OOS defense force

[McKenna-x2source]

I have now got a number of complexes set up and the thing that really bugs me is when they get broken up due to attack.

What kind of OOS defense forces do you use?

What are the loss rates?

I remember from x2 threat the best OOS defense you could have was the Teladi Osprey as it never lost.

What the best bet in x3tc?[/url]

[Bill Huntington]

Any M6 is fine. I prefer the Dragon for its speed, but any M6 is okay.

The usual pirate threat is 2 or 3 M3s. So an M6 is enough.

You can set up a patrol with a Defend Position order, or just base it the station.

Usually I get the best results by basing the M6 in the station, and giving it orders manually when I find out about the attack.

[McKenna-x2source]

Would an M6 set to the homebase and docked auto undock and attack the fighters. If set to protect the station?

[AgamemnonArgon]

Good points so far however for myself I prefer :

Defence Layer :

Cover all the crossroads that can allow hostiles to migrate into core areas.

For instance - Presidents End is right next to hostile Sectors. I block that with three M7 class and fighter escorts.

TM with four fighters in the really safe, backwater core areas.

M6 a little further out, again, at least two M3 units as fighter CAP. One thing about this is the fighters are already spaceborne and do not need to launch, thereby saving intercept time.

The infamous utility ships, Elephant TM, flak and five of the two hundred level shields, with up to fourteen Solano fighters. Light to mid threat, ready to support the major combat units.

M7 when we can expect medium to high enemy activity. Always with fighters.

M2 with M7 and M6 all with accompanying fighters to Patrol none pirate sectors where one might expect a constance activity of Pirate forces.

I do not set patrols for Pirate or other enemy space or Borders, only defend territory.

For assault againt the enemy forces out there, I will compose Task Groups of many heavy Capitals, with on board fighters.

[Bill Huntington]

OP, sounds just right!

[brownthomasw]

For an, M6 a heavy centaur or heavy anything for the shields. I've lost skirons with one more shield than the hvy centaur against groups of M3. It was my personal one and didn't have all hept maybe. Early on you're forced to use one less than what you're driving now or your hand me downs.

Speed is more important now to catch ships if patroling and chasing them. If defending an area less so. You can also eventually get enemy M6 or larger so a M7 Response craft is nice to have. Shields on transports are greater so with cag your ts can often get away.

Open patrols are risky due to pirate hydras, and centaurs maybe more so late in the game. Even pirate m2 and m1 in some lawless or border regions. they don't always mess with your stuff unless you provoke them. In civilized space you're more likely to see faster smaller enemy patrols that you can handle with an M6 or TM. TM's work early on, are cheaper than an M6 and make a nice early mobile base mini carrier. Many can even be insector during combat with you and not get destroyed immediately which is a good thing.

I'm going for the rapid response task force strategy. Pretty much keep whatever you're best or next best ship is fueled and ready to respond to any emergencies, sightings or traders who don't want to move.

[AgamemnonArgon]

Yeah, quite right.

Rapid Reaction Force, or Rapid Deployment Force is a must, whatever we call it.

A reserve group, armed, missiles, fuelled, prepared to go against the worst that your opponent can engage with, and either hold or destroy that opponent.

A customised force, like a ground based Battle group, except built around multitasking ship and fighters.

Experiment, and go with what works.

[McKenna-x2source]

Right in that case I'm thinking a wing of M6's.

Money is no object asi can make the funds for an M6 on a few xenon invasion missions.

I think i might kit out a wing of 4 Argon Heavy Centaurs for each of my complexes.

Question still to be answered, can i leave them docked to defend the station?

Would they undock and destroy any attackers?

[Timsup2nothin]

Question still to be answered, can i leave them docked to defend the station?

Would they undock and destroy any attackers?

I'm pretty sure you can, but given that they are intended to be well able to take care of themselves why use up the docking space?

[brownthomasw]

if you have 4 hvy centaurs together you could have just one thresher, cerebus or deimos and get some use out of the alternative M7's OOS that one might not normally fly. I would rest easier knowing they can win handily against anything they're likely to meet. Biggest problem is them crashing into things and being slower or going through gates and docking is the most dangerous part.

[Nanook]

Question still to be answered, can i leave them docked to defend the station?

Would they undock and destroy any attackers?

I'm pretty sure you can, but given that they are intended to be well able to take care of themselves why use up the docking space?

The problem with this is the defenders are actually homebased to the hub of the complex. When individual stations in the complex get attacked, the most common occurrence, it doesn't trigger the defenders and so they just blithely sit there while one of the stations gets destroyed. So probably the best way to defend a complex is to have roving patrols, with tight routes near and around the complex.

[darth_adversor]

So probably the best way to defend a complex is to have roving patrols, with tight routes near and around the complex.

How would you order a ship to patrol a specific route around the complex?

Anyway, talking about rapid response forces, I've had tremendous success with 3 Springblossoms, each fully decked out with PSSC's. A) They're fast, and intercept ships quickly, and B) Apparently the speed of a ship makes a difference in determining who fires first in OoS combat. PSSC's are powerful, and if all 3 ships fire at the same time, that's 42 of them. That'll pretty much one-shot anything. I've pitted them against Q's several times, haven't lost one yet.

I keep them docked at one of my complexes, they're set to refuel themselves automatically whenever they dock. When I get an alert, I hit R, go to the Wings tab, and then issue the wing a jump command. Takes only seconds.