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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0005870AI War 1 / ClassicSuggestion - New FeaturesFeb 13, 2012 1:52 pm
ReporterFunnyMan Assigned To 
Status consideringResolutionopen 
Summary0005870: Cleanup drones can destroy (and recycle?) helpless units and structures
DescriptionThe cleanup drones are currently useless, as the AI automatically scraps any minefields and remains left in a system it doesn't control.

Separately, there are a number of AI structures that, while they possess no combat ability, can be a pain to kill once the system is effectively under player control. Specifically, I'm thinking of fortresses without supply, core shield generators, and the occasional spire shield or forcefield generator with a few ships camping under it, though there may be other suitable targets.

I suggest that we use these two problems against each other, by giving cleanup drones a new ability, usable only in friendly or neutral systems. A cleanup drone can target any helpless unit or structure (i.e. ones with no weapons or which are disabled). After a ten-second warmup period, the cleanup drone begins dealing 2% of its target's health in damage every second, ignoring armor. Only one cleanup drone can target a given unit or structure, and any damage done to the cleanup drone (which somehow manages not to smash it like an eggshell) interrupts the effect. As a result, each cleanup drone can destroy one helpless unit or structure per minute, allowing the player to free their combat forces from beating their faces against a wall until it finally falls.

Optionally, doing this could also give the player a small percentage of the target's cost as salvage, probably similar to the 0.1% for scrapping ion cannons and such.

(Inspired by http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=1598#c11087)
TagsNo tags attached.
Internal WeightFeature Suggestion

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Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Feb 13, 2012 1:44 pm FunnyMan New Issue
Feb 13, 2012 1:52 pm tigersfan Internal Weight => Feature Suggestion
Feb 13, 2012 1:52 pm tigersfan Status new => considering