Not sure why, but this forum has eaten TWO of my posts. So we're going to try this again. With WORD.
For the Titan to be fully upgraded, it requires 10 Civilian Research Labs, and 10 Military Research Labs.
There is a reason behind this MADNESS:This is Sparta
Titans have been sold as "THE SHIP." But aside from the Titan Forge, they really aren't.
If you look at say, Freespace 2, and the Collossus, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX6bzq3M4M4
It mentions a score of civilian entities that worked to build it---not just military. It is a huge undertaking, and as such should be treated so. Ergo BOTH military and civilian labs being a requirement for the entire thing. If you cannot score the territory enough to build all of the required structures, then you just don't get one.
However, the Titan, if the player lost all of their research facilities, would only lose a % of abilities per facility lost (1%/ea for a total of 20%). This would open up a strategic assault method to combating a powerful Titan, and I suppose specifically for the Vasari would open up assault venues with their Marauder Capital ship. In any case, a deep run behind the lines could be beneficial, and in this case, keeping your worlds protected from such assaults---WOULD BE BENEFICIAL .
I think this idea would sort of synergize the player's holdings.
Another way of looking at it, I suppose would be that once the Titan is built (requiring 4 of each lab), then the more you build beyond that can add an additional 12% health and weapon power to the ship.
This would make it more than "A really big ship" considering how much money would be required to fully research and outfit a Titan. It would make the loss of one a savage blow.
Thoughts?
(proposed tech tree follows)
The Titan Research Branch (TEC example)
Requirements: 1 Civilian Research Lab, 1 Military Research Lab
Titan Foundry
(allows construction of the Titan Foundry)
Titan Training Academy
(increases supply by 25)
(lowers purchasable training costs by 5% per upgrade (two available))
Titan Crew Training (allows level 2 to be purchased)
Requirements: 2 Civilian Research Labs, 2 Military Research Labs
Titan 25%
Titan Gun Batteries
Titan Missile Batteries
Titan Laser Batteries
Titan AA Batteries
(Without these, the Titan is built without any weaponry)
Requirements: 2 Civilian Research Labs, 2 Military Research Labs
Titan 50%
Gun Battery upgrades (2)
Missile Battery upgrades (2)
Laser Battery upgrades (2)
AA Battery upgrades (2)
Requirements: 3 Civilian Research Labs, 3 Military Research Labs
Titan 75%
Gun Battery upgrades (2)
Missile Battery upgrades (2)
Laser Battery upgrades (2)
AA Battery upgrades (2)
Titan Ability A
Requirements: 4 Civilian Research Labs, 4 Military Research Labs
Titan 100%
Gun Battery upgrades (2)
Missile Battery upgrades (2)
Laser Battery upgrades (2)
AA Battery upgrades (2)
Titan Shielding systems (single upgrade, allows for advanced shielding technologies) (also applies a % to the rest of the faction)
Titan Ability B
Requirements: 5 Civilian Research Labs, 5 Military Research Labs
Titan Crew Training (allows Titan training to be purchased up to level 2)
Gun Battery upgrades (2)
Missile Battery upgrades (2)
Laser Battery upgrades (2)
AA Battery upgrades (2)
Titan Ability C
Titan Fighter Bay (this module adds 2 fighters)
Requirements: 6 Civilian Research Labs, 6 Military Research Labs
Titan Advanced Crew Training (allows Titan training to be purchased up to level 3)
Titan Shield upgrades (2)
Titan Hull upgrades (2)
Titan Armor upgrades (2)
Titan Maneuvering Thrusters
Titan Command Experience (increases the amount of experience gained by the titan by x%)
Requirements: 7 Civilian Research Labs, 7 Military Research Labs
Titan Advanced Antimatter Generator Tech (unlocks further upgrades)
Titan Hull upgrades (2)
Titan Armor upgrades (2)
Titan Ability D
Titan Fighter Bay (this module adds 2 fighters)
Requirements: 8 Civilian Research Labs, 8 Military Research Labs
Titan Ability Increase (increase capabilities by x%) (2)
Titan Advanced Antimatter Generator Tech (2)
Titan Advanced Crew Training (allows Titan training to be purchased up to level 4)
Titan Shield upgrades (2)
Titan Jump Calculation (increases jump prep speed, stacks with other jump tech)
Titan Escape Pods (launches multiple pods on a direct line similar to the novalith cannon to the Titan Forge, they start out at half the speed as the Novalith round and continue to accelerate. They have about 100 hit points each, and there are ten. Each escape pod lost knocks the experience of the rebuilt Titan down by 10%. If they're all blown up, you get to purchase the levels again. As a caveat, each escape pod that gets through lowers the time requirement for the next one to be built (10 seconds each, total of 100 possible seconds off the base time).
If half of the crew is killed in the pods, 50 seconds are lopped off the rebuild time. And a Level 6 Titan comes back as a level 3 Titan. Level 10 as Level 5.
So it is POSSIBLE for the rebuilt titan to be at the same level as the one that was just destroyed--NOT Guaranteed.
Requirements: 9 Civilian Research Labs, 9 Military Research Labs
Titan Advanced Crew Training (allows Titan training to be purchased up to level 5)
Titan Ability Increase (increase capabilities by x%) (2)
Titan Shield Regeneration (2 upgrades)
Titan Jump Field Inhibitor (increase enemy required jump time by 100%, does 10% damage to enemy ship on jump)
Titan Escape Pod Mag-launchers (doubles the initial speed of the escape pods)
Titan Hull upgrades (2)
Titan Armor upgrades (2)
Titan Fighter bay (this module adds 2 fighters)
Titan Shield Upgrades (2)
Requirements: 10 Civilian Research Labs, 10 Military Research Labs
(Super Expensive)
Titan Legendary Admiral (allows Titan training to be purchased up to level 6)
Titan Targeting System (increases weapon damage, range, and decreases cooldown) (2)
Titan Remolecularization (increases hull regeneration speed and damage reduction) (2)
Titan Reinforced Escape Pods (Triples the hitpoints of escape pods)
Unfettered Jump System (Titan cannot be stopped from jumping---should probably be for the Vasari ship though... but just an idea)
(Select One) (Customization)
Trade Module (Turns Titan into a Trade Port (10 income instead of the usual 3 from maxed starbase tradeport due to it being mobile), can construct trade ports -- anywhere. They function like a normal trade port. )
Ship building Module (Allows Titan to construct any ship at 50% regular speed, ships within a tight radius are repaired at whatever repair rate their upgrades give from the repair bays)
Mobile Government (Whatever gravity well the Titan resides in cannot be lost by bombardment or culture, additionally it prevents colonization of the planet in that gravity well by anyone else, ally or foe--planets treat the Titan as the homeworld in regards to distance/allegiance ratings, so if a planet is 7 jumps away from home but the Titan 2 systems over, then the planet acts as though it is only 2 jumps from home)
Hornets Nest (Builds a Module that houses 10 wings of fighters--would give a max with other upgrades of 16 wings)
Primary Weapon or Primary Defense (Rebel or Loyalist) double (grants the ship a second charge or gun; or grants the ship double the defensive capacity)
Ram (Boosts the armor on the front of the Titan for the specific purpose of driving through someone else's ship--can be used on any structure, must be manually targeted. If the target is a Starbase or Titan, the Ramming Titan automatically loses 25% health upon hit, but does 50%. Suggested only for folks with lots and lots of money and or desperation.)
(open to other ideas on these)