Well, you can basically do that now. Just add a lower level weapon of a 2nd type.

5th level Missile + 2nd level Beam

Hum, if this is true, than it might be less of a change and more of a UI factor of making sure users know/see that.

I've run the battle simulator Brad posted about and I've played with AI's on max CPU and came to the same conclusion. Go 100% weapons because unless your defenses have a massive tech advantage over their weapons, the game heavily favors weapons. The AI's on maximum difficulty go 100% weapons also.

Hi!

Umm, in DA and TotA not totally. The way combat works in those two versions of the game makes off-type defenses quite usefull, esp. in early and mid game. Check wiki for more: Ship combat.

BR, Iztok

Also looking at the combat simulator it looks like being the attacker gives a substantial bonus to success. I play neutral alignment so I suppose it is more optimum for me to play 50% attack, 50% defense then? The AI's that I was fighting with were evil alignment so would explain their 100% offense preference. Still evil should have some defense, I mean good still needs some weapons.

Go up a couple of levels, and you'll find AIs with different weapon types, not all the same one, giving you a more difficult choice of weapon/defence mix.

On Crippling I am finding three types out there, 2 or 3 AIs with (say) missiles, 5 or 6 with (say) Drivers, and (usually) the Drengin or Yor using a third (say) Beam weapons.

That mix can produce a problem at times re weapon/defence balance of a completely different kind than if they all had the same weapon/shield type.

Its much rarer, but does happen on a significant number of games, that the AI does start to switch weapon/shield types reacting to mine. It does tend be when I've been a bit slow getting round to clobbering them - not as a routine event - and they have had time to build up, but it does happen.

Regards
Zy

I haven't run a "simulator" but over many games I've come to the conclusion that a defense focus is a cheaper and more efficient use of resources. As part of defense, I include shields, armor, point, passive hull upgrades, and ship components that add hit points. Playing on masochistic, I can usually ward off MUCH superior offensive fleets with minimal weapons and huge, cheap defenses. For this strategy, the Iconians are particularly well-suited with their cheap hull upgrades and "self-healing" ability.

I should add that I always play with tech trading/stealing OFF.

This strategy works particularly well for the good ethical alignment, which gets those powerful added defensive measures, like "telepathic defense" and "subspace rebounder".

A case in point: The mega event, when (Woe to all) the Dread Lords arrive in the universe. Those guys have end-game beam weaponry, and massive damage per ship. They never mount defenses, though, and have very low HP. I've never had much trouble dealing with them with max shield defenses and even mid-level weapons. The AI usually gets creamed by their roving destroyers.

PS
Fleet battles last a very long time with this strat; just hit "done"