Hi,
I always felt that the subsystem damage system could use an overhaul. Right now only weapons and engines can be damaged, and only for a few seconds. It might add some tactical depth if those subsystems (and possibly even new ones, like sensors, comm, shields or hangars) could be permanently damaged and had to be repaired after the battle (like armor). The way it is now every ship stays at 100% attack power, even if its armor and hull a already ragged. I'm not an advocate of great realism, but that just doesn't feel quite right.
That way new tactical goals would arise, some examples:
- the enemy fleet is too strong and fast, but some frigates manage to take out its paragons engines so the player fleet can escape in the starsystem view
- the enemy battleships torpedo launchers could be taken out by bombers before close combat with the players battleship begins
Once the starsystem map has more possibilities like fleet splitting or helping allies there are many more interesting scenarios possible.
There are different ways of implementing such a system. Maybe the simplest way is to count how often a subsystem is temporarily deactivated. And every time it gets frizzled there is a increasing chance for it to be permanently offline.
f.e.:
1. time offline : 100% reboot chance
2. time offline : 95% reboot chance
3. time offline : 90% reboot chance
4. time offline : 80% reboot chance
and so on
It would have to be balanced, so permanently damaged subsystems don't occur often by chance, but are usually the result of a deliberate enemy attempt to shut it of. Otherwise it might get annoying.
I think (hope) such a system would be relatively simple to implement (no new graphics) but would open many new ways of playing the game.
Thanks for reading
Cheers