Minelayers

Cost Mass Tech Level Duranium Tritanium Molybdenum	Large Weapons Max Large Size Small Weapons Point Defense Super Weapon
Max Fuel Max Ord Max Repair Max Cargo	Engines Generators Power Bank
Armor Limit Shield Limit	Pod Bays
Crew Size Passengers	Fighter Bays Fighter Bay Size Construction Bay Size
Max Speed Max Hyp Jump Evasive Bonus Attack Bonus Warp Drag Factor Warp Signature Scan Range Tractor Beam Cloak Fuel Burn
Vulnerability To Weapons Fire Parts / Hull Control Systems Engines Hyperdrive Lifesupport Critical (Soft Spot)

A minelayer which plops around regenerating ord and laying it as mines.

Can you suggest a few more details? You're about as "verbal" as Tim or Pete! 8)

Actually, with some thinking about this, I have a slight "credibility gap" as to why this sort of thing would exist? It is interesting but seems to lack a raison d'etre?

Believe it or not there is a ship in the University racepack called the Incident which can do this. Basically I am proposing one of those on autopilot.

The Incident creates free food with its agro dome.
This is turned (next turn) into supplies with its food --> supply converter.
1 turn later again, its mobile ord factory turns the supplies into ord.
1 turn after that it lays mines.
By this point (turn 3 or 4) it is a production line churning out free minefields every turn. Players use them to shuttle around their core areas laying thick overlapping minefields.

As a capturable "thing" it's fine and if its very similar to the Incident, isn't this then just a captured UA ship/hull plan?

My credibility is if this is a really monster/NPC "thing". What is its "purpose", why _do_ they grow plants and seed the universe full of mines?

I just feel there should be some sort of "character" behind it??? 8))))

<GREG>  < ??? >
Lack of Automation.  Could just be done with Incident.