Force Field size

[tadrinth]

Does anyone else find it really annoying to have to redo their defenses whenever they unlock a higher mark forcefield?  I usually build the needler/laser/etc turrets just in front of the forcefield and the sniper turrets just behind.  When I try to place a higher mark of forcefield, the higher mark covers a larger area and so all the turrets are now covered and do -75% damage, so I have to move them.  That's expensive in terms of metal if I have a pile of Core Turrets, and takes a lot of time if you place them carefully to maximize density (like if you're trying to pack them under a mod fort's shield modules). 

I know it would be a big change, but I'd rather standardize the force field size, at least for the force fields available to humans.

[Qatu]

Fully agreed. Personally I wish there was no force field that reduced damage from protected units.

[Draco18s]

I also agree.  I'm ok with "stationary" forcefields doing the damage reduction, but I'd like them to be of a fixed size.

[Hearteater]

Aren't some turrets not affected by Force Fields as bad, or did that change? It used to be I think Flak and something else.

[Draco18s]

Aren't some turrets not affected by Force Fields as bad, or did that change? It used to be I think Flak and something else.

Flak.  And they get a 25% hit rather than the typical 75% hit.

And it's because their range is so abysmal.

[Aklyon]

Aren't some turrets not affected by Force Fields as bad, or did that change? It used to be I think Flak and something else.

Flak.  And they get a 25% hit rather than the typical 75% hit.

And it's because their range is so abysmal.

Also lightning turrets.

[death2cupbots]

I'd rather have standardized force field sizes than no damage reduction, as that would make flak turrets fairly redundant imo. I'm kind of curious what advantages people get out of having variable force field sizes. I'm not an advanced player myself, but I'm sure someone could probably provide an example of a strat that is only possible because of the wider force fields.

[tadrinth]

I'm also curious if any of the advanced players see particular utility for the really big force fields. I usually find the larger size to feel like a disadvantage since it gives me less room to pack turrets in between the command station FF and the forward turret blob FF.

I mostly unlock force fields to either cover more irreplaceables or to cover important stuff with a bigger HP buffer. 

Given that there seems to be some support for standardizing the size, what size would people prefer?  Right now the MkII is juuuust a bit bigger than the starting Home Force Field, the Mark I is way smaller and the Mark II is way bigger.

I like the Mark II size for most things, but the Mark I is nicely sized for covering Tractor Turrets; if you put a MkII FF next to a MkI tractor turret, I don't think the turret can actually hit things that run into the forcefield until the field takes a fair bit of damage and shrinks. 

So, I would either:
1) standardize on the MkI FF's size
2) standardize on the larger MkII FF size and increase the range on tractor turrets so that their range is slightly larger than the standard FF radius. 

[Qatu]

MK3 super size is useful for:
- using spirecrafts to cover the attritioners and imploders (they are really HUGE and dont seem to suffer force field damage penalties)
- covering a base from different angles so force fields become repairable at ~30%
- making a death trap, placing them so they form a wedge in which waves (including exos) fall to maximize aoe and to avoid enemies rolling off force fields to behind the base

[Kahuna]

- making a death trap, placing them so they form a wedge in which waves (including exos) fall to maximize aoe and to avoid enemies rolling off force fields to behind the base

QTF

[tadrinth]

Using them to cover attritioners and imploders makes sense, they are kind of ridiculously huge for something that should obviously go under a forcefield if possible.  Maybe the standard should be between the Mark II and III size? I think that would give enough coverage, though you might need a couple of fields spread out slightly. 

Spreading out your forcefields so that they become repairable at low health in the middle of combat sounds kind of unintended anyway, so I'm not too worried about that.

I've made death traps with just MkII forcefields, is it that much more effective with the larger size of a Mark III?

[Kahuna]

I've made death traps with just MkII forcefields, is it that much more effective with the larger size of a Mark III?

Of course. Mark III's are tougher and bigger.

[Kahuna]

Maybe the standard should be between the Mark II and III size? I think that would give enough coverage, though you might need a couple of fields spread out slightly

Mark II Force Fieldsactually out range Mark I Tractors.
Also. Mark I Force Fields don't have much health so the area they cover would decrease very rapidly.

[Kahuna]

Zombards can be countered by placing 1 Force Field on top of non radar dampening turrets.  Place radar dampening turrets in front of the Force Field. Force Fields are immune to Zombards ammo type so Zombard will go afyer the radar dampening turrets and die. When the Zombards are in range or when there are no Zombards you can manually disable the Force Field to maximize DPS.

In this situation Force Field size matters a lot. Smaller Force Fields are better. Mark I sized FF can cover hundreds of turrets. And when you place the radar dampening turrets in front of the FF.. they would be too far away from the Command Station and other turrets. Because Neezler Turrets have shortest range of all turrets.. and the Needler Turrets in the front should be placed so they also slightly cover the back side of the Force Field covering the Command Station.

Edit: Actually this tactic works against all ships. The FF on top of the turrets can absorb alpha strikes and increase the turrets' life time in general. You can also build additional Tractor Turrets under that FF.

[Kahuna]

I forgot to mention this one:
Sometimes I like to park my fleet under a Force Field next to the Command Station and behind Turrets. This works especially well if I'm using Munitions Boosters. I just park my fleet under the Force Field and let the AI wave/whatever come at me. Even though my fleet is at least partially under the Force Field my fleet will still deal decent while being protected by the Force Field. It also makes microing much easier. I can go for a short attacks to push the AI ships back or to snipe an important target and then get back under the Force Field to safety. I use this tactic late game when the waves get big.