Are Plasma Bolts Practical? (or Plasma-G even as a torpedo)
Moderators: mjwest, Albiegamer
Interesting. Could this be the next Starcastle, perhaps?
Last edited by Kang on Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Don't need to get close with a Disruptor races. As Phasers 1's and Disruptors do the same damage and have the same to hit from ranges 9-15, I would just stay out to range 12-15 to fire and launch drones and SS Shuttles. At range 9-15 a phaser 1 averages 1 point, and a disruptor averages 2 points per.mjwest wrote:A photon ship that is going Speed Zero will never have out-of-arc Photons to a single opponent keeping range as long as he keeps using Low Energy Turns. You can't keep 5+ hex range and move faster than the photon ship can turn, since he can turn once per impulse.
Most of the Feds phasers would be used in defending against drones and Suicide Shuttles, while the Fed Photons to hit is so low, that the Klingons or whoever will be able to generate many more damage points per turn to the Fed. Depending on the ships, eventually the Klingons/Kzin, whoever will wear the Fed down. The Fed won't be able to afford to keep powering photons, firing phasers, and repairing all shield damage. Eventually the Fed will have to move or die.
On a 1-v-1 battle though, it would be quite boring as a Single Fed may be able to come close to being able to repair all damage every turn depending on the ship and scale in question, but in a 2-v or more, the Fed opponant will just concentrate all firepower on one ship until it is destroyed.
At least that is how I counter such tactics. It's almost like a base assault..you never close, just pummel away at long range and do more damage than can be repaired..eventually you will win.
I in no way meant to imply that sit-n-spin would work. I actually don't think it would for the very reason you state: eventually the damage would overwhelm the repair capabilities. And you are just a sitting duck for seeking weapons (even suicide shuttles become relevant).
My point was just that you can't out turn sit-n-spin. That tactic is a non-starter. You have to use a different tactic to defeat it. Such as the one you describe.
Which provides my answer to Kang: No this is not the "next starcastle". The usefulness of starcastling in SFB is dependent on the ability to put up a "brick" (i.e. extreme reinforcement). Having reinforcement limited by the number of available batteries removes the "brick".
My point was just that you can't out turn sit-n-spin. That tactic is a non-starter. You have to use a different tactic to defeat it. Such as the one you describe.
Which provides my answer to Kang: No this is not the "next starcastle". The usefulness of starcastling in SFB is dependent on the ability to put up a "brick" (i.e. extreme reinforcement). Having reinforcement limited by the number of available batteries removes the "brick".
Federation Commander Answer Guy
Yeah, I appreciate that. My comment was mainly intended to provoke discussion. However I can see that the discussion may well go in the Fed/Klingon direction - which is not really the topic here, I know!mjwest wrote: The usefulness of starcastling in SFB is dependent on the ability to put up a "brick" (i.e. extreme reinforcement). Having reinforcement limited by the number of available batteries removes the "brick".
I agree with MJWest, I can't see this being a new "Star Castle" for FC. In SFB, heavy Sheild reinforcement and Wild Weasels made Star Castling possible. I guess you could perform this "sit and spin" idea, but I think its limited.
As for Pinecones original question, Plasma-F's are faster arming and require a little less power, but even though Plasma-G's have the same damage potential they actually do have a little better range then Plasma-F's. I've notice this can be helpful in trying to chew up sheilds at a distance if an opponent is moving fast.
As for Pinecones original question, Plasma-F's are faster arming and require a little less power, but even though Plasma-G's have the same damage potential they actually do have a little better range then Plasma-F's. I've notice this can be helpful in trying to chew up sheilds at a distance if an opponent is moving fast.
Advantages of a Pl-G over a Pl-F:
- Has longer range. Retains its full warhead out to 10 hexes range. This is really significant when using bolts, as the Pl-G can fully take advantage of the "glory zone" at ranges 9-10, while the Pl-F cannot.
- Can be quickloaded as a Pl-F. If you really want the Pl-F instead of the Pl-G, at least you get it one turn earlier.
- Can be downloaded as a Pl-F if absolutely necessary.
Disadvantages of a Pl-G against a Pl-F:
- Pl-G cannot take advantage of the Carronade rule (if Gorn, Fed, or Orion). Of course, if you are Romulan (or ISC), this doesn't matter.
- Pl-G cannot be held "for free", even if downloaded as a Pl-F.
- Pl-G only has first turn of arming at the beginning of a scenario, while a Pl-F is fully loaded. Of course, you can always quickload the Pl-G as a Pl-F, so you can still fire the Pl-G (as a Pl-F) in the first turn.
For the Gorn, there is a legitimate argument around whether the Pl-F is more useful than the Pl-G because of the Carronade. For Romulans, there really isn't even an argument; the Pl-G is much more useful and flexible.
- Has longer range. Retains its full warhead out to 10 hexes range. This is really significant when using bolts, as the Pl-G can fully take advantage of the "glory zone" at ranges 9-10, while the Pl-F cannot.
- Can be quickloaded as a Pl-F. If you really want the Pl-F instead of the Pl-G, at least you get it one turn earlier.
- Can be downloaded as a Pl-F if absolutely necessary.
Disadvantages of a Pl-G against a Pl-F:
- Pl-G cannot take advantage of the Carronade rule (if Gorn, Fed, or Orion). Of course, if you are Romulan (or ISC), this doesn't matter.
- Pl-G cannot be held "for free", even if downloaded as a Pl-F.
- Pl-G only has first turn of arming at the beginning of a scenario, while a Pl-F is fully loaded. Of course, you can always quickload the Pl-G as a Pl-F, so you can still fire the Pl-G (as a Pl-F) in the first turn.
For the Gorn, there is a legitimate argument around whether the Pl-F is more useful than the Pl-G because of the Carronade. For Romulans, there really isn't even an argument; the Pl-G is much more useful and flexible.
Federation Commander Answer Guy
One key to winning against plasma is the arming cycle. Hit him when he's arming the Torps. The first turn is the best, second turn is not as safe since he could load a Pl-F.
The defense is to always have a torp loaded, but if he fires the big ones, I'll risk a Pl-F to get a close shot.
The defense is to always have a torp loaded, but if he fires the big ones, I'll risk a Pl-F to get a close shot.
Speed is life; Patience is victory
I'll give It a try next game, and post it.Mike wrote:This is interesting. Okay, try that tactic of sitting still with a Fed ship, using Low Energy Turns, repairing shields, and keeping photons overloaded against an equal class Klingon ship or a Romulan using plasmas. I'd like to hear how it turns out...
I've seen it done. It's called being a target. You surrender the initiative and allow your opponent to dictate the rythm. There's just not enough power to repair damage, the limited reinforcement means you can't stop the internals from adding up. The opponent can fly circles around you and you won't be able to fire at him. You're a sitting duck for any seeking weapon.
Overall it's just a bad idea. It's a really bad idea with overloads. If you overload, you can't fire beyond 8 hexes. If you're not moving, you can't bring your opponent within 8 hexes. He'll just fly circles around you outside overload range. Result: You're dead; he's undamaged.
Overall it's just a bad idea. It's a really bad idea with overloads. If you overload, you can't fire beyond 8 hexes. If you're not moving, you can't bring your opponent within 8 hexes. He'll just fly circles around you outside overload range. Result: You're dead; he's undamaged.
Speed is life; Patience is victory
An overloaded photon may not be "un-overloaded". The only way to get rid of an overloaded photon is to either fire it or discharge it and start arming the photon again.
Note that you can hold normal load photons and overload them at the instant of firing. This can use a lot of power (4 points per to fully overload a single photon), it gives you flexibility. And you can always use 50% overloads, too.
As for proximity photons, no. On the other hand, Klingons don't get DERFACS or UIM, either, so it is not a complete loss for the Feds.
Note that you can hold normal load photons and overload them at the instant of firing. This can use a lot of power (4 points per to fully overload a single photon), it gives you flexibility. And you can always use 50% overloads, too.
As for proximity photons, no. On the other hand, Klingons don't get DERFACS or UIM, either, so it is not a complete loss for the Feds.
Federation Commander Answer Guy
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