Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares/Warship design

Warship designs vary by the phase of the game, and depend on the production capacity and technology available. One of the most important decisions is to decide which size class(es) to use. Early on, Titans and Doom stars are not available until their relevant Construction techs are researched, which happens usually mid to late game. It is entirely possible to build a powerful fleet without using Titans or Doom stars at all.

Generally, as the ship size increases, the price per space unit and the price per structure point increases. Also the size of the special systems is scaled upwards with the ship class. From this point of view, it would make sense to build a fleet of many small ships. The problem for non-Warlord races is the limited number of command points, of which many small ships will quickly consume. One solution is to build a fleet of solely Battleships, since those are available right from the beginning. One factor deciding size class is also the attack strength of the enemy: if you know the larger ships are capable of soaking up any damage until the enemy is destroyed, and the smaller ones are not, build the larger ships. On the other hand, if you are fighting a powerful space monster which would surely destroy some ships, build a fleet of many small craft, so that the monster can't destroy all of them in one turn.

Beam Ship

 * Main Weapons: Beam weapons, with the Heavy Mount modification recommended.
 * Special Systems: Battle Scanner
 * Optional Components: Computers
 * Strategy: Beam ships are specialized for attacking enemy ships, star bases and planet defenses. The heavy mount modifications makes them effective from the first turn of combat. Battle Scanner and a good targeting computer are necessary to ensure high hit rates and damage; even the best beam weapons will miss or produce low damage rates, unless backed by a strong targeting system. Closer to the end-game, beam ships equipped with plasma cannons can quickly overrun an opponent, even if his combat technology is better overall.

Missile Ship

 * Main Weapons: Missiles, with the 2xAmmo setting recommended.
 * Special Systems: Heavy Armor, Reinforced Hull
 * Strategy: Efficient Missile ships can be built from the earliest stages of the game. Missiles usually provide excellent damage and accuracy early on. Missile battleships with even the basic missiles can be used to take out monsters and destroy enemy Missile Bases/Star Bases in repeated hit-and-run attacks. The 2xAmmo modification helps launch the payload faster, whereas the armor and structure upgrades ensure the ships' survival.

Troop Ship

 * Main Weapons: Neutron Blaster/Death Ray
 * Special Systems: Troop Pods, Augmented Engines
 * Optional Components: Transporters, Ground Combat technology
 * Strategy: Troop Ships serve specifically to take out enemy Star Bases. Their main element is the Troop Pods, doubling marines on board. A Troop Ship with a decent drive and Augmented Engines can reach the enemy star base in two combat turns and capture it. This can be used as a hit-and-run tactic, weakening the enemy fleet by destroying all of its star bases, or as a component of the overall attack tactic. Marine-killing weapons (Neutron Blaster/Death Ray) are a bonus.