Topic: Klingons and ship classes

[ObsidianShiar]

Don't know if there was a thread about this before...


in a customizable skirmish game against the AI, as you know, there's the option of limiting the AI's ship type choice. In SFC1, EAW and OP, all races follow this limit more or less, except the Klingons. If you choose the War Destroyer type (War Destroyers are usually found in the Frigate menu, mind you!), they will choose a not-bad Light Cruiser. If you limit them to Light Cruisers, a D6/7 appears. Was this intentional or was it one hell of an overlook?

[Corbomite]

The game doesn't choose ships by class or subclass. It chooses by the BPV range set (plus or minus modifiers) and hull type (if indicated). Each race has a bit of a different idea of what its ship classes and hulls are designed for. The Klingons have a lot of overlap on hulls and classes in the War Destroyer - Heavy Cruiser ranges. BPV-wise, a War Destroyer = a Light Cruiser, even though it is built on a destroyer hull and classified under Frigate size in the library. StarFleet Battles, the game these video games are based on, is much more precise about it, but Taldren had to simplify it greatly to make it easier to use.

[ObsidianShiar]

The game doesn't choose ships by class or subclass. It chooses by the BPV range set (plus or minus modifiers) and hull type (if indicated). Each race has a bit of a different idea of what its ship classes and hulls are designed for. The Klingons have a lot of overlap on hulls and classes in the War Destroyer - Heavy Cruiser ranges. BPV-wise, a War Destroyer = a Light Cruiser, even though it is built on a destroyer hull and classified under Frigate size in the library. StarFleet Battles, the game these video games are based on, is much more precise about it, but Taldren had to simplify it greatly to make it easier to use.

It wasn't just Taldren, Quicksilver did the same in SFC1. The Klingon Light Cruisers I sometimes get actually have strong enough shields to have those three green stripes. I'm familiar with no such destroyer

I usually play with medium BPVs, as I say, all other races seem normal...

[Corbomite]

Are you playing with the stock shiplist?

[ObsidianShiar]

Are you playing with the stock shiplist?

Yup.

[Corbomite]

That would explain much. You don't have many (if any) War Destroyers.

[ObsidianShiar]

Oh? Feds, Klingons and Lyrans (at least) have ships that are at least named War Destroyers, IIRC. Is it perhaps that they're not treated as such in the games' coding?

[Corbomite]

War Destroyers are not considered at all in the game code as far as ship matching goes (unless the script specifically calls for a particular ship or range of ships). The game follows BPV and hull size. The names are more for the player's benefit than the game's. War Destroyers are on a par with most Light Cruisers. The Skirmish mode uses BPV restricted by hull size based on the Vessel Library. The sub-classes within the Library are meaningless to that script. The fact that you are using the stock shiplist (assuming you aren't playing SFC I) limits your choices of classes within a certain hull size.

You do know that if you wish to battle a particular ship you can just assign the AI that ship right?

[ObsidianShiar]

War Destroyers are on a par with most Light Cruisers.

Not if I'm piloting the War Destroyer

The fact that you are using the stock shiplist (assuming you aren't playing SFC I) limits your choices of classes within a certain hull size.

Actually, I mostly play SFC1.

You do know that if you wish to battle a particular ship you can just assign the AI that ship right?

Been so long, I forgot about it  But I don't find it as much fun as when I (think I) let the AI choose one from the ship pool.

Thanks for the answers

[knightstorm]

War Destroyers are on a par with most Light Cruisers.

Not if I'm piloting the War Destroyer

But we're talking about klingon ships which have less survivability for their size and are flown by the least competent AI.