Ok ... here is my idea I had about PDS that I think is quite good...
I suggested it ages aago... (I've updated this)
Ok, before I get into this, the PDS armour and fire power would be CRAP compared to ships... therefore the 'Priorities' (as discussed below) would be needed and would be hard to decide which to activate
PDS as it's own 'structures' ... Seperate to the current ones.
So the price would be in a way the same, each TYPE you build makes that TYPE cost more and more...
Now, after building a heap of PDS it would get very expensive..
Therefore this would involve a new structure, PDS Stations ...
Every 5 PDS Stations would decrease the price of PDS.
PDS Price Formula:
5 goes into %PDS Stations% X times.
Anti-Fighter: 1000 * (Anti-Fighter PDS / X)
Anti-Corvette: 4000 * (Anti-Corvette PDS / X)
Anti-Frigate: 2000 * (Anti-Frigate PDS / X)
Anti-Destroyer: 2000 * (Anti-Destroyer PDS / X)
Anti-Cruiser: 2000 * (Anti-Cruiser PDS / X)
Anti-Battleship: 6000 * (Anti-Battleship PDS / X)
Example...
If you had...
-110 Anti-Fighter PDS
-0 PDS Stations
5 goes into 0(PDS stations) = 0 times (X = 0)
Building 5 more would cost...
1000 * (110 / X) = 110,000
1000 * (111 / X) = 111,000
1000 * (112 / X) = 112,000
1000 * (113 / X) = 113,000
1000 * (114 / X) = 114,000
Total cost of 560,000
But, if you had the same PLUS 32 PDS Stations (built via Structures) it would cost...
-110 Anti-Fighter PDS
-32 PDS Stations
5 goes into 32(pds stations) = 6 times (X = 6)
Building 5 more would cost...
1000 * (110 / X) = 18,333
1000 * (111 / X) = 18,500
1000 * (112 / X) = 18,667
1000 * (113 / X) = 18,833
1000 * (114 / X) = 19,000
Total cost of 93,333
Also have 'Sheild Battery' in Structures and have them cost the same as all the other structures...
1 Sheild Battery defends ALL types of PDS at like .10% extra armour or something...
As for the PDS / ships fire first...
Have it random... that would be more realistic anyway... it'd suck 100% for battle calculators but hey, you get that
You would have 2 priorites (NOT in 'Engineers') that are for PDS ONLY...
2 priorities for EACH type of PDS but you can only activate 2 out of all of them
The priorites would be like...
Anti-fighter: Double armour, half firepower
Anti-fighter: Double firepower, half armour
Anti-Corvette: Double armour, half firepower ... etc
BUT, you could only select 2 of them...
so you may select ...
Anti-battleship: Double firepower, half armour
and Anti-fighter: Double armour, half firepower
or something.... I think this would work and be really good.