Unleash the Droneswarm!

[Toranth]

Why would you compare it to the speed of the drone?  It's not like the drones are trying to chase down targets, and the Grav effect is supposed to help do that.

Have you tried the Kite Flier AI yet?  How about a double Kite Flier/Speed Racer AI?  Anything that slows ships, be it grav effects or engine damage are a big help with that kind of opponent.

I'm not sure whether you're suggesting it's too weak and should have the gravity effect buffed, or it's useless and should have its gravity effect removed.  I'd strongly argue against the latter.

I haven't tried Kite Flier/Speed Racer yet - and that does sound "phun" - but I played through a game against a normal Kite Flier. 
Kite Flier has some issues right now with drones in general.  For example, if they target the drones, they end up running to the max distance the drones can reach - too far away to do anything to your real ships.  I had a single Mk I enclave hold off about 100 missile frigates on one of my worlds for several minutes, because the attackers kept running away from the drones.  But if they target your other ships, then the drones get free reign to kill the 'kiters'.

And without the Speed Racer, the kiting and the Grav drones basically don't impact each other.  Right now, the Mk I Grav Drones have no impact on about 80% of units.  A Mk I or Mk II sets the max speed to faster than the Drone's speed anyway, so it still could be kited.  And if the ability isn't useful at all until Mk III, it needs to have a look taken at it.

So, I think the Grav effect should either be upped, so it has an impact, or replaced with something else (which would be sad, since I like the idea of Human-controlled Grav Drones like the AI gets).

[orzelek]

Is it only me but I have the feeling that not using neinzul enclave and new NCC is like.. making game harder for no reason. Are they really that useful?

[Toranth]

Is it only me but I have the feeling that not using neinzul enclave and new NCC is like.. making game harder for no reason. Are they really that useful?

Actually, you can pretty much replace Enclaves with Mobile Space Docks for a similar effect:  Only the fly regeneration of units.  The difference is a higher economic cost and better units vs free but weak units.

In fact, if you have 2 or more Neinzul bonus units, you should probably go with MSDs over Enclave unlocks.

[orzelek]

Is it only me but I have the feeling that not using neinzul enclave and new NCC is like.. making game harder for no reason. Are they really that useful?

Actually, you can pretty much replace Enclaves with Mobile Space Docks for a similar effect:  Only the fly regeneration of units.  The difference is a higher economic cost and better units vs free but weak units.

In fact, if you have 2 or more Neinzul bonus units, you should probably go with MSDs over Enclave unlocks.

I'm using MSD's but they require some babysitting currently - those seem to be free of that and can use both of them at once. I don't get bonus neinzuls usually - haven't tried that way of playing yet.

[Tridus]

I haven't tried Kite Flier/Speed Racer yet - and that does sound "phun" - but I played through a game against a normal Kite Flier. 
Kite Flier has some issues right now with drones in general.  For example, if they target the drones, they end up running to the max distance the drones can reach - too far away to do anything to your real ships.  I had a single Mk I enclave hold off about 100 missile frigates on one of my worlds for several minutes, because the attackers kept running away from the drones.  But if they target your other ships, then the drones get free reign to kill the 'kiters'.

And without the Speed Racer, the kiting and the Grav drones basically don't impact each other.  Right now, the Mk I Grav Drones have no impact on about 80% of units.  A Mk I or Mk II sets the max speed to faster than the Drone's speed anyway, so it still could be kited.  And if the ability isn't useful at all until Mk III, it needs to have a look taken at it.

So, I think the Grav effect should either be upped, so it has an impact, or replaced with something else (which would be sad, since I like the idea of Human-controlled Grav Drones like the AI gets).

I agree. Playing around with it, the grav drones feel like they do nothing most of the time.

[Aklyon]

Is it only me but I have the feeling that not using neinzul enclave and new NCC is like.. making game harder for no reason. Are they really that useful?

Actually, you can pretty much replace Enclaves with Mobile Space Docks for a similar effect:  Only the fly regeneration of units.  The difference is a higher economic cost and better units vs free but weak units.

In fact, if you have 2 or more Neinzul bonus units, you should probably go with MSDs over Enclave unlocks.

I'm using MSD's but they require some babysitting currently - those seem to be free of that and can use both of them at once. I don't get bonus neinzuls usually - haven't tried that way of playing yet.

MSDs require some babysitting perhaps (and some metal certainly), but they're on demand ships, regardless of any enemy (or lack of). Enclaves and NCCs will not spawn drones if theres no enemy to fight, but if everything is dead they'll shoot at, you can manually direct the drones if they're still alive with no target to shoot things anyway. Like command stations

Also, if you're extremely close to the border between energy low and no-FFs level of energy brownout, enclaves aren't the best thing, since the drones will borrow some energy while they're alive.

[ZaneWolfe]

So far the only 2 things I've seen grav drones be even remotely useful against have been AI SBSs and TDLs. And even then only using MKIII NCCs. I feel the that Max Speed should either start at 60 and go down from there, or be replaced with something else, like a stunning shot similar to gravity rippers. Because baring MKIII, or if you're lucky and have MKIV or MKV, gravity drones have zero practical effect save for some added DPS.

[Tridus]

Reclamation drones!

[ZaneWolfe]

Reclamation drones!

No... ZOBIFICATION DRONES!!! MICRO BOTNETS!!!

[Tridus]

Reclamation drones!

No... ZOBIFICATION DRONES!!! MICRO BOTNETS!!!

That might be too powerful.

[Aklyon]

Reclamation drones!

No... ZOBIFICATION DRONES!!! MICRO BOTNETS!!!

That might be too powerful.

Well, considering the other mini-botnet is the neinzul champ with insanity inducers...it kinda fits.

[Toranth]

So far the only 2 things I've seen grav drones be even remotely useful against have been AI SBSs and TDLs. And even then only using MKIII NCCs. I feel the that Max Speed should either start at 60 and go down from there, or be replaced with something else, like a stunning shot similar to gravity rippers. Because baring MKIII, or if you're lucky and have MKIV or MKV, gravity drones have zero practical effect save for some added DPS.

Well, with the new change to fix the max at 60 for all Marks, it's good enough to have a noticeable effect.  66% of units move faster than that by default, so it's effective against most units.  And 60 is a slow enough speed that it can give your Enclaves a little more time to get away (before the pursuers catch up).
The interesting part is the radius change.  1000 x Mk is small - small enough that Mk I drones will only have any effect on those AI units in the midst of the swarm, but that seems right.  Mk V drones have a 5000 radius at 60 speed.  That's twice the speed cap, but the same radius of the Mk I Grav Turret.  A slightly better speed but half the range (40% area) of the Mk I Spire Gravity Drain.  A good in-the-middle fit.