Hull sizes for warships

[pvzh]

I bought SMAC and SMAC/X as a part of the Lap Top collection. Never played it before. Played severa games on talent as UoP just to be able to see more different tech-stuff. Reading through help files and strategy tips on the net I cannot figure out one thing. What a difference combat-wise between let say missle foil and missle cruser. The only difference I see is that cruser moves somewhat faster. Do they have different number of "hit points"? What the purpose of larger hulls for warships? You cannot pack more stuff in them anyways, right?

[Lazerus]

thats the only difference, moves faster.

oh and a cruiser transport can carry alot more then foil transport

[Zeiter]

Yeah, the extra 2 moves may not seem like much, but being able to disengage from an attacking foil helps out big time! And then if you have the maritime control center and elite units, you've got 9 moves a turn compared to the measly 4 moves a turn from the foils. Sometimes, if it speeds up production, I'll even scrap the armor and AAA tracking and pump out a bunch of unamored 8-1-6 attack cruisers. They can easily disengage from another attacking ship, and if you bring along a few SAM cruisers, you can defend against air attacks.

Also, being able to transport 4 units is so much better than 2. You'd need twice as many foil transports to do the job of cruiser transports. And I guarantee you that producing twice as many transport foils would be much more costly both in terms of support and manufacturing.

[Santiago_Claus]

You're correct in thinking the "only" difference between the cruiser and foil is speed, but that's a pretty big "only".

The faster of two ships is allowed to withdraw when attacked -- or if attacking prevent the enemy's withdrawal.

Fast probes are more likely, particularly against the omniscient AI, to reach enemy bases before being caught.

Sea formers and supply ships benefit much less from increased speed, so the cheaper foil hulls are a good choice, but once your industry becomes productive enough to build the cruiser variants in 1 turn there's no more reason to build foils. The better reactors also seem to erase the cost difference between cruisers and foils.

The Maritime SP boosts speed to foils & cruisers by 2, which will make your foils as fast as anyone else's cruisers and your cruisers the fastest thing on the water.

[pvzh]

I see... it slipped my mind that 6 move unit can dissengage from 4 move unit.

Does faster attacker dissengage from slower defender if attack going not so well? I have not see it, because I usually attacked with the odds in my favour.

Not to open other threds...
What is the purpose of armour on needle jets. Air combat is resolved only using attack ratings, yet we allowed to pack armour on them.

[Googlie]

Their armor comes into play when they are stationary within a base being attacked by land units

And, of course, armor on a chopper helps defend it from ground attack when it's between turns

[gwillybj]

Originally posted by pvzh
Does faster attacker dissengage from slower defender if attack going not so well?

No.

[pvzh]

What about artillery and fractional movement points?
Does artillery piece suffer corresponding penalty? For example, if 2/3 movement point left, does <6> translates to <4>?

[CEO Aaron]

I actually tend to keep my warships on Foil Hulls, the idea being to crank out as many clean 4/4 boats with AAA as possible. Sure, they can't disengage, but they're an attrition unit, designed scour the seas, and tie up enemy resources. Besides, if you have the Maritime Control Center and they become elite, they'll have more moves than stock cruisers anyway.

That's the real benefit to the MCC, in my mind, that you can field a foil fleet that can outrun everyone else's cruisers. I forget, but to IOD's get the +2 movement from the MCC?

[Zeiter]

Yeah, IOD's also get the +2 movement bouns.

[Lazerus]

You're correct in thinking the "only" difference between the cruiser and foil is speed, but that's a pretty big "only".

I know, i was just giving him an "only" difference in terms of the actual rules with no comment on how big that only is in terms of strategic gameplay.

[Dis]

some people have been mentioning the laptop collection?

what is that? where do I find it? I want smacX.

[Petek]

Originally posted by Dissident
some people have been mentioning the laptop collection?

what is that? where do I find it? I want smacX.

The Laptop Collection contains five classic games (Tiger Woods PGA Tour Collection, Command and Conquer Red Alert 2, SimCity 3000 Unlimited, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and Alien Crossfire). You can find it on Amazon.com. I got it at Walmart last year. Cost is about $20.

[Commy]

Personally, I think a cruiser can beat the crap out of a row boat.

[Barinthus]

I got mine in Fry's Electrontics... that's not much of a help for you Dissident unless you happen to live in the western US.