If FTL existed within the Master of Orion Universe...

[Psillycyber]

Lately I've enjoyed imagining what the equivalents of FTL ships would be in Master of Orion. I wonder: at any given point in the game, if you had to pick between these designs for your fleet in Master of Orion, which would you choose?

The Kestrel (Kestrel A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 Gatling Laser, 1 Hyper-X missile 5c

The Red Tail (Kestrel B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*4 lasers

The Swallow (Kestrel C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*2 lasers, 1 ion cannon
*Battle Scanner (level 2 sensors)

The Torus (Engi A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 laser
*Ion stream projector

The Vortex (Engi B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Retro Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 1
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 heavy ion cannon, 1 heavy laser
*Automated Repair System

The Tetragon (Engi C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark I
*2 lasers, 1 neutron pellet gun (beam drone)
*Oracle Interface (hacking + defense scrambler)

The Osprey (Federation A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*1 Gatling laser, 1 hard beam (artillery beam)

The Nisos (Federation B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*2 lasers, 1 nuclear missile 5c, 2 hard beams

The Fregatidae (Federation C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark I
*2 mass drivers (flak artillery)
*Technology Nullifier (teleporting)

The Adjudicator (Zoltan A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Retro Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 1
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 tachyon beam, 1 nuclear missile 5c
*Zyro Shield (zoltan shield)

The Noether (Zoltan B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class I Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*2 ion cannons, 1 graviton beam
*Zyro Shield

The Cerenkov (Zoltan C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*1 ion cannon, 1 neutron pellet gun
*Zyro Shield
*Energy Pulsar (backup battery)

The Gila Monster (Mantis A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor- 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark I
*1 laser, 1 nuclear bomb 10c
*Technology Nullifier

The Basilisk (Mantis B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class IV Deflector Shields
*Retro Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 1
*Battle Computer Mark I
*No weapons (oops!)
*Anti-Missile Rockets (defense drone)
*Technology Nullifier

The Theseus (Mantis C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*No weapons (oops!)
*Stasis Field
*Technology Nullifier

The Man o' War (Slug A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*2 lasers, 1 fusion bomb 10c, 1 death spore 10c
*Advanced Damage Control (slug repair gel)

The Stormwalker (Slug B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*1 Hyper-X Missile 5c
*Advanced Damage Control (slug repair gel)
*Technology Nullifier

The Ariolimax (Slug C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark II
*1 gatling laser
*Advanced Damage Control (slug repair gel)
*Oracle Interface

The Bulwark (Rock A) :
*Medium Hull
*Zortrium Armor (Rock Plating) - 36 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 Hyper-X Missile 5c, 1 Hercular Missile 5c

The Shivan (Rock B) :
*Medium Hull
*Zortrium Armor - 36 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 heavy laser, 1 fusion bomb 10c
*Oracle Interface

The Tektite (Rock C) :
*Medium Hull
*Zortrium Armor - 36 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 heavy laser, 1 scatterpack V missile 5c
*Oracle Interface

The Nesasio (Stealth A) :
*Medium Hull
*Zortrium Armor (Titanium System Casing) - 36 hp
*No Deflector Shields
*Fusion Engines, Maneuverability, Warp of 4, and Speed of 3.
*Battle Computer Mark II
*2 lasers, 1 neutron pellet gun
*Cloaking Device
*Battle Scanner

The DA-SR 12 (Stealth B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*No Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2.
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*1 particle beam
*Cloaking Device
*Battle Scanner

The Simo-H (Stealth C) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*No Deflector Shields
*Sublight engines, Maneuverability, Warp of 3, and Speed of 2.
*Battle Computer Mark II
*2 lasers, 1 neutron pellet gun
*Lightning Shield

The Kruos (Lanius A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Retro Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 1
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 gatling laser, 1 ion cannon
*Energy Pulsar (backup battery)

The Shrike (Lanius B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Retro Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 1
*Battle Computer Mark I
*1 mass driver
*Technology Nullifier

The Bravais (Crystal A) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark III
*2 lasers, 1 heavy laser
*Oracle Interface

The Carnelian (Crystal B) :
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Maneuverability, Warp, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark I
*no weapons
*Cloaking Device
*Technology Nullifier

The Rebel Flagship Mk I
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class VII Deflector Shields
*Nuclear Engines, Warp of 2, Manueverability of 6, and Speed of 4 (see inertial nullifiers below)
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*3 ion cannons, 3 lasers, 1 tachyon beam, 1 scatterpack V missile 5c
*Cloaking Device
*Oracle Interface
*Inertial Nullifier (Level 3 Piloting)

The Rebel Flagship Mk II
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class VII Deflector Shields
*Sublight Engines, Warp of 3, Maneuverability of 7, and Speed of 4
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*3 lasers, 1 tachyon beam, 1 scatterpack V missile 5c
*Anti-Missile Rockets
*Ionic Pulsar
*Inertial Nullifier

The Rebel Flagship Mk III
*Medium Hull
*Duralloy Armor - 27 hp
*Class VII Deflector Shields
*Ion Drives, Warp of 6, Maneuverability of 10, and Speed of 6
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*3 lasers, 1 scatterpack V missile 5c
*Lightning Shield
*Ionic Pulsar
*Inertial Nullifier

The Autoscout
*Small Hull
*Zortrium Armor - 6 hp
*Class II Deflector Shields
*Fusion Drives, Warp 4, Maneuverabiilty of 4, Speed of 4
*Battle Computer Mark III
*1 heavy ion cannon, 1 neutron pellet gun
*Cloaking Device
*Inertial Stabilizer

The Rebel Elite
*Medium Hull
*Titanium Armor - 18 hp
*Class VII Deflector Shields
*Fusion Drives, Warp 4, Maneuverability of 4, Speed of 3
*Battle Computer Mark VI
*1 Auto Blaster, 1 heavy ion cannon
*Technology Nullifier

[Ianus]

Wow impressive! I think that you did an admirable job translating one to the other. I'm not sure which would be the strongest design in MoO, but shouldn't the Flagships be Large hulls? On second look through definitely the Slugs with their Advanced Damage Control, particularly 1v1 against these loadouts. Although they ARE only 27hp each. Dunno.

[Ianus]

Actually I think that the Rebel Elite would shred pretty much any other design here except maybe the Flagships with their advanced shields.

[Psillycyber]

Yeah, the Rebel elites would dominate. Mainly because, in FTL, you are supposed to have upgraded your ship a lot by the time you face these sector 6 or 7 rebel elites with 4 shield bubbles and chain vulcans (represented by the auto blaster).

RE: the flagship...I thought about making the Rebel flagship a large hull, but each stage does only have 20 to 22 hitpoints, so....

Maybe if I somehow combined all three stages into a compromise flagship design, I could make it into a large hull...

The Rebel Flagship (combined version) :
*Large Hull
*Titanium Armor - 100 hp
*Class VII Deflector Shields
*Sub-light Engines, Warp of 3, Manueverability of 3, and Speed of 2
*Battle Computer Mark IV
*3 ion cannons, 3 lasers, 1 tachyon beam, 1 scatterpack V missile 5c
*Cloaking Device
*Technology Nullifier
*Ionic Pulsar

[Ianus]

I think that the problem here is one of scale. 30hp is an appropriate number within FTL, but ONE optimal hit with a Scatter Pack V shot will do that much damage in MoO. Almost nothing in FTL can do that. I did get dual Glaive Beams, hacking and Weapon Pre-Igniter running once and could 1shot the flagship (2shot in phase 3) but that is a huge exception to the norm. In MoO a single battle between any two of these designs would result in crippling damage to the victor (ignoring MoO's post-battle regeneration mechanic) and there is NO WAY that an FTL-like run would be possible.
To me it seems that you need to consider the power of MoO's weapons and maybe scale up the hill sizes for increased hit points. Duraloy larges with 150hp achieves the same HP pattern (150 vs 30) just five times as great. Then arm the ships to do the appropriate damage. For example an FTL Heavy Laser does 2 damage while a MoO Heavy Laser does 1-7. If for the sake of the excercise we say that all weapons hit for max damage then this is roughly comparable (should be 10). Repeat for every weapon on every design.

On a completely unrelated note it is funny how without a mechanic comparable to boarding the Mantis B and Crystal B become useless in MoO.