This thread is to polish out a complete set of changes to achive this goal.
I suggested:
- Add an early policy to increase planetary stealth, to counter Active Scanning (Subterranean Something or No Surface Activity: +stealth and some or all of -supply, -infrastructure and -population).
- Add an early policy for ships' stealth (Silent Running: -speed, +stealth), and maybe add to that same policy -supply and +stockpile or leave that for Isolation policy.
- Add an early part for situational stealth (the hide-in-GG part based on LienRag's idea, with some changes that he doesn't like) to help with early game hidden expansion and hidden skirmishers.
- Optionally, detach planetary stealth from detection techs and adjust costs, so that it is not always cheaper to detect than to hide.
Ophiuchus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:55 am I would add
- ship stealth malus in the turn after battle
- maybe extra stealth for isolation policy? (and maybe half or two-thirds of the distance)
- nerf lighthouse as planetary stealth breaker in some way (not sure besides
also what needs to have a closer look: as we now have gradual stealth - what happens if detection equals stealth (we could make that clearer if e.g. detection is always uneven and stealth is always even).
optional extra content:
- stealthed natives
- maybe extra challenges with higher detection (e.g. spawning obstructive guardians as soon as being detected)
from all those suggestion only some address the defensive stealth issue: the planetary stealth policy, the tech tree change, extra planetary stealth via isolation, lighthouse nerf
In the following days I'll reply here with a proposal with current and suggested stealth techs, policies and parts.
Related threads:
New species trait: ship stealth: either that or unlocking the first stealth part tech, that only affects early game.
Stealth mechanics proposal: this changes stealth mechanics in several ways and needs backend changes. Not for 0.5. But some of its ideas can be used already, in conjuction with policies, if only FOCS changes are needed. It comes to my mind a ship stealth bonus from passive fleet setting, which relates to the suggested Silent Running military policy.
Three shdes of stealth: also probably not for 0.5, near the end of the list.
Older threads for reference:
Stealth Fundamentals
Stealth as a combat strategy / mechanic