I tested it under the following conditions:
a ) Advent Culture is there but no culture uprades of any kind are researched.
- Vasari Kanrak attack, no phase missiles upgrades
- Vasari Kanrak attack, first phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, second phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, third phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, fourth phase missile upgrade (Damage)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, fifth phase missile upgrade (Damage Vasari Rebels)
b ) Advent culture is there and fully researched.
- Vasari Kanrak attack, no phase missiles upgrades
- Vasari Kanrak attack, first phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, second phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, third phase missile upgrade (Bypass)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, fourth phase missile upgrade (Damage)
- Vasari Kanrak attack, fifth phase missile upgrade (Damage Vasari Rebels)
The results are frightening. The difference between advent culture and no advent culture is smaller than the difference between phase missile upgrade 2 and 3.
That means that a Vasari having 3 Phase missiles upgrade will basically just have 2.5 phase missile upgrades when in advent culture. Thats way to little to make a difference. Imagine being on the offensive.. Vasari culture with damage upgrade... ouch. With the damage upgrades to the missiles, there is no hope for advent.... just death.
I dont know how to properly read the files or how to calculate the values... but from my testing it surely feels like 6 % less phase shield piercing hits. The ships have far less than 1000 Hull points by the time the shields fail.... and that on a radiance with has the best hull and armor values of any advent capital.
This needs to be addressed some way.