A possible systematic approach to balancing the fleet ship types

[Wingflier]

I meant hull types, thanks for the info!

[shugyosha]

An interesting approach which could be achieved by a little program maybe would be timepoints:

The premise is that you simulate combat 1vs1 every unit against every other and measure only the time an unit needs to kill another unit which doesn't shoot back. The time a unit needs to kill all other units on 1vs1 is how bad it is. The number of remaining hull points in a real fight don't matter as they are included less directly in the opposing unit kill times. The kill time against triangle ships is weighted much more than against other ships.

You then get a list which compares the total time against each other. Far from perfect I know but it incorporates the density of ships with different hull types which will most likely not be in a formula.

[Suzera]

Do it with a ship cap of appropriate mark triangles in the mix for both sides would be a better sim. Simming a ship cap of MRLS 1 vs a ship cap of Tachyon Microfighters doesn't tell you as much as a ship cap of  mk 1 triangles + ship cap of MRLS vs a ship cap of mk 1 triangles + a ship cap of microfighter mk1s. That is still very very rough though, and actually trying it in game with omega devices and stuff to rush the economy section of the game to test the combat by itself is even better.