A few Noob questions:

[JfpOne23]

Greets again,

1)  Does a Command Station function as a full on Adv Warp Sensor in functionality?

2)  How does one go about attacking a planet that has deployed a Warp Jamming Command Station?

[x4000]

1. No, the only ship with the advanced warp sensor functionality (to see specifically which wormhole the AI is coming through) is the advanced warp sensor itself.  Well, and actually some of the core AI ships have that ability, too, if you capture them.  But command stations do not have that ability, otherwise those other ships would be pretty pointless.

2. The AI does not use warp jamming command stations, only the human players have that.  It prevents the incoming AI waves (with the countdown timer), but not enemy ships from coming in from adjacent planets; so it wouldn't make any sense for the AI to use them, since the human players don't get waves from outside the galaxy.

[JfpOne23]

I'm a bit confused, aren't the AI waves coming in/originating from directly adjacent planets?

[Revenantus]

Okay, there's clearly a bit of confusion here. Firstly, let's consider the situation without advanced warp sensors.

The AI initiates warp gate waves against planets you control. You control a planet if you have a completed command station there. The AI can only initiate a wave against a given planet if it controls a warp gate on an adjacent planet. When the wave is initiated, a timer will start counting down, stating which planet the wave is heading for. Upon the timer reaching 0, a wave of AI ships will spawn on your planet from the wormhole that leads to the planet with the AI warp gate that initiated the wave.

Now, let's say there is more than one AI planet with a warp gate connected to you. A wave timer may start counting down, but you have no idea which AI planet initiated the wave, so you don't know which wormhole the AI ships will come through.

If you have an advanced warp sensor on the planet, the wormhole that is about to spew forth the AI ships will turn orange, letting you know where they'll come from.

Hope this helps.

[x4000]

Also, to clarify the above, warps from the AI that have a timer are slingshotted through the adjacent planet, but don't actually originate from there.  The waves come from outside the galaxy:  http://arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,2106.0.html

[JfpOne23]

Ok more good info there.

Another question:

I thought I had "Neutered" a planet by killing everything except the Command Station, then bringing in a mobile builder to create some defenses at a strategic Wormhole.  I came back a while later and a few AI ships had generated there.  A little while later, and there were over 70 ships.

I had not wanted to take this planet as it's just lousy  (the next planet in this path is Mark III and way out of my league at this point) and my focus has shifted to another portion of the map.

Is there a way to "Neuter" but keep AI ships from generating so I can basically garrison it and forget it for a while?

[Revenantus]

You can reduce the rate of reinforcement at the planet by destroying the guard posts, but the only way to prevent reinforcements to the planet entirely is to destroy both the command station and the warp gate.

[RCIX]

In that case it's more or less the opposite; you kill everything except the warp gate and the AI will not reinforce there. (The command station is really what causes reinforcement, but you want to wait to take that out as it will cause a bunch of the remaining ships to go at your planets). Leaving the warp gate allows AIs to initiate raids against that and surrounding planets (helps avoid nasty cross-planet attacks).

[Revenantus]

In that case it's more or less the opposite; you kill everything except the warp gate and the AI will not reinforce there. (The command station is really what causes reinforcement, but you want to wait to take that out as it will cause a bunch of the remaining ships to go at your planets). Leaving the warp gate allows AIs to initiate raids against that and surrounding planets (helps avoid nasty cross-planet attacks).

A warp gate alone still allows the AI to deposit reinforcements at its guard posts on the planet. Command stations have the 'Warp Gate (Reinforce Only - AI ONLY)' ability which allows for reinforcement. Warp gates have the 'Warp Gate (Full - AI ONLY)' ability which not only allows reinforcement but also the initiation of waves.

[RCIX]

That's why i specify taking out everything else. On every planet where i've *only* left the warp gate intact, they haven't received any reinforcements.

[Revenantus]

That's why i specify taking out everything else. On every planet where i've *only* left the warp gate intact, they haven't received any reinforcements.

Ah, I see.

[JfpOne23]

And built up reinforcements in my currently "Neutered" planet will eventually always attack my defenses in the system yes?

[RCIX]

Generally they'll stay guarding whatever theyre guarding unless they're attacked. So probably not.

[Revenantus]

And built up reinforcements in my currently "Neutered" planet will eventually always attack my defenses in the system yes?

Most reinforcements spawned on a planet will remain stationed at their guard posts, as RCIX says. Melee ships however, won't, and any of those that spawn will start heading towards your units. Any special forces ships that either spawn on or pass through the planet will also engage your units.

EDIT: Any starships that spawn will also attack.

[JfpOne23]

And which ships are "Melee"?