Orbital Warfare Unit Ideas

Whenever I think about an orbital station I think or either a very random looking structure or the massive ring around the planet in Gundam 000. I am not saying copy that idea, but more PLEASE ALLOW ME TO CONNECT A STATION AROUND A PLANET! I would love to be able to have a MASSIVE station in orbit that can fire at incoming threats or seige the ground with again MASSIVE artillery. I know this is not realistic but as stated brilliantly before me We Are Shooting For AWESOME! I really hope this idea could be implemented, but if not this game will still be AWESOME! I am planning to fund on Kickstarter for 50 dollars on 09-09 and it is SO worth it.

1. Space Elevator / orbital skyhook. A way to quickly and cheaply move units for the surface into orbit.

2. Orbital platform to build other structure on. This one makes more sense on the gas giants since land isn't otherwise available.

3. Spy satellites. I am going to guess that there will be fog of war, but I haven't heard anything about it.

Satellite killers to destroy spy satellites and maybe stations.

When I heard about the gas giants I thought it was going to be an aircraft only map. Just like the water planets are naval only maps.

If you think about it that might be a nice way to go. Instead of making a whole slew of gas giant orbital units that can only be used on gas giants you put more effort into the aircraft making all sorts of new and interesting air units and game mechanics. You could even add in a low orbit layer like that UEF death satellite experimental unit from SC1.

The gas giant would be an aircraft only map with low orbit buildings for your base. And you can use all the new units and game mechanics on the other maps too. Just like you could build a naval base in the oceans of an earth like planet.


Also while we are talking about orbital combat there is one thing I want to point out. The gas giants are going to need some kind of terrain. One of the big problems I had with air combat (and I am assuming space will have the same issue) is that since your units don't have to go around terrain it feels like you are fighting in a big empty parking lot.

Maybe you could have clouds that would slow down passing aircraft and lightning storms that would damage units that try to pass through. There needs to be something to make the gas giants feel like actual maps.

Some thoughts:

Rod launcher satellite: Satellite that launches kinetic impactors that each do about the same damage as a single shot from strategic artillery. Carries only a small supply of ammunition and the satellite deorbits (self destructs) when the ammunition is exhausted. Impactors can be destroyed by tactical missile defenses but with reduced probability of intercept because of the high rentry speed of the impactor.

Reconissance satellite: Gives radar coverage of the same radius as a T1 radar on any spot in the visible hemisphere. Target area must be manually managed by the player and has a slew rate to limit how rapidly the target area can be changed. Has a small energy supply to power its sensors (i.e. the lifespan is limited) and for maneuvering and self-destructs when energy is exhausted.

Repair satellite: Has a small supply of energy for both repairing satellites or vessels in orbit and for maneuvering. Does not reload ammunition of satellites with weapons. Self destructs when energy is exhausted.

Orbital defense satellite: A bomb pumped X-ray laser satellite that fires a powerful blast against incoming vessels or asteroids but is destroyed when it fires. Only provides coverage for the side of the planet which it is on. As expensive as a nuke, since that's what it is, so that planetary assaults don't become impossible.

Presumably all satellites would be very, very expensive to build. Movement would be very slow because of the high delta-vee cost to change orbits.

Anti-satellite missiles would be built at an air factory and cost about as much as a 2-3 strategic bombers. Detonates into a cone of shrapnel as it approaches its target allowing satellites to be microed partially or completely out of way.

Orbital transport/factory: has a transport capacity, but can also build drop units. Rain bots onto the enemy, and then keep up the pressure with a constant flow of re-enforcements!