[AP] Any way to isolate my targets with an M7M?

[MaximumBullfrog]

While I'm waiting for my marines to train, I took my new Cobra over to Lasting Vengeance to give it an unsaved trial by fire. I intend to capture that Zeus eventually, and to do so I'll need to clean out the rest of Duke's forces. The Cobra did this spectacularly.

Too spectacularly. The redirection qualities of the missiles are great and all, but the Cobra doesn't know it's own strength. Once all the Nemesis ships and fighters are decimated, the remaining missiles turn their focus on the Zeus and measurably wreck it if not destroy it outright. Any way to isolate the Zeus in a way that the missiles do not consider it a valid target?

[Typee]

Wild speculation, but have you tried turning pirate friendly in the ship console, and turn off "show as enemy if enemy to me", just before the missiles retarget toward the Zeus?

Normally, they souldn't hit the Zeus if you do that.

[MaximumBullfrog]

It's not that simple though. The missiles don't necessarily leave the Zeus for last like I implied - there's no reason for them to do so. If it's the closest target when their initial one is gone, they'll go for the Zeus over any remaining, further away Nemesis vessels.

[Kapakio]

Just don't download all missiles on one target. Make the caculations of how many missiles per type of ship and direct the missiles to each tartget independently.

[kurush]

If you need to stop missiles from hitting next target, switch its race to "Friend" in Cobra's FFE and also disable "Show as enemy if enemy to me". Once you do it the missiles try to re-target and will just fly away if there are not more enemies left.

[jjimlad]

and dont forget that SETA can help avoid committed missiles from hitting the target.

Small SETA bursts will allow regen of the Zeus shields whilst keeping those missiles from hitting their target.

JJ

[MaximumBullfrog]

If you need to stop missiles from hitting next target, switch its race to "Friend" in Cobra's FFE and also disable "Show as enemy if enemy to me". Once you do it the missiles try to re-target and will just fly away if there are not more enemies left.

But the ships I AM trying to target are the same faction as the ship I'm avoiding. That's the point, since the one I'm singling out is only getting special protection because I want to board rather than destroy it.

Doing the math on missile necessity (for the hammers anyway) seems like the most immediate solution as then there won;t be any surplus to deal with save for additonal damage from the occasional wayward Flail. My game's already modded, so might also consider moseying over to Scripts and seeing if anyone's put together a more streamlined M7M command interface with more robust target selection and isolation (gotta admit the Barrage command's a bit inconvenient to get to)

[kurush]

But the ships I AM trying to target are the same faction as the ship I'm avoiding. That's the point, since the one I'm singling out is only getting special protection because I want to board rather than destroy it.

First I destroy any escorts with either missiles or by using other ships. After that if there are still missiles in the air, I use that trick I described. For best results disable Cobra turrets or it will try to nuke everything and carefully measure how many missiles do you send to each target.

[MaximumBullfrog]

For some reason the Zeus already has 30% hull before I even get there.

Anyway, it seems 3 precision Hammers will drop a Nemesis, and they cannot or will not defend against them. A barrage of flails kills anything smaller than them without thought

Now my problem is actually picking on the Zeus' shields. Seems he's canny enough to gun down solo Hammers, and a barrage kills him dead. Tried masking the hammers in a barrage of flails but he seems to be keen enough to pick off the bigger threats. Hmmm...

[46_n_2]

since its already at 30% hull just drop it.... they respawn

edit: if trying to zero shields there is math involved just single lunch some hammers covered by flails the exact math is covered somewhere (i just play it by ear)

[MaximumBullfrog]

since its already at 30% hull just drop it.... they respawn

I'm just practicing with the M7M right now. These aren't legitimate boarding runs yet. My marines are all off training at an outpost.

Oh, about that: I can leave those guys there and come back later, right? I'l;l get a message or something when they're done I imagine?

edit: if trying to zero shields there is math involved just single lunch some hammers covered by flails the exact math is covered somewhere (i just play it by ear)

That's what I'm trying. I think the shields will go down with 8 consecutive hammers (if they hit), and then I can probably pick at it to keep them down with paced salvos of flails.

SETA might give them an easier time hitting the Zeus too The Flail barrage is by fear the funnest thing I can do with this sucker. It's straight up anime in appearance to see a swarm of rockets spiraling away like Starfox enemies, and the fighters usually interrupt each other in quick succession to death scream into the comm.

[Lelouch]

Standard tactic doesn't work anymore?

- fire some missiles at target to make it follow you
- engage 'tow mode' (fly away from target in straight line, match speed, keep about 10-20km distance)
- shoot missiles at target

at least in TC the main guns wouldn't shoot down missiles
turrets would, but most ship's turrets don't cover front area (Skirnir was a real b**ch in 1.3 because it had 2 forward facing M/AML turrets)

(Mosquito Missile defense can probably be overcome by simply exhausting the missile supply.)

[MaximumBullfrog]

A Scan shows that it only has 5 mosquito missiles on board. It also appears to be shooting the missiles down with ISRs mounted on the very top and bottom of the ship :/ Generally speaking only about half of my hammers make it, while a full barrage overhwlems the ISRs (of which there are 4) and destroys the Zeus outright. It could also use the PSGs it has (which would make better sense frankly) but it seems to save those for if I get close to it.

[kurush]

Standard tactic doesn't work anymore?

I never used this tactics in AP, it is mostly a workaround for TC issues. In AP the most efficient way seems to be a FLAK or PBC equipped M7 with you as a pilot for shield suppression (turret on/off key is invaluable here) and M7M at a distance just waiting for "Launch All Marines" command.

[Kapakio]

Standard tactic doesn't work anymore?

Not in AP. Turret scripts have been improved a lot

[Lelouch]

Not in AP. Turret scripts have been improved a lot

I know. But if the turrets are not able to cover the front of ship they're not able to shoot down a missile regardless how much they have improved.

It boils down to two questions:
- Do ships still have a 'forward blind spot' which is covered only by main guns?
- Do main guns still ignore missiles?

Okay, this doesn't help much against M1/M2 since they don't have main guns, but it may help against M6 and most M7.

[MaximumBullfrog]

Well, I'm watching the Zeus (an M1) gun down Hammers with whatever guns it has free at the time. Usually those ISRs but it seems to have PRGs doing the work too.

Next time I play I'm gonna try doing a loop an then firing the missiles. It seems a lot of the Zeus's forward capable weapons are mounted on the underbelly, so it might have a harder time gunning down the (painfully slow) Hammers if I mange to get them approaching from the top.

[Kapakio]

- Do main guns still ignore missiles?

No

[MaximumBullfrog]

My idea seems to work pretty consistently. I lob a flail at the Zeus, then bank hard downwards (relative to the Zeus) and fly full speed perpendicular to it while firing 8 hammers to weather it's shielding.

I imagine I could do this consistently with any capital with missile defense. Figure out what angle has the weakest coverage and exploit it with hard banking. If it's the rear I could use another ship as a distraction.

Flails make for pretty good anti missile protection themselves, but only if they approach from any angle other than behind the enemy missile. Seems they can't catch Firestorms and such Can M7Ms use mosquito missiles for defense?

[kurush]

Can M7Ms use mosquito missiles for defense?

All ships can. M7M are good at that.