Extraordinary ships as 'Galactic Wonders'

from GalCiv2 Forums
It's a common theme in science fiction for a starfaring organisation to have a single starship of enormous power. Examples include the Superdimensional Fortress Macross, either of the Death Stars, the Homeworld Mothership, the Ur-Quan Sa-Matra, the Voth city-ship, etc.

I'd like to suggest that a new tech - or series of techs - be added to the end of the hull tree, allowing a new, absurdly large hull-type to be made available. This hull would be limited to a single ship per empire. In this way, any empire dedicated to the path of hull-fu would gain access to a one-off ship to be used as a centerpiece, sledgehammer and ultimate expression of military power.

Such a ship would be many things. It'd be like the wonders that each empire can build once, it would be the 'game winning' tech for conquerors, and it would be the coolest damn thing ever. What does everyone think?
7,747 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
if only the AI can be balanced to take advantage of it...


I would assume the logistic line would have to be expanded as well. Otherwise, whoever get the tech and chunk out the ship first will simply win the game (in that case, just assume this is what happens when you get the technological victory XD)

I think it's an interesting suggestiong for an expansion pack though. Not trying to spoil the campaign, but the ship would suit the continuation of the dreadlord campaign quite well.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Why would it require more logistics to destroy? I'm not suggesting a game-destroying ubership, simply a single 'bigger than huge' hull. It's own logistics requirements would be huge, and since a pile of Tinys can already defeat a Huge, why would this not work on a Superdimensional?

Building the ship would only be possible late-game, since the hull tree is long and expensive already. It's only one ship, and poorly-configured it'd be just a vulnerable as anything else. It'd cost a pile, you wouldn't be able to escort it with much due to fleet limits, etc etc. To be honest, a cagey enemy could simply avoid the Superdimensional ship, making it a huge white elephant.

There are already game-winning techs for research and culture: they don't particularly unbalance the game, and I see no reason why a such a hull would do so.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I like that idea. However terrorstars sort of fit into your description and it seems from the developers comments that they will be added sometime in the future.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I don't think the power to destroy planets belongs in this game. The ships have such poor firepower they fire rocks as bombardment - SW-level 'melting the crust' it ain't. I feel popping planets is too much of an outlier in a game of generally much lower firepower.

But you're right, terrorstars are the sort of thing ... just so long as they're 'designable', so they can be used for more than 'pop planets'.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It would have to have a weakness against Tiny hull ships armed with a single missile launcher, though...
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Only if that Tiny hull has the greatest psionic in the galaxy flying it, and the missiles are capable of 72,000g turns. I'll take my chances.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
But even if bunch of tiny can defeat a huge, I just don't think the AI can effectively take advantage of the superdimensional.

And imagine if you put lots of engines on it.. it will be able to handpick weak tiny ships for experience till it can take on large fleet with the hp.

Anyhow, the devs can worry about the AI.. i'm all for larger hulls.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to agree that the way engines are handled is a bit strange at the moment, and I'm not convinced creating highspeed, one-weapon ship was intentional on the devs part. Oh well, I just want super-large, super-cool unique ships...