I'm still a TI noob, I've played 4 games now. At first I didn't really think they were especially great. This last game I was able to take control of Mecatol Rex early, along with an ajacent double-planet system. I set up a laser grid there with 2 PDS on Mecatol Rex, and 4 in the adjacent system, quickly teching up to Deep Space Cannons, and later Magean Defense Grid and Graviton Laser Systems.

Unfortunately for me, my secret objective had nothing to do with Mecatol Rex, and I was unable to complete it. However, it still stopped the other two players from completing their secret objectives (I had other forces on Rex too, of course), and gave me some control of the center of the galaxy.

But that was just one game. How do PDS preform in general? What's the best way to use them?

hrm, how do I edit...

sry for double post, to clarify. I meant I didn't think the PDS were especially great, the games were awesome!

PDS, when deployed "properly", are definitely one of the better units in the game. They are mostly defensive, though with some good placement you can use them offensively to.

The key to them is to build them in a "grid"-type layout. This works especially well with Deep Space Cannons. If you can place all 6 PDS in a set of hexes (usually around your home system), that set of hexes can be a grid of death. Ideally, if all 6 can be put in one or two systems, that would mean that those systems often get 6 PDS shots (!!!) against ships in those systems and possibly adjacent systems.

Having all 6 PDS in a triple-planet system like the Hacan system, the Rigel system, or the Abaddon, Ashtroth, Loki system can be nasty, as it basically makes that 7-hex "circle" a death trap.

I mostly buy PDS units for 2 reasons: low production capacity and boosting defense.

In my limited experience, PDS units act mostly as a deterrent at least when it comes to space superiority. The opponent has to bring a bit larger fleet "just in case", but PDS hit ratio is still just 50 %. For the price of 6 PDS units you could buy 24 fighters , which would give you more damage resistance as well. Of course production capacity is an issue with fighters, but PDS are still expensive in my book. With lots of tech they become more effective, sure, but again, that's very costly.

PDS can be good at protecting your Destroyer screens . Destroyers are useful in blocking opponent movement. If you have 2 PDS units protecting 1 DD, even 3 Cruisers might not be enough to clear the path.

Another effective tactic is to place the PDS grid AROUND a key system. That way, if you opponent manages to take that system, you still have the whole grid intact, and can use it to counterattack. All this is assuming you have Deep Space Cannon.

Their real value lies in ground combat , IMO. Protecting planets from bombardment is very good, and those precombat shots are more important in ground combat because there are probably fewer units involved. To take a planet with 2 GFs and 2 PDSs the attacker needs 7 GFs to be certain of success. Then again you would get 8 GFs for the price of 2 PDS , but if you have the resourses but not production capacity, PDS are the way to go.

PDS grids basically force your opponent to build Fighters in order to attack you which means they also need carriers or war suns to carry those fighters.

Fighters are the PDS grid counter as you can take a very cheap unit that is not great at combat as the casualty and leave your capital ships intact.

They work, they are not invincible however. (fighters as shields)

You used them correctly. Having a scientist on M.Rex and some spacemines in orbit would have been even better.

-M

Honestly, everytime I invested in PDS I got my a$$ handed

I stopped building PDS or Dreadnoughts. Imho they suck

PDS can be very good, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get them unless playing a race that they really make sense for.

The Hacan with their three planet home system are probably the best PDS race.

People has GOT to make clear if they're using the expansion. PDS wasn't all that awesome with the almost-free production cap of the vanilla. When you have 25 fighters, a few PDS hits ain't a big deal! Post expansion however, they're really good. Especially before they often take down overpowered destroyers with ADT armed before they get to shoot..