Interplanetary Orbital Units

I think there are problems with the interplanetary movement of orbital units. The units will either be invulnerable while moving between planets or we will end up with some poor form on interplanetary space combat.

If there is no way to kill orbital units as they move between planets then orbital units can be basically invulnerable by bouncing between planets. They can leave a planet as soon as they arrive which only gives them a small window of vulnerability when they are near the planet. Currently this is only useful for solar generators (because they produce energy in transit) and transports (because an invulnerable commander is a pretty powerful thing to have).

If you can kill them with orbital fighters (the unit still exists so I assume it is intentional) then we have some sort of cut down space battles system. Few people (weighted by credibility) want space combat so I don't see any mechanics which push the game towards space combat as good. It would be a bit of an annoying system too because units would clearly be capable of much more than we are able to tell them to do.

Interplanetary orbital units are also more likely to be T3 units. I think it is possible to design orbital units in a way within the current mechanics such that they do not act as T3 but it would be easier to do if they could not travel between planets. If a game manages to reach the orbital phase while it is still in contention I think that the orbital units would make up the main fighting force just because they are easy to transport between planets. But this is my weakest concern relating to interplanetary travel because new mechanics and balance can bring ground units back to the fore.

My solution to these problems is to make interplanetary travel require infrastructure and resources in to leave. An interplanetary transport could be a 1-shot use thing which must be rebuilt for each trip or it could be reusable but require launching from a particular facility which drains resources to refuel it.

If we are doing space battles, we should have the possibility to have vehicle facilities in space, that are specificaly made to drop units down on a planet.

That would be cool. Like a carrier or similar on Homeworld 2. Only working more on that principle of that awesome path system we have in PA already.

I have time and time again, tanked and turtled, and sent my Commanders to other planets, and built up an insane "economy". Giving the main planet we are fighting over a lesser focus on economy, and more on production and war.

I think that is a cool feature in the game, as certain planets could be focused on resources and others on production. However there is no mass transport system in place. And I really love the space transport we have now, I really wish there was a way to load more units into a ship and give it guns. Sort of like that flying transport unit in Supreme Commander 2 or 1 i cant remember:

http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/UEF_T1_Light_Air_Transport

http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/UEF_T2_Air_Transport

http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/UEF_T2_Gunship

http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/UEF_T3_Heavy_Air_Transport

If I could ride into combat with these, i would jizz in ze pants. However the game production is of course at the discretion of the PA devs. I simply had so much fun with the T3 when I played SC.

Additionaly, it would be pretty cool to have dropship "production facilities" like star craft, you can move ur command central and infantry barracks on terran. And relocate them. Sort of the same, that you can pick up a production facility and during the "invasion" use it as a way to produce units.

I am strongly opposed to "teleportation". I understand it if its a way you want to do the meta game galactic battle, but Id rather not have that in the RTS. The teleporting resources is fine with me.

I'm fairly sure space combat is not an option. As I said, I don't want to go there and I'm fairly sure the devs don't want to go there.

I would like it if you could send nukes to hunt down escaping transports.

Dont get me wrong, the tranports weapons would only be used at landing.

Yeah, I wonder how they'll deal with commanders roaming in deep space. I'm also curious about how they envision an UI for the orbital units as currently trying to control them feels like pulling teeth. Hard to see where they are, hard to select them. Etc.

I think the UI is good for what it does. Although it would be nice with some notifications on what reaches what when.

Uber has said that they will not create space units. Space will only be used to travel through.
I would really like space units because I think space is cool. Maybe we can convince them to add them.
Source: Confirmed Features 2 ("[WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Space combat")

Uber has said no space combat.

But, they have said that there may be some interplanetary weapons. I think those would solve the issue, assuming they can target stuff that's traveling between planets (IE: space).

They will need something to destroy idle commander in space.

We just need some kind of cold war solution to this, as they would be the most fitting.

I think making transports single-use solves this problem pretty well, since you would need an orbital launcher on the planet you arrived at before you could leave it again. That would require you to be able to defend bases at at least two planets if you wanted to keep moving a commander back and forth. It doesn't solve the issue of other satellites, such as solar arrays, being moved back and forth, but requiring that satellites remain on the planet they're launched to (which doesn't have to be the planet with the launcher) would solve that issue.

I remember seeing this come up in some very early discussion about orbital units. Several people realized that moving orbital units between planets would be a bad idea. Tethering orbital units to their home planet, and making transports be 1-shot would solve most of these issues I think.

Edit: The reason it was decided that it was a bad idea, is that there is really no way to stop someone from forming a blob of anti-orbital/anti-ground satellites, and roaming the solar system annihilating everything.

You mean like people did with bombers?

Yerp.

Although personally, I would like it if the ground based AA had a greater range to take out a bomber or two before they can alpha strike, while also remaining second best to fighters who can move to engage.

I still take issue with the way that satellites are essentially Experimentals but there are a few preliminary things I think can be done that can work regardless of the exact balance.

1a] Satellites should be limited to a single planet, as they are now, they aren't satellites, they're spaceships.

1b] You have the ability to launch Satellites directly to another planet, but once a satellite is place in "orbit" it is chained to that planet.

2] Landers need a Booster as per the Pre-Visualization to leave a planets gravity well. This adds player attention upkeep and resources to keep a commander 'drifting' constantly. Not a perfect solution but a good interim step.

Mike

They commented on this in the latest stream, to me it sounded like Uber is comming around on the subject of space combat, so i wouldent regard it as completely certain that there will be none.

My thoughts exactly.

im just hoping for cool shooting transports that land on the ground like epic star wars trooper ships/ Supereme Commander ehrmagewd warfare

Make solar not generate energy in transit, and commanders are fodder even if caught for a moment by orbital fighters but for argument make the transport low health so it cannot survive an orbital fighter encounter. Or, just for a few moments, make its escape orbit attackable because it is still pretty low while it does it.