I posted this question in a previous thread, but it was tangential and I didn't want to bump an older thread up. So, I'm re-asking in a dedicated thread.
Am I wrong for getting the impression that the flagship you start with and the standard Transport variety you find around the galaxy are inferior to the ones you can build?
Assuming I start with a single Transport Flagship, I get 3-4 ship lines on that flagship depending on the starting fleet I chose. I do not have empty slots, however, and must use an ARS to add a slot to add more ship lines to the fleet. Upon getting a second fleet, the same is true; i only have a handfull of slots, already populated with ship lines.
So, I then have 2 fleets with 3-4 ship lines each. Meanwhile, If I started the game by building a custom transport flagship, moving over all of my starting ships to the custom flagship, and self-destructing the starting one... my starting fleet now has empty slots. When I find a second fleet, transfer over the useful ships and the first fleet is now at max ship lines. Any leftover ship lines that wouldn't fit in my first fleet can be held onto and put into defensive locations.
So, now i send the 1 max-ship-lines fleet into combat and get 200% XP. Otherwise, I'd send in both fleets and only get 150% each.
Point is, I don't know why the flagships I find in the galaxy wouldn't just have the empty slots. If there's something that makes them special and counterbalances the lack of free, empty slots, I don't know what it is. They seem to just be scrap once I've transferred the ships out to my custom fleets which start at 7 possible ship lines. The ones in the galaxy cannot accommodate as many ship lines until I've taken them around and hacked a few ARS first.
Possible changes? Again, I'm not sure if this is intentional or an oversight, but here's some suggestions to maybe bring things in line:
- Give the Transport Flagships the same free slots to start with. This eliminates the seemingly obligatory building of a custom flagship and transferring over your starting ships at the beginning of the game
- Or, instead, add ship lines with flagship level. XP doesn't really do much at the moment, but I like the concept of fleets gaining veteran statuses as they are used. More advanced flagships can support more advanced networks of ships in operation. Maybe have an ARS require the hacking fleet to have a free slot, and your starting flagship begins at Mk. II so it has a free slot to take advantage of your first ARS right off the bat?
- Give the flagships you find, even the basic transport ones, some unique abilities or characteristics to set them apart. Even if it's just something simple like some speed boosts, a shield generator on the flagship, simple repairs, anything to make them stand out.
Again, if I'm overlooking something, let me know. But as it stands, the Transport Flagships I find floating around are scrap metal after I've moved their ship lines to my other custom fleets.
