[TC] IonDs 'N Boarding

[EmperorJon]

So, it's about time for me to claim a HQ.

Ion Ds, are they really more effective at blowing up equipment?

Will I really need 5stars and BPs to get through a TL hull?

Do I really have to sit around for hours waiting for good 5* fighters?

[Catra]

yes.

4* + BP will do.

probably not, i capped my HQ with all < 5* fighters.

[Kor'ah]

Last time I checked one couldn't zap off equipment from that Orca useing IonDs. It has the "invulnerable" flag set during this mission. Unless ES changed it ships with the "invulnerable" flag active won't lose equipment from damage.

A more strait foward option is parking a M7M in the Orca's blindspot at pointblank range and pump 3x boarding pods into it. Have a second, or even third, wave of marines ready to go. Spaceweed had a video showing a near textbook PHQ Orca capture with this method.

[StarTroll]

lor just simply have flail missiles / drones MK2 to keep shields low and feed it with 4 pods. My marines were 5 stars everywhere except fight (cause it was a new batch in training) but real easy to do.

[vr01]

Having just completed this mission, you can't use IonD's to fry the equipment in the Orca.

Scan the Orca and if it has IonD's then use the method that Kor'ah describes otherwise the pods won't make it.

Alternatively if you have another save before the start of the find / board Orca sequence then the mission will spawn with a different number of marines and equipment in the Orca. (Mine spawned with 17 marines, fortunately only one of them was 5 star, the rest were plebs...)

[perkint]

Last time I checked one couldn't zap off equipment from that Orca useing IonDs. It has the "invulnerable" flag set during this mission. Unless ES changed it ships with the "invulnerable" flag active won't lose equipment from damage.

You sure about that? I've seen lots of posts, including from some people who don't normally give dodgy advice (and some from me, but I lie all the time ) suggesting frying the life support from that ship to make boarding easier.

Bit of a shame if you can't do this. When I actually get time to play, this is one of the next things for me to do. I've got 500+ MK2 drones which are going to test this out for me

Tim

[Kor'ah]

Remember that enhanced dolphin that kept it's invulnerable flag after it was claimed? I took it to a Xenon sector for giggles and they could never destroy a single chunk of equipment after 20 minutes of fireing at it and ramming a K to death.

Just maybe the act of takeing the hull for 100% to 93% will give a chance at equipment destruction. I really don't think so.