New feature wanted - - - Space Docking

[Nebraskan]

I was playing around with the TDM Mod and came up with an idea for a feature that I would like to see added to SE4G or SE5 - - Space Docking.

How this would work is a new tech area would give you a Docking Control Center. Using a DCC ships would be able to dock to each other forming a kind of space station. Docking would render the ships stationary, no movement, but would allow all weapons on all the ships to be used and also pool their space yard abilities if they have them. I was thinking 2 ships with space yard would get 120% of the best space yard's capabilities, 3 ships 140%, 4 ships 160% and so on. Different levels of DCC's would give higher levels of improvement.

I think this could open up whole new areas of strategy.

Any comments?

[Taera]

I am not sure, i dont see much use in that - using ships as unmoveable weapon platforms is useless, better fill the ships with sats and lay them where you need it most.

As for SY it could get exploited very hard.

[Nebraskan]

I guess I forgot to put in that the docking is not permanent. The ships can undock and go to another place and dock again. Kind of like a mobile Starbase. I have not figured out how any damage that was accumulated would be distributed to the indivdual ships as they undock. This could be useful if you are facing an enemy that has larger ships researched than you. You could park a docked ship on a warp point to keep that enemy from comming through it. It can take a long time for a space yard to make a starbase to guard a warp point. This way could be faster and mobile after a starbase is constructed.

[Baron Munchausen]

I'd like to know what advantage you think this would confer? Other than the space yard output, anyway. The ships would have to be constructed normally, so none of the usual advantage of a large ship would be possible. There's no logical reason to 'add' them after the docking unless a refit is possible.

Now, there's the one possible use that I can see for this. Instead of having a spaceyard ship sit in one place for a year or more, build the parts of a station as seperate ships and have them move to the location where you intend to assemble the base. Then 'dock' them together and do a refit to configure the final base. Quite a nifty idea, and could be a useful tech advantage under some 'advanced construction' tech field.

Other than that, I much prefer the 'docking bay' idea where one ship can have a special type of cargo hold able to contain another ship. If you could build starbases with lots of docking bays you could conceal entire fleets from view.

[Pax]

Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
I'd like to know what advantage you think this would confer? Other than the space yard output, anyway. The ships would have to be constructed normally, so none of the usual advantage of a large ship would be possible. There's no logical reason to 'add' them after the docking unless a refit is possible.

Well, I suppose it would allow for modular retrofitting of such "temporary bases" --- build new Shield Module ships (their job is to provide the shielding for such DCC-base affairs), send them out to the DCC-bases, undock the old Versions, redock the new.

Then presumably move the old Shield Module design to a nearby spaceyard, for retrofitting into something else.

Same for weapons modules, or the like.

Essentially, "on site" the retrofit would be instant, since you're building replacements ... you'd have no "weak time" where some or many of your components need post-retrofit repairs (sucks if you upgrade all your weapons, and that very turn discover you NEED guns but don't HAVE guns ... 'cause of the retrofit).

Now, there's the one possible use that I can see for this. Instead of having a spaceyard ship sit in one place for a year or more, build the parts of a station as seperate ships and have them move to the location where you intend to assemble the base. Then 'dock' them together and do a refit to configure the final base. Quite a nifty idea, and could be a useful tech advantage under some 'advanced construction' tech field.

Even sans refit; the cost of the docking components, would offset beign able to have possibly 5 or 10 worlds all contributing at once to a single starbase build-project, via a "DCC-base" instead of a "True Starbase". And with Baseship hulls, if you can park 7 of 'em (1 hub, and six "module" positions), that's one heck of a lot of displacement. Merged shields and armor, shared fire control (picture a shield-only hull, an armor-only, an PDC-and-ECM-only, and three "weapons" modules, with supply from a Quantum Reactor or several Solar Panels, in the hub ...).

Other than that, I much prefer the 'docking bay' idea where one ship can have a special type of cargo hold able to contain another ship. If you could build starbases with lots of docking bays you could conceal entire fleets from view.

Or, with a big enough ship (Base Ship), build smaller starbases (Stations, say) and move them on-site ... rather like oil platforms aren't built on-site now, they're built in a special harbor, and then -moved- somewhere.

TUGS would be another great feature ... the ability to TOW another ship, or even starbase. Rate it for how many kT's it can move at without a loss of speed, AND give the part a once-per-ship NEGATIVE speed bonus (tugs are powerful, not fast). Every additional multiple of that rated tonnage, you lose 1 more from teh tug's speed; tugs in a fleet add their towage capacity together.

Then you can have a slew of Cruiser-sized tugs move that nice, shiny starbase -ever- so slowly into position at the WP chokepoint it was intended for ... after building it at one of your much-more-capable planetary yards.

[Ragnarok]

TUGS would be another great feature ... the ability to TOW another ship, or even starbase. Rate it for how many kT's it can move at without a loss of speed, AND give the part a once-per-ship NEGATIVE speed bonus (tugs are powerful, not fast). Every additional multiple of that rated tonnage, you lose 1 more from teh tug's speed; tugs in a fleet add their towage capacity together.

Then you can have a slew of Cruiser-sized tugs move that nice, shiny starbase -ever- so slowly into position at the WP chokepoint it was intended for ... after building it at one of your much-more-capable planetary yards.

This is a awesome idea. I would absoluly love to see this happen. Would bring into the game a whole other way of playing. Hopefully MM will add this to SEV. That'd be the bomb.

[Pax]

Tugs'd also help bring ships with extensive battle damage back to a rear-area repair base faster ... if the tug could haul the damaged ship(s), even at a speed of only 3 (at maxtech) ... that's better than speed 1, or even speed 0.

[Nebraskan]

Baron, My thinking was this: say you had 6 Escorts or Frigates in a Fleet and it is being opposed by a Cruiser. If they try to go one on one they will get creamed against the Cruiser. However if they can join together by docking they would stand an excellent chance of defeating the Cruiser. Yes my primary reason was to boost the shipbuilding capacity of spaceyard ships. I think if you look at the concept longer you may find other strategies that could be adopted. How about docking a Starbase with a Carrier and a Transport. Such a unit could have many fighters to use protecting anything. I realize this unit is limited by being stationary but the potential for adjusting it size and therfore it power is enormous.

What do you think?

[Taera]

Still i dont see much use in that.
For the six frigates, actually if they arent "stone age" against high-tech cruiser but human designed ships with moderate tech they will most likely defeat the cruiser.

By docking ships together and making them single unit you would face the 'bug' with multi-targetting, and then your 6 linked baseships could only do as much as destroy one ship per turn, as would each baseship do resulting in 6 destroyed ships, not one.

I see not a single benefit coming from the idea of docking.

Tugs are a whole different idea, i've had the same thoughts leaving my kick-*** battle cruiser to limp to nearest repair bay loosing ships one by one when the repair is so close.... moveable bases too. I'd absolutely love to see THAT implemented.

[Trajan]

Gentlemen,

I would love to see the implementation of Tugs. This would allow for moving of the many Warp-Point defenses, making it possible to advance (or heaven forbid retreat) with your line of battle.

Rescuing severely damaged ships would be a major bonus as well.

Cheers!
Trajan