personally i haveto agree with LoRd-JeSuS and Xylan
against an AI opponent, i always build two repair platforms flanking the planet and cluster gun platforms close to the planet opposite the most likely route the enemy approaches from. that requires a little forethought and planning, but it works wonders.
i was playing Systems of War medium map against 3 Unfair opponents and kept getting attacked by a MASSIVE Vasaari fleet, enough to fill the planets sidebar. their flagship Jorskul destructor or devastator or whatever it is lost its shields in only four volleys of gunfire and seven more killed it.
My advice is that whenplaying against AI players, two repair platforms and the rest weapon platforms. group them together so you can easily select them and target them on one ship at a time, capital ships first, of course. Also, if playing as TEC research planetary shields, improve them as much as possible, and build one on every world. for the advent, antimatter regen can help if you have a defensive fleet. For the Vasaari, weapon jammers or phase stabilisers are a must, but only one or otherwise you wont have enough weapon platforms to make anything but a symbolic defence
ive also noticed that AI players, in large fleets tend to spam light arriers, in huge numbers. this is great, because the AI player is really really dmb and brings the whole fleet in close. once any capital ships are dead, target the carriers. that removes the threat from strikecraft ANd allows you to reap lots of kills, which makes the enemy retreat faster.
As for the people who say build hangers,wrong IF it's against AI
The AI spams light carriers and fills them with fighters and a few bombers. the fighters wipe out ANY defensive squadrons you have (im talking in excess of 50 enemy squadrons) and the bombers make mincemeat of your hangers, and then your screwed, to put it bluntly
