Additional Oribital Structure Suggestions

Just some other ideas about what else could be built in orbit:

1) It would also be great to add some sort of privateer orbital structure which creates ships around your planet that assist in planetary defense, maybe a couple of different types of privateer ships would be good (a couple of frigates and maybe a small cruiser of sorts). Once you start expanding your empire, its really hard to defend all of your planets…the citizens of each planet should take up arms (frigates) to defend themselves!

2) Maybe some other types of orbital gun emplacements (maybe laser or missile ones as well? Or maybe even orbital targeting assistance platforms… This has been floated around the general forum recently. I think an orbital emplacement that is only effective again CapShips would give raiding commanders a run for their money - we wouldn't want to overpower these types of emplacement of course (I know some people are against additional emplacements).

3) An orbital structure that slows down approaching enemy fleets in phase space (to buy you some time to ready your defenses and call in reinforcements from adjacent planets). Not to slow an incoming enemy to a crawl, just down a little to give a well defended planet time to get ready for a massive attack

4) The trade ships that are auto-built and set up trade routes really added a really cool level to the game – protecting them and their routes really felt like you were protecting your expansive empire, other than just static planets. Any other types or empire ships that would go about their business and would periodically require your fleet’s protection would add even more. Maybe something like large leisure vessels (tourism could be a great addition for credit increases at specific destination planets), passenger vessels, maintenance crew ships, etc... Adding specific orbital structures to create ships similar to the function of trade ships would be cool and would add even more empire traffic - I for one like the economic aspect of these types of games as well as then tactical combat (I know some will disagree, some of you want to just blow stuff up - and thats also totally cool). Who knows, maybe another empire's ship could be disguised to infiltrate a commonly used trade route to gather intel on planets, maybe another type of orbital structure could be a phase jump checkpoint prior to allowing civilian and other non-military ships to enter or leave gravity wells...

Just some ideas to float around.
4,437 views 6 replies
Reply #1 Top
its really hard to defend all of your planets…the citizens of each planet should take up arms (frigates) to defend themselves!

I like what SotS did, have the planet launch spontaneous missile strikes.

this would balance out a few things, for instance the infamous "siege rush" could be dampened even a tiny bit, and it would buy a little time for a defendor to move some of his ships and fleets around to counter a spontaneous offensive.

it would also make me feel better about game immersion (flashback to the Homeworld 2 scene with Makaans's "people of Hiigara!" monologue)

speaking of which: something about siege frigs.

I dislike how the frigs sit above the planet and simply drop cotton balls on the planet's surface, in my opinion I believe the siege frigates should do something slightly more cinematic, for instance slowing down and entering a low orbit (one that orbits, thank you) and dropping the bombs slowly

this would also balance out the siege frig rush a bit more to, prevent the ships from immediately bombing on arrival

think about it, would you prefer a ship simply launching the white poofs out the front unimpressively? or would you prefer something slightly more epic, where annihilation occurs up close and personal.
Reply #2 Top
I am all for planets firing up missiles, just like we saw in SOTS.
Reply #3 Top
I am all for planets firing up missiles, just like we saw in SOTS.


Perhaps this could be dependent on the planet's level of tactical upgrades.
Reply #4 Top
I don't find it that hard to defend all my planets if I build jump inhibitors in key planets so that I only have to defend a few of them on my frontier instead of all of them.
Reply #5 Top

I don't find it that hard to defend all my planets if I build jump inhibitors in key planets so that I only have to defend a few of them on my frontier instead of all of them.


play a game on hard, and watch the pirates launch a full scale assault on your home planet, the pretty much skip the defenses, and assault the plant, taking it out...
Reply #6 Top
Perhaps this could be dependent on the planet's level of tactical upgrades

precisely, one missile for every level in tactics.

the capitol planet, on the other hand, should have at least 2x that ammount. otherwise its not all that special currently.