Opinions for Weapons Mod

[Lerchey]

As long as we're discussing weapons... are ripper beams good for ANYTHING other than leading to WMGs? I've seen Eee dreadnaughts loaded with them, and they ALWAYS get creamed, even using Strategic Combat.

Have any of you found an effective way to use them?

John

[Kemplarian]

Nifty stuff, guys. I like some of the things that you are doing Daynarr, and some of it isn't that far from what I've been working on. I've been mixing around some armor and shield ideas too (which makes balancing everything even harder, but it's fun anyway). I've made it so that phasic shields are only one level behind regular shields as the research goes on, which keeps it from being an all or nothing decision on whether or not to go with Phasic shields in general. This also means that PPB could be useful or useless at any time--it just depends on what fleets your enemy is using. I don't like using intelligence to undermine my foes directly (it's too crass). I prefer to figure out what they're working on and then providing a good counter against it.

Has anyone out there already done some major work with ground force technology? At some point that would be really cool to get into, especially if Aaron has the time to make a more robust system for ground combat--I realize that there are many higher priorities, so I'm not in a rush.

[Daynarr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lerchey:
As long as we're discussing weapons... are ripper beams good for ANYTHING other than leading to WMGs? I've seen Eee dreadnaughts loaded with them, and they ALWAYS get creamed, even using Strategic Combat.

Have any of you found an effective way to use them?

John

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Well, I have moded RPBs slightly so now they have 5 range. The other characteristics are:
- 20 KT size (like meson bLaster)
- 50 Damage at all ranges (more then DUC)
- 1 turn reload rate (fast firing weapon)

I did find it very useful. Actually I was thinking of giving Reapers, Incinerators and WMGs a different weapon family number so that I don't have to search for Reapers and Incinerators in the design screen when I get to WMGs. The only trouble is that I would have to change design files for AI as well.

[This message has been edited by Daynarr (edited 27 March 2001).]

[Suicide Junkie]

With normal damage & really short range, ripper beams should be one of the mose efficient weapons in the game (damage/mass/reload)
With proper orders (point blank range) and fast ships (to close to range) they should be able to do decently in battle.
With some other distraction ships, the ripper escorts should be able to get in and kill.

In SE3, they were a defensive weapon only, since the defender got to move Last, and could get close enough to use the rippers (or run away and avoid rippers) before the firing stage. Attackers could only get in ripper range of objects with 0 or 1 movement.

For SE4, they should be extremely damaging, to compensate for their short range.

[AJC]

I posted this in another topic but I felt it was appropriate for this one too. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/For...ML/002078.html

see the above topic for details on the change I am messing with.

I have been testing a mod for weapon platforms. The increased range modifier that is seen on base weapon mounts, is on my weapon platform mounts. I dont include the "to hit" bonus though. This makes researching large weapon platforms more attractive, and for the first time taking a planet is a damn nasty task. The hell bore V with a Massive mount is plain scarey. range 14 damage 200. WMG are very nasty too range 14 damage 700.

Thing is though they dont hit that often at that outer range, but the threat of being tagged is there when you start your missile bombardment of the AIs planet!

[Daynarr]

AJC, check this link: http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/For.../000005-7.html

I belive you will find my mod there quite useful.