[Buffs] Defensive Planet Buildings

[Repeats]

With all the suggestions of ground combat going around, I figured I would give my take at making armies a more enjoyable experience without adding any "new" mechanics to the game. By new, I mean being in the realm of possibility to be modded into the game (ie not a ground-up system overhaul to pull it off).

Currently, most of the military buildings are just a waste of a slot, except for the Combat Arena rare tech. Here are some ideas for improvements to existing buildings in the game.

1) Buff - Military Academy

If a Military Academy is populated, a defensive general (who can't leave the planet) will be appointed. The general gains experience periodically and can level up if the defense wins a ground assault.

If the building becomes un-populated or is destroyed, the general will be deactivated. Defensive generals can also die in combat if the war is lost. Defensive generals DO NOT add to the empire leader count.

2) Buff - Frontier Clinic/Hospital

If a Frontier Clinic/Hospital is populated during a bombardment, your troupes regenerate .5/1% hp per day while resting and .25/.5% hp per day while fighting.

The clinic can play a role in beefing up your troupes ability to stay live. It could cause potential swings in the defensive game. The % regen will also scale with whatever army you choose to fortify your worlds.

3) Buff - Planetary Shield Generator

Turn the Planetary Shield Generator into a normal tech, which gives the following per level:

• Level 1: 50% increased planet fortification and +1000 minimum fortification ; -3 energy
• Level 2: 75% increased planet fortification and +1750 minimum fortification ; -4 energy
• Level 3: 100% increased planet fortification and +2500 minimum fortification ; -5 energy

Currently the shield generator is useless because fleets sit in orbit for a long as it takes to reach 0 fortification. With a new minimum fortification added, defensive armies have a chance to fight off attacks. Plus, the defense should always have home field advantage.

4) Buff - Clone Vats

If a Clone Vats is populated during a ground assault, when a clone army dies, there is a 50% chance to spawn a new clone army in its place.

While completely unrealistic in the timescale of the ground war, it would add interesting twist, possibly creating swings in power as the fight rages on. It would also make Clone Vats viable as an "upgraded" defensive army, as they are about 1.5 armies in a single slot.

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Let me know what you think! Any ideas are welcome.
Repeats

 

[Tokolosk]

Really cool ideas!

I would like to also see some offensive "defensive buildings", like missile and laser batteries that shoot at bombarding fleets. To keep it balanced, fleets should either have an option to focus on bombing these buildings, the buildings should have an increased chance in getting destroyed or they should be first in line when being destroyed.

 

[Redshift]

Your ideas are pretty good. I also would like to have enhanced usage of existing buildings.

My ideas which I would like to see in vanilla game:

1) Planetary Flak Grid:
Shoots at an orbiting/bombarding enemy fleet and deals damage over time. This would make long bombardment costly. Together with the higher destruction of the bombardment stance which is coming with Banks this could be a nice tweak to create good balance in the gameplay.

2) Flak-Troops:
Can be stationed at occupied planets and provide a weaker version of the Planetary Flak Grid. Maybe they could be killed during bombardment.

3)Planetary Shield Generator:
With the Armageddon bombardment stance (Banks) the shield generator should give not only fortification but also additional protection for pops and buildings.

 

[Lothmar]

The flak grid should basically be operational as long as you still have fortifications and just say they're in emplaced position etc.

The flak troops should basically be hidden anti air that only activates when armies start coming down and they have a chance of either stranding invasion forces by destroying their vessel, or dealing damage to the army before the fighting starts or completely killing it if they shoot down their landing vessel etc.

planetary shield generator should protect all adjacent pops, including diagonals as it creates its dome field. Also allow it to tap your energy reserves and you mitigate X damage per energy as you keep feeding the shield emitter and you can stop doing that at any time, stops automatically if you run out.

 

[Lothmar]

Doomsday protocols - Cause sometimes the death of your race is preferable to what they have planned for you if your intelligence is correct. Or maybe you're just a fanatic purifier and you refuse to have your people and ideals corrupted by Xenos overlords. (Basically think Dr Who Osterhagen Project)

*Activate if you're about to lose a ground invasion and you feel you have no chance of retaking said planet etc. Kills all pops and armies. Planet becomes nuclear wasteland. Probably nets you a huge diplomacy malus once used and until used its secret that you have this policy.*

 

[Cordane]

Doomsday protocols - Cause sometimes the death of your race is preferable to what they have planned for you if your intelligence is correct. Or maybe you're just a fanatic purifier and you refuse to have your people and ideals corrupted by Xenos overlords. (Basically think Dr Who Osterhagen Project)

*Activate if you're about to lose a ground invasion and you feel you have no chance of retaking said planet etc. Kills all pops and armies. Planet becomes nuclear wasteland. Probably nets you a huge diplomacy malus once used and until used its secret that you have this policy.*

If you were to go with something like this, it would have to be activated while you still have control of the planet, i.e., before the last of the defending troops dies and before a change of control upon peace. Where I would see a problem is that an opponent would likely sue for a white peace that doesn't include the now worthless planet in the war demands, and that's above and beyond the problems you already brought up. Also, where would the killswitch be paid for? I would probably think you'd need to pay for it (at least in part) with Influence, for placement, upkeep, and/or activation.