[TC] Electro magnetic plasma canons

[johnnywas]

i like MT vidar but the canons don't seem to be very effective

I fisrt noticed when I was doing the OTAS escort mission. as there were waves of M3s and M5s I flew my mamba and set a Vidar to defend the escort. it was hopeless

then i jumped in a Centaur armed with HEPTS and it was much more effective - provided that it could get close enough soon enough

the EMPCs seem a little buggy perhaps. the energy rate readout is erratic. stays in the 90s. they should be doing much more damage and using more power.

then later I bought a Nmesis and armed it with 2 concussion generator, some HEPTS and a couple of PACs. it seems to produce absolute carnage with any size fighters. hardly gives them chance to bail. although the comparison wasn't perfect as I was flying rather than the autopilot.

[Feersum]

The damage is pretty decent, and you can keep on firing for quite a while, as they use very little energy. I have kitted out my Vidar with EMPCs, and they work just fine.

[Orion1632]

if you want real killer power then use the MAM guns.

[OniGanon]

Don't think MAMLs will help a huge amount vs fighters...

EMPCs are about as powerful as PACs, and use less energy. 8 of them should make short work of fighters and even corvettes. The fastest scouts might be able to dodge their fire though, if you're not aiming the guns yourself. The bullets are slightly slow (though faster than HEPTs).

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Don't think MAMLs will help a huge amount vs fighters...

EMPCs are about as powerful as PACs, and use less energy. 8 of them should make short work of fighters and even corvettes. The fastest scouts might be able to dodge their fire though, if you're not aiming the guns yourself. The bullets are slightly slow (though faster than HEPTs).

EMPCs = ~PAC rate of shield damge but >HEPT rate of hull damage with ~2.0km range for about PAC kind of energy consumption but with
MAML = ~EBC rate of shield damage but with >3km range for Ammo and negligable energy cost

Fit MAML in the main guns and EMPC in the Turrets and use poltergeist missiles for the smaller fry. MAML is ok when going against M3/M3+ or bigger, the EMPC turrets can cancel out the missile threat to a large extent, and the Poltergeist help deal with the M4/M5s.

[imperium3]

Don't think MAMLs will help a huge amount vs fighters...

EMPCs are about as powerful as PACs, and use less energy. 8 of them should make short work of fighters and even corvettes. The fastest scouts might be able to dodge their fire though, if you're not aiming the guns yourself. The bullets are slightly slow (though faster than HEPTs).

I've found MAMLs to be extremely deadly against M4s, because you only need one volley of 10 to destroy them, and with the Vidar's speed and manoeuvrability that isn't too difficult to achieve.

And against anything bigger, those 10xMAMLs still give the Vidar the most firepower of any M6 in the game.

[imung]

Vidar has 10 mount of EMPC turret and good shield. I make a short work of Osprey and Centaur with it. Thanks for EMPC low energy consumption.

Fighters M4 & M3 also should be no problem.

My only problem with Vidar is the speed, I would favor the ATF M3 (the one above the Thor). Quite decent armor & speed, 8 mount EMPC is just fine.

And to be honest (just personal preference), I still favor 8 mount of EMPC on Terran warship rather than having other race M3 with HEPT (Falcon, Nova).

HEPT has more power, but other M3 normally has low laser energy making it exhausted very soon (my personal experience - need more confirmation).

[AgamemnonArgon]

To be honest, since buying and equipping Terran fighters (Scimitars, and to a lesser extent, Sabres), with the EMPC weapons, it has really fortified the M7's and M2's on which they are based.
Perhaps using a combined arms methodology, may be useful to yourself.
I use a Shrike with 6 -8 Scimitars, and still (luckily), have not lost a fighter, and they are on front line Sectors, against Kh'aak, and Pirates. An M7, M6, with attached fighters, are managing to maintain the integrity of the Sectors they patrol.
I assign the fighters (once landed) on the M7 or Carrier, to Protect (the ship they are on), and when the ships being to intercept enemy vessels, the fighters are launched well before intercept.
I didn't realise how clever the software could be on this. Really good.

[Baddieus]

Learning to fly the Vidar is key to using it successfully. As an escort in AI hands, I would personally not trust my only Vidar. As pilot of the ship, I set the Turrets to attack enemys, and those 2 double mounted EMPC turrets will take care of the majority of M5's & M4's by themselves. I only needed to adjust my nose so the enemys were above or below my sight line, and in the turrets sight line. For the main guns, I put 4 EMPC in the center slots for close spread firing on M3's or shield dammage on a ship I'm trying to capture, and the outer 6 slots have MAML's for M6 and above that I'm out to destroy.

The toughest thing is learning to trust your turrets and not chase after the little guys yourself with the main guns.

[AgamemnonArgon]

Play Ship control means the player has advantage, in my game, I am going to issue a hearty supply of nukes to Combat Frigates. Pacification of Pirate Sectors, is the key.

[tasev1]

Of all the M6's I've played in the game, the Vidar is my most trusted and well used ship. As long as you don't loose your shields, and the enemy isn't in overwhelming firepower, you're OK.

I use the M6 upgrade script that boosts my V's speed to 140, making it far more useful. I would never hand it over to AI combat though - the AI doesn't have enough AI to fight with it.

My only regret is lack of weapons supplies in Terran space.

[Reimu Hakurei]

they should be doing much more damage and using more power.

I agree, not on the energy drain (Terrans are meant to be overpowered after all) but certainly on the damage. Both the EMPC and HEPT are the same thing — a railgun that launches plasma, so why should the supposedly more advanced EMPC be weaker?

And against anything bigger, those 10xMAMLs still give the Vidar the most firepower of any M6 in the game.

Vali: 14xMAML
However, admittedly, it has more negative points overall, for player use.

[Shadow-Thief]

From my experiences

I used 6 EMPCs on my kutless...they are very powerful and good at killing enemies at close distances.

Slow rate of fire and slow trajectory rate make them horrible for anti fighter guns.

What I hate most about the Terrans is their anti-fighter ability. You need like a starburst shockwave gun or something...

PRGs are the best anti-fighter guns I've seen (besides those instant hit pulse laser thingies that the Xenon, pirates, and khaak use)

[Bobucles]

Both the EMPC and HEPT are the same thing — a railgun that launches plasma, so why should the supposedly more advanced EMPC be weaker?

The EMPC is a closer match with the PAC or PRG. The attributes place it squarely with other M4 weapons.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Both the EMPC and HEPT are the same thing — a railgun that launches plasma, so why should the supposedly more advanced EMPC be weaker?

The EMPC is a closer match with the PAC or PRG. The attributes place it squarely with other M4 weapons.

In terms of shield damage and energy consumption yes... but in terms of hull damage it beats even the mighty HEPT.

[Cactus-Soup]

The whilst the EMPC is by far more effective on larger targets, it's the speed of most terran ships that accounts for the anti-fighter ability.

[AgamemnonArgon]

I duuno, if I have a half dozen Terran Scimitars, with six EMP Cannon firing in addition to four FLAK, eight IBL, and four Gauss Cannons on a Shrike, plus six PRG and eight HEPT on a Skiron, I think the combined weaponry would be able to deal with anything up to an M6 or a pack of hungry K'haak. I will continue to buy the EMPC, and would like more ships to have access to the weapon.

[Reimu Hakurei]

Both the EMPC and HEPT are the same thing — a railgun that launches plasma, so why should the supposedly more advanced EMPC be weaker?

The EMPC is a closer match with the PAC or PRG. The attributes place it squarely with other M4 weapons.

My point is that the weapon does not respect its description. ¦D
Either way it is overpriced for what it does.

[tomfoolery]

I duuno, if I have a half dozen Terran Scimitars, with six EMP Cannon firing in addition to four FLAK, eight IBL, and four Gauss Cannons on a Shrike, plus six PRG and eight HEPT on a Skiron, I think the combined weaponry would be able to deal with anything up to an M6 or a pack of hungry K'haak. I will continue to buy the EMPC, and would like more ships to have access to the weapon.

I'm not far enough to comment on the the effectiveness of that flight group, but I completely agree with the comment about more ships having access to EMPC. I think they're a great weapon.