[TC] How to use IBL's

Holst · Post by **Holst** » Fri, 26. Nov 10, 22:39

Hi guys.

Im on the final final fury mission.

I tried it with a Vidar but it was hopeless so I have bought myself a Tiger.
Flack on all turrets and IBL's at the front (only 5 at the moment as im waiting for the Yaki to build me some more)

As you can charge them up im not sure on the best way to use them.

Should I just hold down fire and fire fully charged shots (and hope I dont miss due to lag) or keep clicking fire and not charge them up at all?

Catra · Post by **Catra** » Fri, 26. Nov 10, 23:09

aye, charge em up when energy permits.

StarTroll · Post by **StarTroll** » Fri, 26. Nov 10, 23:51

Especially useful when preparing for the first strike before entering firing range with a capital ship.

Nick Northern · Post by **Nick Northern** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 04:25

I know this makes no sense, but someone did a test on IBL's damage with charge vrs uncharged shots and found that IBL's have a quark that actually makes them do more damage UNCHARGED than doing a charged salvo. In other words, you do more damage per shot, and use less energy, by using them uncharged and just tapping the fire button.

I wish I could link you to that test info thread, but I have no clue how to use extra search function on this site yet. Maybe you could find it. My personal experience with IBL's supports this info. Charged, they drain a lot of energy and seem do do far less damage than PPC's, instead of the slightly less damage they SHOULD do charged. I also noticed that when I had AI control my Shrike outfitted with 8 IBL's, it would kill Xenon K's far faster by using uncharged shots (the computer will not charge a weapon to shoot), then I was able to do in the Shrike, charging my IBL's.

This seems to be an aberration restricted to IBL's. Ion Cannons, PPC's and PSP's seem to do far more damage charged. IBL's actually do almost the same damage as PPC's uncharged, although they use more energy and PPC's can charge to increase damage in a players hands.

Do some tests on one of your own ships. Simply do one charge shot at a heavy shielded target with your IBL's, and record the damage. Do the same by tapping the fire button to fire all your IBL's once, and record the damage again. Uncharged uses FAR less energy, so unless the above data is very wrong, you are much better off using those IBL's uncharged.

Catra · Post by **Catra** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 06:12

I wish I could link you to that test info thread, but I have no clue how to use extra search function on this site yet.

its called google.

seriously.

is this the thread youre talking about?

how about this one?

Nick Northern · Post by **Nick Northern** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 06:22

Google search for what Catra? IBL? Damage? Not interested in sifting through 30 threads google finds to get the info. I was just trying to answer this guys question to the best of my knowledge. But he can take your advice and sift through google searches if he wants.

I'm sure extra search works just fine. I just joined the site last week and just haven't used it yet.

Catra · Post by **Catra** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 06:26

type in:

egosoft then what your query is.

StarTroll · Post by **StarTroll** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 14:07

If you don't fing how to do it, here is
the link

Donziboy2 · Post by **Donziboy2** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 16:44

Or just use the Egosoft search systems.

On the right hand side there is

Search It has groups of common word people search, including races/weapons/ships/scripts etc....

Then there is

Extra Search It is a standard search engine for the Egosoft Forums......

Now back on topic.

Yes you should charge them up, they do far more damage that way, make sure you have FLAKs in your other turrets and have them set for killing fighters. And make sure you strafe. Takes some practice but if done right you will take little damage from cap ships. Just remember with charged shots you need to make sure they hit or you waste alot of energy.

Nick Northern · Post by **Nick Northern** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 19:14

Ok, ok! Sheesh. This isn't even my thread. I was just trying to help. Those were the exact threads I was referring to Catra. Thanks for posting them. They make it pretty clear that charging IBL's is not only a waste of energy, it actually reduces your overall damage dealt.

Holst · Post by **Holst** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 21:01

Thanks guys

I tried killing the guardians using both methods.

They seemed to die slightly faster if I kept clicking rather than charging up.
The best method seems to be to charge up when slightly out of range and then keep clicking as you approach.

As I let my fight rank get a bit too high before I started the Kha'ak campaign so it was a difficult mission Those Kha'ak destroyers are pretty tough but the IBL's eat them up no problem.

Now I have the Yaki economy fixed up getting hold of more IBL's wont be a big problem.

Just took a pleasure cruise through some xenon sectors and killed a load of Q's without taking any real damage

one chaged shot takes most of there sheilds and they pop very quickly after that

Triaxx2 · Post by **Triaxx2** » Sat, 27. Nov 10, 22:50

Try breaching Sector 695, then see how it fares. Then you'll have a true measure of it's destructive capabilities.

nap_rz · Post by **nap_rz** » Mon, 13. Dec 10, 05:31

how do you use charged shots effectively? I tried it but I keep missing the target, it was on turrets btw, not frontal guns

garv222 · Post by **garv222** » Mon, 13. Dec 10, 07:15

I don't charge shots except perhaps when I still had a Tyr with PSP, where charging up meant a real sharp increase in power. I would charge up a shot when my target was around max range+300-400 meters. Depends on how fast you're closing distance and of course if the target is moving toward you. I would try to time the fire for when the target was slightly out of range but would in range of the projectiles as the target is moving forward. After that, I would start evading fire and charging shots weren't my top priority.

With the Tyr though, that thing was so heavily shielded sometimes I'd just get into my turrets and take the punishment to unleash another volley of charged shots just for fun.

Simoom · Post by **Simoom** » Mon, 13. Dec 10, 07:51

Charged shots do a lot more damage but they are burst damage. From what I read anyway, the overall DPS of capital weapons are actually better when uncharged.

Good luck with your Final Fury missions - I did it at Warlord and had to call in a Boreas.

em3e3 · Post by **em3e3** » Mon, 13. Dec 10, 19:03

This should eliminate confusion as to DPS (click for full-size image):

[ external image ]

Three important notes:
1. Alpha-charging will always do more single-shot damage than non-charged (think of it like a bottle of nitrous on a car, quick burst of speed)
2. Only the PSP and PPC benefit from continuous alpha-charging ( but you probably don't need to, since most targets will be destroyed from the first shot)
3. Only main guns or a turret controlled directly by the player can be alpha-charged

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[TC] How to use IBL's

How to use IBL's