This is a different kind of Exploring craft. Since a MASSIVE part of the game is going out to unknown we need a POST Exploratory Vessel. These will travel to the discovered/rediscovered system and do a more thorough probe scan of potential life supporting or mine strong or transformer starting machines on worlds and claim then for their faction/Power. They can do scan of rings for special mining, search ancient debris fields, look at ruins or hints of ruins of lost cultures on long dead worlds. This opens a whole new battle for resources and transport for your faction/power play.
These vessels are larger than most and too big to dock, they have to park outside at a hub buoy and take a 'shuttle' down (often referred to as 'nap time' due to the time waiting for a docking node). These ships need to buy support commodities and modules to process them along with parts for building what they may come across... If you like to explore dangerously you can buy a 'claim jump kit' includes marines to try and wrest control of another claim in favor of your own faction/power, you may want to get a wing for that kind of thing
Flying a Research Vessel is massive task, a large staff, scientists, soldiers, supplies, equipment ...etc a full job in itself, AND you have to maintain it yourself. Don't feed the crew with enough commodities and you will have a mutiny. Drop a crew on a acid planet you have to pay for their funeral, replace them at dock, and fill in any jobs they may have needed. Do that too often and no one will be there to fly the ship.
They CAN be armed up, but the cost for full battle shield to cover this hull makes it pretty pointless to make a battle cruiser out of it and the weapon mounts are designed for defensive to help protect settlements and facilities on the ground. BUT, they are big, and it takes a massive concentrated attack to harm them (referred in many circles as the "Blue Whale of Space". They were meant to go and look at things, FAR away, not so much attack them.
(This is the concept, using current in game tech and expanding VERY slightly on future design)
These vessels are larger than most and too big to dock, they have to park outside at a hub buoy and take a 'shuttle' down (often referred to as 'nap time' due to the time waiting for a docking node). These ships need to buy support commodities and modules to process them along with parts for building what they may come across... If you like to explore dangerously you can buy a 'claim jump kit' includes marines to try and wrest control of another claim in favor of your own faction/power, you may want to get a wing for that kind of thing
Flying a Research Vessel is massive task, a large staff, scientists, soldiers, supplies, equipment ...etc a full job in itself, AND you have to maintain it yourself. Don't feed the crew with enough commodities and you will have a mutiny. Drop a crew on a acid planet you have to pay for their funeral, replace them at dock, and fill in any jobs they may have needed. Do that too often and no one will be there to fly the ship.
They CAN be armed up, but the cost for full battle shield to cover this hull makes it pretty pointless to make a battle cruiser out of it and the weapon mounts are designed for defensive to help protect settlements and facilities on the ground. BUT, they are big, and it takes a massive concentrated attack to harm them (referred in many circles as the "Blue Whale of Space". They were meant to go and look at things, FAR away, not so much attack them.
(This is the concept, using current in game tech and expanding VERY slightly on future design)
