Hyperion combat help

[mallard]

I have been flying a Springblossum for ages now and find combat in it very easy. I can destroy Q's and Carracks very easily (My loadout is main: 4xEEMPC, 4xEMAML, and all turrets with PSSC, with spectre missles)

For a change I decided to try out my Hyperion in similar situations (Loadout main: 4xISR, 4xPGB, back turrets: PAC and front turrets: HEPT, with wraith missles) and I am being killed every time. Also I seem to also get hit by my own missles when I fire the wraiths.

Have I got a good layout and if I do what is the best way to fight in the Hyperion. On paper the Hyperion should be far better in combat than the Springblossum so why am I failing in its use.

[Baratheon79]

I'm currently using a Hyperion as a sort of personal yacht in my current (modified, though it won't affect much in this case) AP game, and it can actually handle pretty much anything I throw at it with ease. Mine is overtuned to 223 m/s (picked up a crate of tunings, and have a full crew from Lucike's script collection).

My typical loadout looks like this:
- Main guns: 8x CIGs (I sometimes use ISRs as well)
- Front turrets: 4x EBC or HEPT (EBCs for my personal ship, HEPT for the AI)
- Rear turrets: 6x PAC

All turrets are set for missile defense. I also have a hotkey set to force the turrets to hold fire.

Missile payload:
- 100 Hornets
- 100 Mosquitoes (MDM, of course)
- 100 Wasps (will probably replace with Typhoons soon)
- 10-20 Firestorms
- rest varies depending on what I've got on hand (do have quite a few Hammerheads, though, as I've been stockpiling them since the game started)

I also carry about 40-50 fighter drones for additional missile defense (using MARS Fire Control). The rest of the cargo space is used for fuel and EBC ammo (not to mention the crew ).

As far as what you may be doing wrong, are you launching missiles while taking fire? The AI likes to do that, and it often ends up being fatal (in fact, yesterday I had a Hyperion I was trying to steal launch a firestorm straight into my firing solution just as I got its shields low enough to start beaming my marines aboard - you can probably guess the result). My usual tactic is to use missiles at a distance to soften up the target (if it needs it), or to eliminate any escorts if I plan to steal my intended target, then do the rest with the main guns and turrets once I close to firing range.

Also, keep in mind that the PBG has a very short range (0.83 km, if I remember correctly), and is an area effect weapon. If you're firing those while launching missiles, you may be hitting your own missiles before they can get clear. In addition, for those guns to be effective, you have to stay fairly close to your target, which makes it harder to take advantage of the Hyperion's often greater speed and maneuverability. Using my usual loadout, my Hyperion tends to eat Carracks and Qs for lunch.

Hope this helps somewhat.

[pref]

Isn't the Hyperion much slower than the springy and less agile? If you play TC, the stats are definietly worse - i don't really use terran personal ships, but i always got the impression their ships and weaponry are overpowered compared to commonwealth ones.
In exchange they look way worse, and make the game boring a bit i guess.

[Baratheon79]

Isn't the Hyperion much slower than the springy and less agile? If you play TC, the stats are definietly worse - i don't really use terran personal ships, but i always got the impression their ships and weaponry are overpowered compared to commonwealth ones.
In exchange they look way worse, and make the game boring a bit i guess.

Yes, it is slower. However, the Hyperion is still faster than pretty much anything that can kill it, and can easily outfight anything that can catch it, much like the Springblossom. The Hyperion also has a bigger cargo, and can carry two fighters (useful for piracy or ship retrieval missions, as that allows you to carry a couple spare jumpdrives).

One notable advantage the Hyperion has, which doesn't show in the stats, is the placement of the main guns. With the Springblossom, the guns are mounted in the wingtips, whereas on the Hyperion they mounted in the nose of the ship. So, while the Springblossom may have difficulty hitting small targets directly in from of the ship (I have personal experience with this, as I've flown a Springblossom myself), that's no problem in a Hyperion.

Basically, while speed is good, it isn't everything.

[brucewarren]

Tougher shields but slower. Are you trying to attack the Q hit and run springy style? Without the latter's can't hit me speed that may not work.

As to the missiles, I'd try and fire them from range. Wraiths can be shot down and they'll explode in you face if you set them off too close to the target, whereas if you fire off a decent number form a distance you should be able to do some damage.

[Baratheon79]

Tougher shields but slower. Are you trying to attack the Q hit and run springy style? Without the latter's can't hit me speed that may not work.

If he's using the bonus pack (since it doesn't make your game modified, there's little reason not to), the turbo booster makes that a nonissue. You can still use hit-and-run tactics (blow the crap out of the target, turbo boost out of its range, come about and repeat until you see the pretty explosion ). Of course, that would work with a Springblossom as well, making its speed advantage even crazier...

Of course, then again, with the Hyperion's bigger cargo bay, and the wider variety of missiles it can fire, you can also soften the target up from a distance (typhoons and hornets work well for this), then close in for the kill.

[Kanyin]

I was in the same situation as you for a while there OP. I used the Springblossom for everything till I finally capped a Hyperion and I was very underwhelmed by the power of the Hyperion. That is until I really got into missile use and got some overtuning crates. Mine does 250 and turns way better than the Spring now and rarely get out of it.

[werewolves?]

CIG - main
HEPT - L/R
PAC - Rear
Typhoons, Hornets and MDM


Baller swag typhoons

[Lone Jedi]

(E)MAMLs make the difference. You can kill anything with them.

[mallard]

Thanks everyone

I was in the same situation as you for a while there OP. I used the Springblossom for everything till I finally capped a Hyperion and I was very underwhelmed by the power of the Hyperion. That is until I really got into missile use and got some overtuning crates. Mine does 250 and turns way better than the Spring now and rarely get out of it.

Where do I find overtuning crates. If I could get a bit more speed it would help?

I think I might ditch the PBG and use either more ISR or CIG. And I'll try using other missles

Are you trying to attack the Q hit and run springy style? Without the latter's can't hit me speed that may not work.

I think this is what I was trying to do. Any suggestions on a better strategy?

[mallard]

Sorry if in my last post I didn't quote people properly. I am still new to using the forum

[Baratheon79]

Sorry if in my last post I didn't quote people properly. I am still new to using the forum

Yeah, your code is bit off, but it's still decipherable.

As to your questions...

Where do I find overtuning crates. If I could get a bit more speed it would help?

You didn't specify whether you're playing TC or AP. In TC, the way to overtune a ship is through scripts. In AP, which includes a version of the Pandora Tunings script, you can find crates of engine tunings and rudder optimizations scattered around. They're spawned in random sectors at the start of the game, and will be installed in the ship you pick them up with. In my game, I picked up a crate of 5 engine tunings in my Hyperion, and I'm currently aware of two more floating around (10 in each). So, if I wanted to, I could probably get my Hyperion up to the speed of a Springblossom. I just don't see the need at the moment, so those other tunings sitting around in my game are currently slated for other ships.

Are you trying to attack the Q hit and run springy style? Without the latter's can't hit me speed that may not work.

I think this is what I was trying to do. Any suggestions on a better strategy?

Best strategy is to strafe, and perhaps roll the ship as you do so to simulate a barrel roll. That way, most of the enemy's shots will probably miss, and with autoaim on, your guns probably won't (much).

And yes, I'd personally suggest getting rid of the PBGs (although I love having a pair of them mounted on my Tenjin when I'm out pirating in the trade lanes ). Both CIGs and ISRs have pretty good range. ISRs have a higher rate of fire, and also drain the weapon energy of the target. I've used them a fair bit, though I tend to stick with CIGs myself, simply because they seem to be more readily available in my game (obviously, this may not be the case for everyone). It's really a matter of personal preference.

[Solomon Short]

Where do I find overtuning crates. If I could get a bit more speed it would help?

You didn't specify whether you're playing TC or AP. In TC, the way to overtune a ship is through scripts.

I would note that one of the scripts that can be used for overtuning in TC is the CLS2 in the bonus pack, though it's a little complicated to explain.

IIRC I learned from the explanation is in the Overtuning ships, repair laser and 2nd HQ in TC vanilla. Exploit howto with pictures) thread, though I never did manage to clone Repair Lasers.

[mallard]

Update

Thanks for all your advice

I am now using only ISR's as my main weapons and I have also picked up 2 engine over tunings.

In my last mission I managed to take out 2 Q's with starting shield at about 50%. I'll run towards the ship until I'm in range, fire until I start getting hit, then turn and run using the turbo booster.

The other advantage I've noticed is the ISR's drop weapon energy. After a few hits the Q's were no longer able to fire their PPC's.

[DrBullwinkle]

Yes, ISR's are the most versatile medium weapon:

• They hit harder than CIG's.
• They strip shields quickly, and have much longer range than PBE.
• They are fast enough to hit fighters (probably).
• They drain enemy laser energy, which reduces the enemies ability to kill your boarding pods (or you).

My Hyperion has 3x EBCG and 5xISR in the main guns. I then use weapon groups to select one or two EBCG's if I am trying to coax a small ship to bail. Otherwise, I use all guns. The EBCG's help to compensate for the fact that the ISR's use a lot of energy (and they are a little faster which helps when trying to hit fast-moving fighters).

[Nanook]

Both Q's and Caracks have big blind spots. Put 8 PBG's in the front of your Hyperion, find the blind spots on the target, and watch those 8 flamethrowers burn through the hull in a matter of seconds. If done right, you can easily kill those ships without losing much shield energy. PBG's are probably the most overpowered weapon in the game, considering how little energy they use. But do not use hit and run tactics. That negates the PBG's main features.