Re: A question about solar panels
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You still need some energy (from the crew at least) to rig sails and hove the ship http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Solar sails actually can give you free movement, in some situations. Strip a ship of its engines, and give it a solar sail. Voila, free movement, no Quantum reactor required http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

Re: A question about solar panels
 

No supplies limits you 1 move per turn though, so you have to add a supply storage comp. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ April 23, 2003, 00:26: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: A question about solar panels
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Great. Now all I need is engines that I can blow up on command, and a small supply component, so that my ship will be able to move a bit better when it had _nearly_ run out of supplies.

Come to think of it, it's not unreasonable to expect to destroy _any_ component on command. Others wouldn't have much reason, since the enemy can just repair the component if they catch your ship.

Of course, if you have blown up your engines _before_ the enemy closes in to capture your ship, your enemy will be sorely inconvenienced.

Yeessss, how deeeviiious...

Re: A question about solar panels
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have an even better idea - wouldn't it be great if, the instant your ship got captured, your ship got destroyed, and the enemy's did too? Wait, what does this 'Self Destruct Device' do? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: A question about solar panels
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You have a good point. And that crazy bLast-the-engines idea would only work in Tactical combat.

There is also the option of setting the secondary attack priority to Ram. If I am not mistaken, that will make a ship, once deprived of the ability to shoot at its enemies, into a rampaging juggernaut of

"HHUUG MMEEE!"
*WHAM!

Which ought to vex any capture ship attempting to close with it. That has some significant entertainment value as well. I will have to try that out.

Come to think of it, I don't know if I've seen much of any ram-strategy out of the AI... do any of the AIs ever ram?

Is ramming even a viable tactic? I seem to remember something about Organic-Armored Ram Escorts, but does anyone make use of this sort of thing?

Re: A question about solar panels
 

Organic armored ramming battleships are very deadly, cause they can crush nearly any ship and just regenerate the next round, to go on crushing more. And, they are cheap. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: A question about solar panels
 

Do any AIs take advantage of this tatic?

Re: A question about solar panels
 

It is a difficult tactic to use properly, and is easily countered by Ionic Dispersers. Ramming a target drops your shields to 0 IIRC, so an ID can disable your ship after the first ramming. A Shield Regenerator would help, but not be completely effective. Same with Boarding Parties. They can capture your ramming ship after it makes 1 ram. AIs are not adaptable to the current situation like humans are, so getting them to use this tactic properly is problematic at best. There is probably an AI or two out there that uses something like this though.

Re: A question about solar panels
 

Whoa... how did I get a four star rating?

I think I started today with two. And I was surprised I had a rating at all.

[edit: Four Star rating and Corporal. Woot.]

[edit again: problems with the letter t]

[ April 23, 2003, 22:58: Message edited by: Loser ]

Re: A question about solar panels
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">There have been some attempt to make such AI. Some organic TDM ships (Aquelinas, United Flora)have heavy OA loads and ram strategy. But it is indeed a tough trick to pull. If anybody do it, his/her AI modding skills should get the upper mark !