Random Questions

Randallw · #1 May 22nd, 2008, 10:00 PM

It works like this.

My enemy sent a colony ship through a WP. I destroyed it. The colony ship had a fighter bay and 16 fighters onboard. in the brief battle one was launched (1 bay). in the next turn the other 15 fighters, which never launched, were dumped on the wp and fought by my fighters.

I noticed this strange event and tested it in the simulator. a freighter with 1 bay and 50 fighters will die, launching maybe 1 or 2 fighters. The other 48 fighters are niow listed as existing when the simulation ends, and if you restart it, will be massed in the area the freighter died.

So now I, and I wouldn't put it past my enemy to do likewise, build freighters with lots of cargo space, and one bay (you need at least 1 bay for it to work). The ship will die, but then it drops 50-60 fighters on the wp.

This is 1.66 with BM 1.13. It seems a bit buggy, but nevermind we can both use it equally. It just adds an interesting change to war plans.

Edit: I just remembered he used it too. He dropped 41 fighters on my side of the wp that then flew off across the system, avoiding my 60 fighters.

narf poit chez BOOM · #2 May 23rd, 2008, 02:19 AM

...Emergency launch!

Randallw · #3 May 23rd, 2008, 03:00 AM

Personally it reminds me of the Star Wars novel where the Empire uses a cloaking device on freighters, not to hide the freighter, just its cargo. It scans as an empty freighter, until it breaks up and squadrons of TIE fighters float out and attack.

I think of them as Tenders. They don't hold the fighters inside, they are on external hardpoints and just detach.

The delightfully ironic thing is we stuck with 1.66/BM 1.13 to avoid the new 1.71 rule that fighters can only leave their carrier once a turn

Daynarr · #4 May 23rd, 2008, 05:49 AM

Actually, this happens with all units (except that ground units get lost as they can't exist in space of course). I know some AI cargo ships who were carrying satellites and mines. It managed to launch some satellites before I killed it, but when it was gone, there were tons of mines and satellites in sector that I had to wipe after that battle. Apparently the cargo does not get destroyed if it can be used in space (fighters, sats, mines).

Randallw · #5 May 23rd, 2008, 06:40 AM

it does require the relevant unit bay though. I just tested.

Xrati · #6 May 23rd, 2008, 11:14 AM

Units like that (mines, fighters and SATs) are carried in an inert state. They are not sitting there on racks 'ready to go' they have to be "launched or primed" for operation. They would be sitting there as "Space Junk" with maybe a small chance that a small percentage of them would be in an operational mode.

Randallw · #7 May 23rd, 2008, 10:02 PM

My opponent is now claiming it is a bug. I just used it once. He has benefitted from it maybe 4 or 5 times. As I said I had no problem with it, we could both do it equally. He begs to differ.

I will say no more.

Randallw · #8 May 24th, 2008, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Xrati said:
Units like that (mines, fighters and SATs) are carried in an inert state. They are not sitting there on racks 'ready to go' they have to be "launched or primed" for operation. They would be sitting there as "Space Junk" with maybe a small chance that a small percentage of them would be in an operational mode.

There was that epsiode of DS9 where they were preparing mines. Dax was demanding they hurry up and launch all the mines, while she avoided enemy fire. O'Brien told her she risked setting off every mine on the ship.

Edit: not that I wish to go on about it but if by some chance I've misunderstood his concern then I apologise for any seeming criticsm. I made the mistake once of failing to understand someone's point.