The flakking xenon

[philip_hughes]

Its official. Flak is equivalent to gppc. My capitals are changing over to flak based combat.

The strategy is simple, seta up to 3 k's range and flak the crap out of the k or j. All turrets set to attack my target. All possible turrets filled with flak. Whilst other turrets are not in direct range, they are killing fighters. Not only is the kill ratio similar, the number of drops increases thanks to the close range.

[surefire_ven0m]

3k range? i thought Flaks only had a range of 1 ??

[philip_hughes]

BFAA, plus the sheer size of these ships. It works!

(actually, maybe its the xtm mod. Could a kind vanilla person try the tactic please?)

[surefire_ven0m]

I am intriuged, currently at work so if i have time tonight i'll give it a whirl

[Berkys]

One STUPID question - what is right name of flak?

[Gazz]

Flugabwehrkanone.

[shilhi]

Flugabwehrkanone.

Does that answer your question?

[jlehtone]

(actually, maybe its the xtm mod. Could a kind vanilla person try the tactic please?)

Good that you did say that. We cannot possibly know what that "xtm mod" does to everything.


But to give one vanilla observation:
* Xenon K as player ship
* All bFAA (beta Flak Artillery Array)
* Xenon invasion
=> kills fighters, obviously
=> kills Xenon K/J too. Those puny 750 MJ shielded ones. Quite quickly. Not quite like gPPC, but ...

Ok, lets have second note too:
* Raptor, nose 4 gPPC, the rest FAA
* Assassination, M6 escorts
=> FAA clears most escorts, but even the "lightly" shielded M6 do require many hits, ie time. Raptor has at most 4 bFAA in turret, so the 8 bFAA turret is obviously quicker.

[Nanook]

I doubt that the FLAK will do much against the 6 GJ shields of a Xenon K, unless you sit there for a loooonnnnggg time. I can fly through the FLAK batteries of a K in my 3 GJ Hyperion pretty much totally unscathed, as a comparison.

[Berkys]

Flugabwehrkanone.

I thought in game... I play with XTM and never met it...

[Germs]

Gazz wrote:
Flugabwehrkanone.

roughly translated " air defense cannon "

flug = flight
abwehr = defense
kanone = cannon

[eladan]

Flugabwehrkanone.

Bless you.

[Gazz]

I can fly through the FLAK batteries of a K in my 3 GJ Hyperion pretty much totally unscathed, as a comparison.

While Xenon could mount a lot of Flak their ships rarely carry enough lasers. Sometimes barely enough to fill one turret.
Sure, they make a lot of noise but if there's only 3 lasers installed...

I don't doubt that it's possible to kill enemy ships with Flak.
BFlak is nearly equal to BPPC which is a decent laser.
GPPC has 3x the damage output of BFlak while using only 1/3 of the energy.
Using GPPC the enemy would be dead before you could maneuver your ship in Flak range but if your goal is to kill enemy ships with Flak and you're in no particular hurry - why not?

At least that's how it looks on paper.
The one thing I have not tested, yet, is how the area effect of flak shells affects other capital ships.
If it's anywhere as extreme as SWG then I will take back everything and blame it on the fact that english is not my native language.

[philip_hughes]

I have a feeling that flak is a mini psg. My current ship takes BPPC, BFAA but not GPPC.

*Added benefit*

You can loop the loop on SETA with practically no shields and when the inevitable missile launch pulls you out, you reinstate but not before the flak lets off a barrage at that xenon ship. Their GPPC doesn't hit, its a free shot!

[BRANCA]

Flugzeugabwehrkanone