Diminishing returns for sensors?

from GalCiv2 Forums

I've been making sensor ships to serve as a kind of advance warning line.  I take cargo hulls, add a couple of slow engines so the ship can get into position, and then fill the rest with sensor arrays (as Terrans.)  I can put a line of these ships around my empire and have a good idea what is coming.

The problem is that as I reach the endgame, I'm not seeing any extension of my sensor range as I pack more and more sensors on.  My first generation had a sensor rating of 21, then next 37, and now my final has 54.  But the area of the map they illuminate does not seem to have changed.  Their sensor diameter seems to be about two squares worth (parsecs? quadrants?  Don't remember the term)

My question is whether the sensors have a limit beyond which they cannot go--in which case I should build a larger number of smaller sensor ships, or whether the map is just screwing up the display of what they are sensing.

strategies
14,818 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, there's a hard cap on sensor range.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Thanks.  So I tested it out and made ships with 11, 13, 15, 17, and more sensor rating.

It appears to me that there is no benefit to having more than a 15 sensor rating.  Neither the 17 nor the 37 nor the 54 was any better than the 15.  That will definitely change my strategy a bit.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Well my question is why I never played a game where I could not see the enemy coming my problem is ignoring the enemy for a more important reason like colonizing. I usually put only one sensor on a survey ship instead of scout ships I do this to get more colony ships out there. I have made survey ships that will survey or explore the whole map so this is not an issue of range so can U explain the logic of this

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting michaelwhittaker, reply 3
I have made survey ships that will survey or explore the whole map so this is not an issue of range so can U explain the logic of this

Unless you have the Eye of the Universe GA, you can't see where the enemy ships are under the Fog of War. You need sensor ships in order to found out where the enemy ships are.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Gaunathor, reply 4

Unless you have the Eye of the Universe GA, you can't see where the enemy ships are under the Fog of War. You need sensor ships in order to found out where the enemy ships are.

 

I realised that u did not ask that question, but I still don't understand this stradegy. Is this because he's not using any defense this would be hard to understand if u r only playing the Yor. First of all the Ai declares war, and then spend a very long time building up a fleet. This baffles me why the Ai doesn't build up first before he declares war. But if u properly laying out a defenxe he will have to go near something important this should be properly defended planets r a good way to find ships. Krnnrthpeter will probably be the one to have to explain this stradegy though I just don't bothering to waste my time on scout ships Survey ships r better

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting michaelwhittaker, reply 5
I realised that u did not ask that question, but I still don't understand this stradegy.

Parking a lot of ships in orbit of your planets, in order to defend them, is a waste of money. It's better to use a handful of small fleets to destroy any incoming transporters, and use the main fleet to attack the enemy. For this to work, however, you need to know where the enemy ships are, and where they are heading. If you don't have Eye of the Universe, sensor ships are the best way to do this.

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Gaunathor, reply 6


Parking a lot of ships in orbit of your planets, in order to defend them, is a waste of money. It's better to use a handful of small fleets to destroy any incoming transporters, and use the main fleet to attack the enemy. For this to work, however, you need to know where the enemy ships are, and where they are heading. If you don't have Eye of the Universe, sensor ships are the best way to do this.

Actually there not sensor ships there warships but not a lot 1 per planet unless this is what u mean. I may try sensor ships instead is this in conjunction with a defense fleet or instead of a defense fleet or is this so u can field a small defense fleet.

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting Gaunathor, reply 6
Parking a lot of ships in orbit of your planets, in order to defend them, is a waste of money

  You only need 1 ship on each planet,  and you get more respect ("our military strength+") in your diplomatic relations,  more so with civ-wide attack and defence bonuses for orbiting ships.

  I play at crippling difficulty,  where AI transports have engines and weapons (up to 14 speed and a few hundred attack).  I used to have space miners with sensors and about 2/1 attack/defence and engines to look-out and intercept transports when they finished mining.