Sweeping Mines - Page 2

Commander G · #11 November 27th, 2000, 08:53 PM

How do mines work in Strategic mode? If they get cleared on movement, it sounds like one could establish a mine field and put some on a transport with a mine dispenser. The transport would lay new mines after the original ones are cleared leaving a followup fleet vulernable to the new mines.

Psitticine · #12 November 28th, 2000, 06:04 AM

Err, only in a way.

Mines activate when a ship/fleet enters the mined sector so they'd close, encounter the minefield, and either be destroyed or enter combat with the transport.

The transport could choose to deploy mines in Strategic or Tactical combat but they are worthless there. They don't do anything but sit there and wait for somebody stupid enough to fly right into them.

Technically, they are not supposed to appear on the screen at such times but they still seem to be doing so in 1.11. I'm foggy on if they are supposed to be there but invisible or if they aren't supposed to be represented at all, but how it works now is that they sit there in a useless pile and wait for somebody to idle up and bLast them when it is most convenient to do so.

If you have a mine layer ready at the site then, yes, they could replace blown mines right away (during your next turn) if the incoming fleet is destroyed or fails to down the transport in combat, but those new mines won't have any effect until somebody new enters the mined sector.

Jubala · #13 November 28th, 2000, 08:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Psitticine:
If you have a mine layer ready at the site then, yes, they could replace blown mines right away (during your next turn) if the incoming fleet is destroyed or fails to down the transport in combat, but those new mines won't have any effect until somebody new enters the mined sector.

Which brings to mind an old wish of mine. A detonate minefield button to detonare mines in such a situation. Would also be useful at a blockaded planet. Build mines, launch into space, detonate, no more blockade. mines are subject to sweeping via the sweep button of course. But if the blockading fleet is lazy enough not to sweep...

quote:
Originally posted by Taqwus:
FWIW, early on, a ship with good Organic Armor makes an insanely good minesweeper, since the armor will regenerate between mine detonations.

I tried this in 0.99 Demo. Didn't work. Sent a Cruiser fully stacked with Organic Armor 1 into a field of small mines with mine warhead III. No more Cruiser.

Too bad as it would be really useful.