I've been struggling a bit with this game, especially wrt good ship design. I've played GC 2 a lot so maybe I'm getting tripped up here.



Missiles are for Long range combat (Phase 1)

Beams for Medium range combat (Phase 2) and

Guns for Melee range (Phase 3).



But when I design a ship, the default setting for these weapons types are all LONG RANGE. I notice that the cost of beams and guns decreases significantly if I reset them to their proper range but I'm finding myself outgunned at Long range most of the time. No doubt those guns and beams are firing at a disadvantage but there's potentially so much more firepower available at long range if they are set at their supposed 'effective' range.



So, is it better just to have every weapon set to Long Range in spite of the supposed weapons effectiveness?

Kutuzov wrote:




So, is it better just to have every weapon set to Long Range in spite of the supposed weapons effectiveness?

You need to design your ships based on your defenses. Long range weapons do the least damage, melee weapons the most - if you can live to that stage.



You will always be out numbered. You will be fighting the cravers and they will have 20 command points when you have 12.



I try to get to the second tier of weapons quickly - which gives you the defenses techs. Dropping 3 of each defense type on the 2 point command ships, 5 on the threes, and 10 on the 4's has enabled me to be able to pick the weapon I have a monopoly on and stack it at it's ideal range for better results.

Kutuzov wrote:
But when I design a ship, the default setting for these weapons types are all LONG RANGE. I notice that the cost of beams and guns decreases significantly if I reset them to their proper range but I'm finding myself outgunned at Long range most of the time.

All the weapons cost less and weigh less at short range, and cost more and weigh more at long range. So, you can pack a lot more weapons in if you design them for shorter ranges, but yes, you'll have to survive long enough to reach the shorter ranges.



I tend to prefer shorter-range engagements for my own ships, so I generally pack them with lots of defenses and a relatively small number of shorter-range weapons. Even if the opponent has focussed on long-range weaponry, so long as some of my ships survive to the melee round, I can still do a lot of damage.



But yeah, the real key here is to know your enemy. If you can predict your enemy's offense and defense choices ahead of time, you can craft a fleet tailored to destroy them. For example, deflectors are the heaviest form of defense; an opponent designing a fleet optimized for long-range battle might choose to just drop them entirely and pack in more missiles. In that case, it might make sense to fill your own ships with long-range guns, to blast his ships in the first round with a projectile he is defenseless against. Alternatively, if you know he only has missile ordinance on his ships, you could pack yours to the gills with anti-missile defenses (which are the lightest form of defense) and try to survive long enough to make him pay at the shorter distances.



This game is fairly well balanced, such that you can win with many different tactics -- offense, defense, or a balance of the two -- so long as you've got an eye on your opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

I use mostly long-range kinetics. They are the perfect (and only?) antidote to retreat spam.

Since the release of Disharmony long range kinetics are considered overpowered because of their firing mechanics which are just superior especialy in early-mid game compared to missiles or beams.



Also by math the best weapon overall are melee kinetics (but for those you need strong tanks first to utilize them properly).



kinetics overall are imbalanced good compared to their unloved brothers beam and missile.

Disharmony broke weapons. I wish they would do another add-on and fix weapons.... again!

I'd be happy with a simple balance patch, no need for a fancy "free-add-on".



The way it's now you'll still have to exploit the enemies weakness and plan accordingly, but when in doubt you can just spam LR kinetics. It's not too bad in Singleplayer but I'd assume it's terrible in Multiplayer, where you'd probably be screwed without a Hexaferrum deposit^^

Hello (It's my first post here)



I have started to play Endless Space recently. I have bought it on steam with Disharmony addon (I have never played it without Disharmony).

From my experience the weapons balance is okay.

I do not agree that the kinetics are overpowered.

I have little experience with missiles because I do not fully understand Flak mechanics, but my fleets have no problem with them.

Here are my thoughts:

- Long Range weapons are great for Hit and Run tactics (Offensive retreat)

- Medium Range weapons have the best Accuracy on Long and Melee ranges.

- Deflectors have the biggest Defense/weight raiting

- There are tactic cards that boost the next card's efficiency by 300% - it is the biggest reason I would consider retrofitting my ships to medium range weapons



I think that Kinetics and Beam weapons have the same efficiency.



My only suggestion for the weapons (more fluffwise than balance issue) is to change the missiles on shorter ranges - reduce the damage but increase the amount per salvo.