An alternative for an attack.
The battle would last for a fewer rounds. The raider would still be able too loot some resources even if it ends in a tie.
Of course the raider should have penalties to balance it out. His fleet would be more vulnerable in a raid compared to an attack mission.

explain why you suggest this? I am not smart enough to see the benefit in this addition

Duh... I dunno. My brain is not large enough to think for my own. Much less to think for you.

They would not fire for first round, instead they would get close to planet and start raiding resources, once in position they can fire at half power and half goes to getting resourses (adjustible). The defender can pound them (with a 10% weapons boost for accuracy since other fleet is stationary) until raid timer runs out or if they decide to pull out early. My best suggestion yet!!!

I think not firing for the first round is too much. The highest casualty is made at the first round.

You said penalty, ok maybe not, its not my decision to mke any way but still very good idea.

We'll everyone's opinion is needed to balance things out.
Maybe we'll just have to wait for the battle simulator for a more accurate data.

I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE B.S.!!!!(not real bs, battle simulator )

neoshagrath wrote:I think not firing for the first round is too much. The highest casualty is made at the first round.

How about this...

When you send them on a Raid mission, you CANNOT send anything other than Cargos (Small or Large, obviously). Your weapons are disabled and the excess energy is used to power your engines and shields, allowing you to move much faster and absorb a bit more damage (50%, maybe?). Instead of a battle, there will be 1 round where the defender fires (It is all calculated normally) and then your shields (which are beefed up from you not having weapon systems) will absorb the correct amount. any destroyed ships are, obviously, destroyed and are not able to raid. The remaining ships will either A)Fill their cargo holds or B)Get 75% of of the total of each resource, whichever comes first. They will then leave and make the journey back home, this time slightly faster because they would then disable their shields as well, redirecting MORE power to the engines. (Maybe pump it up to 80% increase in speed or so)

Now, you are able to send a raid fleet MUCH quicker, keeping the other player from being able to move his stuff in time and you will be able to get 75% of their resources, instead of 50% (It makes sense because the "citizens" would not have as much time to hide their resources or whatever it is they do with them, since you're traveling much faster). So, you're able to go faster and get more, but you are basically turned into a shooting gallery during the approach. Oh, and because of the fast approach, any debris would have been carried forward into the atmosphere and landed on the planet, so no DF would form, but the defender would get 50% of the debris that would have formed if it were a normal attack(the rest would be burnt up during re-entry into the planet's atmosphere).

I think that would balance it out fairly nicely. If there is a turtle lying around, you can send some Cargos and get their stuff. But, you may end up sending your ships into a death trap and then the turtle gets to stay in its little shell for a bit longer from the debris you just gave him. This would also make S Cargos a bit more useful, since you can send them (Faster) and give the player even less time to move their stuff, since they have a shorter warning time on the attack.

i like that idea.