Repair bots

[drwhite7]

What are people's opinions on repair bots? Are they really useful or can the space be used for better things? They can be useful especially when they fix command centers, engines, and missile bays I guess, but they can't fix armor. Some people are of the opinion that maybe by the time your inner components are vulnerable, it's already time to either hyperspace or play it safe and get yourself out of the action, which renders repair bots mostly useless compared to what could be in their place. They also weigh and cost a lot relatively and have a rather low chance of fixing something. What do you guys think?

[drwhite7]

I really am not sure what I think of repair bots. I've been trying ships with and without them. I haven't reached a personal decision yet, so I haven't voted in my poll yet.

[ima_gnu]

Every one of my custom ships that I fly regularly has at least three bots and three command centeres. Why?

You just lost all your right side shielding, all the rear is gone, theres a Shark right beside you which you KNOW is going to shoot a plectron into your side, and theres another random ship behind you, ready to finish you off. Guarenteed, I dont care what you're flying, a plec into an unshielded side is going to cripple your ship. With one of two command centers, chances are high that that plec is going to kill you outright. Even if it doesnt, theres that other ship ready to take advantage of you. With three CC's, you probably live, and the bots are going to start fixing your ship up.

Definately worth the money.

[Fuzzy Wonky]

... Some people are of the opinion that maybe by the time your inner components are vulnerable, it's already time to either hyperspace or play it safe and get yourself out of the action, which renders repair bots mostly useless compared to what could be in their place. They also weigh and cost a lot relatively and have a rather low chance of fixing something ...

I belong to those people.

[cavemaniac1]

It took me a while to warm to repairbots, but now I wouldn't be without them in my high-end ships.

While I make do without them in my earlier cheaper ships, I find that in later missions having repairbots means that I can stick around and complete a tough mission, whereas without them, as has been previously noted, it's time to hit the Hyperspace Button.

[Garnier]

I always have 3 or 4 RBs on my ships. As well as 3 or 4 command centers. That way even if I have lost all my shields, my insides get repaired as fast as they get damaged, and I can stick around on the battlefield til the end of the mission. I have been in situations where everything but one engine and one CC and 2 of 4 repair bots were left, and the whole ship was repaired at the end of the mission. I got a gold cross, cause I was able to fight all their ships away, just by waiting out of the fight to repair, then coming back in and destroying them.

[BoxZone_Author]

I've only one thing to say .... my Bubble series
Who needs shields if you have loads of command centers and repair bots?

[Old Man Johnson]

I think repair bots really shine in the high-end ships but are not worth it in low-cost ones, because they are very useful, but also very expensive. In the beginning, the money is better spent on combat components, but later on when you have more money, repair bots can be invaluable. If you lose some internal systems, you can just keep going while they repair. Or, if the damage is really bad, you can try and hide in an asteroid field while they repair. Either is better than simply hyperspacing or ejecting.

[BoxZone_Author]

OMJ,

Interistingly I would have said exactly the opposite!

When your ships are inexpensive and you can't afford many shields and enemies aren't too powerful repair bots are very useful. Once you ships have loads of shields enemies rarely get into your components anyway, at that time you need to fill all your slots with other things and if you lose a side if shields an enemy barrage of plec's will wipe you out in one turn so repairs are less useful.

[Fuzzy Wonky]

Same as BZA.
Think. With a side wholly open to ennemy hits (no more shields) and a pair of warriors or barbarians around you or when you're caught in the middle of a big fight (when attacking ennemy planet, for instance) with missiles flying everywhere, are you sure that both ennemy ships and lost missiles will simply let you go and hide somewhere (far amidst those few asteroids near the other side of the board...) while your bots are trying to fix internal components? Ok, let's suppose they forget about you for a moment and the bots operate as they should: will you really go back to combat (plunge back into the fray) and victoriously engage numerous powerful ennemies and get a gold cross... with no shield at your side? Then I tell you you'll really notice you've got repair bots instead of let's say stealth... and regret it!

[Guanchao]

Stealth is about as useful as a butterknife in a major skirmish, since computers aren't fooled by stealth, I'd say Repairbots are worth more than stealth.

I've managed to come out victorious with no side shields; I got really, really lucky; One of my custom-designed ships (AuraLuce, a beefed up version of the Hurricane) has good shielding, and four repairbots; I used to have six.

[cavemaniac1]

I've only one thing to say .... my Bubble series
Who needs shields if you have loads of command centers and repair bots?

It's an old topic but I really felt the need to post...

Box Zone Author, you've revolutionised the way I play Critical Mass.

With Stock ships I'd rarely get past 50 missions.

With my custom designs, the 60 mission mark was a challenge.

Drawing inspiration from your Bubble series I came up with a custom ship that suits my style of play.

Loads of command centres and six repairbots ensure survivability - though I **STILL** need shields. I made one ship without them but quickly discoverd it was a death trap!

Assuming I can survive long enough to buy my custom ship, I can now reach the 90 mission mark.

Further refinement will no doubt continue!

As an aside, I gave up on stealth a long time ago as I couldn't see any benefit....

[umeboshi110]

stealth is useful in the beginning of the battle until you get sighted once. i think that this can be very useful, as you can get much closer to the enemy without them spotting you. problem is, if you have a lot of stealth then you dont have a lot of radar, which makes everything harder.

[Bob Janova]

You can stack stealth on the sides and rear, where radar isn't as important (as long as you have 2 or 3 radars there you shouldn't get killed by people you can't see).

[ima_gnu]

There should be an "ultra turret" with five forward radars, four missile tubes (two side and two front), Seven stealth (one front, two side and four rear) five repair bots (one on one side, two on the other, and two rear) Four command centers (two rear and two side) two engines on one side, three on the other and whatever missiles/shields befit that turret. The most damage you can do is 65 turn at 436 credits.....and it would RULE!!


Actually, I think I'll make it, and DEFINATELY not run into anything. The game gives me velocity to start with......w00t!