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Missiles: Why use them?


UltraMage
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Question: Why use any missiles other than the OTS missiles? Certain surface installations have been hardened against IOD fire (enter the OTS missiles), but the CC is perfectly capable of handling anything else. In fact, let's review our CCs' weapon systems:

1. The IOD, otherwise known as the main gun. Originally of a decent caliber in BC3K, the fire rate of the IOD has increased exponentially (and then some) throughout the series since its introduction. With the introduction of slower crafts and the aforementioned increased IOD fire rate in UC, the IOD spells death like it did in UC's predecessors, but ten times faster. It's not much use against fighters, although the IOD CAN hit them at point blank range.

2. The PTA system. At one point, your PTA only had three turrets, which you could control manually. These days, ships generally come with six to ten turrets. The PTA system destroys fighters and missiles with ease, making up for the IOD's main weakness. The AI even uses it to destroy larger objects. It requires that you orient your ship so that the target is in a sweet spot, but once that happens (which it does), it's all over. Plus, if you want to hit something with the PTA, you aren't going to hit it with the IOD anyway.

Seriously, what more could you need?

I visited Cowzilla's website in search of answers (in the context of BC3K, of course, but that can be adapted to). Scrolling through the tips, I found a tip from a person that said you should stock up on lots of Vagrants (80 Vagrants PER SHUTTLE was the recommendation) before leaving the Terran quadrant. That's 320 Vagrants, not counting what was probably loaded into the CC's weapons pod (2500/5=500 Vagrants), the ICs (10*4=40 Vagrants in all) and (god forbid) the ATV's (possibly another 40 Vagrants), hypothetically bringing this person's CC loadout to a total of 860 or 900 Vagrants ! That's insane! Heck, even the concrete 320 Vagrants from the shuttles is insane! Who could need so many missiles when the IOD works fine? I read on, but there was no solid reasoning behind any of this madness; just something about the Gammulan quadrant, which wasn't nearly as bad as suggested by this quantity of missiles in BC3K.

PLEASE enlighten me to the usefulness of missiles; given the sheer volume of these things at starstations (and in some peoples' CCs, which at times exceed that of starstations), sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out on an important part of the game.

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I'll tell you what happened to me last night and how I used missiles.

I was engaged in a firefight with a Garid and a Nighstar (I think it was). Well, my fighters were out there, but I forgot to change the loadouts from CAP to intercept, so needless to say, my fighters were not having a good time.

So while fighting the garid, I was lobbing some missiles at the fighters. When the garid was almost finished, I fired off a couple of missile in its direction, then a a few more to finish off the fighters, and then proceeded to focus on the carrier.

So, I do use the missiles. But in some situations I don;t use them at all.

I do agree that sometimes the IOD seems like a uber weapon, but remember, other ship use their IOD's against you too.

Cost me some trips to the undertaker.

Cheers!

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quote:

Originally posted by Eclipse:

Cloak + FATAL is a pretty good use of them when you are outnumbered badly.

Yes, and Fractux makes a similar point: use missiles when the battle isn't going well.

However, I have yet to find myself in such a situation, and I've traveled to the far corners of the galaxy. Do you all know of any means of picking a massive fleet battle fight, such that I am forced to use missiles to live?

What missile do you all generally use? When going to Gammula, do you all horde them like the player I mentioned earlier?

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quote:


Originally posted by UltraMage:

Do you all know of any means of picking a massive fleet battle fight, such that I am forced to use missiles to live?


I'm sure the Gammulans would be able to answer that question for you. Here's a tip: Go ask them.

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Guest MIKE113

When a Cap ship is jumping to your position set half or all your missiles to FATAL and watch.

I use mines in the same manner. Lay a mine field while he is jumping in and move away a little.

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Not true. Just like the real world, missile tracking systems in this game have a 'burn through' range. Missiles still work on EMD emitting ships, you just need to be closer.

I have yet to find an AI that knows this fact, as they just fire the buggers when in range...though that's likely due to the higher AI enemies cloaking instead of trying to get in close for a missile duel. Sneaky bastages.

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quote:

Originally posted by DeepFreeze:

I haven't really played any multiplayer UC but it seems like any non-handicapped commander knows where the J button is on his keyboard, which would thus render missiles useless. So am I correct in assuming that missiles arent worth much in NP?

This also one of my major concerns regarding the usefulness of missiles. In single player the EMD does indeed render missiles useless. I remember reading that the EMD was toned down in multiplayer, though, so FATAL overkill and such might work there.

quote:

Originally posted by MIKE113:

When a Cap ship is jumping to your position set half or all your missiles to FATAL and watch.

I use mines in the same manner. Lay a mine field while he is jumping in and move away a little.

Still, FATAL overkill costs money, and the best time to hit a ship with the IOD is when it is coming out of hyperspace.

And SC...

I took your advice and asked a Gammulan Military Warmonger where I could find massive fleet battles in which I could use my fresh stock missiles, and he responded by teleporting 10( ) intruders on board my ship, all of which barricaded the Deck 1 Fore Corridor so that all of my marines got stuck up there (they were ALL trying to intrude on the Gammulan ships using the transporters, believe it or not), and then proceeded straight to my Weapons Pod to set off all of my new Vagrant missiles. This was all only minutes after I had asked a Gammulan Military Solnar where I could find the aforementioned battles involving missiles, which responded by boarding me with eight intruders that took out my tractor beam and stuffed half my CC and the kitchen sink into SC1.

I just can't get a clean IOD fight going with these Gammulans today... I may have to use the cloak + FATAL trick just so intruders can't get on board!

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quote:

Originally posted by UltraMage

I took your advice and asked a Gammulan Military Warmonger where I could find massive fleet battles in which I could use my fresh stock missiles, and he responded by teleporting 10( ) intruders on board my ship, all of which barricaded the Deck 1 Fore Corridor so that all of my marines got stuck up there (they were ALL trying to intrude on the Gammulan ships using the transporters, believe it or not), and then proceeded straight to my Weapons Pod to set off all of my new Vagrant missiles. This was all only minutes after I had asked a Gammulan Military Solnar where I could find the aforementioned battles involving missiles, which responded by boarding me with eight intruders that took out my tractor beam and stuffed half my CC and the kitchen sink into SC1.

LOL!

Man, is there anything those guys DIDN'T do to you?

ZM

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Looking at the missiles (and their capabilities) in RL, I must say that the missiles in 3030 are less potent then their RL-"predecesors" and theirfore less usefull.

But when you consider game-play, using a missile is actually letting the computer do the thinking and aiming for you and this is probably not what you want in the long run. Compare using a OTS to "getting down and dirty" to take out a base.

And if the missiles are too strong they could easily dominate the game and you would hardly use your gun.

Personally I would love to see more missile-features in the game, but that's something for the "what could have been"-thread.

[ 04-01-2004, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: dreadx ]

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quote:

Originally posted by dreadx:

But when you consider game-play, using a missile is actually letting the computer do the thinking and aiming for you and this is probably not what you want in the long run. Compare using a OTS to "getting down and dirty" to take out a base.

Letting the computer think for you... that is an interesting way of putting it. Yes, using an OTS is a million times easier than actually assaulting a base.

Which would lead me to the real question...

Are STS missiles that easier (as in the OTS vs ground assault easier) to use than the IOD/PTA? Or is the OTS just the extreme of easiness?

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quote:

Originally posted by UltraMage:

using an OTS is a million times easier than actually assaulting a base.


Now where's the fun in that?, OTSing a base is for people who have no sense of a challenge

Go to the planet, and attack the base WHILE uncloaked. Trust me it's a challenge and a good learning experience for you're own men (my officer's went from 20 AI to about 37 AI after assaulting 3 base's)

Also its good plantary experience since when MP comes out you won't have access to OTS's so its bes to brush up on Base Assaults

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quote:

Originally posted by Kalshion:

Go to the planet, and attack the base WHILE uncloaked. Trust me it's a challenge and a good learning experience for you're own men (my officer's went from 20 AI to about 37 AI after assaulting 3 base's)

I'll have to try that; my officers could use a boost in AI, especially that stupid Combat Officer that ordered my marines to help the Gammulan intruders barricade the path to the turbo shaft. Quite annoying to have all of my 20 marines in the Deck 1 Fore corridor. I noticed they only got stuck there AFTER I put Combat Officer on duty...

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quote:

Originaly posted by UltraMage:

Are STS missiles that easier (as in the OTS vs ground assault easier) to use than the IOD/PTA? Or is the OTS just the extreme of easiness?

No, the missiles as they are now in the game are not that easy to use effectively. It's too easy to jam them.

The OTS is the extreme of easiness at this moment because the STO's aren't operational.

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quote:

Originally posted by dreadx:

No, the missiles as they are now in the game are not that easy to use effectively. It's too easy to jam them.

The OTS is the extreme of easiness at this moment because the STO's aren't operational.

Go figure.

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I love the missiles. Use them as battle openers and closers, great for hitting those annoying fighters (hint fire when they're close to you) and perfect for cleaning up all those disabled craft you don't feel like towing.

Great for setting FATAL targets that are HJ'ing towards you. The missiles launch before they finish hyperjump and they have little chance to jam them.

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missiles are pretty much a *punch* weapon.

IOD and PTA fire is nice and powerful, but missiles are what will allow you take down a ship ASAP.

In ambush situations (cloak, hyperspace ambush) or in 'desperate' situations (outnumbered and unable to run or hide), a missile volley will bring down a target's shields and allow your IOD/PTA to cut the target apart in 1 pass.

Thats what vagrants are good for. Now, I carry just 50 of the things in my inventory.. i only use them for those emergencies. I prefer to carry lots more of lighter missiles... because nothing, and I repeat, nothing helps your fighters survive longer than having the mothership providing missile support. The enemy fighters have a tendency to try to avoid the incoming missile more than our interceptor's laser fire... even if the missile is a just a cheapo one that barely does damage.

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