Right now core cracker is somewhat useless.

For most people it is a "Do once and then never bother again" type of thing. 

Personally I never felt it was worth it (even when I had the techs researched).


The only strategic advantage to it is enabling a kind of burnt earth strategy. Except that burnt earth usually means retreating and leaving only worthless resources. In this case the use is more like "Go deep into their territory and destroy their most valuable systems (that you couldn't hold if you tried to conquer them). And afterwards just outperform them economically".

I don't think this is terribly attractive.


So what I thought would be more fun:

Core cracker does not *destroy* planets. 

Instead there are two techs:

- Void storm (or possibly something to do with bio weaponry / nano technology - void storm was just the first name that came to mind and I really liked it): This temporarily encases a planet in a dark cloud, destroying all life on it and turning it into a barren planet.

- Core cracker: This fires a beam that melts a planet, turning it into a lava planet.


The enemy could resettle the planet, but it would be a very long time before it was usable again. So the immediate effects would be pretty much the same as now.


I am thinking that these components should also count as a weapon (you won't mind wind-up times as much if you, at least, get a weapon system). 

"Core cracker" could be something like the stellar converter in "Master of Orion 2" (one solid beam instantly destroying one ship (fires once in a fight)).

"Void storm" could behave similar to a bomber squad in combat (with much the same effects as above (instant destruction, fires once), except that instead of a beam you would see a dark cloud encasing the target (which then explodes or is left distorted)).

(a little bit (visually) like the planet destroyers of shadows and vorlons in babylon 5 (except that in babylon 5 the shadows encased the planet in a cloud and then missiles blew up the core, here it would encase the planet in a cloud and the things making up the cloud (nano technology drones?) would destroy everything))


Together with an option to vacate your own planets (which may already exist - not sure) these two techs would also open up terraforming options on your own planets. It would be extremely costly, but each planet could be teraformed into each type this way. This would be an incentive for "peaceful" players to use these techs.


And this might be too crazy, but as an option:

Maybe split research into three techs. One base tech in the military tree (maybe at level 3-4; gives some other immediate benefit as well (weapon systems probably)). And two techs in science and economy trees (maybe at level 4-5; give some other immediate benefit as well). If you have the base tech AND one of the two science/economy techs, then you unlock either "Core cracker"(economy) or "Void storm"(science).

I kinda like this idea because it opens up (asymmetrical) options for players not focusing on military.


To sum up this idea:

1) Don't destroy planets, just turn them into barren/lava.

2) Also usable as a weapon system (fires once in combat, instantly destroys one target - you won't mind the wind-up as much if you get something usable out of it).

3) Usable on friendly systems to open up terraforming options (evacuating planet, then usable on unsettled planet)

4) Additional Option: Split research into a mid level military tech and one of two high level economy/science techs.