planet defense

[gmacx]

Hi,

Have just started playing again and am wondering - what is a good planet defense? Dont have anything valuable at this stage but would like to start working on a defense first.

[R8]

the only defence to protect a planet is ppt and/or merlins

anything else can be taken.

[GrizzZzzly]

but usually only mean people like R8 will steal your planet. So you have to preemptively befriend the sgw bullies like I have with R8.

[gmacx]

Yes I know it can theoretically always be taken, but what amount prevents most from even snooping?

[Clockwork]

Yes I know it can theoretically always be taken, but what amount prevents most from even snooping?

No amount of planet defence will stop people being able to look at your planets, you can raise your covert power up to make it harder for people to spy you, which in turn would make it take longer to get the details on all your planets, but thats it.

The only way to keep a planet 'secret' (and safe) is to keep it permenantly merlined, so nobody can see you have it. (two PPT's a week and 1 market turn spent on merlins = 1 safe planet, assuming you login at the right times)

Defence wise, I tend to put 10k defences on a planet, will it stop anybody taking it? no But it will mean they have to at least spend some naq arming fleets. You can build up your Platforms, and have them floating on random planets as a nice supprise for people to run into, but at the end of the day, its a hell of a lot cheaper just to have a token defence on a planet, and re-take it if somebody comes along a nicks it.

[gmacx]

Ok - in that case what fleet strength does a strong MS have?
And what % of a planet defense is required for a MS to damage the defenses enough to mass it?

Thanks