Redirecting Astro Trains is supposed to be a thing. It isn't.

[Kahuna]

Redirecting Astro Trains isn't a realistic option because there are so many Trains Station. The player would have to raid half of the galaxy in order to change anything.

Astro Trains should have a logic that makes them go to a next Train Station within 2 hops.. not on other side of the galaxy. If that was the case the amount of raiding I've done here would be enough. 2 or 3 hops.. or something like that. If some of the Trains get "stuck" because the player destroyed a Train Station so that there are no Train Stations within x hops the AI would redeploy the Trains to a random Train Station.




Please do correct me if I'm wrong.

[Draco18s]

Playing on a lower intensity just reduces how many stations there are (the number of trains stays about the same, but their "types" get "nicer").

So that's not really a solution: it just makes finding the four gates that do exist harder.

[NickAragua]

Would like to voice support for Kahuna's idea.

Last game I played, astro trains definitely were a pain. No matter how many stations I blew up, they'd still come traipsing through my systems. It's even more of an issue if you have territory in the middle of a map. So, I'd support some kind of 'trains will favor going to stations within [number that scales with intensity] hops' solution. If there are no train stations within X hops, then they'll head for the next closest station.

This way, you could clean out neighboring systems (paying the modest AIP cost) to ensure that trains don't keep dropping by your systems on their way to the other side of the galaxy. Of course, if you choose to crank up the intensity to 10 or you territory looks like a snake and crosses the middle of the map, they'll still drop by, but, at that point, it's your fault.

[tadrinth]

If that's added, the Train Master type should increase the number of hops for more !!fun!!.

This change could increase the rate of cargo train deliveries, or make those deliveries more difficult to stop. 

[Cyborg]

Trains would be even more interesting if there was a trade-off between good trains and bad trains, or trains that have both bonuses and penalties. Then constructing a train system across the galaxy would become an interesting game within the game.

[Toranth]

Trains would be even more interesting if there was a trade-off between good trains and bad trains, or trains that have both bonuses and penalties. Then constructing a train system across the galaxy would become an interesting game within the game.

If Trains Stations were capturable, and you could build your own trains?  Resource Trains that generate metal as they move around, or combat trains, or booster trains... That would be awesome, indeed.  Even if it was just the Human Train Network vs the AI Train Network instead of some intermixed system.

[Cyborg]

Trains would be even more interesting if there was a trade-off between good trains and bad trains, or trains that have both bonuses and penalties. Then constructing a train system across the galaxy would become an interesting game within the game.

If Trains Stations were capturable, and you could build your own trains?  Resource Trains that generate metal as they move around, or combat trains, or booster trains... That would be awesome, indeed.  Even if it was just the Human Train Network vs the AI Train Network instead of some intermixed system.

There are so many awesome ideas and opportunities for trains in this game, it's shocking that it hasn't happened yet. Must be something difficult about it that we don't know.

[Kahuna]

Also Warp Jammer Command Station could block Astro Trains.

[Nodor]

Also Warp Jammer Command Station could block Astro Trains.

That would be sexy.   I'd prefer logistics stations myself however.

[Kahuna]

In my opinion Astro Trains should be much more combat oriented than they are at the moment.

At the moment they're just grievously annoying AI support ships that don't anything besides are a pain in the ass. There should combat oriented Astro Trains that are simply meant to do damage and patrol between the Train Stations. "Golem on rails" kind of Astro Trains. Or the old Astro Trains in steroids.

Less crowd control and more damage.

Astro Trains could be "AI's version of turrets".
Or AI's counter to turrets and fortified positions in general.

[Toranth]

In my opinion Astro Trains should be much more combat oriented than they are at the moment.

I agree that Astro Trains as is just isn't much fun.  But I think turning them into pure combat units is worse.  The AI already has enough combat units:  Everything the Human has, plus Guardians and Hybrids.

- I think instead that Astro Trains should become less combat and more economy/support.  I think train stations should be capturable, for the possibility of Humans producing their own trains.  When active, I'd like to see the trains incorporated into other AI behaviors, like reinforcement trains or wave-charge trains.  Kill the reinforcement train, prevent the AI from reinforcing a planet.
- I'd like to see train routes more restricted, and visible, like real rails.
- I'd like the see the AI coordinate more with trains.  Give them escorts, have the non-combat ones avoid human territory while combat trains lead a charge of Threatfleet into human defenses.

But right now, they're less "Golem on Rails" and more "Destructible Devourer Golem that Eats fleets and craps AI SuperForts".

[Kahuna]

Yeah something like that would be good too.

But right now, they're [...] "Destructible Devourer Golem that Eats fleets and craps AI SuperForts".

Yes pretty much. Except the Astro Trains that have 4 million health can aren't auto targeted by turrets. They're not destructible.
Tractor, Widow, Cargo, Tachyon and all jammer (including the supply one) Astro Trains can foff imo. Or perhaps they wouldn't be as annoying if it was actually possible to redirect them.