Starship Unlocks

[Vinraith]

So starships seem to have come a long way since I used to play back in 4.x and early 5.x. We've got Mk IV's and V's, and even the lower mark versions seem to pack more punch than they used to and hold up better. I must admit that back then, I generally only spent knowledge on fleetships, never starships, but these days that seems like an unwise policy. I'm wondering which starships folks think are worth spending some knowledge to unlock higher marks for. Obviously this is going to be somewhat circumstantial, but I'm just trying to get a sense of the "general consensus" of what's worth having.

For my part, my first couple of games back I've unlocked Mk II and III (and thus IV) flagships, which seem to earn their pay munitions-boosting the fleet to new levels of lethality.

[Aklyon]

Riots, Enclaves, Protector Starships. The first two are awesome, the last one I've heard is particularly useful.

[Vinraith]

Enclaves? Huh, I hadn't gotten the sense the Mk I drones were all that effective, I guess they're much better as you go up the marks?

[Aklyon]

Its not so much the usefulness on their own as much as en masse. A full cap of I/II (maybe III as well, depends on how much energy you have to spare on early starship cosntruction) gives you a nice amount of free cannon fodder that you can manipulate to attract fire and do damage as long as there is enemies to trigger the spawning if you need to save on rebuild costs, or along with MSDs producing something else for a mass of cheap ships to throw at the AI.

[Draco18s]

Most starships are a force multiplier.  They aren't that awesome on their own, but they increase the effectiveness of other units around them.

Enclaves though...enclaves are a force unto themselves sometimes.

[Bognor]

The thing about the Enclaves is that higher marks get higher mark drones in addition to the lower mark drones, plus they spawn them more frequently.  See this post for more.  They're also much cheaper than other starships.

[Toranth]

The thing about the Enclaves is that higher marks get higher mark drones in addition to the lower mark drones, plus they spawn them more frequently.  See this post for more.  They're also much cheaper than other starships.

They provide cover for real ships, and in large groups (say Mk I-IV), can actually do real damage.

They also die like flies if anything actually starts attacking them.  Used correctly, they can be a powerful support ship.  Used incorrectly, they just die, or worse - try sending them into a system with an AI Eye (especially a Nuclear Eye) and you'll regret it.

[Draco18s]

Nuclear Eye

Been there.  Done that.

[Histidine]

Protector Starships are omgawesome if you get them; they can make the fleet they're in the next best thing to invulnerable against many weapon types.

Enclaves are great as others have noted, but watch the energy cost.

[Kahuna]

Flagships cost too much Knowledge for what they do and Zenith and Spire Starships cost too little Knowledge. Plasma Siege and Heavy Bomber Starships are about right imo. Plasma Sieges are very powerful, tanky and they have a long range so they're usually the last ships to get destroyed. Heavy Bombers' cap health and dps are pretty much the same as Plasma Sieges'. They have a very short range though.. but on the other hand they're very fast so I think that makes up for that. They just need a little bit micro.

I haven't actually tried higher Marks of Enclave Starships. But I think I'd rather unlock Mark II Plasma Sieges or Heavy Bombers (which also cost 1000 Knowledge) for the extra damage (and tankyness(although they're very expensive(in terms of resources))).

The problem with Starships is that they're very expensive. They cost a lot of resources to build (and repair) and some of them cost 10K energy/Starship. So 5 Starships=1 Matter Converter=-100 metal and crystal/s.

[Draco18s]

and some of them cost 10K energy/Starship. So 5 Starships=1 Matter Converter=-100 metal and crystal/s.

Energy is cheap.  150,000 per system, for free.  Ever since that change was made I haven't had power problems except when I forget to BUILD the things.

[Aklyon]

There can be energy problems at the 1/2/3 planet stage. Not past that though, really.

[chemical_art]

I've had mixed results over time about the overall state of AI War, but as far as starships go I find them mostly good.

I can't comment about flagship, sieges, or bomber starships due to lack of use.

I consider Zenith and Spire starships about right. They are both excellent combat starships for different needs (although I go ahead and just get both).

Enclaves I liken to aircraft carriers in modern day nautical warfare. They lack the punch of similar vessels at close range, and are fragile no doubt. But they form the core of any battle-group, due to their ability to safely strike almost any target in a system (exceptions abound of course AKA eyes.) Park your battlegroup over a wormhole, and the AI will have no choice but come to you.

[Draco18s]

Enclaves I liken to aircraft carriers in modern day nautical warfare. They lack the punch of similar vessels at close range, and are fragile no doubt. But they form the core of any battle-group, due to their ability to safely strike almost any target in a system (exceptions abound of course AKA eyes.) Park your battlegroup over a wormhole, and the AI will have no choice but come to you.

They also synergize well with lightning torpedo frigates and spire blade spawners.

(And then my mind said, "Hey, what about spire maw spawners?"* and I went "ohgodwhy")

*They can swallow 1 ship, have no guns, relatively low HP, and self destruct when their swallow target dies.

[Toranth]

There can be energy problems at the 1/2/3 planet stage. Not past that though, really.

If you like fixed defenses, you can have 20 systems and still need to run 50+ Matter Converters.
You see, me and Core Turrets, we got a 'special' relationship.