different types of sensors

[SpaceBadger]

Is there any cumulative effect among the different types of sensors, or do I need to equip a ship with the best I have of each different type? What I mean is, do gravitic sensors include the functions of tachyon and/or combat sensors? If not, then what is it that gravitic sensors do?

SpaceBadger

[oleg]

They are all identical (in normal game, some mods change this). You need just one, with the highest ranking.

[SpaceBadger]

That's a relief. I was beginning to wonder how many different kinds of sensors I was going to have to pack into my newer ships as I moved up the research line on sensors.

So tachyon sensors will give me the combat bonus of my best combat sensors? I wish they would have mentioned that in the description when I researched them.

What is it that gravitic sensors do that tachyon sensors don't already do? The description when you research them says something about picking up minor gravitic fluctuations, but doesn't give any hints as to what this means in game.

Thanks for all your help, Oleg.

SpaceBadger

[Cyrien]

The descriptions are just there to give it a more I am in the game feel. They don't mean anything in most cases (cept for some mods).

If you have one type of sensor then it will do everything the other types do. None of the sensors give combat advantages. All they do is detect ships hidden in Nebulae systems (higher levels) and detect cloaked or activated stealth armor ships.

The different types are put in there so that people with different research ques can all still get sensors without forcing everyone down the same research path. So while one persons research makes getting Hyper Optics better than Tachyon Scanners another may be better off with the Tachyons or Gravitic Sensors. Or if you take Psychic or Temporal race trait you will almost certainly have Temporal or Psychic scanners first.

So in closing, the multiple types all do the same thing and are only available as options for people with different play styles so no one play style is seriously disadvantaged in the sensor department.

[primitive]

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:

So tachyon sensors will give me the combat bonus of my best combat sensors? I wish they would have mentioned that in the description when I researched them.

Hold your horses there

There are 2 distinctly different kind of sensors:
- Combat sensors gives combat bonuses.
- The scanner type (tachyon, Gravic and some racials) just scans for cloacked ships.

While every ship should have a combat sensor (or the Talisman), you only need one scanner-type sensor pr system (or fleet if you are on the attack). For your own systems, a satellite are a very good and cheap carrier for the sensor.

BTW: Remember to launch the spy satellites. I've had enemy fleets going undetected through my systems because I've forgot to launch my spies.

[SpaceBadger]

Well, in the research box I see two different branches: Sensors and Scanners.

The first 3 levels of Sensors are combat sensors that are supposed to make my attack more accurate. The 4th level of Sensors is tachyon sensor to spot cloaked ships. After a few levels of improved tachyon sensors, I get gravitic sensors, which if I understand here correctly is just another improvement for spotting cloaked ships, like a better tachyon sensor under a different name?

Then the Scanners tech branch seems to be something different entirely, first some tech to see what components other ships have on them, then some jammers to counteract the foregoing.

So, if I understand what primitive is saying, you need to keep the first type of sensor (your best combat sensor) on each ship, plus have one of the best type of either tachyon or gravitic somewhere within each system (or with each outsystem fleet) to spot cloaked ships. Is that it?

Cyrien, I'm not sure I get what you're saying about different playstyles - since you have to research up through all of the tachyon sensors before you get to the gravitic sensors, I hope they are some improvement, not just an alternative to the same thing. Or are there some other tech paths that let you get gravitic without first getting tachyon? Do the Temporal or Psychic races get different paths to the same end?

Confused SpaceBadger

[oleg]

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:
...Confused SpaceBadger

It would be less confusing if MM used different names for combat sensors and cloak-spoting sensors.

[oleg]

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:

... So, if I understand what primitive is saying, you need to keep the first type of sensor (your best combat sensor) on each ship, plus have one of the best type of either tachyon or gravitic somewhere within each system (or with each outsystem fleet) to spot cloaked ships. Is that it?

Absolutely correct. Gravitic and Tachion sensors come from researching different fields. One is not improving over another !

[Katchoo]

I'm curious about this too. In one of my PBW games i've built a Light Cruiser armed with all the available Sensors & Scanners (max levels) to scout out enemy actvity.

Was outfitting this ship a waste of space? Also, do Scanners/Sensors work while Cloaked, or do I need to de-cloak my sneak-ship? I'm sure this is spelled out in the Newbie Faq, but since i'm here anyways...

[primitive]

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:


So, if I understand what primitive is saying, you need to keep the first type of sensor (your best combat sensor) on each ship, plus have one of the best type of either tachyon or gravitic somewhere within each system (or with each outsystem fleet) to spot cloaked ships. Is that it?

Yes, but don't forget Hyper Optics, which is cheaper to research than tachyon or gravitic sensors (Advanced Military Science level 4-6).
Psychic and Temporal have pretty cheap (researchwise) sensors also.