Foils after Doc: Initiative

[Skanderbeg]

Is there anyone who builds foils (except for formers and colony pods) after discovering Doctrine: Initiative, which allows to build cruisers!
I never do, because I think, the two more move points make the difference, even if the cruiser is a little more expensive.
Are there arguments for building foils after cruiser tech, as the AI likes to do? I would agree that those silksteel or photon armoured foils look really cool, but are they of real use?

[Closey]

Hmmm.. think the only thing I use them for, after I've gotten Cruisers, are as supplyships. They don't really need to be all that fast. But that kind of falls into that Former/Colony Pod category I guess.

[Blake]

I admit I never build foil warships once I have cruisers.

I do however like capturing and upgrading AI foils, so I still design new foils in the workshop.

The only foil I might actually build is the
2-3t-4, clean
or
4-1-4

And then use them as bait I'd much rather lose a lousy cheap foil than a cruiser which costs 5 times as much. I use clean on my "bait" because I like to mantain production - and usually they last for 10 years anyway.

If I'm rich I actually shell out on Cruiser Formers, good as replacments for foil formers which the AI wiped out.

[knowhow2]

people people, haven't we forgot about the probe skimship (I know it has less movement but usually you just use it for probing enemy ships or seabases far away so it doesn't matter). But you could say it's in the same category as former/colony/supply ....

[Christantine The Great]

Since I always use FM I don't really need a unit that moves fast. A foil with a strong weapon is fine for me. Especially since my industry centers arn't usually on the coast when I get Doc:Ini. If you just want to defend yourself then foils are the way to go. (But keep a handful of crusers to chase slower AI foils and knock them out before they get away)

[Skanderbeg]

quote: Originally posted by knowhow2 on 03-20-2001 08:19 AM people people, haven't we forgot about the probe skimship (I know it has less movement but usually you just use it for probing enemy ships or seabases far away so it doesn't matter). But you could say it's in the same category as former/colony/supply ....

I always replace the probe skimship by the probe cruiser as soon as possible. For the undefended probe ships fast movement is essential.
For this same reason, the Marine Control Center is high on my prioritiy list, not for the naval yard, not for the two more move points for ships, but for the two more move points for my probe cruisers! With Marine Control Center, and elite probe cruiser has 9 (!) move points and can really come out of the nothing to do succesful probe actions!

[Closey]

quote: With Marine Control Center, and elite probe cruiser has 9 (!) move points and can really come out of the nothing to do succesful probe actions!

And then add a deep pressure hull to that

[knowhow2]

Probe Cruisers with deep pressure hull? Got to be quite expensive. I rather have 3 simple probe skimship for the same price (not sure about the same price part though.. have to check that). With three of them you can afford to lose one and still get 2 probe action. In SP game the AI seems always able to spot your probes, no matter how disguised they are. In MP game Humans have a tendency to kill of your probe anyway so I take 3 for 1 everytime! (still not sure about the prices here but I go look it up and confirm later)

[Skanderbeg]

Another thing to probe ships:
In my last game I made some experiments with armoured probe cruisers.
When I got 8r-armour, that was very succesful. They were not very much more expensive than undefended probe cruisers, but because they were nearly always elite, that had good chances even against an attack of shard weapon.
I could move them even before the nose of the other factions and they were not able to kill them.

[Closey]

quote: Probe Cruisers with deep pressure hull? Got to be quite expensive.

True, but it was late in a MP game, and I had the money. It was fun..

[Garth Vader]

I like probe cruisers with deep radar. They make great scouts.

[Christantine The Great]

Foils I use after Doc:Ini :

Probe Foil: With Deep radar, hypnotic trance, an a resonance-type armor the foils will hold their own aganst mindworms and the occasional scuffle between weaker weapons.

Supply foil: With hypnotic trance will be able to fend off the usual mindworm attack.

Offshore Radar Platform: Deep radar, clean reactor, transport module (for immunity from military disadvantages from FM) and armor (optional if going for cheapness) the ORP will help you keep watch over your coasts when sensor arrays can't get far enough. Might want to keep some near your supply foils to watch out for attacks.

Sea Defense: Best/Best/Clean/Anything. Is used to ward off attacks from the sea. Can do basic transport intercepting. Would be replaced by gravships.

[It'sLikeThat]

[quote]Originally posted by Christantine The Great on 03-21-2001 06:42 PM
Offshore Radar Platform: Deep radar, clean reactor, transport module ....quote]

Why transport module? why not supply? at least you get FOPs while you're observing.

[Skanderbeg]

quote: Originally posted by It'sLikeThat on 03-21-2001 09:41 PM [quote]Originally posted by Christantine The Great on 03-21-2001 06:42 PM Offshore Radar Platform: Deep radar, clean reactor, transport module ....quote] Why transport module? why not supply? at least you get FOPs while you're observing.

And with supply, You wouldn't need the expensive clean reactor!

[Admiral]

I often use foils as a rushed defense. An unarmored foil is a lot less expesive than a cruiser.
Relative to probe cruisers, If you have the MCC an armored probe cruiser can defend its self against just about any single attack. As the AI is unlikely to mount more than a single attack, I find these quite useful.

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