CHANGE LOG (ALPHA 8)
This update completely reworks the combat counter system, capital ships, and combat abilities. There are a lot of changes, big and small, so this change log will be more conceptual and less about details...
This update is for TEC ONLY...if you are actually playing games with this mod, DO NOT have any Advent or Vasari players...
TECHNOLOGY
Generally speaking, all the military bonuses via technology cap at 25%, with a 10% bonus at the first two tiers and a 5% bonus on the highest tier. Technologies (such as TEC shields or TEC AM) with only 2 tiers will cap at 20%. This change is not necessarily permanent and the actual bonuses may be rethought when Advent and Vasari are integrated into the new combat system.
COMBAT
The counter system is entirely different. As before, you start with LFs (heavy armor, anti-medium weaponry). At tier 2, you can research HCs (very heavy armor, anti-heavy weaponry), which counter both LFs and flak. At tier 3, you can research LRFs (medium armor, anti-very heavy weaponry), which counter HCs and are pretty decent against structures.
LFs are primarily used to counter carriers, support ships, and LRFs, though they are also somewhat effective against lightly armored targets...HCs are primarily used to counter LFs and flak...LRFs are primarily used to HCs and are good early-game ships to use against structures...all 3 ships are equally capable against capital ships in terms of damage (though the LRF range is a plus)...
Carriers can be researched at tier 5. Generally speaking, a single squadron of SC is about 1.5x more powerful than a vanilla squadron...SC in general, however, are not meant to be any more or less powerful than before (though they may be inadvertently). Note that carriers cost 20 fleet supply, yet still only field 2 squadrons. Fighters (very light armor, anti-light weaponry) are used to take out bombers. Bombers (light armor, composite weaponry) are all-purpose units that have the advantage of attacking with impunity. They are not meant to counter any specific thing, but rather their value lies in their tactical difference from frigates (which almost always put themselves at risk while attacking). Flak (heavy armor, anti-very light weaponry) is meant to counter fighters, though it is somewhat effective against bombers.
So, bombers are a general, all purpose unit, good against most ships...fighters are used to counter bombers and light armor frigates...flak is used to counter fighters, and to some degree bombers as well...
You will find that all ships now have 1/2 hull, 1/2 shields...additionally, shields regenerate twice as fast...
FRIGATES
Arcova:
- A little more resilient than before, but no longer useful at taking out militia siege frigates
- Timed explosives now completely disables a target for 60s...particularly useful for preventing frigate factories from constructing units...seriously consider assaulting planets with some of these...
Cobalts, Kodiaks, Gardas, and LRMs:
- Nothing special done here aside from the damage table changes...one thing to keep in mind is that LRMs now use 5 fleet supply, not 4...
- Generally speaking, LFs will probably be the dominant ship type. Changes to make HCs and LRFs more competitive may occur (possibly by being more effective against caps).
- Cluster warheads (LRM) is much more powerful now
Hoshiko:
- These cruisers now repair at 25 hull/s, and repair for 20s...this should make protecting capital ships a bit easier
- Dem bots no longer disables weapons, but rather affects the weapon cooldown by 200% (basically, damage becomes 1/3 of base)
Cielo:
- Embolden is now an AoE that regenerates 5 shields/s and gives a 10% weapon cooldown bonus for a full minute...seriously consider using these ships now.
- Designate target now drains AM per second...remember this ability can be disrupted
Ogrovs and Krosovs
- Not a whole lot different now
Percherons:
- Cost 20 fleet supply, more comparable to Aeria in stats...however, they only field 2 squadrons still
- Much more AM and better AM regen rate
Miscellaneous:
- Constructors regenerate 1 HP/s
- Non combat ships, like support ships, scouts, colony ships, and siege frigates may have different weapon types than before (ex: krosovs have anti-module weapons now)
CAPITAL SHIP
Generally speaking, capital ships are harder to kill (or at least should be), especially when properly supported. Capital ships no longer gain stat bonuses upon level up (such as increases to HP, AM, etc.) or extra SC squadrons, they only gain an ability point...this means that capital ships are more deadly at lower levels than before, while at higher levels their power lies solely in their abilities, not resiliency/firepower.
The three "normal" abilities now have only 2 levels instead of 3...you should find level 1 abilities to be more potent, while level 3 abilities should be comparable to before....each capital ship now has a new 5th ability called "Specialization"...this ability is different for each ship, and provides a unique passive bonus appropriate for the ship's class (for example, "Combat Specialization" increases the Kol's damage and passive HP regen)...because the 5th ability is in the same slot as the ability selection button, you can't see it on the UI (which is why they are all passive)...however, you'll have no problem selecting this ability like any other as your ship levels up...
Ultimates are available only at lvl 7, will the "normal" abilities (including specialization) are the same as before: tier 1 available at lvl 1, tier 2 at lvl 3, and tier 3 at lvl 5...
Most capital ships do 80 DPS...battleships do 100 DPS while carriers do only 60 DPS...all caps perform the same at bombing planets except siege caps, which are 2/3 better and have better range....all caps start with 1 squadron, except carriers which start with 3...leveling up does not increase the number of squadrons...
You should find that the capital ships and their abilities scale much better to the late game...the intent of this mod is to make all capital ships equally important and all abilities equally valuable...you will find that the specialization abilities are probably marginalized which is okay, what is important is that the other abilities are more competitive...
Kol:
- GRG now does only hull damage...additionally, the target suffers a shield mitigation penalty for 30s
- Flak burst is now an AoE periodic action...all SC in range suffer 5 DPS and a -20% accuracy debuff
- Adaptive forcefield is now passive
- Finest Hour regenerates same amount of hull, but has a higher regen rate for a shorter period of time
- Combat Specialization grants a bonus to the Kol's weapon cooldown and hull repair rate
Sova:
- Embargo is more or less the same, just refitted for 2 levels
- Missile platforms are spawned less often, but each one has a special version of cluster warheads...this ability does not require the technology (like the LRM does), is passive (instead of operating on a 60s cooldown), and does an immense amount of splash damage...should help these things scale better
- Air Command (replaced heavy SC) now grants an AoE buff to friendly SC, which will get an accuracy bonus and chance to dodge...note that targetting uplink did not (and still does not) affect SC
- Rapid manufacturing no longer affects planets...rather, all carriers, caps, SBs, and hangars within range build their SC instantly for a very limited time...cooldown is 200s, so hopefully this isn't too powerful...
- Aerial Specialization is very similar to the heavy SC of old...damage bonus and armor bonus to the Sova's own SC
Akkan
- Colonizing now only gets you the free extractor, no more extraction rate bonus...this is to make colony frigates more competitive and the colony cap less of a no-brainer for 1st cap pick...still useful though, as colony frigates have their own limitations
- Ion bolt is more or less the same, just fitted to 2 levels
- Targetting uplink is more or less the same, just fitted for 2 levels
- Armistice is more or less the same
- Industrial Specialization grants a small ship build rate bonus to the planet the Akkan is at
Dunov
- Shield Restore is now a channeling ability that lasts for 25s...in addition to instant shields, the target gets a small bonus to shield mitigation and shield regen
- Magnetize now affects infinite SC, though the finish condition is still dependent on the number of SC destroyed
- EMP is a little more powerful, but more or less the same
- Flux Field no longer affects ability AM usage, but rather grants a substantial AM regen bonus...
- Support Specialization gives the Dunov better AM regen and ability cooldown times
Marza
- Radiation bomb now disables passive regeneration on all affected targets for a short while
- Raze planet is more or less the same
- Incendiary shells now does hull damage and reduces the target's armor slightly
- Missile Barrage is more or less the same
- Siege Specialization increases the Marza's bombing cooldown and weapon range
There is no guarantee that these abilities are balanced (hence the term "work in progress")...the most problematic value will probably be the AM costs, so feedback is very much appreciated!
MISCELLANEOUS
The Argonev now has no limit on the number of upgrades it can have...there are some other minor changes but I think this is the one worth mentioning...
Tactical structures are different now in their stats, but no major changes...more refinement for them will come later...
