Beam weapons

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:55 am

From post: 114420, Topic: tid=7952, author=DaveK wrote:
From post: 114355, Topic: tid=7952, author=MMaggio wrote:That's my point. You can fire the beam alone all day and it will not take out an enemy ship, but you can fire the cannon alone and destroy the target.
I'm just not sure the beam weapon is really doing anything.
I don't think that it actually does it but the beam is supposed to take down the shields and then you switch to particles to take out the ship! I've hammered ships with a Fusion and the shield strength indicator hasn't moved

[Edited on 5-9-2011 by DaveK]

There is something wrong with the shield indicator if the shields do not go down when hammered with a Fusion Laser.
Unless some one has modded the color of their shield indicators to always look green when they are actually red.....

:P

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:35 pm

You will have to forgive me as I don't get to play much or for as long as I used to, but I have been running some experiments in as controlled an environment as possible.
This is by no way a conclusive report, but it is what I have found to be.
Any & all beam weapons seem to be practically worthless by themselves.
They seem to be effective only when tied to a cannon, any cannon.
My tests have shown that combining the laser, any laser, increases the lasers ability to do damage only when used with a cannon, any cannon.
I have been unable tto determine ,so far, if there is a difference among lasers. I don't really think I will bother. Most players can afford a class 5, so there is no point in bothering. Every laser's power is enhanced by any cannon and similarly any cannon is enhanced by the use of the laser.
So, all in all, it looks like Vice did know what he was doing and they do work well together.
My only real complaint so far is that altho the lasers are tied to the cannons, it gives a false sense of contact.
The lasers being a "light beam" always hit the target while the cannons, being projectile, do not follow the same path and if the cannon is not hittting then the effectiveness of the laser is diminished.
This becomes the area of combat tactics that every pilot must work out on his own.
Hope any of this helps.

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:45 pm

I may have this wrong but doesn't the MDTS auto point the laser at the target at the same time as it auto aims the particle gun in a trajectory to hit the target based on combined ship speeds and direction? As I said I may be wrong in this assumption.

Post by **DaveK** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:55 pm

As MMaggio says beam weapons travel in straight lines at the speed of light - the MDTS can't miss with them, but you can see the projectiles of a particle beam ambling across and see the arc of their trajectory - MTDS tech obviously isn't magical or perfect. I suspect that the greater the lateral velocity between cannon and target and the longer the range the more chance of some at least of the particles missing.

Anyway, I've found out that an IceSpear is more effective than a Phantom or a Maxim, despite the stats.

It does make "pimping your ride" more fun though - practical testing, not just theoretical stuff from the sale brochures!

Dingo · Post by **Dingo** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:13 pm

It's been proven that the best cannon is the trebuchet, so i don't know why we still argue. But only if you use an Aries frame with an After-Burner drive and a fusion laser.

Busch · Post by **Busch** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:47 pm

TBird, you are correct. The MDTS (Multi-Directional Targeting System) does slave together the beam and particle weapons, when toggled on. Some Ace pilots toggle off the MDTS, to use the particle cannons idnependantly. The beam weapon will still auto-target with the MDTS toggled off, per function as designed into the game.

Hope this helps.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:14 pm

With the Maxim and good aim you can destroy a wounded target at 900 plus by arcing the bullets. "Good aim" being anything over fifty percent. Other pilots prefer the saturation technique ... making the Ice a viable cannon. Quality versus Quantity. Your choice.

Post by **DaveK** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:23 am

From post: 114605, Topic: tid=7952, author=Dingo wrote:It's been proven that the best cannon is the trebuchet, so i don't know why we still argue. But only if you use an Aries frame with an After-Burner drive and a fusion laser.

please cite your evidence

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:31 am

I use the Maxim and I usually blow up targets on the first headon pass unless they are vonari ships or very heavy frames. Those blow up jyst after the first pass with a burst on the rear.

It all comes down to your way to fight, no weapon is better than another.

Would you prefer a shotgun or an assault rifle or a .50 sniper one?

I guess it will depend on the type of fight....

Dingo · Post by **Dingo** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:54 pm

From post: 114622, Topic: tid=7952, author=DaveK wrote:
From post: 114605, Topic: tid=7952, author=Dingo wrote:It's been proven that the best cannon is the trebuchet, so i don't know why we still argue. But only if you use an Aries frame with an After-Burner drive and a fusion laser.
please cite your evidence

Most notably there is the landmark study by Coudreau, Runyan, and Smith, " Trebuchet in The Field: Ballistics and Business in the Particle Age." Wherein the myths regarding the effectiveness of the Trebuchet are thoroughly addressed. The most elegant passage is a comparison of the Trebuchet to the betamax. Like the betamax, the Trebuchet is far superior to its competition, but, also like the betamax, the Trebuchet has been maligned and out positioned vis advertising.

Of course there is a whole host of follow-up research concerning the above study, but reservations about methodology have to keep me from mentioning them. Let us just say that this will soon be a very hot topic in all of the relevant peer-reviewed journals.

Particularly, the Trebuchet ad campaign "Trebuchet: We're a cannon type too!" was far inferior amongst focus group participants to the more polished campaigns of the Banshee (Banshee: Just Scream, baby!) and the SunRail (Powered by the Sun and just as fun!), in the specialty cannon market. Not to mention against standard cannon types, such as the Razor: Shave Metal! and the Atlas: Shrug this!

[Edited on 9-9-2011 by Dingo]

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 3:53 pm

I think I am still laughing!

:P

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:44 pm

Never thrust Advertisements and always read the fine print but do not thrust the fine print either......

:P:P:P:P:P

[Edited on 9-9-2011 by Maarschalk]

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 5:03 am

So, there was no mention of the Maxim-R? If I remember correctly, the ad went something like, "Shoots twice as far, so you're first to the bar." The ad was a cartoon and the bear looked a lot like the one in the Hamm's commercials. Which might be why it was pulled after its first airing during Super Bowl 1492.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:02 pm

Was that the R rated version of the magazine Maxim?......

:P:P:P:P:P:P

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:20 pm

Of course. That's what the "R" stands for. You should check out the Maxim-X. But steer clear of the Maxim-PG ... it teases but that's about all.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:21 pm

I can't get acces to the R or X version. The Vonari have somehow managed to put a V-chip on my Computer.....

:P:P:P:P:P:P

Star King · Post by **Star King** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:59 pm

Banshee is the real killer of ships and power. But it must be used wisely and it is awesome!!!!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:12 am

From post: 115059, Topic: tid=7952, author=Star King wrote:Banshee is the real killer of ships and power. But it must be used wisely and it is awesome!!!!

In Mercenary its only drawback is its range and cycle rate.
You can not knock some one around if you can not hit them because they are out of hitting range!.....

:P:P:P:P:P:P:P:P