I'm a big fan of adding things to a game that are a logical extension of already existing rules, things that seem to be 'missing'. And one of the things that has bugged me for a long time is the lack of cloaking or scanning modules that can be added to bases. We've seen zolazin mission 'bases' that focus to the extreme on cloak. What would stop our bases from doing something similar but to a much smaller degree?

This is where the idea for an Extended Communications Array started:
1. It would be an extra for bases and thus not a gimmee. You would thus purchase it for a token fee using GP. Something like 10 or so GP to unlock a new tab on the base.
2. We already know that theoretically the base is packed to the gills (i.e. our inability to store anything on base or offline modules) and that the base already has a limited ability to scan. The Extended Communications Array would be set up on surrounding asteroids or a dead planet to boost the signals already coming from the base, along with other functions.
3. As almost a separate though interlinked entity with the base, it would have its own hp. As it's so far away from the base, it wouldn't partake of any of the base's defenses and perhaps have limited defenses of its own. I foresee a percentage of the bases weaponry being able to strike at such a distance and thus provide cover to the ECA. This would add a new dynamic to base building as the turtle design is the accepted starting point for base building and the turtle goes minimally into attack. People will have to decide how turtle they really want to go if they want to protect their ECA.
4. When a player locks a base, they will see the stats for the base and have the option of attacking the base directly or targetting an ECA if there is one attached to the base. This would provide the legion something to do when they encounter a monster of a base instead of just waiting the timer out. By fighting an ECA you do NOT get silver badges. You are simply affored the ability to raid the ECA. After the legion gathers X amount of ECA debris, the legion is then able to build their own ECA free of purchasing it with GP.
5. Now down to the nitty and gritty. What would it do? And I'm happy to accept ideas on this. I think an ECA should afford you the option of adding scan and cloaking modules. If someone goes all out cloak then it shrouds the space surround the base in dark energies that make it more difficult for the base to be targetted by other legions. This would depend on the extent of and advanced state of the modules (thus giving players a need to research those modules on the Research Tree). I also imagine these helping the legion as a whole. If the base is directed towards scanning or cloaking, a small percentage of that cloak or scan is passed on to each individual ship in the legion. Note that I said small so as to not imbalance this feature.

I see scanning working a little differently. Rather than giving you an increase in chance of scanning a base (which is always 100%), I see it giving you more choice in your base lock. If you want to lock a level 5 base, you put that in as an option and depending on the odds given by your scanning modules and of course the randomness in the equation, you increase your chance of scanning a base of the level that you selected.

Now this is as far as I've worked it out, but I personally think it would add whole new levels to the gameplay both on bases and outside of bases. It also seems fairly balanced for players who spend GP and those who don't. Most importantly, it wouldn't be overpowering when applied properly.

an interesting idea, and one I personally like although it need to be refined just a little.

How much resources would this ECA hold (otherwise why raid it at all)?
Will it be research (making it partly useless to high ranks, but liquid gold to low ranks) or will it be a mixture?


Bout the best part I like about it currently, is the possibility to try and "refine" your base scan to look for certain levels.

Sorry Mandalore, perhaps I wasn't clear. Raiding the ECA in its current incarnation would only provide you Communications Array Debris. This is so players who don't want to spend GP to build their own, still can get an ECA. Because once they've got X amount of the debris, they've got enough parts to cobble their own together without having to go the GP spending route (which not everyone does).

And this whole idea came to be because I've always found it odd that bases excluded scan and cloak from being functional parts of how they work

So what happens when they've got their own ECA there'd be no point attacking it anymore?

Perhaps... Perhaps the debris could be scrapped for ctp. I don't know. This is just the beginning of the idea.

Yeah being scrapped for ctp would be nice, everyone can find a use for that

Raiding the ECA gives a chance to either gain research points or the debris

The debris could be converted into a new material required to upgrade the base level (Less amounts of energy required for level 8 but some of this material as well )

Can only be used on level 7+ bases

The research points can only be used on a new specific research branch (+15 resource structures maybe ) (this would require a long time to complete)