I usually just build as many capital ships as I can while ignoring frigates altogether (Save for colony frigates, of course.) until I can get heavy cruisers. A properly micromanaged capital ship can kill twenty times its value before even dipping to 2000 HP.

Once I've got full capitals and my research tree mostly finished, I get all of my fleet supply done and then spam assault cruisers and support cruisers.

Don't take my word, though. I mostly just play singleplayer, so I doubt I'd have a valid opinion VS Humans.

Fielding a very heavy capital fleet can seem like a good idea, but it is just very vulnerable to a variety of tactics and ultimately isn't as effective as smaller ships.

Most notably, Capitals, for their price are not swimming in hit points, and their damage per second they put out compared to an equal cost in smaller ships is usually significantly less (which most Capitals cannot even concentrate because not all of their weapons are forward mounted). It's not until they gain veterancy through battle that they begin to really shine, but without a fleet to help them get there, they won't have to worry about living that long. Direct combat, bang for your buck, the little ships are usually much more efficient. Sure, you'll loose some even with good support, but you'll kill far more of the enemy.

Ultimately the Capitals are support ships. They do specific roles for a fleet, either giving advantages to nearby friendlies, disrupting the abilities of nearby enemies, or even the Battleships just taking damage (2,000 hit points lost to a Capital results in no dps loss to your fleet, if they focus fired on individual frigates in that time they would have reduced your hitting power). You should balance a fleet with that in mind, not what the little ships can do to help your Capitals, but what your Capitals can do to help your little ships.

You can get away with most (or even an all) Capital fleet against the AI, usually because it does not fully utilize LRMs early (premier Capital killers early game, a lone capital or a pair doesn't stand a chance against an early swarm of the buggers) or later in the game focus fire on the right units. The AI's affinity for ignoring Repair Platforms also favors a heavy capital strategy, since just one Capital sitting in a cluster of Repair Platforms is a almost a fortress unto itself. Against a person though you can expect any fleet of all Capitals to be destroyed before a fourth capital is in the game.

eh... the more capships, the less exp. each gets with each kill.
Only advent seem to be able to get away with the mostly capship fleet, because of resurrection, autoleveling to level 4, and 50% increase in exp gained. Even if you field a mostly capship fleet, I'd still recomend pumping in some auxships as needed (like flacks or carriers).
and if you spam capships, your going to have to get used to them dying, which always makes me cry (not so bad with resurrection)

still, I think the advent can make it happen, at least in large maps, you just have to get used to losing capships and resurrecting them, and you save money in the long run b/c you don't have to research larger fleets larger than 800.

The only reason I build caps beyond the first is in order to siege planets, because they're so much better than seige frigates in this version.

So for me its Akkan, then multiple Marzas. (with crap loads of frigates)

But anyway, back to the original topic . . . what about Heavy Cruisers? When I play the AI a fleet of Kodiaks usually takes care of business when supported by a few cap ships and carriers. But then again, I usually just throw LRMs in just for the heck of it (they come in handy against gauss turrents and stuff) and a bunch of light frigates just to absorb damage and draw away attackers.

I have no idea if that works against humans, either

yea I was going to say... even a decent fleet of cap ships will get owned without support. I actually tried it out with a few fleets... only a bunch of Vasari Vulkoras did decently and even they lost badly (the missile swarms killed a lot before I had to pull out).

If I need to kill lots of capitol ships I use Guardians and strike craft... or I just consume them with Illuminators. But I play a lot of Advent mostly because no one seems to like them. Illuminators will total capitol ships without blinking an eye due to their damage type. And a good sized bomber force will eat capitol ships alive. Both are fast so there is no real escaping them. You might want to build some flak or something... oh and something to kill the Illuminators.

The problem is the computer for all its decent AI and all that is still that... a computer. It is predictable. It doesn't adapt well. A human will see your fleet of capitol ships and build accordingly.

As to a proper ratio there really isn't one. You just build things as it looks like you need them. In a short game I usually don't have more than one or 2 caps. Some times in long games as Advent if I get a Progenitor high enough to get Resurrection I will start just building Capitol ships willy nilly and use them for all kinds of stuff like raiding and absorbing direct fire in a fleet because I can more or less get back the same ship with very little effort. It is the exception to the rule and I still don't have tons of cap ships I just get more careless how i use them. But don't take my word for it there are more experienced players around.

Oh and as to the heavy cruisers... if your going to spam a ship it might as well be them but generally you want to avoid ship spam and construct a more balanced fleet based on what your scouting indicates may be needed. Scout a lot. You won't regret it.

The simple answer to your question is because it's incredibly inefficient and slow.

The main point here is that you can do whatever you like against the AI because it sucks so bad. Yes, there is no reason NOT to do X strategy or Y strategy or Z strategy in a single player game where you are just doing said strategy to amuse yourself.

Try any of this "super build up" stuff against a human and the game will be over in 10 minutes.

For multiplayer and SINGLE player I call the LRF blob the cap hunters. They can kick some serious tail. 8 ravastras 1 Evacuator 1 the missle destroyer vs 15 illum. I get down to 10 illum and he has lost everything but the evacuator and its on red. Illum have deceptive illusion.

HC and caps are overrated. Can easily win a game without them

Capitol ships mainly play a support role to the rest of the fleet. Either aiding in firepower, bombardment of enemy planets, draining shields ect. All those special skills that aid in destroying in the enemy fleet are useless without the aid of other ships. Every fleet should be primarily made up of frigates, cruisers and support ships. A fleet made up mostly of capitol ships is destined to be annihilated. In every game I've played where an enemy used this tac they've been destroyed.

I love players like you. Yes please continue to overdo Cap ships and neglect building a proper fleet. I don't think I've ever seen it work against a decent player but if it works for you then everyone is happy