Weapons, ground-based & Heavy Mounts

[TerryM]

I've attacked AI planets that are loaded with surface-based weapons firing back at me.

How are they built?

2nd, I've run across AI ships with the same gun I have, but theirs are 'heavy mounts' with MUCH more firepower than mine. Analyzing these captured ships does not give me a 'heavy mount' option, and neither does research.

What gives?

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TerryM

[Bakunine]

Heavy mount is an option that you have in the design panel. Check it.

[SHAnders]

Heavy mount is not something you research, every body have it ... even you

When you design a ship you deside what kind of 'mount' your weapons should use ... a button right top !

The mount avalible is desided by the size of the ship ... once you get there it's easy to understand !

Planetary guns .... well also known as weapon platforms
They are designed like mines, troops, fighters and (drones when we get those)
when placed at a planet they act as defense ... and sometimes a very good one

The size and cargo hold of a planet deside what amount of guns can be present there !


Knowing these two things .. you might even have a chance against the AI

[This message has been edited by SHAnders (edited 10 December 2000).]

[Noble713]

A) The computer is using weapon platforms. They are a great way to defend your colonies. To build them:

1. Go to Design screen, click create and select "Weapon Platform". You design them just like ships.
2. Find a planet that you want to defend and open its construction queue. Click on the "Units" button on the right. This will display all units, including fighters, satellites, mines, and WPs.

Limitations: They eat up lots of cargo space, can't be upgraded, and can't move to another planet without a transport.


B)Weapon mounts are an option available to large ships. For the cost of extra space, they vastly increase the amount of damage inflicted. While designing a ship, simply click on the "Weapon Mount" button on the right, select a mount usable by a ship/unit of that size, and then add the desired weapons. The current mount size you are using is displayed right about the components list, and any components with mounts will have a letter (L, H, or M, for example) in the upper left of the image.

[Courageous]

Re: weapons mounts. I've noticed that on a
per-tonnage-taken basis, heavier weapons
mounts are always better, in particular on
bases where the range is dramatically
increased.

Re: weapons platforms. I always build weapons
platforms early in the game. This has proven
to be a critical piece in early-game
strategy, in particular because I often
eschew treaties with the A.I., and I play in
small, crowded universes.

C//

[Lupusman]

What I do is just throw a few mines in orbit above my planets. That way even if a treaty gets broken and I get attacked unexpectedly, their ships just blow up on my minefields. I find it more effective than WPs and leaves me the cargo space free for other stuff.