The only problem is see with moving to a % basis for components is that it would allow smaller ships to get more components than now, without using the miniaturization techs. That sort of breaks the larger ships should have more components Style. 

Granted, a hull size to engine power ratio should probably used so that larger ships need more engines to keep up with smaller ships.  Likewise, if you assume the corvette is the standard, then ships smaller than that would get a boost. 

yeah, there's something to that.

it all leads into bigger issues, such as -- should a large ship of X logistics size outgun X tiny 1 logistics sized ships?

edit:  though, I think the combat simulator hurts the small ships more than the larger ones wrt in combat speed due to the small ships getting to the enemy first adn getting shot first.

If you compare to the sailing ships of the Pirate era, a sloop would carry fewer guns or guns of a lesser caliber than a Galleon however it could outmaneuver the Galleon.   So it could shoot less cannon balls per firing turn so to speak but it was more difficult to hit.    The Galleon could sink the sloop if it could hit a broadside.   So the sloop had to be lucky on every shot, whereas the Galleon need only be lucky once.


I would like to see smaller engines for the smaller hulls (even if we restrict those to the specific class of their ships) for example a Tiny engine could only be used on Small and Tiny Class a medium engine to Cargo and medium sized hulls.

For shield protection I'd like to see more protection for the same unit so a smaller vessel doesn't need to have as many on board.  

On the counterpart, the smaller hulls could carry fewer weapons and have a smaller firing rate. Due to recharge time for lasers or limited ammunition / missles.

Erong comparison a carrier isn't built for speed. You mean a speed boat could outrun a carrier don't you. The problem with this scenario is a speed boat also doesn't have weapons. In order for your scenario to work you are saying that tiny ships shouldn't have guns. A new scenario I would like to compare the cruiser to the pt boats. Mind you will have to use world war two ships. I don't know who would win on speed can someone look this up for me. Or at least compare the right ship ehich is the cruiser.

for completeness of the analogies though, we have to keep in mind that range is a factor. Consider it fuel.

Ie, Speed boat has 1 range, the carrier has 32000 range.

Ofc, that sort of means that small ships shouldn't be able to go far distances, but with starbases of any kind increasing range of all ships, it sort of messes that up.

Short range for fighters without a midair refueler is 100 miles. United states of america doesn't use short range fighters.  fighters have two hulls. Bombers come in four. Short,  medium,  long range,and Inter continental. I don't know hpw to measure transport, intelligence,  or spy. Only in world war 2 did japan use planes to carry plsnes.

Aibout sizes you forgot large hulls. Since the game uses carriers,  and most huge hulled designs are more like iowa class battleships,  or battle cruisers. There are two sizes of battleships. I guess reasoning large and huge hulls. Carriers ate not made for speed or defence that's why they are escorted by seven or right cruisers. Lets be honest you role up a speed boat up to a iowa class battleship,  or battlecruiser for a fight. We need to also remember that the battlecruiser is expecting to fight the speed boat. Who is going to win. Their is no way your running from my battlecruiser. 

Yeah I was talking about the hindenberg ignore if not applicable.

Not the only problem. You can't kill a ship in one volley because if there is even 1 defense left for the corresponding damage type, the ship won't lose hit points (defenses go negative instead).

This needs to be changed, because seriously, a titan shouldn't need 2 shots to destroy a tiny ship. Conversely, large ships are too fragile.