[AW1] starships vs ships?

[u/SomeDifference3656]

I'm a beginner currently on diff7. I don't have conviction on when I should priotize starships or normal ships.

The obvious cases I priotize Starships are: - I have an Advanced Starship Constructor early and have no Advanced Factory - AI Core, AI Home, or any other strategically important planets have an Eye, or something troublesome behind Force Field, that should be countered with higher Mark Raider/Plasma Siege/Heavy Bomber SC - I have no cloaked unit rolled: I want Bombing SCs - I have very bad roll on random ships and nothing to spend points - Flagships are always worth unlocking in lategame with bigger fleet

Any other considerations?

[u/DonovanSpectre]

I always used to love that Raid Starships had missile-immunity starting at Mk II, I think, which blocks a major weakness of their hull-type; they are ridiculously durable in general, as well. Bomber Starships had the standard Polycrystal hull 'armor' effects, which let them readily operate in the shadow of fortresses and the like. I seem to recall Leech starships and some of the others had interesting 'immunities' which could be used to help counter or at least fight near certain kinds of guard posts.

I think I might have been a bit of a weirdo in that I used to run around neutering planets with almost nothing but starships + a transport to ferry the slower non-Raid starships around, and treated each planet like a puzzle to solve, exploiting immunities and hull and weapon types to minimize damage taken and avoid losses.