Federation Commander

Davec_24 · Commander Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 596 Location: England

If you've got a full plasma loadout in your option mounts (say three launchers) and you cna have one of those as a G, then as you say it's a no-brainer. You take the G to give you that longer-range flexibility while you have to have the other two as F type launchers anyway, so you have the carronade and zero holding cost advantages of those two.

However, I'd have said this is better than making the G torpedo a "two-space" box and having it never be used by the Orion unless their ship is too small to mount an S. Also it would be better for those who were having a "mixed" armament instead of all plasma, as the choice exists then between F and G and this time it's no such an obvious decision and would depend on what other weapons you have fitted in your mounts.

Nerroth · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject:

Just to clarify - is a Plasma-R a three-space weapon?
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Scoutdad · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:36 pm Post subject:

Orion ships can not mount a Plasma R!
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junior · Captain Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 803

pinecone · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

If it could, would it not be a four-spacer? (think RHK and NHK)

mjwest · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject:

The number of spaces a Pl-R takes is irrelevant. No ship that does not come equipped with a Pl-R can use one.

The Orions cannot use a Pl-R. The WYN cannot use a Pl-R. (As an aside, even the ISC won't use a Pl-R.)

(Now, having avoided the issue, the number of spaces a Pl-R takes is currently undefined. Do not be surprised if it is not defined anytime in the reasonably near future.)
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asguard101 · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject:

There will need to be a control limt for the "G", "S", & "R" being used in option mounts. Heres my thought on it.

4K1D states: Orions and WYNs can use Hellbores in option mounts able to hold disruptors, but only one ship in a group of at least three can do so.

A hellbore was a two slot option mount. So why not do the same thing for plasmas. 3 ships for a "G", 5-6 for a "S", and 7-9 for a "R" or some combo there of.

mjwest · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject:

None of that is necessary at all.

Pl-S are two box weapons. This means they will never be used.

Pl-G will be used if they are one box weapons. They will never be used if they are two box weapons. (Heck, they would never even be considered.)

Pl-G have deployment restrictions. Even though they only take a single box (at the moment), you may only put them in one box per two full centerline hull option mounts. For example, this means the BR can only have one. In fact, only the BCH and DN can have more than one.

The hellbore only takes one box. In fact, this is what it took in SFB. The hellbore is a single box weapon. However, it has deployment restrictions even more severe as the one-box Pl-G.

There is no need to worry about it. The updated version of (5L1) in Orion Attack will explicitly list what weapons can be carried in what option mount on each Orion ship.
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Kang · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject:

My impression was always that the whole idea for Orions generally is that they want to capture ships - and their cargoes - relatively intact. Let's not lose sight of that.

What possible use would a plasma designed to smash the cr@p out of its target - the R-type - be on a ship designed for plunder and capture?
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pinecone · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:

Smashing an annoying enemy cruiser that is protecting the precious convoy, or fast loading as a plasma F.

OGOPTIMUS · Captain Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 979

Kang · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:00 am Post subject:

Davec_24 · Commander Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 596 Location: England

That's what I always assumed was the design reason (i.e. reason why it shouldn't be possible in a universe rather than purely game context) which resulted in the Orion ships not being able to mount type R torpedoes, even on the DN - the launcher is simply too large a system to fit into an "option" mounting which is designed to take much smaller weapons. I presume that even if you hypothetically tried to fit this into multiple option mountings (like the Plasma S) the layout of the weapons bays in the hull would not be right to give you the right shaped space to mount the R-launcher, assuming you even had enough overall physical space in those mounts. Those blueprints of the WB show you just how huge the launchers is - imagine trying to fit that beast into your option mounts...