How can I auto target astro trains?

[Draco18s]

I've found that the only winning move is to not play with Astro Trains.

+1

[TechSY730]

I actually like the current astro trains overall, even though the current implementations definitely has some rough spots.
I would reccomend keeping the intensity low to avoid the worst of it (but not too low, or else you run the risk of triggering some anomolous seeding behavior and cargo train interactions as mentioned by Draco18s that the current implementation has)

I'm currently playing with astro trains 3 on one AI player and I feel that the dynamic it brings is worth the somewhat rough spots of the current implementation.

Again, that's just me.

[Draco18s]

Now that I think about it, the problem with AstroTrains on a low intensity is that the intensity doesn't effect how often Trains spawn, but does reduce how many stations are seeded.

While this makes it easy to remove them from the game, they are so spread out (or at least, far from your worlds, but potentially close to each other) that the trains will almost NEVER cross your territory.

[chemical_art]

I find astro trains a great example of how !fun! /=/ fun

[TechSY730]

I find astro trains a great example of how !fun! /=/ fun

Yes. !fun! for the sake of !fun! is not necessarily fun. However, it can be an important component of certain kinds of actual fun. But just spreading !fun! around willy nilly is far more likely to frustrate rather than be fun. Only well designed !fun! has any good chance of being fun. (Wow, that was a silly sounding paragraph)

I think the current "idea" for the astro trains is sound, but there are several warts in the current implementation pushing it to the edge of the "good !fun!" (fun !fun!) and "bad !fun!" line. (Which side of it depends on personal tastes, like I find it on the "good !fun!" side, and many others find it on the "bad !fun!" side), but not so much towards "bad !fun!" that the idea is unsound. I think many of us see the potential. But unfortunate, the timing of the change came at a time where dev attention sort of had to be focused elsewhere, delaying the "polishing" this new astro train mechanic needs. (similar to the new OMDs). However, I think with polish, this new astro trains can most certainly be "good, fun !fun!".

[TIE Viper]

Just out of curiosity, what polishing do you think needs to be done to the new OMD?

[chemical_art]

Just out of curiosity, what polishing do you think needs to be done to the new OMD?

Less damage.

How much so is up to debate.

[TechSY730]

Just out of curiosity, what polishing do you think needs to be done to the new OMD?

Less damage.

How much so is up to debate.

Yea, basically they have the attack power of a Mk. III anti-arachnid post, but combined with a much better range and an only somewhat low chance to spawn (as opposed to quite low like Mk. III forts and counter-spies and munition boosters and the like) sort of pushes them into OP territory.

At least one of those things (damage, range, or chance to spawn) needs to go down.

As chemical_art points out which stat or stats need to go down, and by how much is up for debate.

(Also, I still think the new guard posts could use a slight bit of a vs. bonus nerf, and the anti-arachnid guard post needs a bit of a nerf as well, but probably not as critically, as most of the guard posts can at least be avoided until you are ready for them)

[TIE Viper]

Has the spawn rate for OMD's changed and the spawn rate for counter spies and super forts, etc. become less frequent?  Aren't the only places you see them any more than normal are core worlds and their borders, or the Peacemaker AI?  Besides, if you are starting to dig into core border worlds, you should have sufficient strength to deal with the OMD.  They seem somewhat small in the threat department compared to the threat of the strategic reserve, at least for me.