I'm confused on when to use what ships

Bobo say dont need all ships. Need only what good at time. Look at attack and defense. If have ship with high numbers on defense and going to war, use them. Defenders only good to start. Them first military ships you get. Good to have one or two each system. Them not good when get ships with higher defense numbers. Then only build if running out of money. Corvettes really good early to attack. Them have good attack number and move fast. Not so good later. It all a matter of when ships avilable. Use best ship have AT TIME. If have no money, use not so good ships even if better ones around. Cost less. Is no strategy for everyone. Depend on what you doing at time you doing it. Bobo make sense?

I think the problem is that the range and speed values for ships become meaningless once you hit a few techs (and grav accelorators). Speed and range, and how they are moddified (especailly for 0 range ships) needs to be changed somehow.

It would be nice to see a bigger spread in the attack and def values of ships as well. Even something as hokey as just doubling them all at first, then tweeking around a bit would do it.

My "strategy" for what it is worth is defenders -> battle axe -> battle cruiser -> battleship -> dreadnaught.

As I havent seen any way to "sell" ships other than to other civilisations I tend to give them away to whoever is fighting the next leading civ after me as I build sufficient replacement units.

Thanks, Bobo, even though I am quite frightened by you right now. But, your...umm... explanation makes very perfect sense, really. I suppose it is common sensical.

Thanks, Uerbtaco, too. I think I have seen exactly what you are saying in a game I played on a large map. Seems that much of the intrinsic values of the ships get somewhat distilled later in the game. Early in the game, a difference in range between 1 and 2 is significant, but it seems that difference wanes in impact later on down the road. Sort of logarithmically decreases later...

-Anx

Bobo say to 01Anxiety: No be scared of Bobo. Him not hurt anyone. Also, Bobo not allowed out of house!
Others on board also have good say. You play. You learn. You come back ask questions sometime. Others always help. Them all nice.
Bobo want fruit now.

Yep, its even worse with speed in my opinion. The difference of 2 speed early on is huge (usually why I pick that trait...), but eventually it's not a big deal weather your ships are moving at 7 or 8 or 9...

Not that there's much variation in late game ships anyway so you really don't notice it that much I suppose. Still it would be nice if the ratios of speed and range actually mattered a bit more than they do right now.

Im basically with Kiwi Greg on his ship progression, with the exception of BattleCrusiers. BattleHammers are far more effective due to thier extraordinary hitpoints. Additionally I find that if I can make it to BattleShips I can make it to Dreadnaughts and go for them instead. So:

Defender -> BattleAxe -> BattleHammer -> Dreadnaught

Hasn't failed me yet, even vs Genius AI. But then again I play a really strong military game.

I use IronHawk's progression. No "war" type ships until I have dreadnaughts; everything else is just to protect worlds from transports. Once dreadnaughts are achieved, go to town. (In fact, I "garrison" worlds with Dreadnaughts, too; they sortie out and pre-emptively strike incoming warships...)

Battlehammers have been tweaked in the 1.03 patches so that they and Frigates are more nearly comprable. Dreadnaughts are clearly better than either. And I think the fastest possible route to Dreadnaught involves getting the tech for Frigates but not Battlehammers. So you might well be better off ignoring Battlehammers now and making do with Frigates while you progress towards Dreadnaughts.

Otherwise I agree with Ironhawk. Either Frigates or Battlehammers are better than Battlecruisers. I build a few Battlecruisers for hunting down freighters maybe, and that's it. Battleships are nice but by that point why not go straight to Dreadnaughts? The AI always does, so you'll be at a serious disadvantage if you rely too heavily on Battleships.

I find that antimatter missiles are a decent build for planets where Dreadnaughts would take forever to make.

One more thing: Corvettes are pretty decent if you get them early and are fighting mostly defenders. But if you don't plan to do that, you can skip photon tech and corvette tech entirely and head straight for Frigates and/or Battlecruisers instead. The AI doesn't do this, though, so be prepared for the possibility of them building loads of corvettes and trying to extort or invade you.