The Truth Is Out There... an Aurora 4X C# Forum game, version 1.13

[blue emu]

New ground formations look good. One thing to check is the required ranks, and it might be time for a discreet renaming of ranks while waving our hands furiously. a MAJ is probably not who we want commanding our brigades, flavor-wise, but the point of using 25,000-ton base formations is to stretch limited leadership as far as it can go so we have to anticipate our level-1 ground commanders leading those brigades.

... and I've set the Rank requirements for the new formations so that the smallest unit (Brigade) is commanded by the lowest-level leader (Lt-Colonel), the second-smallest unit (Division) is commanded by the second-lowest-level leader (General of the Division), etc.

 

[blue emu]

We are now up to eleven ground unit training facilities on Earth, with more in the pipeline.

Some of our new units take about five years to build (each!) so the only real solution is to build them in parallel.

 

[blue emu]

... and another class-0 world! (Class-0.89, to be exact).

 

[Avernite]

Looking good. So you can dump 1 infrastructure on the class 0.03 and all of humanity could move there without trouble?

 

[blue emu]

Looking good. So you can dump 1 infrastructure on the class 0.03 and all of humanity could move there without trouble?

Their idea of "life support infrastructure" is a box of kleenex.

 

[Blaaat]

Have the aliens done any thing since we've wiped out their local fleet and conquered their colony?

 

[hyme]

Have the aliens done any thing since we've wiped out their local fleet and conquered their colony?

That wasn't the hippies but the precursors.

 

[blue emu]

Here are a couple of possible designs intended to reduce our dependance on Gallicite: The Lance and Shield

Lance:

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Lance class Destroyer 7,419 tons 164 Crew 1,551.5 BP TCS 148 TH 1,200 EM 0
8087 km/s Armour 6-33 Shields 0-0 HTK 39 Sensors 11/11/0/0 DCR 3 PPV 12
Maint Life 2.48 Years MSP 1,392 AFR 147% IFR 2.0% 1YR 314 5YR 4,710 Max Repair 600 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required

Boosted Internal Fusion Drive EP1200.00 B-40 1996 (1) Power 1200 Fuel Use 68.89% Signature 1200 Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 2,500,000 Litres Range 88 billion km (126 days at full power)

37.50cm C6 Ultraviolet Laser 1999 (1) Range 256,000km TS: 8,087 km/s Power 37-6 RM 40,000 km ROF 35
Beam Fire Control R256-TS20000 1991 (1) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Tokamak Fusion Reactor R6 (1) Total Power Output 6.1 Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor AS73-R100 1983 (1) GPS 5600 Range 73.3m km Resolution 100
Active PD Search Sensor AS15-R1 1983 (1) GPS 56 Range 15.8m km MCR 1.4m km Resolution 1
EM Sensor EM1.0-11.0 1969 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
Thermal Sensor TH1.0-11.0 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a c for auto-assignment purposes

---

Shield:

---

Shield class Destroyer Escort 7,490 tons 160 Crew 1,439.8 BP TCS 150 TH 1,200 EM 0
8011 km/s Armour 2-34 Shields 0-0 HTK 49 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 3 PPV 34.71
Maint Life 2.25 Years MSP 1,360 AFR 150% IFR 2.1% 1YR 363 5YR 5,446 Max Repair 600 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required

Boosted Internal Fusion Drive EP1200.00 B-40 1996 (1) Power 1200 Fuel Use 68.89% Signature 1200 Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 2,150,000 Litres Range 75 billion km (108 days at full power)

Quad Gauss Cannon R300-100 1991 Turret (1x16) Range 30,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Beam Fire Control R256-TS20000 1991 (1) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61

Active PD Search Sensor AS15-R1 1983 (1) GPS 56 Range 15.8m km MCR 1.4m km Resolution 1
EM Sensor EM1.0-11.0 1969 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
Thermal Sensor TH1.0-6.0 1950 (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a c for auto-assignment purposes

---

The pair of vessels have 8,000 kps speed, 75 billion km or more cruising range, with the Lance armed with a 37.5 cm spinal-mounted Laser (37 damage per hit, roughly twice per minute) and the Shield armed with a Quad Point Defense Gauss PD turret firing (at incoming missiles) 16 times per five-second increment.

They are intended to operate together, with the Shields protecting the Lances from missile fire.

 

[Avernite]

But what if we made them bigger?

 

[nuclearslurpee]

I tend to agree with my learned colleague here. The DE class is probably fine at 7500 tons, but bigger and more survivable seems wise here particularly if we wind up fighting any beam-capable opponents. The spinal laser DD class is a bit too all-or-nothing for my tastes, and I'd rather see something in the 15,000-ton range (cruiser size?) with the spinal plus a battery of 25cm or 30cm lasers, whichever our current tech level is. The alpha strike from spinal lasers is great but you want something that can keep firing while the spinals recharge, otherwise a beam-armed enemy can get a few rounds of return fire in before we can shoot back. Also, bigger and more survivable is good.

Make sure the spinal laser is on a single-weapon BFC which is half the size of a normal one, as well.

 

[blue emu]

Certainly a larger model will be useful. But we have Naval shipyards in both 20,000 ton and 10,000 ton sizes.

Perhaps a high-speed Gauss PD escort (the Shield class) should build in the smaller shipyard while a larger 15-to-20,000 ton beam cruiser builds in the 20,000 ton yard?

 

[blue emu]

How about this for a Beam Cruiser?

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Knight class Armoured Cruiser 15,000 tons 411 Crew 3,407.5 BP TCS 300 TH 2,400 EM 0
8000 km/s Armour 7-54 Shields 0-0 HTK 98 Sensors 11/11/0/0 DCR 5 PPV 60
Maint Life 2.21 Years MSP 2,709 AFR 360% IFR 5.0% 1YR 746 5YR 11,195 Max Repair 600 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required

Boosted Internal Fusion Drive EP1200.00 B-40 1996 (2) Power 2400 Fuel Use 68.89% Signature 1200 Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 3,599,000 Litres Range 62.7 billion km (90 days at full power)

37.50cm C6 Ultraviolet Laser 1999 (1) Range 256,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-6 RM 40,000 km ROF 35
25.0cm C6 Ultraviolet Laser 1999 (6) Range 256,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 16-6 RM 40,000 km ROF 15
Beam Fire Control R256-TS10000 (SW) 1999 (7) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 10,000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Tokamak Fusion Reactor R16 (3) Total Power Output 48.6 Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor AS73-R100 1983 (1) GPS 5600 Range 73.3m km Resolution 100
Active PD Search Sensor AS15-R1 1983 (1) GPS 56 Range 15.8m km MCR 1.4m km Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1.0-11.0 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
EM Sensor EM1.0-11.0 1969 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a c for auto-assignment purposes

---

Speed of 8,000 kps. Cruising range of 60+ billion km. Seven layers of armor. A Spinal mounted weapon doing 37 damage every 35 seconds, and six casemated Lasers each doing 16 damage every 15 seconds. Target tracking speed of 10,000 kps. Every Laser has its own (single-weapon) fire control, so they can target independantly. Firing range of up to a quarter of a million km. Both active and passive sensors.

 

[hyme]

How about this for a Beam Cruiser?

---

Knight class Armoured Cruiser 15,000 tons 411 Crew 3,407.5 BP TCS 300 TH 2,400 EM 0
8000 km/s Armour 7-54 Shields 0-0 HTK 98 Sensors 11/11/0/0 DCR 5 PPV 60
Maint Life 2.21 Years MSP 2,709 AFR 360% IFR 5.0% 1YR 746 5YR 11,195 Max Repair 600 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 18 months Morale Check Required

Boosted Internal Fusion Drive EP1200.00 B-40 1996 (2) Power 2400 Fuel Use 68.89% Signature 1200 Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 3,599,000 Litres Range 62.7 billion km (90 days at full power)

37.50cm C6 Ultraviolet Laser 1999 (1) Range 256,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-6 RM 40,000 km ROF 35
25.0cm C6 Ultraviolet Laser 1999 (6) Range 256,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 16-6 RM 40,000 km ROF 15
Beam Fire Control R256-TS10000 (SW) 1999 (7) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 10,000 km/s 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 65 61
Tokamak Fusion Reactor R16 (3) Total Power Output 48.6 Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor AS73-R100 1983 (1) GPS 5600 Range 73.3m km Resolution 100
Active PD Search Sensor AS15-R1 1983 (1) GPS 56 Range 15.8m km MCR 1.4m km Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor TH1.0-11.0 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
EM Sensor EM1.0-11.0 1969 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a c for auto-assignment purposes

---

Speed of 8,000 kps. Cruising range of 60+ billion km. Seven layers of armor. A Spinal mounted weapon doing 37 damage every 35 seconds, and six casemated Lasers each doing 16 damage every 15 seconds. Every Laser has its own (single-weapon) fire control, so they can target independantly. Firing range of up to a quarter of a million km. Both active and passive sensors.

What if we double the size and also added room for a whole brigade. Let's "The Pentagon Wars" this baby!!!

 

[blue emu]

What if we double the size and also added room for a whole brigade. Let's "The Pentagon Wars" this baby!!!

Is it still called "mission creep" when you're sprinting?

 

[nuclearslurpee]

Looks much more capable. I probably wouldn't have mounted so many fire controls but if it works it works. If nothing else independent targeting for every weapon will be useful, if micromanagey as hell, if we run into any beam FAC races later on.

 

[Capt. Kiwi]

Looks much more capable. I probably wouldn't have mounted so many fire controls but if it works it works. If nothing else independent targeting for every weapon will be useful, if micromanagey as hell, if we run into any beam FAC races later on.

Perhaps the ultimate AI strategy: make it boring for the player.

Resistance is onerous.

 

[Baron Jukaga]

Why do lasers have such short ranges, especially in space? Would the beam be that attenuated by dust and gas in minute densities? How can the range be smaller than a light second? Deliberate nerf or am I missing something. The range should be virtually infinite barring the beam hitting something.

 

[nuclearslurpee]

Why do lasers have such short ranges, especially in space? Would the beam be that attenuated by dust and gas in minute densities? How can the range be smaller than a light second? Deliberate nerf or am I missing something. The range should be virtually infinite barring the beam hitting something.

There's a couple of reasons, actually.

Physically, any coherent beam is still going to be limited by the diffraction limit which in essence imposes a minimum amount of power drop-off over distance for a laser or other beam weapon. Lasers in Aurora arguably surpass this limit actually, but it is perhaps modeled in the damage fall-off over distance if nothing else. In this case, laser maximum range can be thought of as the distance beyond which appreciable damage cannot be dealt due to unavoidable beam spreading.

Practically, after the earliest tech levels your laser weapons will be range-limited by the beam fire controls, which is the case here as with our current technology we can only target out to 256,000 km. Even the smaller 25cm lasers we're mounting have a theoretical maximum range of 640,000 km which greatly exceeds this.

Finally, because the smallest increment in Aurora is 5 seconds, the absolute maximum beam weapon range is just under five light-seconds (1.5m km), as anything longer would be either physically impossible or require beam weapon fire to be tracked on the map between increments like missiles are.

There is also the ever-present handwavium that is the Aether and Trans-Newtonian Technology but that is not as fun.

 

[blue emu]

Why do lasers have such short ranges, especially in space? Would the beam be that attenuated by dust and gas in minute densities? How can the range be smaller than a light second? Deliberate nerf or am I missing something. The range should be virtually infinite barring the beam hitting something.

The thing to bear in mind is that the granularity of the game is five-second impulses.

If the game allowed Laser fire at any range greater than five light-seconds (~1,500,000 km) then the light beam would need to be tracked across the map in movement impulses, and would... in effect... be treated as a Missile, not as a Beam weapon. In order to be resolved in the same time increment that they fire, they must be limited to five light-seconds.

So Beam weapons must be capped at 1,500,000 km when at maximum tech (both maximum Beam tech and maximum Fire Control tech). Since we are still quite a bit short of maximum tech, our beam weapons only reach a fraction (about 1/6th) of that theoretical maximum.

A second point is that warships in this game are travelling at several thousands of km per second, which means that they travel their own length dozens of times each millisecond (each one-thousandth of a second). In that same time frame (one millisecond) the Laser pulse only moves 300 km. With targets over 1,500,000 km apart, the enemy ship will have time to move tens of thousands of kilometers between the time you fire the Laser and the time the Laser pulse reaches the target.

What are your odds of hitting, at that range?

 

[blue emu]

Looks much more capable. I probably wouldn't have mounted so many fire controls but if it works it works. If nothing else independent targeting for every weapon will be useful, if micromanagey as hell, if we run into any beam FAC races later on.

The Fire Controls are only two hull squares (100 tons) each. I could have used three instead of six for the 25 cm secondary armament, but what would I use the freed-up 300 tons for? More fuel? More maintenance stowage?