Killing Crystallines: Plasma or Mining Drone Lasers?

[BakedPotato]

Both myself and an advanced start machine rival are neighboring the crystalline nucleus and gaia world systems (size 19 accompanied by a size 13 planet of my climate type). So it's pretty early in the game and I need every edge I can get. I don't want them to snag the improved hull tech and the gaia system.

But which tech would fair better? Plasma does more raw damage, but is only 50% against hulls. Mining drone lasers do 75% against hulls, but have slightly less accuracy and damage.

Also, I just unlocked destroyers. Corvettes or destroyers? I don't know how good crystalline tracking is. Normally I've always waited until later to go after these guys, never tried taking them on this early in the game. I have about 140 fleet capacity at the moment. The other empire, the Tebrid Homolog, are scary strong, definitely one of the few advanced starts I've allowed to spawn in my game (overwhelming tech and fleet).

 

[aroddo]

plasma weapons are viable in end-game.
mining lasers quickly outlive their usefulness.

and basically, you can kill everything with corvettes - depending on the weapon loadout.
but destroyers can be configured to take down capital ships or stations easier.

so the answer as always is: it depends.

 

[Empire of Terra Nova]

Both myself and an advanced start machine rival are neighboring the crystalline nucleus and gaia world systems (size 19 accompanied by a size 13 planet of my climate type). So it's pretty early in the game and I need every edge I can get. I don't want them to snag the improved hull tech and the gaia system.

But which tech would fair better? Plasma does more raw damage, but is only 50% against hulls. Mining drone lasers do 75% against hulls, but have slightly less accuracy and damage.

Also, I just unlocked destroyers. Corvettes or destroyers? I don't know how good crystalline tracking is. Normally I've always waited until later to go after these guys, never tried taking them on this early in the game. I have about 140 fleet capacity at the moment. The other empire, the Tebrid Homolog, are scary strong, definitely one of the few advanced starts I've allowed to spawn in my game (overwhelming tech and fleet).

torpedo-disruptor corvettes

later mixed with lightning artillery battleships, a few carriers and titans with regeneration aura

 

[Oculument]

Mining drone laser build with no extra resource requirements but tier 2 and tier 3 plasma requires a bit of green gas.
You want destroyers, configure sections for 2 M weapons. Forward MSS rear M. M weapons have better DPS than 2 S weapons.