If there was only one new weapon, I'd like to see a backwards firing missile. It doesn't have to do a lot of damage, or even be too fast, but it would be invaluble to a trader being viciously chased by a pirate. I've found that regular guided missiles miss the enemy as they fly backwards.

Fortunately, no trader ever thinks of using mines defensively, so we pie-rats are pretty happy folks!

I've tried mines. They:
1. Don't do enough damage.
2. Don't throw the enemy off course.

Furthermore, mines require a large slot. Personally, I think the "Rear Ports" should actually FACE REAR! I know, it's a strange thought. But it was the subject of my first topic after 3.2.0, and I still think it's true.

Perhaps the Proximity mine should do less damage, but have some massive physical "shove" that serves to remove pirates from the vicinity long enough for you to flee.

Example rear-firing, defensive missile:

Parthion Missile Launcher (large slot)*
Capacity: 10 missiles
Damage: 3000*
Proximity: 60 m
Relative Velocity: 85 m/s
Repeat: missile / 2 seconds

* Mounted only in rear slots.

**This damage is not spherical in nature, but rather a conic force. Thus, if the missile "backed" into them, it would not do much--if any--damage. However, if a Valk boosts after a Centuar and takes one full in the face, he will suffer the full 3000 damage. However, the proximity is large enough to get a ship that's not quite behind you, as well.

The goal here is to have a non-abusable weapon. How do you make it powerful enough to throw a pursuing ship off track yet prevent its dominance of the Jackhammer and Screamer? It would be a funny as hell sight to see people backing up trying to shoot you--they're blind for one. I think shaped damage is the way to go here.

roguelazer, the description of "rear" port simply means that there's a port at the back of the ship. It doesn't actually point in any direction but the front. I'd hate to have a a rear L-port point backwards because it's one of the things that makes the advanced gatling turret so effective, especially on the Warthog. A weapon that simply fires backwards would suffice, rather than manipulating the way the ports are oriented, which will only limit the number of weapons you'd be able to use effectively (if at all).

2 words:

Gravity Mines.



Discuss.

Gravity mines are just missiles. That happen to stand still for a while.

No, mines are missiles that don't move.

Gravity mines are mines that do 0 damage, but do EXTREME "push" damage. I envision a gravity mine as being exactly the same as a proxy mine, except they do 0 (or maybe, like, 5) damage and puts out enough force to push, say, a Centaur 100m.

Ohhh, you mean like repulsor mines. Like a tractor beam, except opposite, and in a mine. That brings us to the "boosting makes you not get thrown around" factor. I have no answer for it other than to turn it off.

http://vendetta.guildsoftware.com/?action=msgboard&thread=3650&page=9

-ts-

I use mines against "pie-rats" all the time.

I call this tactic the RLAS (Run Like A Sissy)

- Everboost (fastcharge+efficient) away as soon as they come toward me and I get enough of a head-start for them to HAVE to fly in a straight line in order to keep up.

- Drop proxy mines. One at a time. Remember to save some no matter what.
(Save for that once-a-chase situation when mine-dropping is PERFECT or for the next step)

- When fired upon with rockets from DIRECTLY BEHIND, drop a single mine and the whole volley of rockets goes away in a nice little inferno.
(It actually DOES work as a rocket countermeasure. Takes some practice to get right, but it works.)

This tactic is not perfect against good pirates as they soon figure out the "hole". I won't post the "hole" here and I encourage others to not do so either.

Against bots (while trading in s15 etc) this tactic is perfect.
The stupid things align EXACLY behind me like a string of pearls.
My current score on the character "Scarab" is 90% sector 15 bots in a Centaur.

The problem with that strategy is the problem that I have complained about for a year and a half. Mines don't detonate rockets. So if the rocket hits the mine dead on, it explodes. But if the rocket misses by so much as 1m, it does not explode. I personally think that mines should set off the proxy on rockets, as should guided weapons. But who listens to me?

Actually, I was thinking that a gravity mine would automatically "pull" everything that enters its field, significantly slowing the ship down and forcing them to use max turbo to break free. Perfect for losing pie-rats.

I think they should have pull and push.

What about a very forgotten weapon system?

The old style Repulsor Beam. It isn't abusable because it simply doesn't cause damage (unless it's fought, then it can do stress damage to the hull, like an explosion) that would simply press the attacker off the back of a craft to maybe 1000m or so, where weapons systems would become inaccurate.

Or a EMP Mine...acts EXACTLY like the L-mine except rather than causing damage, it creates an EMP in a conical shape similar to Camp's missile, thus the Pirate craft would become totally powerless for say, 30 seconds before the field dissipated.

Or, hey, a 3rd idea...the good ole idea of a disruptor field. Any craft with the disruptor field could lock onto an enemy tailing them and using say, 150 energy, focus a laser on the craft, overheating electronics and causing an explosion, the craft would then explode or be forced to at least break off or face another shot.

Okay, well, we could all go and discuss the Centuar Class-B idea I proposed down a little ways about how to further Pirate Proof the Centuar...and it would prevent a weapons system that combat pilots could use to some currently unseen advantage...such as with repulsor mines...(press them backwards and pummel them while they cant resist the push)