But can you beat the Taco fleet?
Neat fleet building tool (And my Idris crippling Strike Package)
Shadow Reaper
Space Marshal
My take on a ground assault package is that the things needed are in order: troop transport capability, very heavy shields, bottom facing turrets or lesser alternative is chin mounts that can target ground assets. This said it is good to note three issues that are important to me.
First, in most games similar and in SC, it appears that ground assets, both stationary and mobile; have shields and weapons a full order magnitude below those of ships, so taking a ship directly to a planetary surface can be extremely rewarding. Most shhips can blow the shit out of ground positions.
Secondly I would note that shields are being reworked, so we can't just access the ships page and decide between a Tally and a Conny, since the shields are not a settled issue. PROBABLY a Tally will have better shields, but that is not what CIG says at the moment.
Thirdly, I would add I would prefer turrets that can handle pairs of S3 Pyrobusts facing down, and pairs of S4 Ballistic Cannon on top, protecting from air to air assault.
So unless one needs stealth and knows it is practical in atmo, I would say the Tally and Polaris are the best choices, with the Hoplite holding an advantage when maneuverability and speed are needed. The Redeemer seems to me to be a poor choice at present, for lack of turret size, and a real airframe.
If I were commanding a ground assault I would want a Ghost Tracker out front doing recon and just fly the Polaris in. Try to mount quad Pyros on the chin. which would devastate ground positions in range and might even knock down incoming missiles and torps.
First, in most games similar and in SC, it appears that ground assets, both stationary and mobile; have shields and weapons a full order magnitude below those of ships, so taking a ship directly to a planetary surface can be extremely rewarding. Most shhips can blow the shit out of ground positions.
Secondly I would note that shields are being reworked, so we can't just access the ships page and decide between a Tally and a Conny, since the shields are not a settled issue. PROBABLY a Tally will have better shields, but that is not what CIG says at the moment.
Thirdly, I would add I would prefer turrets that can handle pairs of S3 Pyrobusts facing down, and pairs of S4 Ballistic Cannon on top, protecting from air to air assault.
So unless one needs stealth and knows it is practical in atmo, I would say the Tally and Polaris are the best choices, with the Hoplite holding an advantage when maneuverability and speed are needed. The Redeemer seems to me to be a poor choice at present, for lack of turret size, and a real airframe.
If I were commanding a ground assault I would want a Ghost Tracker out front doing recon and just fly the Polaris in. Try to mount quad Pyros on the chin. which would devastate ground positions in range and might even knock down incoming missiles and torps.
And use trebuchet's to toss guacamole over the windshields of the ships and turrets to disable their visuals.But can you beat the Taco fleet?
This is very well thought out. I agree with using Pyro's, since they can cover a wider area, like a shotgun blast. The only possible issue with them might be range. You'd have to fly in pretty close to use them and that might leave you more vulnerable to anti air attacks from the ground?
Beerjerker
Grand Admiral
The rate of fire would be an issue too. Provided the game sticks to the plan of not being able to just respawn close to where you got pwned, the enemy would duck to avoid laser suppression. Maybe not get kills itself, but keep the enemy from plinking the troops you're dropping off.
I'd rather see Pyros mounted on the top of rovers zipping around behind cover, not on something that would be stationary once it's on the ground. Even then, you may find more opportunities with higher rates of fire and longer ranges. Maybe the new vehicle shotguns being teased, or the different ammo types mentioned now and then, will make them more versatile down the road.
Beerjerker
Grand Admiral
This is my try at a beachhead invasion fleet. Not sure it would be particularly practical, but it sure would be fun to get that many players into a battle.
Group 1 - Air Superiority
Hornets and Gladiators mostly, but threw in a couple Mustang Deltas because I bet the dumbfire rocket pods could wreak havoc on ground targets and the Mustangs don't get much love. Dominate the sky and soften the dirt.
Group 2 - Main Force
The bulk of the troops will land in Retaliators with a Gladius escort (that could use their speed to react to other needs once the troops hit the ground). A couple Cutlasses could deploy Dragonflies and/or other squads and supplies. The Redeemer, depending on its capabilities, could drop a heavy weapons squad (mech suits?) or command staff. Although, if I were in command, I would definitely prefer to enter the fray on a mighty Yellowjacket Dragonfly steed!
Group 3 - Flanking Force
Prowler escorted by Ghosts will sneak in as close as their sneakiness allows, and drop troops in an advanced position. This group could also deploy snipers or saboteurs undetected before the invasion, but I wouldn't want to overlook the tactic of them getting in close before they are detected and dropping an assault team as well.
Group 4 - Support
Ship choice here is kind of a placeholder, more to get the idea of a mobile support group rather than the best plan for a mobile support group.
I put in a Crucible with the thinking that it could land and drop a team of Dragonfly war boys or maybe battle rovers, then use it's pad to repair and resupply fighters.
Also a Cutlass Red, not so much for SAR this time, but as a makeshift aid station. The Red seems a bit small for this, and the next step up in the medical boats is the Endeavor which cannot land, as far as I know. Hopefully, another ambulance type ship will show up in concept sooner or later.
I don't think either of these ships are particularly well suited to this. I doubt either will preform well at all in atmosphere, so they would depend on the Hornet team control the skies unless they were going to enter the battle at great risk. Perhaps, if they ever announce Caterpillar modules, the Cat could cover both the roles of these ships, but I'd expect it would fly like a brick on a planet too, and I'd doubt it's repair ability would come close to matching the Crucible's.
Loving this fleet planner thing! Kind of like planning out a 40k army. Wish it had a sort of "red team" to represent an opposing force.
Group 1 - Air Superiority
Hornets and Gladiators mostly, but threw in a couple Mustang Deltas because I bet the dumbfire rocket pods could wreak havoc on ground targets and the Mustangs don't get much love. Dominate the sky and soften the dirt.
Group 2 - Main Force
The bulk of the troops will land in Retaliators with a Gladius escort (that could use their speed to react to other needs once the troops hit the ground). A couple Cutlasses could deploy Dragonflies and/or other squads and supplies. The Redeemer, depending on its capabilities, could drop a heavy weapons squad (mech suits?) or command staff. Although, if I were in command, I would definitely prefer to enter the fray on a mighty Yellowjacket Dragonfly steed!
Group 3 - Flanking Force
Prowler escorted by Ghosts will sneak in as close as their sneakiness allows, and drop troops in an advanced position. This group could also deploy snipers or saboteurs undetected before the invasion, but I wouldn't want to overlook the tactic of them getting in close before they are detected and dropping an assault team as well.
Group 4 - Support
Ship choice here is kind of a placeholder, more to get the idea of a mobile support group rather than the best plan for a mobile support group.
I put in a Crucible with the thinking that it could land and drop a team of Dragonfly war boys or maybe battle rovers, then use it's pad to repair and resupply fighters.
Also a Cutlass Red, not so much for SAR this time, but as a makeshift aid station. The Red seems a bit small for this, and the next step up in the medical boats is the Endeavor which cannot land, as far as I know. Hopefully, another ambulance type ship will show up in concept sooner or later.
I don't think either of these ships are particularly well suited to this. I doubt either will preform well at all in atmosphere, so they would depend on the Hornet team control the skies unless they were going to enter the battle at great risk. Perhaps, if they ever announce Caterpillar modules, the Cat could cover both the roles of these ships, but I'd expect it would fly like a brick on a planet too, and I'd doubt it's repair ability would come close to matching the Crucible's.
Loving this fleet planner thing! Kind of like planning out a 40k army. Wish it had a sort of "red team" to represent an opposing force.
Ooh, it would be like theory-craft chess! I like it! Okay, ye scurvy dogs; I'm going to present a commercial shipping flotilla below and You are going to plan your heist. You know the route they are taking, and roughly when they will be where. You have information on the entire makeup of the fleet, so they have no surprises to keep from you. Here is your big score:
Your limitations:
3 Human pilots
5 NPCs
(Hard Mode) Once you are spotted by the Sentinel, it will immediately call for help; Giving you 10 minutes to haul your score.
How would YOU go about it?
Beerjerker
Grand Admiral
With those limitations, I may have resort to skullduggery... and more than a few assumptions about how controllable NPCs are and what game mechanics might be available.
GROUP 1 - THE DIVERSION
Avenger Warlock (1 human pilot), posing as a Titan, send distress call to Hull E and its escorts when they come into view. It's under attack from 2 Buccaneers (2 NPC pilots), ordered to begin attack on Avenger once the escorts spot them.
These two brave NPC pilots will be have the lowest accuracy and piloting stats available, hired for the cheapest rate possible. Their Buckets will have the weakest plinking guns available, so they don't actually kill the Avenger. If they bite the dust, their memory will be honored in a victory toast befitting budget bots, but their real purpose is to draw attention and fire with little regard for their own welfare.
Now the Vanguard Sentinel can call for reinforcements 10 minutes away (if he or she is a chicken - BAWK!) or can just sweep in to the rescue with the 6 Defenders. I'm making a few assumptions about the escort team here, that they will be a bit bored by lack of action, or that they have at least some NPCs that will attack hostiles on sight. Either way, I think it would be a safe bet that a Vanguard and 6 Defenders would see that they have overwhelming numbers and fire power over the 2 Buckets.
The Avenger runs to the escort team for "protection" and the NPC Buckets are ordered to redirect their attack the the Hull-E as a juicier target. Escorts intercept Buckets, Warlock thanks them for their heroism and and pops EMP on as many as possible. When Avenger's systems come back online, he jumps out and meets up with the boarding group later.
GROUP 2 - THE HEIST
Cutlass (1 NPC pilot) sits powered down to achieve as much stealth as possible. A lone Dragonfly (2 human players), with weapons and shield off, also to be as sneaky as possible, is deployed from Cutlass. Once the escort team is chasing after Group 1's decoy, the Dragonfly makes a creep to the Hull-E's airlock.
If the escort team was clever enough to leave a couple Defenders or the Sentinel back with the Hull, the Cutlass will power up and engage to further distract from the Dragonfly. If the Hull tries to run, the Cutlass does what it can to block it path. Assumptions I'm making here are that the Cutlass has some way to prevent the Hull from moving, maybe Suckerpunch guns will dull the Hull's maneuvering thrusters or slow down it's ability to plot a jump out of the area. If the entire escort team takes the bait and the Hull just parks to wait for them to get their kills, which would be ideal, pride goeth before the fall, the Cutlass would just linger powered down and remain undetected.
The Dragonfly team gets as close as possible and boards (assuming EVA will be able to pass through shields, like they can now). They make a mad murderous dash to the bridge, maybe flashbangs to avoid damaging the score. They take control of ship, one player pilots and jumps the Hull-E out, one provides cover for any crew trying to retake the bridge.
If all goes to plan, one Hull-E at the possible, and acceptable, losses of two Budget Bucket Bots (say that 5 times fast) and a Dragonfly that just gets ditched after use. If this doesn't succeed before the 10 minute hard mode mark, it may not succeed at all. Also, this plan saves expenses with only 3 NPCs used, so more profit margin!
What do ye think? Did this salty dog earn a shot of that internet rum?
Attachments
Let loose the KRAKEN(on the rocks)! That's beautiful!
thanatos73
Space Marshal
Gonna have to see what I can do with 3 Cutlasses a Buccaneer and a Dragonfly.
Most excellent heist! Why steal the cargo FROM the ship, when you can just steal the SHIP itself! How despicable, using someone's good nature and boredom to lure them to doom/failure. I applaud your skulduggery, good sir!
Shadow Reaper
Space Marshal
Yeah. Pyros always have that drawback, but on the Polaris you have side turrets that can reach out further, and top turrets to defend against air assault. I think so long as you scout an area first and know there is nothing to breech the Polaris' shields, you can drift around and destroy ground assets at will, and for that the Pyros will be hard to beat. They are also great for reaching out and touching troops, broiling bug-eyed monsters, and for destroying incoming torps and missiles, one hopes. I am hoping we'll see an S3 quad-mount for the Polaris chin gun.
Seriously, I have wondered if and how well Pyros would work against missiles and torpedoes. I might have to try this in the PU.
Shadow Reaper
Space Marshal
Let us know! I have often wondered what 4 Pyros on a Sabre would be like. You have to be able to get close, but the Sabre is fast enough that it can almost always control the distance of an engagement. It can strike invisibly from great distance with its missiles, and then shatter targets with devastating close up firepower that hits so broad an area it is hard to miss. If ever there was a ship for jousting it is a Sabre with 4 Pyros. Would be great to see if that can knock down a missile or torp.
I have tried four Pyros on my Sabre for kicks. In AC the combo is magical. In the PU sometimes they act stupid and don't hit too well.
Could be the lag, though.
Peter Deynholm
Space Marshal
Here's the most versatile and efficient configuration, suitable for any situation.
Xian-Luc Picard
Space Marshal
This is *way* too much thinking for a TESTie. I am just going to run into shit.
Xian-Luc Picard
Space Marshal
:sob: It's so beautiful!Here's the most versatile and efficient configuration, suitable for any situation.
I call this one the "Fuck Yo Couch Fleet" Basically it just exists to fuck yo couch.
