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Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:30 pm
by megalith
I have few questions regarding fighters..

1. Difference between fighters.
From what I see in pedia the difference is in number of fighters per hangar and shot damage per fighter type.
According to this we have following:
interceptor hangar = 4 interceptors x 1 shot damage = 4 total damage
fighter hangar = 3 fighers x 3 shot damage = 9 total damage
bomber hangar = 2 bombers x 5 shot damage = 10 total damage
Questions:
Why bother with interceptors and fighers if bombers yield most total damage?
Is there any other difference that would make interceptors and fighters prefferable to bombers?
Do fighters and interceptors attack each other according to type? (that would make sense)

2.launch bay capacity
launch bay has capacity of 2.
Interceptor hangar consist of 4 fighers.
do we need 2 launch bays per interceptor hangar to make deployment more efficient? or is it a waste of a slot?

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:41 am
by Hyperant
First question

My guess would be that since theres more craft in the air, that would mean less guns focused on your ships and more on the fighters and stuff.

Second question

It depends if there is a need to want all of your fighters to be launched on the first turn.

Take these with a grain of salt because i hardly find myself using carrier parts.

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:55 am
by EricF
Though it is not documented, Launch Bays have a capacity to launch 2 Bombers or Fighters,
but they have a capacity to launch 4 Interceptors. So one Launch Bay can launch all 4
Interceptors from a single Interceptor Hanger at the end of the first round of combat.
Some of the stock ship designs and the AI when it designs ships seem to be unaware of this.

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 3:31 am
by Dilvish
EricF wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:55 am Some of the stock ship designs and the AI when it designs ships seem to be unaware of this.
Some stock ship designs might not have gotten an update when that aspect of launch bays was changed. Please post a PR or an Issue about any specific designs you notice as needing an update. The AI *did* get a corresponding update when that change went through, so if you see the AI fielding designs that are poorly chosen, then please post an Issue about them, preferably with screenshot and a savegame.

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:23 am
by Ophiuchus
megalith wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:30 pmWhy bother with interceptors and fighers if bombers yield most total damage?
Damage depends also on the pilot ability and fighter tech level.
Interceptors are mostly cannon fodder, soaking up hits and also decimating enemy fighters.

If you factor in losses, doing only 9 damage but having 3 boats in combat is better than 10 damage and having 2 boats in combat.
Of course if your enemy's ships have exactly 10hp doing 2x5 damage is much better 3x3 damage as you only need two instead of four hits to kill the enemy.
With better tech i think the scale tips in favor of fighters, but i haven't done the math lately.
Do fighters and interceptors attack each other according to type? (that would make sense)
not yet. next release will include make those more specific.
do we need 2 launch bays per interceptor hangar to make deployment more efficient? or is it a waste of a slot?
waste of slot - 1 launch bay launches 4 interceptor per combat turn

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:37 am
by Jaumito
On top of what's been already said -

(1) Indeed, fighters will eventually outshine bombers in raw damage with tech and pilot levels. For instance, I remember that the numbers for Mu'ursh pilots with Plasma Fighters are 2*22 = 44 for bombers and 3*15 = 45 for fighters.

(2) Bomber hangars cost more than fighter ones, interceptor hangars are the cheapest. It'd be interesting to see a performance/cost analysis of hangars, depending on tech/pilot level, in chart form.

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:18 pm
by EricF
An observation. I've never seen the AI use anything but Interceptors.
Am I alone? And is there a reason for this?

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:20 pm
by Morlic
Yes, the AI considers the alternatives inferior.

Re: Understanding fighters and launch bays

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:16 am
by megalith
megalith wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:30 pm Do fighters and interceptors attack each other according to type? (that would make sense)
Ophiuchus wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:23 am not yet. next release will include make those more specific.
This acctually "solves" this thread :D