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Smarter Ship Design [4.0]

This mod aims to guide the AI empires to design its ship designs more effectively and adds a few ship sections I felt were lacking. If you use auto-generated ship designs those will also be improved. Currently it only impacts mechanical ships. I will eventually include bioships, if I consider it necessary, but I first need to play with them more.

All the images are of ship designs the AI created with this mod.

The mod works fine on its own, but for an even better effect it can be combined with my other mod Signature Weapons.


The ship section selection weights have been rewritten and the AI will now pick them based on what technologies it has and what kind of weapons it prefers based on its personality[stellaris.paradoxwikis.com]:

• AI will favor P slots over S slots if it researched new P weapons that are of the same tech tier or higher than its best S/M weapon.
  
• Exception: AI that prefers explosive weapons will only favor P slots over S slots if it has P weapons that are more advanced than its regular missiles.
  
• After researching Battleships technology AI will favor using P slots on all smaller ship sizes.
  
• AI that prefers energy or kinetic weapons will favor M slots over S slots until it researches Autocannons or Plasma Throwers technology. Then it will start preferring S slots.
  
• AI that prefers explosive weapons will favor M slots over S slots if it has swarmers that are of the same tech tier or higer than its regular missiles.
  
• AI that prefers strike craft will favor M slots over S slots if it has Whirlwind Missiles technology.
  
• AI that prefers energy or kinetic weapons will favor L slots over M slots if it has researched Kinetic Battery technology and is producing Volatile Motes.
  
• AI that prefers explosive weapons or strike craft will never favor L slots over M slots.
  
• AI that prefers energy or kinetic weapons will favor G slots over other weapon slots if it has researched Battleships and Proton Launchers technologies and is producing Exotic Gases.
  
• AI that prefers explosive weapons will favor G slots over other weapon slots if it has researched Battleships and Armored Torpedoes technologies and is producing Volatile Motes.
  
• AI that prefers strike craft will never favor G slots over other weapon slots.
  
• AI that prefers strike craft will always favor H slots over other weapon slots.
  
• AI will always favor X slots over other weapon slots.

Defense Platforms use special rules and will most commonly use M slots to avoid range issues. However, AI that prefers explosive weapons will use S slots on defense platforms if its regular missiles are more advanced than its swarmers. Finally, AI that prefers strike craft will use H slots on defense platforms.

The mod also adds logic to choosing what weapons to put into weapon slots of a specific size.

• S slots will usually be used for autocannons, disruptors, plasma and missiles.
  
• M slots will usually be used for lasers, railguns and swarmers.
  
• L slots will be used for kinetic artillery if available and lasers or railguns if not.
  
• G slots will be used for energy torpedoes if the empire prefers energy or kinetic weapons and for regular torpedoes if it prefers explosive weapons or strike craft.
  
• AI that prefers energy weapons will avoid using disruptors and missiles.
  
• AI that prefers kinetic weapons will avoid using disruptors.
  
• AI that prefers explosive weapons will avoid using energy weapons (except disruptors).

MODIFIED SHIP SECTIONS:

• All standard stern sections for Destroyers now have 2 new small slots for defenses.
  
• Standard Frigates now have 6 small slots for defenses.
  
• Destroyer Picket Ship Bow: replaced the S slots with an M slot and a P slot (MPP)
  
• Cruiser Hangar Core: replaced P slots with S slots (SSH)
  
• Cruiser Torpedo Core: replaced the 2 S slots with a G slot (GGG).
  
• Battleship Hangar Bow: replaced P slots with S slots (HMSS)
  
• Battleship Carrier Core: replaced P slots with S slots (HHSSSS)

NEW STANDARD SHIP SECTIONS:

• Frigate: Multirole (PG)
  
• Destroyer: Interceptor Ship Bow (SSS and replaces 6 small slots for defenses with 3 M slots)
  
• Destroyer: Torpedo Stern (G)
  
• Cruiser: Gunship Bow (SSM)
  
• Cruiser: Picket Ship Stern (PP)
  
• Menacing Cruiser: Multirole Cruisers (LMGSP)

NEW SHIP SECTIONS UNLOCKED BY ARMORED IN FIREPOWER (NEW ASCENSION PERK)

• Corvette: Guardian (MPP weapons; SS defenses)
  
• Corvette: Gunstar (MM weapons; SS defenses)
  
• Frigate: Guardian (GPP weapons; SSSS defenses)
  
• Frigate: Nova (GG weapons; SSSS defenses)
  
• Destroyer: Gunstar Stern (MM weapons; no defenses)
  
• Destroyer: Nova Stern (GG weapons; no defenses)

This is a gameplay altering mod and as such it will prevent you from getting achievements.

The mod replaces five files:
1) .../Stellaris/common/component_templates/00_weapons_energy.txt
2) .../Stellaris/common/component_templates/00_weapons_extra_large.txt
3) .../Stellaris/common/component_templates/00_weapons_missiles.txt
4) .../Stellaris/common/component_templates/00_weapons_pointdefence.txt
5) .../Stellaris/common/component_templates/00_weapons_projectile.txt

Additionally it adds new files that overwrite all entries from 5 more files:
6) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/battleship.txt
7) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/corvette.txt
8) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/crisis.txt
9) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/cruiser.txt
10) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/destroyer.txt

Finally it overwrites the defense platform entries in the file:
11) .../Stellaris/common/section_templates/other.txt

It will be incompatible with any mod that also edits these same files or entries, but should be compatible with all the mods that don't. It may also be technically compatible but effectively incompatible with a mod that dramatically alters ship design in some other way.

Not compatible with NSC.

Should be compatible with StarNet AI and StarTech AI.


I would be grateful if you could rate the mod with either thumbs up or thumbs down. If you rate it with a thumbs up and you really enjoy it, please consider also marking it as a favorite. If you like this mod you might also like one of my other mods.

I also created a Discord server[discord.gg]



I'm an old-school modder and don't think it should be necessary to get people's permissions to use their work as a basis for your own. So if I ever go off-line, you have my blessing to update my mods and upload them yourself. You also have my blessing to incorporate bits and pieces of my mods into your own mods. In both cases I'd just appreciate if you gave me credit for my work and send a notification my way. Thanks.