaps the scanner jammer should give a similar defense bonus.

Whether or not it is ultimately worthwhile is up to you, but I have used long-range scanners, and my ability to know how ships were equipped or what cargo they carried was important enough to allow me to frustrate an enemy attack by taking out the key ships or eliminating a transport filled with population (to boost a planet's use or production) or troops. Scanners have helped me against an enemy who has satellites and fighters in a position, because they never let you know the type or quantity of specific units there are.

[Instar]

You can't tell if it will be included in the gold edition if you dont email MM about it, I really like the not showing the class name of the ship idea with the jammer. Send it in as your own idea

[rdouglass]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lynx:
...Perhaps the scanner jammer should give a similar defense bonus....

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I LIKE that idea!!!! IMO that would finally make it worth putting on a combat ship (I agree they can be valuable for transports)...