Missiles: Do they ever miss???

[Aussie Gamer]

I have been a lot of looking at missiles lately, designing new types etc, and I don't think that they miss EVER!!!
Even at 1%
Can anyone else confirm or refute this.

[capnq]

I'm pretty sure I've seen seekers miss in Tactical, but it doesn't happen often, even with my Tictsin's Pathetic Aggressiveness.

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Cap'n Q

[Will]

Seekers should never miss. The 1% to-hit number doesn't really mean anything. If the number is from 1 to 100, you can launch, if it's 0, you're out of range.

Seekers can, however, "drop off". For example, a missle with range 10 (CSM II, I believe has that range) is launched at a target eight squares away. The target moves three squares away (might work at two as well, never really sat and tested it), and stays there. The missile will appear to go right over the ship, and just disappear, without the explosion, no damage done. Move one more out of range and the missile disappears just before the target.

[Aussie Gamer]

I designed a concussion missile which could target fighter Groups. They get a huge minus to hit them but every one of my missiles hit the Groups during the combat.
I think that the target system would be thew same for ship to ship so this is why I have asked about missiles missing.
Seekers are just missiles so should act the same as the normal missiles.

[Suicide Junkie]

Seekers always hit. It has been that way forever (SE3 at least).

the % shown in tactical over the weapon pic is the chance your aim is true. With a seeker, it will correct as it flies, therefore hitting.

The only time a seeker will not do damage is:
-the enemy ship moves out of range of the seeker.
-PD shoots it down.
-the seeker has a "shields only" warhead, and there are no shields left.

[Aussie Gamer]

You learn something new every day, that's mine, so I'm off home....

Still does not explain the capital missile (concussion) missiles hitting always.

[Phoenix-D]

Err, why not?

Captial Missile = seeker.

Phoenix-D

[Possum]

quote:

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Originally posted by suicide_junkie:
Seekers always hit. It has been that way forever (SE3 at least).

the % shown in tactical over the weapon pic is the chance your aim is true. With a seeker, it will correct as it flies, therefore hitting.

The only time a seeker will not do damage is:
-the enemy ship moves out of range of the seeker.
-PD shoots it down.
-the seeker has a "shields only" warhead, and there are no shields left.

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Oh, oh, oh, I know this is pedantic of me, but I'm going to add another instance...

-the seeker is an Ionic Pulse Missile, which does damage to engines only, and the target has no engines left

[Aussie Gamer]

SLAP SLAP! Oh yer that's right!
That's what you said about seekers, stupid me!

Does that means if you have a minus of 10% per square, you actually increase the range by putting in a combat sensor of say 25%?

I thought that it was to increase the chance to hit? If you always hit with seekers then why put a combat sensor on board???

This looks like a bug to me!

[Phoenix-D]

Combat sensors, talismans and the like only affect direct-fire weaponry. So if you are making a missile ship, leave off the combat sensors.

As for the percentages:

They are somewhat accurate. Think of it this way: at max range you have a 1% chance to hit. This is because all your target has to do is move backwards *one square* and your missiles will expend themselves harmless (effectively a miss). Almost any ship can move one square, so you have the 1%. Closer, it becomes less likely that your target would be able to move out of range, hence the higher to-hit.

Besides, it wouldn't be fair on seekers if they could miss. After all, direct-fire weapons can't be outranged by backing up- if they fire, they miss or hit instantly, no manuvering dodging. And direct fire weapons cannot be shot down.

If they could miss, seekers would have to go through this sequence to kill a ship:
Outranged, shot down, miss, shields, armor, internals

Where direct-fires would have to go through this:
Miss, shields, armor, internals

See the problem?

Phoenix-D