The ability to blast planet to a shattered mess is one of the most satisfying animation in the game, and I like the balance it sort of has. Yes, it makes a system either instantly uncolonized via blowing the occupants to space vapor, but that also means the destroyed planet is then useless to anyone. Not to mention it takes time to charge the weapon. Well balanced, cool as hell, with diplomatic repercussions, too.
Seeing such repercussions gave me an interesting thought: What if planet-wide weapons could be their own class of weapon, the sort of weapons that make certain civilizations revile or fear you. Some might be more helpful than hurting, possibly related to this thread, (shoutout to Zyntree,) but here are a few that came to mind.
| Planetary Blockade Field | Possibly abbreviated with PBF, this would work based on staying in orbit, a bit like making a ship/fleet a Vodyani Ark, able to hold a single planet, or maybe system, in total blockade, no trade routes in, out, or through, except the blockade owner's own. If this is too basic, it could also have the feature of hijacking the trade that would otherwise be heading out of the system. But the main idea is this: It holds a planet, or system, hostage from the owner, which diplomatically could be bought out with a sort of conceding treaty. Think diplomatic demand, but via military force, instead of diplomatic pressure. |
| Terraformation Engine (Either a module, or an offset of Colonization ships.) | A way to Terraform planets without necessarily being in-control of them, or needing to use a system's own production. If designed like a colony ship, this could be used to terraform a planet just after, or just before, full colonization. A late-game version could perhaps be used on Asteroid bases to settle as a sort of artificial atmosphere/gravity for the facilities, as well as stablizing asteroid movements so facilities can be built connecting them, improving usefulness, as well as quality of life for occupants. |
| Orbital Spy Network | Again, possibly its own ship type,as it's less of a massive module and more of a whole feature, and inspired by the upcoming espionage faction, a module or ship that could, (while making more sense if we had a stealth/camouflage mechanic to ships/fleets,) could orbit over a system, and perhaps based on its diplomatic capital output, or system modernization level, have a difficulty, and intel as to ongoing productions in both that system, and others under the faction's control. As well as possible enemy fleet locations, and current colony ships, with destinations. |
| Harmonizer (As in reference to Harmony from ES1)/ Cognitive Disruptor/ EMP generator/ Factory Meltdown Catalyst/ Agriculture Corruptor | The first, a less damaging yet still aggrivating tool to use on enemies, this would cleanse all dust from a planet, leaving no dust income to be gained. Especially useful against Lumeris, I should know. Cognitive Disruptor would be the science disabling version, using Atmospheric Sonics to make thinking painful. The EMP Generator could, upon use, force active fleets of the enemy's type into the hangar, and keep any produced from leaving it so long as the fleet using it stays in orbit. New enemy fleets arriving could attack it, and it may even function in combat as a shield disruptor. The Factory Meltdown Catalyst would be more obviously targeted at industry production, using heat rays or electrical overloads to shut down factories or improvements. Or at the very least, make all or ship productions more expensive while in orbit. The Agriculture Corruptor (Yeah, name isn't great, but I'm on the spot, here,) would use small nano-insects to devour and destroy produced food, slowly starving the population to nothing. And making for an easy takeover, too. Possibly another way to do the whole "holding a system hostage," thing. |
In conclusion, each of the resources could be halted, or outright decimated permanently, depending on how the devs would want to approach such an idea. Some, if not all these ideas could be reduced to a smaller scale of resource impediment, as applied to steath fleets to slow your enemies, or allies, down a bit in secret. Deception would play a bigger role in the game, and add a new layer of strategy to "peacetime."
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Vinnile
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An excellent Post.
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An excellent Post.
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~ Foward we go, Onwards we follow ~
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An excellent Post.
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This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGLYu94U3IU remembers us that "impossible" is only a word.
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