So Sins of a Solar Empire has already set some awesome precedents for how strategy and tactics ought to be handled in a real time strategy game.
One thing though that I have lamented over many times while sending my fleets out to wipe out a Vasari strike force is the lack of any decent defensive measures or options for players. The current true options for the defense of a system or system chain revolve around the turbolaser like batteries, starfighter platforms, jump drive inhibitors, and planetary shields.
All well and good until you realize that none of them are sufficient to defend a system without the existence of a fleet to support it. I'm not just talking about a system defense force, I'm talking about a real fleet. The only thing system defenses are useful for is to slow an enemy down as he slowly works his way through your line of systems. Otherwise, they're fairly useless. I've heard many times online a player belitting another player for attemptign to build defensive fortifications of any kind. It is this kind of mentality which stresses how utterly reliant tactics and strategy in Sins of a Solar Empire are on mobile fleet forces.
Towards creating a deeper, more challenging, and more attractive (from a strategic standpoint) gameplay variety in the game I have several suggestions for additions which may be useful.
Some I'm aware are supposedly allready scheduled for inclusion in the upcoming expansion, but I'll include those just for ducks.
I'd also like to point out that the tactical capacity for a planet/system absolutely needs to be increased, practically doubled, for defensive strategy to truly be any match for offensive mobile fleet strategy. Otherwise fleets of any real size will always be able to best a planet without too much difficulty, especially one not backed by a fleet.
Jump Point Defenses:
As Sins of a Solar Empire incorporates fixed points from whereby a ship can transport itself across interstellar distances it only makes sense that any system defense incorporate elements designed to offer an opponent opposition at the point of entry into a planet's gravitational well (I just realized I've been referring to that as a system, but that's what I was meaning). Effective elements of a defense of a planet's warp/jump point areas should include the following:
- mines (ship based)
- missiles (buoys or an element planted by a ship. Single use. Respond when an enemy enters their area of operation.)
- anti-fighter emplacements (kind of like an anti-personal fletchette launcher, what I was thinking of)
- fortifications (some kind of forts which could be slightly larger than gun turrets, fixed installations)
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Planetary Defenses:
The second and arguably most important element to the defense of any planet must include serious defenses surrounding the planet itself. These would include the following:
- surface based defensive installations (self-explanatory)
- orbital defense platforms (larger than warp point fortifications, but in fixed orbit around planet, different kinds with different weapons and functions for support)
I would also strongly recommend some other abilities aimed at slowing the propulsion of (enemy) ships. Jump point inhibitors forcing longer charge times are all good and well, but something to actually slow an enemy's propulsion would be far superior. Perhaps a second type of mine which would damage propulsion systems of ships going through, would be effective. The huge starbase in the expansion set I had no doubt will be of absolutely critical value to any defense effort, but it still doesn't beget the point that if any real effort is to be encouraged to expend assets on defensive elements, there must be significant changes to allow a defense a real chance at success.
Also, I would recognize the fact that some mobile units will be required (defense fleet) when defending a system, but again that's secondary to the fact that the elements I suggested, and there are no doubt others that other people might suggest, are critical to the successful defense of any planet.
