Defense Platforms and Piracy

[sable.twilight]

Do defense platforms assist with suppressing or defending against pirates?

[tempest.of.emptiness]

They do both.

[russak]

They only help with suppressing piracy in systems where there's only an Outpost.

No piracy *can* occur in a system with an upgraded Starbase.

Defense platforms do not generate any trade protection outside their own system. I have internal trade security SBs with no defense platforms, and their trade protection value is higher because they have 6 hangars, whereas my chokepoint SBs have missiles and guns instead, even though they have 23 points of platform including ion cannon.

So the only time defense platforms help is if you add (up to 3) to an Outpost. They add, IIRC, 2 each to the 'base protection' value, and will help defeat any Pirates which do happen to pop up in their system if the total protection isn't enough for the value of the route.

[pipo.p]

I'm curious about hangars mounted on platforms.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by pipo.p:

I'm curious about hangars mounted on platforms.

They will not have any impact outside their own system.

[russak]

Can you even mount hangars on Defense Platforms?

[Teralitha]

For every gun/missle/hanger you add to the station, It covers 1 star jump away from piracy. SO, if you have one station with 4 gun turrets, it covers piracy to 4 star jumps away, effectively protecting nearly a whole sector, just like how trade hubs work.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by russak:

Can you even mount hangars on Defense Platforms?

Yes.

Originally posted by Teralitha:

For every gun/missle/hanger you add to the station, It covers 1 star jump away from piracy. SO, if you have one station with 4 gun turrets, it covers piracy to 4 star jumps away, effectively protecting nearly a whole sector, just like how trade hubs work.

This is true, but the question of the thread is about the effectiveness of platforms in defending against piracy. No matter what weapons you put on a platform, their piracy suppression will be the same, and will only apply to the system the platforms are in, and will only matter if the platforms are at an outpost (rather than a star base, because star bases automatically prevent all piracy in their own system regardless of what buildings, modules, or platforms they have).

[russak]

Originally posted by tempest.of.emptiness:

Originally posted by russak:

Can you even mount hangars on Defense Platforms?

Yes.

Which DLC or mod adds this? Or is there a tech I haven't researched yet that adds a "[Hangar | Carrier] Section" to the choices in ship designer? And if so, which of the other sections does it replace (there's no room for a fifth choice to be displayed)?

[ุReshy]

Defense Platforms don't prevent pirates from spawning, but if you have them it will probably murder the pirate clown cars as they spawn in on their flying coffins.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by russak:

Which DLC or mod adds this? Or is there a tech I haven't researched yet that adds a "[Hangar | Carrier] Section" to the choices in ship designer? And if so, which of the other sections does it replace (there's no room for a fifth choice to be displayed)?

No mod necessary; I'm not sure about a DLC requirement, but I assume that none are required for this. Note that when you design a new defense platform, and click to add or change a section, you will probably have to scroll down to see all of the options. Only one of the options includes hangers, iirc.

The only tech requirement that I am aware of is some form of hanger-based craft, so the most basic fighter tech should make this design option available.

Edit: Just to be sure, I pulled up the list of platform sections in the game. The options are: Light, Point-Defense, Medium, Missile, Heavy, and Hanger. I have to scroll down to see the Heavy and Hanger options. The Hanger section only has one hanger slot, but if you wanted to you could put two hanger sections on one platform.

Further Edit: The tech Carrier Operations unlocks starbase Hanger modules and basic strike craft, but the hanger section for platforms is available without researching that, from the very start of the game. You'll only be able to fill the hanger slot with scout wings until you research more advanced strike craft, though.

[russak]

Oh! The window has scrolling? That changes *everything*!

There's so much that needs changing about the UI.

[Tiasmoon]

The origin section in empire creation also has scrolling. I didnt realise that the first time so I missed half the origins, haha.

[mss73055]

Piracy seems to be a minor nuisance. Choosing between alternatives I prefer to keep a bunch of speedy corvettes at the ready. These are able to knock out the pirates within 2 months.

[Tiasmoon]

If your trade protection isnt enough it will also mean lost trade value tho, so keeping that protection up in high trade value areas is still important.