Strike Fighter balance

[zolobolo]

It is a welcome update that interceptor, bomber and strike fighter description shows the current weapon used.

Regarding balance: it seems that strike fighters currently use a simple combination of the two previous small craft weaponry: torpedo and energy weapon
As this tech is quite early in the tech tree, and makes the previous two types of small craft obsolete, recommend to have speed, armor and weapon difference (most advanced missiles instead of torpedo for strike fighters).

This would make all 3 craft a viable option, extend the tactical possibilities and lessen the issue, that the 3rd tier small craft is available early on, as well as should be fairly simple to change

[Arioch]

I think it's desirable to have multiple weapon types viable across several eras, but it's a difficult balancing act. I think it's acceptable to have a later tech replace an earlier one, but less acceptable to have an earlier tech that is better than the supposed replacements. The current power of lasers is a good example of this potential problem.

I think perhaps one solution is to expand the available weapon mods and to give them a meaningful cost. Your idea of allowing bombers to carry torpedoes might fit into that sort of system. But we have to be careful not to hurt the viability of the later, more expensive tech.

[Chasm]

Perhaps have Interceptor speed get increased to point slightly higher then strike fighters, And bombers to have their hull damage capacity improved in a similar way.
So strike fighter has the benefit of both weapon systems (Interceptor and bomber) better then bomber speed, and better then interceptor hull damage capacity. Not the only thing you use, but certainly well worth using.

[zolobolo]

Perhaps have Interceptor speed get increased to point slightly higher then strike fighters, And bombers to have their hull damage capacity improved in a similar way.
So strike fighter has the benefit of both weapon systems (Interceptor and bomber) better then bomber speed, and better then interceptor hull damage capacity. Not the only thing you use, but certainly well worth using.

I see. If you do not want to get into the whole balancing act for now I can understand that and hope you will reconsider once you have more resources and time to prepare the AI for it.

What I would suggest though is to make the 3rd tier small craft a bit harder to obtain then, so the lower two levels get some breathing space before they get obsolete. At least in my throughways I have noticed that I usually only research Carrier hull when the Strike Fighter is already easily available (except for Ashdar Colonials), which leaves the first two tiers practically unused.

Have it dependent on some physics research, or bump up the research cost...
Also: increase the metal and wrench cost of Strike Fighter above Bomber if it is a tier 3 version of the same weapon, as it currently costs the same amount in both as fighters, which is odd as bombers cost much more, but are basically inferior in every way

BTW, haven't seen the AI use Strike Fighter yet, but this is not the highest of prio regarding that (I can live with AI sending bunch of interceptors and bombers )

[Arioch]

We could move the Strike Fighters deeper into the tree, but we want to save room for Starfighters, which should be returning at some point.

[zolobolo]

We could move the Strike Fighters deeper into the tree, but we want to save room for Starfighters, which should be returning at some point.

According to this post they should use the same art, and saw the placeholder tech already for them.
They would represent a new type of craft though, which the AI would have to manage, and it already seems to be somehow limited to 3-4 designs it uses actively.

So unless you have a huge outcry of fans for this type of craft I would leave it to the very end and just increase its cost above that of a bomber to balance it out as a 3rd tier.