The ultimate drone R&D thread

[Argyle_Ninja]

I so want to prove you wrong on this one :D

The vertical launch tubes I've got planned for my titan could propably be made like this. Think ICBM launch silo, but with a drone rack

The construction has been on hold since Beyond Earth came out as I've spent almost all of my free time on that game instead of building the ship. I'll propably get some work done during the weekend. At the very least start on the drone silos and the swimming pool.

Aaaand I also need to build and test the drone to go with the rack, but I think I might do that after building and testing the delivery system.

That's the sort of thing I was thinking of when the 'drone canister' idea was tossed into the R&D hat earlier. Stored internally like a missile sub, maybe even hatches that flop open right before launch, they undock, and toss like 4 or 5 of those babies out the roof to -release the swarm-.

 

[Gerion]

@Loadout (I dont want to quote all that):

I have a rather small 100% rapid cannon turret ready, its first testing run against a few singe-missile fighters was promising. They are basically designed to shoot down most missiles by just trying to hit the drones without shooting the missiles their mothership fires too. They normally dont down the drones themselves (they dont do a lot of damage), but that works in their favor, as one turret stays on a drone (neutering the drones combat abilities) or two or more gang up on one drone, killing it fast.
Thats why they are currently mounted in a pack of 16 on a design I build to attack carriers (2 rapid missiles and 2 lock on missiles), possibly hitting a rack before the drones are out. This also makes this ship fit for fleet actions, which the Voidburn isnt. Downside is that once the turrets are gone, the thing dies to drones as fast as everything else.
Might also pack one or more bigger turrets on the thing.... Just to actually kill drones, you know

 

[Keptick]

@Loadout (I dont want to quote all that):

I have a rather small 100% rapid cannon turret ready, its first testing run against a few singe-missile fighters was promising. They are basically designed to shoot down most missiles by just trying to hit the drones without shooting the missiles their mothership fires too. They normally dont down the drones themselves (they dont do a lot of damage), but that works in their favor, as one turret stays on a drone (neutering the drones combat abilities) or two or more gang up on one drone, killing it fast.
Thats why they are currently mounted in a pack of 16 on a design I build to attack carriers (2 rapid missiles and 2 lock on missiles), possibly hitting a rack before the drones are out. This also makes this ship fit for fleet actions, which the Voidburn isnt. Downside is that once the turrets are gone, the thing dies to drones as fast as everything else.
Might also pack one or more bigger turrets on the thing.... Just to actually kill drones, you know

Interesting, I might try out the same concept with a drone that can actually deliver pain to the enemy drone. Something closer to an anti-drone drone than an actual assault drone.

 

[Thalanor]

If you succeed, Ill refit my drones with vertical launch :p That way, when missiles are close enough to your line of fire it is too late already.

 

[Loadout]

@Loadout (I dont want to quote all that):

I have a rather small 100% rapid cannon turret ready, its first testing run against a few singe-missile fighters was promising. They are basically designed to shoot down most missiles by just trying to hit the drones without shooting the missiles their mothership fires too. They normally dont down the drones themselves (they dont do a lot of damage), but that works in their favor, as one turret stays on a drone (neutering the drones combat abilities) or two or more gang up on one drone, killing it fast.
Thats why they are currently mounted in a pack of 16 on a design I build to attack carriers (2 rapid missiles and 2 lock on missiles), possibly hitting a rack before the drones are out. This also makes this ship fit for fleet actions, which the Voidburn isnt. Downside is that once the turrets are gone, the thing dies to drones as fast as everything else.
Might also pack one or more bigger turrets on the thing.... Just to actually kill drones, you know

Fair enough, quotes can be big and I tend to be long winded.

My idea was more to nuke the drone immediately and forget about it. Pack on about 40 turrets and let them one shot the majority of the horde. Larger turrets could then pick and choose from the rest.

Spoiler: Example

Cheap turret at 46k. Packs one hell of a wallop at 16200 alpha damage. (Missile - pulse combo) You only get one shot with this thing but it's certain doom unless there's a boat load of AMS coverage in the area of the drones. You can probably just back away from the carrier to draw the drones out of it's AMS range. Other things in it's favor;

• carries enough Energy storage for one salvo, no need to draw power from the main batteries for 90 seconds, by which time something is gonna be dead, either it or the drone. If they're sucking power from your ship then kudos! Dead drones all around.
• fits in a 7x7x7 default cube
• About the same cost as a drone so it's an even trade off.
• can be mounted en-mass without affecting the fleet unlike swarm missiles.
• predictable targeting patterns. Unlike swarms you KNOW it'll aim for the drones and NOT your allies.

If you succeed, Ill refit my drones with vertical launch :p That way, when missiles are close enough to your line of fire it is too late already.

Check my phaser flea, already has vertical launch missiles and they're easy to boot =P

 

[Gerion]

Here is a crazy thought: What if you would not need shield rechargers or power generators on your drones? You could set up an array of shield/energy supply beams to fill the drones with everything they need via the mothership, then jettison them out. It gives them a limited "lifetime" (since they will run out of energy) but would make more space for whatever you want in them.

 

[ltmauve]

Probably too limited a lifetime, unless you run a custom config with a huge base power amount. Doing that with shields would probably work though, as I don't think you would have enough shields to matter much anyway.

 

[Loadout]

@Gerion, @ltmauve

The power thing is a no go, I tried it earlier and it's not possible without some kind of power supply turret constantly tracking the drone. Having said that it's nearly impossible to pack on enough energy to sustain the drone throughout an engagement.

Shields are likewise similar to power but a bit easier, the drawback is actually that it takes up so much space on the mothership. Now if space is no issue on your titan GO FOR IT, some designs would greatly benefit from the extra space. Mine on the other-hand already run under the assumption that it'll never be big enough anyways (the shield), so I include only 1 shield recharger regardless of size. This frees up mothership space and power consumption, not to mention logic circuits or turrets. It also means should they be hit by a stray rapid cannon round, say from AMS, they will most likely recover that easily.

I did however sketch out on paper a "repair bay" for whenever repair beams eventually get plex storage to replace lost blocks. Said bay does include both shield and energy transfer beams. Mostly for compete-ness sake I suppose.

Now when you think about having a turret for each drone, that means having an additional 20+ turrets dedicated to support with no guarantee they won't target the same unit. It becomes a very costly endeavor to upkeep. Additionally if you only use the beam while they're docked every stray bump and push will drain some of that drones already very limited shield supply. Once collision damage is implemented that could potentially cost your drones severely.

To be honest I'm not sure why I even include shields to begin with. Habit maybe? one could certainly cram more power/weapons in the same required space and not really limit it's already incredibly short lifespan anyhow. Perhaps drones should not include shields and instead go pure offense?

 

[Keptick]

I made a new drone, called it the "sting" (so basically sting drones).

Here's an image besides the much larger "Soul" drone:

Here's the back:

Stats:

• Mass: 34.7
• L/H/W: 9/7/9
• 50,000 @ 6196 e/sec
• Thrust: 38.3
• Pretty instant turning
• Shields 978 @77 s/sec
• DPS: 450
• Weapon: rapid fire cannons. (100% amc slave).

This thing wins in a 1v1 VS the soul drone, despite being much smaller/lighter. Reason being that it shoots down every single missile the soul drone throws at it. This is more of a support drone than an assault drone and it excels at shooting down other drones, especially with that much dps in such a small package. All in all I'm pretty pleased since it fills up the support role it's designed for very well. It's designed to take out enemy drones and small turrets and be easy to carry on non-specialized ships, unlike the "Soul" drones which can just take down enemy ships on their own (but needs either a dedicated carrier or capital ship as transport).

@Thalanor , if the drone is too close vertical launched missiles will just orbit it :P

 

[Gerion]

@Gerion, @ltmauve

The power thing is a no go, I tried it earlier and it's not possible without some kind of power supply turret constantly tracking the drone. Having said that it's nearly impossible to pack on enough energy to sustain the drone throughout an engagement.

Shields are likewise similar to power but a bit easier, the drawback is actually that it takes up so much space on the mothership. Now if space is no issue on your titan GO FOR IT, some designs would greatly benefit from the extra space. Mine on the other-hand already run under the assumption that it'll never be big enough anyways (the shield), so I include only 1 shield recharger regardless of size. This frees up mothership space and power consumption, not to mention logic circuits or turrets. It also means should they be hit by a stray rapid cannon round, say from AMS, they will most likely recover that easily.

I did however sketch out on paper a "repair bay" for whenever repair beams eventually get plex storage to replace lost blocks. Said bay does include both shield and energy transfer beams. Mostly for compete-ness sake I suppose.

Now when you think about having a turret for each drone, that means having an additional 20+ turrets dedicated to support with no guarantee they won't target the same unit. It becomes a very costly endeavor to upkeep. Additionally if you only use the beam while they're docked every stray bump and push will drain some of that drones already very limited shield supply. Once collision damage is implemented that could potentially cost your drones severely.

To be honest I'm not sure why I even include shields to begin with. Habit maybe? one could certainly cram more power/weapons in the same required space and not really limit it's already incredibly short lifespan anyhow. Perhaps drones should not include shields and instead go pure offense?

Its kidn of sad that the default docking area cant be smaller. Because then you could just make a drone turret thats core/2 amc computers/2 amc blocks/bobby module/faction block, load that thing up with energy and throw it en masse at an enemy missile ship. Because with that configuration, 50k power lasts a long time

I subscribe to that last thought. If i look at my swarm missiles, they do more 2k damage each, with 4 or more going after the same target. So unless you can boost 9k shields, the drone wont survive me pressing this shiny button. And I have three of these shiny buttons.

Now, against little rapid fire turrets, thats something different. They do 40 damage with each shot, so a drone without shields will lose systems after few seconds of engagement just from the turret blasting away at it. There, some shields might help you out a lot.

So, in short: High-damage anti-drone weapons: Dont bother with shields. Low-damage: Do bother with shields.

 

[Loadout]

Its kidn of sad that the default docking area cant be smaller. Because then you could just make a drone turret thats core/2 amc computers/2 amc blocks/bobby module/faction block, load that thing up with energy and throw it en masse at an enemy missile ship. Because with that configuration, 50k power lasts a long time

I subscribe to that last thought. If i look at my swarm missiles, they do more 2k damage each, with 4 or more going after the same target. So unless you can boost 9k shields, the drone wont survive me pressing this shiny button. And I have three of these shiny buttons.

Now, against little rapid fire turrets, thats something different. They do 40 damage with each shot, so a drone without shields will lose systems after few seconds of engagement just from the turret blasting away at it. There, some shields might help you out a lot.

So, in short: High-damage anti-drone weapons: Dont bother with shields. Low-damage: Do bother with shields.

Agreed on the summary part. The shields only really help against those teeny cannon turrets. Something like my 16k alpha turret will just nuke the drone regardless. Seeing as how you never know what you'll be up against 100% of the time, including them is probably the safer bet.

@keptick yup. Support role is delegated to pretty much anything non-missile based while Assault role is practically pure missile based. My phaser fleas were tested against your soul drones when I was making them, the lasers also shoot down most incoming missiles but are not rapid fire so they still die. Do a crap-load of damage though, which totally cripples the soul drones capacity to fight and makes it easy pickins. You could say the soul drone both won the fight and lost the war at the same time.

This all got me thinking, and not recently but a few days ago to start actually, about drone classification.

Something like Donut's modular ship classification system but simpler and drone based. It would go something like;

• Primary weapons: Missile? = Assault / Non-Missile? = Support (totally debatable)
• Size based on docking area or mass, couldn't decide which, 4 groups, Nano drones > Small drones > Medium drones >This_is_a_drone? drones
• Simple shape names, Long = Raiders, Wide = Grenadiers, Tall = Cavaliers

This would mostly help people who are searching for specific types of drones like the Rainbow drone, which is basically the only Cavalier type example I've seen so far. Or when talking about drones you'd know that it would need a wider docking area or maybe a taller one.


Edit: Was messing around with my Phaser Flea and managed to do a few interesting things!

The new Phaser Flea mk2 boasts improved shields, more powerful missiles, AND a lower price tag.

Stats New(Old):

Specific Stats:
16.7 Mass
Length/Width/Height : 7x5x7
Power/Regen : 50k/3361.4(3079.7) ---more energy to cover the increased costs
Thrust: 14.7 : 16.7
Shield/Regen : 834(681) / 5 ---- almost +200 more!
Total Alpha (Beams): 960 every ~5 seconds.
Total Alpha (Missiles): 900 w/ 20(25) block Radius ----double the damage with Overdrive instead of explosive!
Price Tag: 29624(41399) ea.

 

[ltmauve]

Well, you can pack in docked objects closer than 7x7 if the objects themselves are smaller. Using shield supply to top off the core's shield capacity would allow you to take an extra hit or two from AMS. Use push pulse to scatter the drones, and you're all set to take down something.

 

[Loadout]

While messing around with amc's I came up with another Flea variant. Last one, I promise

The Brawler Flea
So amc - amc are the new anti-drone run of the mill around here I figured I'd give it a shot as well! The brawler flea packs the following into the usual frame size...

• Four Rapid fire AMCs they only do 1 damage each but they will fill the skies with cannon rounds intent on destroying incoming missiles.
• Two OverDrive equipped Shotguns, these are the real damage dealers, at close range they will do up to 720 damage every 3 seconds. A new record in such a short time frame for me. ^_^ Large vessels will receive truckloads of damage up to an effective range of about ~450m.

Specific Stats:

• Mass: 16.7
• Length/Width/Height: 7x5x7
• Power/Regen: 50k / 3361.4 e/sec
• Thrust 14.7
• Shield/Regen: 1340/5
• Total Alpha (Shotguns) 720* every 3 seconds. Varies based on distance and size of target, bigger the better.
• Total DPS (Rapid Cannons) 40*
• Cost: A bargain 35974 ea.

*if every shot hits

All in all this is a heavily shielded edition of the Phaser Flea with Amcs and shotguns instead of missiles and beams. It also comes in Green. In testing so far this completely shuts down soul drones 1:1 as missiles simply cannot go anywhere through the hailstorm of bullets being fired at them, it takes a while but eventually the soul drone dies out. Loss based on attrition. Hopefully these will prove to be exellent supporting units for my other Flea type units, especially the phaser flea since it's the only other one that could do basically anything with so much stuff flying about. :p

 

[Keptick]

I can't believe that you found a use for the shotgun combo

 

[Loadout]

I can't believe that you found a use for the shotgun combo

That I did, and a darn good one too. Those buggers close in on big ships and they hurt... I accidentally gave my pirates fleas. <_< not a happy day when I ran into these guys. Only about 8 of them ate through 35k shielding in a minute or two before I bothered to swat them.

For less than the cost of virtually any of my missile equipped fleas, these brawler fleas are nasty. Or nice, depending on whose side they're on...:p

Also of note, I have "finished" my Light drone carrier. After struggling to name this darn thing for almost a week now I finally came up with a name! As I live on the beach and sand fleas are common here (as well on the ship too) I decided to name it, the Dune. It's a cool enough name I think, although I did spend the last hour or so repainting it with yellow crystal.

Pics!

Spoiler

Frontish view...

Close up of the new Engine housings...

New Expanded lattice work...makes it more symmetrical than the older version.

New lattice work on the turret corridors... was tired of falling through the damn wedges :/

More drones!

So the Dune class Light Drone Carrier or LDC for short carries a total of 4 racks, for a total of 16 fleas. As opposed to the earlier 8.

Specific Stats:

• Mass: 1251.3
• Length/Width/Height: 55 x 31 x 59
• Power/Regen: 406k / 30850.8 e/sec
• Thrust 1230.8
• Shield/Regen: 58483/ 2849/sec
• Armament: One industrial strength cutting laser (Beam - AMC - no effect). Two 9x9x9 Turret Mounts. In the picture there's two 3x missile turrets, though you could use w/e you feel is useful.
• Payload: 8 Phaser Flea mk2 + 8 Brawler Fleas
• Cost: 9,923,458 ea. w/o turrets.

I'm contemplating adding additional turret slots for some AMS action, but I'm not sure atm. It wouldn't require much, I've already thought about where I would put them (vertically on the struts going upwards). It would however possibly be in the way of launching drones, although that's not entirely an issue. Also of note: my drone racks with the new phaser mk2s and brawlers are now 50k cheaper than before!:D

Edit: Next Project! getting a ship with 4096 drones on it. It'll have to be a minimum of 7168 meters long...On second thought, I'll just let @Thalanor do that one. xP

 

[Argyle_Ninja]

working on a way to add a decent/sly AMS on a strictly missile-spewing Base Star... or should I just wait for flak cannons to be integrated?

 

[Loadout]

working on a way to add a decent/sly AMS on a strictly missile-spewing Base Star... or should I just wait for flak cannons to be integrated?

I always liked the saying, "when in doubt, do more". In this instance, add anti-missile rapid missiles. They probably won't take out many missiles but the extra fire power will be Everywhere. So you won't really have to worry about drones very much... yours or the other guys'... also video...


cause yeah, basestars are awesome.

 

[Gerion]

I always liked the saying, "when in doubt, do more". In this instance, add anti-missile rapid missiles. They probably won't take out many missiles but the extra fire power will be Everywhere. So you won't really have to worry about drones very much... yours or the other guys'... also video...


cause yeah, basestars are awesome.

I have never seen missiles take down other missiles, because then the first thing i would do would be multiple 2 block swarm missiles on each ship, logic them together to shoot every 0,5 seconds and watch as no missiles will ever hit me.

Or, knowing swarm missiles, they would come out of the launcher, see eachother and go apeshit about destryoing themselves in some kind of hyper-darwinian selection duel....

 

[Loadout]

I have never seen missiles take down other missiles, because then the first thing i would do would be multiple 2 block swarm missiles on each ship, logic them together to shoot every 0,5 seconds and watch as no missiles will ever hit me.

Or, knowing swarm missiles, they would come out of the launcher, see eachother and go apeshit about destryoing themselves in some kind of hyper-darwinian selection duel....

Kind of the point though, for a missile boat to have AMS defeats the purpose entirely, shooting your own missiles = negative dps? Unless said AMS was just auto-firing missile spam everywhere. I have seen it get lucky once, which was spectacularly funny.

Spoiler: WIP Drone Cruiser...

This is my new escort cruiser for the Dune. It will carry a small contingent of drones about equal to the Dune, although probably fewer in number but perhaps larger. Whole idea is to add some additional drone power while supporting the Dune or other carriers from heavy artillery.
Lasers pictured here do approximately 80k damage with no support or effect (yet).

 

[Keptick]

Assault drones: The main attack force of carriers, these little monsters are a very real menace when in numbers.

• Favored weapon: missiles
• Strengths: Destroying enemy defences and ships
• Weakness: Rapid fire turrets or drones (mostly drones.

Support drones: Smaller than the assault drones, these are meant to provide support to the main ship by shooting down enemy assault drones and turrets.

• Favored weapon: rapid fire cannons.
• Strengths: Killing enemy assault drones, the rapid fire cannons ensure that most missiles get shot down before reaching the destination while damaging the enemy at the same time. Taking out small enemy turrets
• Weakness: Enemy turrets, defence drones.

Defense drones: These drones excel at shooting down enemy drones of any kind. They utilize long range weaponry to stay out of enemy drone range.

• Favored weapons: Long range (usually cannons) with punch-through.
• Strengths: Killing enemy enemy drones (especially support drones).
• Weakness: Assault drones if they get too close (since they can't effectively shoot the missiles down).

Speciality drones: This includes utility drones, hybrids or drones that don't damage the enemy directly.

• Favored weapon: diverse
• Strengths: Generaly mindf***ing the enemy
• Weakness: Case by case.

This is a fairly general classification, overlaps can occur. Notice the recurring "rock-paper-scissors" scenario? Defense>support>assault>defense etc... I'll have to look into a hybrid drone rack containing a balance of all three.