Mod: Command Station Turret variety

[tadrinth]

So, I've been frustrated for a while that the game pushes you toward the Disruptive tech every game because all your command stations start with Pike turrets.  Then I realized I was being silly, because I can mod the command stations to have whatever turrets I want.

Well, except I can't get it working. 

It looks like rather than each command station having a fleet definition, instead, the turret definitions include an association to the command station fleets.  However, if I attempt to modify those records, I get a cascade of errors across all of the turrets which copy from the turrets I'm trying to modify.  I played around with setting is_partial_record="true" on various elements (after paring it down to JUST modifying the pike turrets on the home command station), but I couldn't get it to work. 

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<root>
   <entity name="PikeTurret" is_partial_record="true">
    <fleet_membership name="PlayerHomeCommand" ship_cap_group="Turret" weight="100" min="12" max="12" is_partial_record="true"/>
  </entity>
</root>
I was able to add turrets to the command station by copying the turret to a new entity and adding the fleet membership there, but that won't let me reduce the existing turrets.

See attachment for the mod.

[tadrinth]

Was able to get this working by copying the full entity data into the mod.  Posting it in case anyone wants to play around with it.

[tadrinth]

Oh and mantis here: https://bugtracker.arcengames.com/view.php?id=23773

[tadrinth]

Bug that was making this complicated has been fixed, so here is the latest version with the streamlined XML.

Econ gets some very basic turrets, Logistics gets a wider variety with a focus on long-range turrets, and Military gets the widest variety since they also get the most turrets.

The Heavy Beam Turret is also now Technologist rather than Splash, since there weren't any turrets of that type in the base game and as a nod to the MkIV HBC from AIWC.

[rudhek2]

Having several turrets of different types rather than multiple pike turrets sounds like a good idea.

Will there be any reason to invest in disruption tech without all those pike turrets, I wonder? Disruption seems to have fewer ships, so I usually decide whether to invest solely based on whether I'm able to quickly find a decent alternative to the starting pike turrets.

Enabling this mod seems to have exposed a game bug. Without the mod, holding 'C' while clicking on a tech line shows me how upgrading the tech will affect all my various ships and turrets. With the mod enabled, only some ships display their upgrade characteristics. I can't identify a pattern immediately.

[tadrinth]

I think Disruption is still very viable as a tech.  I'm currently playing with a modded starter fleet of V-wings, Concussion Corvettes, Pike Corvettes, and Assault Frigates, and in both of my last two games I've found tons of disruptive ships worth taking, to the point where that tech became overwhelmingly my highest priority for upgrades.

It also has some of the best ship-lines for killing big stuff.  If you don't like Dire Guardians (and I really hate Dire Guardians), Disruptive is your one-stop-shop for getting rid of them.  They universally have high energy use so Stalkers are good, and they universally have extremely high engine power so Agravics are also good.   And heaven help anything with armor with all the Pike Corvettes I seem to find.