Most Powerful ship is Surveyer

I will get complete stats later and repost, but at about midway through my game, the surveyor was being attacked but no damage, infact it destroyed enemy battleship. Eventually my surveyor was so tough that I could take it around destroying fully developed space stations and dreadnaughts. My own dreadnaughts couldn't destroy a spacestation without taking significant damage, but the surveyor...maybe 20 hp of damage of 160 total hps. Now everytime I play a game, I have 2 surveyors running around collecting. Almost like enterprise now...hence the shape?
544 views 13 replies
Reply #1 Top
This can get even more dramatic if you have a significant number of military resources under your control (which I'm guessing from the stats in your post that you very well may have). I usually only have my original to work with but I probably should consider at some point building a second or even third, once the construction becomes more trivial. I usually play gigantic galaxies and the number of anomalies probably warrants more than one surveyor.
Reply #2 Top
I've always thought the surveyors were the best ships, unless you stumble on an early Ranger. I like to build a second as well otherwise, and just let them auto-survey and pump themselves up...only pulling them out for emergency wars.
Reply #3 Top
Yep, that is a right handy ship. My usual tactic is to let the original one pump up and wait for Starhawk tech. Then build the newer class and let it pump up.
Reply #4 Top
I started with +30 weapons, +20 defence and war party. I own two military resources. The USS Victory is currently 42 attack, 75 defence, 200+ hit points. :)
Reply #5 Top
They are even great the second you find a weapons upgrade. I hamstringed an opponent by sitting at his home early on and killing his colony ships as he built them. Also, I agree you should always build another one on gigantic maps, but I suggest having USS Hero focus on the weapons upgrades (and any close 25% tech clouds) while your second one does the cleanup on the other bonuses. That way you quickly build your main ship into a versatile force.

Happy gaming.
Reply #6 Top
What about the AI's? I don't know that I have seen them actually building the newer versions of these later in the game. Of course, I haven't played too many games...

-Anx
Reply #7 Top
Okay, Im a newbie. But I got a handle on most aspects of game.

However I am completely at lost as to what people are talking about their Survey Ships being super pimped out.

Im three years in my current game, discovered lots of anamolies with USS Hero. But it is still a piece of garbage as far as stats go (beginning stats).

what are you people doing to beef these ships up?!

im totally confused! :notsure:
Reply #8 Top
Some of it is just luck based on % of anomaly types I'd say.

The one that boosts the surveyor ship is space debris (looks like floating ship bits).
Reply #9 Top
Hey Gordeleth...GOOD IDEA!

I used to do that in Starcraft...let my little zerglings run out and kill the drones early in the game for a nice head start.

I think they call the RUSHING...but whatever makes the game fun works for me. They hate when you do that online though.
Reply #10 Top
Yes, I've had my survey ship single-handedly stop fleets of battleships too. I find that you have to be careful with auto survey though, as often the ship will gain you a 25% increase to current tech. research when your next tech. is only one turn away.
Reply #11 Top
Obviously you guys are playing on big maps.

On the small maps, there isn't enough floating space garbage for the surveyor to get that strong.
Reply #12 Top
Alzandrion, it's the "zerg rush" ("tank rush" if C&C). :)

I usually play on medium maps, and my Hero ends up as the flagship of my warfleet. I've noticed the other players' survey ships, and the best they seem to have is an extra point or two of att/def (maybe extra hp because of the war party).


~SDC~
Reply #13 Top
My current game has Hero at an attack of 30-someodd, a defense of 132 (O.K., it's a little lopsided, but I can live with that), and somewhere just over 120 HP. The AI still managed to throw enough overlords at it to knock it down to 12 HP, and more were on the way when I decided it would be a good time to allow the AI to buy peace.