Mercenary Ships

[c4sc4]

Something I've always wondered about is how are the ship types chosen to be mercenary ships? I get having the 3 triangle ships as mercs but why have say the etherjet tractor or parasite or beam frigate or the Enclave ship? What was the reasoning behind choosing those ships specifically?

[TechSY730]

My guess is that the ether jet and the parasites were chosen because of their extremely useful properties that very few other ships have. This way, if you want to take advantage of those mechanics, but you don't want to use your first bonus ship type on it (the one you selected on the map screen) you can still do so, for a very steep premium of course.

Similar reasoning for the enclave, except it is to save on knowledge for a premium on price.

Not sure about why the beam frigate was chosen to be "merced" though. I gotta say though, Mk. IV beam frigates do indeed ROCK!

[Shrugging Khan]

A single merc enclave is something I always build right away.

[Orelius]

Aren't the merc enclaves ridiculously expensive?  I would rather spend all of those resources building my fleet ships.

Most of the time, I just destroy my merc space dock because it gets in the way and is annoying when I accidentally select it.

[Shrugging Khan]

300k isn't too much. Just pause the construction in times of economic need, and you'll have it done easily enough.

[Zhaine]

This is something I've always wondered too. Would be cool to maybe randomize it sometime in the future (or just have the option to do so for those attached to the current set up). Maybe have 1 random base game ship and 1 from each expansion active (plus the triangle ships obv). The current system seems at odds with the general philosophy of randomising everything but the triangle ships and star ships. . .

[Orelius]

I agree.  I think that there should be different mercenary ships - perhaps we could have mercenary ships for every bonus ship we have unlocked?  That would be interesting.

(Though I don't normally use merc ships anyway)

[Garthor]

A single merc enclave is something I always build right away.

I believe that that your definition of "right away" doesn't quite jive with everybody else's.

[Shrugging Khan]

Ts. Just because they think playing a game for ten hours is long. Bwah. Younglings!

[TechSY730]

Ts. Just because they think playing a game for ten hours is long. Bwah. Younglings!

Yea really. It took me 24 hours (of in game time) to take out my first AI homeworld. Of course, I am no fast player, but this sort of pacing is considered within a normal time-frame.

[Sunshine!]

What do you even use the mercenary enclave starship for?  I haven't found a use for enclave starships in general yet (except for substituting for mk4 factory, but that's expeeeeensive).

[Commiesalami]

What do you even use the mercenary enclave starship for?  I haven't found a use for enclave starships in general yet (except for substituting for mk4 factory, but that's expeeeeensive).

In-system supply of Autobombs and Younglings.  Sometimes all you need are Mk 1s

[Sunshine!]

Huh.  I should probably try that for fighter support in the absence of autobombs/younglings.  Would certainly add longevity to my raids so long as the enclave doesn't get blown up.

[Commiesalami]

Huh.  I should probably try that for fighter support in the absence of autobombs/younglings.  Would certainly add longevity to my raids so long as the enclave doesn't get blown up.

A Cloaker starship works well for that 

[superking]

mercs for noobs, why ever pay 10x normal rates for ships? what you should be doing is sending your fleetships into battle to die and be rebuilt 10x