Threat Management and AI Co-Processors

[SenorPez]

Two somewhat related topics:

As I've matured in my understanding of the game and its mechanics, I've come to realize that one of the reasons I was getting ROFLstomped in the late stages of previous attempts wasn't necessarily due to high AIP (despite it being higher than it "should" have been), but due to the buildup of threat throughout the galaxy. When a CPA or wave would happen, that threat would suddenly add itself to the attacks in progress, leading to a failure cascade that would overwhelm my defenses.

I understand now that it's worth pursuing, from time to time, threat management: Dropping a fleet into a high-threat system and letting it wipe out the active (and, in most cases, the inactive) ships. There's also the option, if the threat is dangerous enough, to just pull defense forces out of a system, baiting the threat to attack and then destroying it that way.

My question, then, deals with AI Co Processors: Strikes to kill all four (especially in my current game) would generate a significant amount of threat, as enemy ships "awake" because of the strikeforce. Am I missing something, or am I correct in thinking that the net result of hitting the CoProcs (net -40 AIP, less return-on-destruction per target than a Data Center) is probably not worth the threat generated? Only one of the CoProcs supply blocks something important, and at this point of the game, that Fabricator isn't worth it, either.

Since one doesn't typically locate all 4 Co-Processors until late in the game, are they a popular target? Or am I missing something about them that would make them juicier?

[Minotaar]

If you can hit all four, it will definitely be worth the threat. The AIP reduction will have influence on the whole game from that point, meaning less reinforcements, smaller waves and CPAs, less frequent exowaves (if you are dealing with that), whereas you only have to deal with the ships you release once. You do have to be careful, of course, but just having scout pickets around should make it all easy enough to clean up. Anything that reduces AIP is priceless, and if you have a galaxy with accessible CoPs that don't interfere with you, then that's great. Usually one of those things is not present, though 
Before you can get to all of them, though, you'd really have to make sure the planet you're getting is worth the double AIP.

[Hearteater]

A downside to CoPs is that total AIP gained (excluding any reductions) causes additional ship type unlocks.  Specifically at 200 AIP.  So killing all 4 goes a long way toward giving both AIs another ship type.  This can be minor, or major, depending on what it gets.  It isn't all that bad in the base game (although teleporters can be rough), but with the expansions turned on they can sometimes get something pretty nasty.

[Wanderer]

Two somewhat related topics:

As I've matured in my understanding of the game and its mechanics, I've come to realize that one of the reasons I was getting ROFLstomped in the late stages of previous attempts wasn't necessarily due to high AIP (despite it being higher than it "should" have been), but due to the buildup of threat throughout the galaxy. When a CPA or wave would happen, that threat would suddenly add itself to the attacks in progress, leading to a failure cascade that would overwhelm my defenses.

I understand now that it's worth pursuing, from time to time, threat management: Dropping a fleet into a high-threat system and letting it wipe out the active (and, in most cases, the inactive) ships. There's also the option, if the threat is dangerous enough, to just pull defense forces out of a system, baiting the threat to attack and then destroying it that way.

Excellent.  I would say 1/3 to 1/2 of my games is threat management.  Of course, usually I'm the threat...

My question, then, deals with AI Co Processors: Strikes to kill all four (especially in my current game) would generate a significant amount of threat, as enemy ships "awake" because of the strikeforce. Am I missing something, or am I correct in thinking that the net result of hitting the CoProcs (net -40 AIP, less return-on-destruction per target than a Data Center) is probably not worth the threat generated? Only one of the CoProcs supply blocks something important, and at this point of the game, that Fabricator isn't worth it, either.

Since one doesn't typically locate all 4 Co-Processors until late in the game, are they a popular target? Or am I missing something about them that would make them juicier?

They are a popular target for me, even with the floor increase of the AIP.  They're usually my last 'drop' in AIP I can get before tackling the homeworlds after I've CSG hunted.   Partially this is because I have to find all of 'em, and partially because until then raising the floor is counter-productive as I play VERY low AIP games for the majority of the gameplay.

But no, you're not missing anything about them.  They're painful in supply blocks and otherwise are just in the way until you can get all four.  They're pretty straightforward.

[barryvm]

My current strategy is to send in my fleet  to clear a path to each  planet containing a CP's (killing all guards AND tachyon guardians) and destroying all guardposts on the CP planet itself.
I then leave a small cloacked strikeforce on each CP planet itself and when I'm done I order them to kill the CP's nearly simultaneously, avoiding the risk of AIP raising too high.
Since there will be very little guards on the planet itself there is not much thread being released and after my strikeforce cloaks again.
Usually a single armored golem is enough to break through the guards as the planets won't typically be on alert.

On my first try I destroyed all guardposts on all planets en route but this proved to be a bad idea due to the higher Mk ships getting released in the next CPA and such.

It's a fair bit of work but it pays off in the end. (or I lose patience halfway and decide to go on an all out killing spree aganst the CP's with my entire fleet  )

[Bognor]

am I correct in thinking that the net result of hitting the CoProcs (net -40 AIP, less return-on-destruction per target than a Data Center) is probably not worth the threat generated?

The first three Co-processors each increase AI Progress by 20 when destroyed, and the last one reduces it by 120.  So the net benefit is an AIP reduction of 60.