The spaceship catalog

[tobyr]

I've built exactly one shapce ship so far (and watched the AI build one also), and it appears that there is a considerable mystery about what options I really have in this process. This topic is NOT, I believe, covered in FAQs.

(1) I believe that building a certain minimum number of structural components is enough, but if I build more, I have to go on to some greatr M (and get a larger ship); and so on. Please explain?

(2) how do I decide how many components and modules I need, of each kind.

(3) What increases the chance of success, and what decreases it? I watched my chance of success decrease considerably as I added some pieces to my ship.

(4) How many different sizes of ships are there, and how do i decide which I want to build, assuming I'm not in a hurry?

(5) how do I know when I've built the righ number of structural components, and need not build one more?

(6) If my ship fails to make it and crashes, do I get to try to build another one?


- toby robison


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toby robison
criticalpaths@mindspring.com

[Aaron Burr]

Toby,

The reason your 'chance of success' went down as you added SS Structurals is that you must also have SS Components (fuel,engines). Also, note that SS Modules must be installed as sets of 3 (Hab,Power,Life Support).

Here are some feasible ship configurations. The flight times assume Fusion Power (best to get this the turn before you launch so the AI can't steal it).

1. Fastest:
34 SS Structural
16 SS Component (8 of each)
3 SS Module (1 of each)
Flight Time: 5.7 Years ( = 5 turns game time). (If you see a faster flight time, it is for an incomplete ship that will not arrive)

2. Most points on your score
39 SS Structural
16 SS Component
6 SS Module
Flight Time: ~ 7 years as I recall

3. OCC (One-City Challenge) Ship
15 SS Structural
6 SS Component
3 SS Module
Flight Time: 15 Years -- faster ships take too long to build in OCC, thus arrive later.

There may be some smaller, slower ships, but they are not really practical. Note that any ship must have SS Modules in sets of 3 in order to arrive at AC.

These configurations are from memory (don't have my notes with me) but I believe they are accurate.
[This message has been edited by Aaron Burr (edited November 11, 1999).]

[Sten Sture]

minor adjustments...

2) I think most points is actually four of each of the modules for a total of 12.

3) OCC ship only requires 3 of each component for a total of 6.

Structurals take 80 shields, components take 160 and modules take 320. So if you are sneaky and you want to build them all in one turn, make sure you have a truck load of caravans to disband!

[Sebastianus the Great]

>(1) I believe that building a certain minimum >number of structural components is enough,
> but if I build more, I have to go on to some >greatr M (and get a larger ship); and so on. >Please explain?
It's easyer than you think. Each structural supports a part of the Spaceship. If you build a spaceship with 40'000 colonists and 8 propulsion components you have to build 39 structurals (I think that 12 Modules, 8 propulsion components and 8 fuel components must be built, but i actually don't know which of them require two structurals)
>(2) how do I decide how many components and
>modules I need, of each kind.
Each habitation module requires
1 Solar Energy module
1 Life Support module
Additional you need some propulsion and fuel components. Each propulsion component requires a fuel component. The more propulsion components you build, the faster your ship will reach A.C.
The fastest ship reaches A.C in 7.4 years, but I recommend building a ship with more colonists (Each 10'000 colonists give you 100 points to your civilization score).

>(3) What increases the chance of success, and >what decreases it? I watched my chance of
>success decrease considerably as I added some >pieces to my ship.

To survive their travel to A.C the colonists require some things:
1st Each habitation module requires a life support and Solar Energy Module.
The faster your ship reaches A.C, the bigger will be the chance that most of your colonists stay alive. I recommend building a spaceship which reaches A.C in < 15 years.

>(4) How many different sizes of ships are
>there, and how do i decide which I want to
>build, assuming I'm not in a hurry?

If you have the time, build the biggest spaceship (39 structural, 4 habit., 4 life support, 4 solar, 8 prop and 8 fuel).
You can also build a spaceship with 1 habitation, 1 life supp., 1 solar, 8 prop. and 8 fuel (fastest ship).
Don't launch a spaceship with < 8 prop. and fuel components. If you do so, the computer will eventually launch a faster ship and land first on A.C

>(5) how do I know when I've built the righ
>number of structural components, and need not >build one more?

I don't know how many structurals you have to build, but each hab. needs one life support and one solar. Each propulsion needs one fuel (I think you get some information twice - sorry).
>(6) If my ship fails to make it and crashes, >do I get to try to build another one?
Yes, but you can't build a backup-ship. If you've launched your ship you can't build another one until the first failed.

Hope, i could help
Sebastianus the Great

(Excuse my English, but I'm still student and began learning English three years ago)
(Eventually the informations are incorrect. I always build the largest spaceship and didn't try every other version)

You know when you have enough structural because there is not a tines sign(*) beside the number of structural
EG:
Structural: 15* =not enough
Structural: 15 =enough

when building spaceships, i first build one of each module, then four components, enough structural and then go on adding component/structural untill i finish the SS.
if the AI is near to complete it's own SS, i launch it the following turn.

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Alien Infiltrate

[Zeevico]

I suggest you don't take any strategy and build the max amount of structurals, followed by the max of components, then max o modules. that way you get there quickly and get 400-600 (can't remember exactly) points.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Aaron Burr's stats are dead on, with the exception of module number as Sten has corrected it (I just built my first 40k colonist ship). But I'm going to respectfully disagree with zeevico: you should only go for maximun size if it's absolutely clear that no one is going to beat you in the space race. At higher levels, I find that my space races are really races; I tend to build the fastest ship possible, even if it means letting the AI launch first. Incidently, I find that the AI tends to build the 15 year model (Burr's OCC ship), which means that after they launch you've still got 8-9 turns to finish off your speedier ship.

Here are three other suggestions, though they're not about spaceship size and are probably obvious. First, I always make sure I'm done researching everything but fusion by the time I complete Apollo, so that I can build my ship asap. Second, a good trick if you don't know it is to start building build the Apollo program in all your cities a few turns before you finish it in its intended city; that way, when it's done, you can switch all your other Apollos over to SS parts. Finally, I never manage to time the fusion/launch thing the way Burr suggests -- I get fusion way too early -- but when I do get fusion I set science down to zero, jack up taxes, and convert all my scientists to tax collectors; it reallly helps with the rush building.

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Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder
[This message has been edited by Rufus T. Firefly (edited January 19, 2001).]

[East Street Trader]

Agree with Firefly.

I have overtaken the AI in flight quite a few times.

Yes, it is often a tight race. The AI production advantage is a big factor at that stage (unless you've reduced all the other civs to puppet status).

A point worthy of note is that a less than 100% chance of success doesn't mean your ship has a chance of crashing. It just means that the corresponding proportion of your intrepid colonists will die en route (thereby reducing your bonus for the AC landing). So launch at less than 100% if you must.

There are OCC cases where an early launch saves time many years because the game clock immediately starts moving one year per turn after launch.

Also worth noting that you can switch from wonder building to spaceship parts with no penalty. So you can use caravans/freights for spaceship building. You set the city to build the wonder, disband your saved up caravans/freights, then switch to the spaceship part. Depending on how many cities I've set aside to build my ship, and their shield count, I find it handy to have one caravan/freight per part and then I can disband to get some shields into the box then use my wealth to rush the spaceship part. If you haven't got any saved up caravans/freights but do have the cash you can achieve something of the same effect by disbanding a small unit first.

In an ideal world, by the time you build your ship you want to have as many cities as possible which produce either 40 shields a turn or 80 shields a turn. In a game where you set your sights on AC that needs to be one of your strategic objectives from the off.

Not easy.

[Julius Brenzaida]

I may be wrong, but has anyone mentionned here that the discovery of Fusion Power made the spaceship go faster ? (I haven't got the courage to read the whole thread again)

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Oh Man, when will you understand that your greatness lies in your failure - Goethe

[Bereta_Eder]

quote: <font size=1>Originally posted by East Street Trader on 01-19-2001 07:02 AM</font> A point worthy of note is that a less than 100% chance of success doesn't mean your ship has a chance of crashing. It just means that the corresponding proportion of your intrepid colonists will die en route (thereby reducing your bonus for the AC landing). So launch at less than 100% if you must

Are you sure about this EST? So if I sent 40.000 with 85% of success it means that there is a risk that a 15% of the 40.000 colonists not arriving in AC?

I though the score was calculated in four 10.000 parts?
Because if what you say is true then even a 1% chance (theoreticaly) spaceship will always make it to AC.
(even though the 1% percent might only correspond to one colonist's ear)!!



[This message has been edited by paiktis22 (edited January 19, 2001).]