Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

General discussions about the games by Egosoft including X-BTF, XT, X², X³: Reunion, X³: Terran Conflict and X³: Albion Prelude.

Moderator: Moderators for English X Forum

The_Final_Stand
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat, 8. Aug 09, 16:50
x3tc

Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

Post by The_Final_Stand » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 12:37

I've just obtained a Sirokos, and have a reasonable group of marines aboard. My plan is to go hunting in Pirate Sectors for a Carrack or something for quick credits.

This is not working. I can, after some work, get the shields down, and fire off the pods. What I cannot do is get the pods to the target. They are invariably shot down by the innumerable turrets on the ship. Exactly one pod made it through on my best run. This is unacceptable.

On a similar note, I can't figure out how to make use of the Wraith missile. Again, they are invariably shot down, frequently close to my own Hyperion.

How, exactly, do I board craft using a Sirokos? Or should I jump back a save or two and get a Cobra instead, which will near bankrupt me and be basically unchanged, since I don't have any Flail or Hammer missiles.

Triaxx2
Posts: 7229
Joined: Tue, 29. Dec 09, 02:15
x4

Post by Triaxx2 » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 13:17

My preferred boarding technique is nasal delivery. Basically you make the target angry and then chase you, and while it's running straight at you, launch the boarding pods. Forward turrets are almost never set to missile defense so the pods will get through. Apparently won't work in AP though.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

Dovie'andi se tovya sagain

Echofinder
Posts: 250
Joined: Mon, 18. Jun 12, 06:05
x3tc

Post by Echofinder » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 13:26

Drop some money on some drones. Before you launch the pods, send some drones in to keep the turrets busy.

Honved
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun, 20. Jun 10, 14:53
x3tc

Post by Honved » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 14:52

Either Drones (preferably set to "attack target's shields") or some sort of swarm missles can keep the enemy's turrets occupied long enough for your pods to get through. Incidentally, they'll also divert some of the fire away from your own ship as well.

Flail Missles are the preferred method of diverting turret fire, since they're usable by an M7M class vessel which can launch boarding pods. Feeding an M7M's expensive Flail habit usually calls for a full-time factory of your own, rather than trying to scrounge up enough of them from existing sources.

User avatar
Aragosnat
Posts: 1209
Joined: Thu, 11. Feb 10, 02:10
x4

Post by Aragosnat » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 18:45

If you are just after the ship and not the guns on them. Then a swarm of fighters capable of using IonD's to fry the guns of them turrets. I do agree that the use of drones / other missiles can help keep the turrets busy.
Chain Maille Armor
Profitzz
May this spacefly bother you.
[ external image ]
TC: 32+ Squidie (Steam DiD) deaths and counting since around June 18, 2012.

shameless creature
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue, 5. Mar 13, 21:35
x3ap

Post by shameless creature » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 18:57

Triaxx2 wrote:My preferred boarding technique is nasal delivery. Basically you make the target angry and then chase you, and while it's running straight at you, launch the boarding pods. Forward turrets are almost never set to missile defense so the pods will get through. Apparently won't work in AP though.
It does, I use this technique all the time. When it's time to fire the pods, I start with 4 flails fired as quickly as possible to occupy the turrets, then the pods and finally another 2 or 3 flails. You may have to reduce the amount of ordnance a bit for a Carrack as its hull is somewhat fragile, especially if you want to board it for profit (rather than just training Marines), hence without inflicting too much damage to the hull.

SIMON POPPLEWELL
Posts: 3394
Joined: Sat, 7. Feb 04, 21:07
x3tc

Post by SIMON POPPLEWELL » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 19:17

Honved wrote: Flail Missles are the preferred method of diverting turret fire, since they're usable by an M7M class vessel which can launch boarding pods. Feeding an M7M's expensive Flail habit usually calls for a full-time factory of your own, rather than trying to scrounge up enough of them from existing sources.
He's using a Sirokos, the only M7M that doesn't use missiles (except mosquitos). :wink:

Larxyz
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue, 16. Nov 04, 08:46
x3tc

Post by Larxyz » Mon, 3. Jun 13, 19:43

hm,
is the new boron equipmentdock thats availible in AP availible in TC?
not shure myself. But it too have unlimited internal docking :)

User avatar
TTD
Posts: 11165
Joined: Sun, 6. Jul 08, 10:29
x4

Post by TTD » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 11:50

Larxyz wrote:hm,
is the new boron equipmentdock thats availible in AP availible in TC?
not shure myself. But it too have unlimited internal docking :)
wrong thread ?

User avatar
NUKLEAR-SLUG
Posts: 2372
Joined: Thu, 4. May 06, 13:20
x3tc

Re: Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

Post by NUKLEAR-SLUG » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 12:31

The_Final_Stand wrote:How, exactly, do I board craft using a Sirokos? Or should I jump back a save or two and get a Cobra instead, which will near bankrupt me and be basically unchanged, since I don't have any Flail or Hammer missiles.
It doesn't matter a bit how bankrupt it will leave you as you'll be making cash hand over fist from selling the captured hulls.

As for using the pods, you only need the M7M for its pod-launch ability. You can do the actual shield control from your current ship which I presume is at least an M3?

Larxyz
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue, 16. Nov 04, 08:46
x3tc

Post by Larxyz » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 13:51

ack! sorry!
Thats what i get for having several threads open at the same time.

The_Final_Stand
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat, 8. Aug 09, 16:50
x3tc

Re: Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

Post by The_Final_Stand » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 14:44

NUKLEAR-SLUG wrote:
It doesn't matter a bit how bankrupt it will leave you as you'll be making cash hand over fist from selling the captured hulls.

As for using the pods, you only need the M7M for its pod-launch ability. You can do the actual shield control from your current ship which I presume is at least an M3?
That's the critical part; "when" I get it working. At the moment, I'm struggling. I have got a Hyperion Vanguard, which is my personal craft, but I can't assault the target effectively and command other ships at the same time (where "assault effectively" means "Get out of Flak range after shredding shields)

I thought that, given a complete lack of Flail/Hammer complexes, the 12 million odd I saved from getting a Sirokos rather than a more general missile frigate would be useful.

I also thought that a Sirokos would have more to it than "A missile frigate that can't shoot missiles". Oh well. Live and learn.

In any event, I did, eventually, capture a Carrack with 4 FAAs on board and half hull for 13 million. After multiple reloads that were part failed boarding approach, and part me exploding repeatedly. It didn't even seem to shoot at the pods for some reason on the winning try, and it almost certainly had the opportunity, so I can't rely on that sort of luck holding up.

I now need to get more boarding pods. When and where do the Military Outposts restock their supply?

Lukesharp
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue, 22. Nov 11, 20:08
x3ap

Post by Lukesharp » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 19:16

I use CLS to buy boarding pods using the Generate Waypoints command and then deliver them to my Cobra.

Nanook
Moderator (English)
Moderator (English)
Posts: 27829
Joined: Thu, 15. May 03, 20:57
x4

Re: Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

Post by Nanook » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 19:43

The_Final_Stand wrote:
NUKLEAR-SLUG wrote:
It doesn't matter a bit how bankrupt it will leave you as you'll be making cash hand over fist from selling the captured hulls.

As for using the pods, you only need the M7M for its pod-launch ability. You can do the actual shield control from your current ship which I presume is at least an M3?
That's the critical part; "when" I get it working. At the moment, I'm struggling. I have got a Hyperion Vanguard, which is my personal craft, but I can't assault the target effectively and command other ships at the same time (where "assault effectively" means "Get out of Flak range after shredding shields)...
Did you know you can give the Sirokos the 'board ship' command before lowering the target's shields? It won't fire the pods until the shields are low enough, so you can concentrate on dropping the shields, staying safe and keeping the enemy turrets otherwise occupied.
Have a great idea for the current or a future game? You can post it in the [L3+] Ideas forum.

X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.

User avatar
TTD
Posts: 11165
Joined: Sun, 6. Jul 08, 10:29
x4

Re: Boarding with Pods: How do I do it?

Post by TTD » Tue, 4. Jun 13, 22:19

Nanook wrote: Did you know you can give the Sirokos the 'board ship' command before lowering the target's shields? It won't fire the pods until the shields are low enough, so you can concentrate on dropping the shields, staying safe and keeping the enemy turrets otherwise occupied.
Does this work with all ships in this class ?
Not just the Sirokos?

User avatar
NUKLEAR-SLUG
Posts: 2372
Joined: Thu, 4. May 06, 13:20
x3tc

Post by NUKLEAR-SLUG » Wed, 5. Jun 13, 00:24

Nanook wrote:Did you know you can give the Sirokos the 'board ship' command before lowering the target's shields? It won't fire the pods until the shields are low enough, so you can concentrate on dropping the shields, staying safe and keeping the enemy turrets otherwise occupied.
Also, boarding pods have a range of approx 50km so you can issue the boarding command from waaaay out and give yourself plenty of time to get the targets shields under control at a leisurely pace.
TTD wrote:Does this work with all ships in this class ?
Not just the Sirokos?
Yes, it works with all M7M class ships.

User avatar
heratik
Posts: 1210
Joined: Tue, 3. May 11, 16:31
x3tc

Post by heratik » Wed, 5. Jun 13, 01:00

Am I right in thinking that when you issue the boarding command remotely, even to a ship that uses pods, the ship you issue the command to will start to move towards the target ship? I seem to vaguely remember this behaviour (I have not remote boarded for some time).

User avatar
bizbag
Posts: 620
Joined: Sat, 1. Nov 08, 23:39
x3tc

Post by bizbag » Wed, 5. Jun 13, 02:53

This won't work with your Sirokos (which is why I usually don't bother with it), but my preferred way to use pods is to lead off with a few Flails to distract the ships's point defenses.

Idleking
Posts: 425
Joined: Tue, 15. Aug 06, 15:47
x3ap

Post by Idleking » Wed, 5. Jun 13, 09:05

Try to get some well shielded fighters, load them up with Wasp Missiles, set Missile fire probability to 60%++ and issue the Attack Shields command.
Guns with a good shield/hull damage ratio like the PBE are perfect for this, but you might want to use PRGs instead, because they have a greater range compared to those nasty Flaks :roll:
Decent shield control and plenty of work to do for the target's turrets.
Almost always works good enough to make profit even after resupplying/repping/replacing your ships :)
As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero.

[ external image ]
Litcube wrote:Don't succumb to the "I figured it'd be ok".

User avatar
NUKLEAR-SLUG
Posts: 2372
Joined: Thu, 4. May 06, 13:20
x3tc

Post by NUKLEAR-SLUG » Wed, 5. Jun 13, 12:45

heratik wrote:Am I right in thinking that when you issue the boarding command remotely, even to a ship that uses pods, the ship you issue the command to will start to move towards the target ship? I seem to vaguely remember this behaviour (I have not remote boarded for some time).
You are correct, which is why if you initiate the command from 50 clicks out you have a good long time to get a handle on your target as your average M7M doesn't move very quick.

Post Reply

Return to “X Trilogy Universe”