Got some ideas for a new type of frigate for each faction that would work on disrupting enemy supply lines for the owning players economic advantage, didn't really know where to post this and thought this forum was most appropriate.
TEC unit: Marauder
Description : The TEC seek to disrupt enemy supply lines by hiring mercenaries to raid enemy trade ships and resource extractors.
Abilities: Raid (Sends boarding party to enemy trade ship, drains trade ships 75% of cargo, 90 sec cool down, trade ship destroyed), Sabotage (Disables enemy resource extractors for 60 seconds, 90 second cool down)
Research Upgrade: Explosive Cargo
Research Description: The Marauders raid teams now plant explosives in enemy trade ships cargo, which detonate when the trade ship returns to its trade port, heavily disrupting trading operations (still drain 75% of cargo but enemy trade port reduced to 75% efficiency for 120 seconds)
Weapons: Laser, causes minor damage to enemy structures and can ward off enemy light frigates and corvettes.
Advent Unit: Siren
Description: These stealthy ships find their way behind enemy lines and lure unsuspecting trade ships their way, only to steal their cargo for the unity.
Abilities: Lure (targets trade ships, drains trade ships of 100% cargo, 90 sec cool down, trade ship not destroyed), Fade (targets self, ship eludes detection for 120 seconds, can still move and perform phase jumps )
Research Upgrade: Brainwashing
Research Description: The Advent on the ship are sufficiently powerful to completely brainwash their victims into broadcasting the Unity's message to anyone they encounter for 300 seconds (Repels enemy culture, improves Advent culture in area local to where the trade ship is in).
Weapons: Flak cannons, useful for warding off enemy strike craft until fade can be used.
Vasari Unit: Scavenger
Description: Desperate to leave this sector the Vasari find resources where ever they can. These ships usually follow the main fleet in packs and harvest the wreckage left in its wake.
Abilities: Minor Debris Vortex (acts the same way as the Orkulus but converts wreckage to Credits, metal and crystal, 90 second cool down, lasts 20 seconds)
Research Upgrades: Strike team housing, Tracking device.
Research Description: Adds housing for strike teams in the Scavenger, allowing the ship to board passing enemy trade vessels (targets trade ships, drains trade ships 35% of cargo, trade ship survives)
Vasari strike teams now embed a tracking device into the cargo of the trade ship, giving the Vasari empire an insight into the area it operates in.
Weapons: Phase missiles to target harassing strike craft and corvettes
Cargo means credit value that trade ship is generating at its trade port * 20 plus 10 metal and 5 crystal, which changes depending of length of the trade route
This is just an idea and values, cool down times etc can all be tweaked for balance.
