Military wingmen in the war zones

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:53 pm

I'm flying as an alliance pilot in the Sierra war zone. I was wondering if there's a way to recruit military ships as wingmen. Now I can't, I suppose it's because it's done through the trading channel and they refuse to trade since they have no cargo hold.

Is there any modification I could do in order to make them reply to my calls?

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:17 pm

Most War Zone missions automatically assign you a team of military wingmen that join in the battle and assist you. Each will be assigned a particular role in the engagement, often singling out a particular hostile target.

As for removing them from duty to be part of your fleet, nope, they fly military ships and answer only to their military commanders. They aren't 'recruitable' in that sense. However, you can take your single player fleet comprised of civilian ships with you into war zones and use them for combat assistance.

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:52 pm

Those military wingmen appear to be civilian vessels. I can see Ferrets, Avengers and Wraith going around the carriers but not in actual missions. In each engagment I'm surrounded by Centurions, Hunter and Leviathans etc....

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:19 pm

Those are indeed civilian ships joining in (although often under military orders/control to assist you). You should also get some military ships from time to time in single player though. In multiplayer, wingmen are mostly military ships with human players filling in more of the civilian roles normally used by AI controlled ships in the offline/single player mode.

[Edited on 6-22-2009 by Vice]

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:46 pm

Is the limit of number of ships the reason why there are no massive scale capital ship battles?

In other systems I can see the capital ships going around, but I have never seen 3/4 of those per side meet casually in space in the war zone and open fire....

Flying around those, battling against small vonari fighters swarming everywhere.... I would buy this game again!

Post by **Vice** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:27 am

Is the limit of number of ships the reason why there are no massive scale capital ship battles?

Sort of, although the design favors the small and agile ships for more effectiveness with the capital ships providing more of a support role (transporting of the ships as with the carriers and close proximity support as with the battleships, cruisers, and destroyers).

In other systems I can see the capital ships going around, but I have never seen 3/4 of those per side meet casually in space in the war zone and open fire....

They generally won't meet too often casually. In war zones, battles are often a result of organized intercept and ambush situations. A patrol or escort is picked up, then an intercept/ambush in arranged bringing in several ships to engage. However, on some occasions, enemy capital ships will simply warp in and engage in small scale conflicts or to locate Alliance forces, then call in for reinforcements to build the battle scenario.

I'm glad it's bringing back a feel of Wing Commander type combat/action for you, that kind of rapid fire mission-based combat action was one of the goals in the design of Legends.

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:21 am

Yeah, it's great

In two days I have never left Sierra war zone. I'm enjoying it, even if it's really hard when 8 enemy fighters concentrate on you firing all their missiles constantly. It's tough to get close enough to begin the dogfight.

Anyway, I'll stay longer in Sierra WZ, hopefully I'll see some casual capital ships encounter.

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:20 am

Originally posted by Koranis
Yeah, it's great In two days I have never left Sierra war zone. I'm enjoying it, even if it's really hard when 8 enemy fighters concentrate on you firing all their missiles constantly. It's tough to get close enough to begin the dogfight.

Anyway, I'll stay longer in Sierra WZ, hopefully I'll see some casual capital ships encounter.

Yes I like warzones too. Mantain your speed to evade those missiles, and don't forget to use your cm!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:26 pm

That is where I hang out to do missions, in Siera Warzone that is!

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:43 pm

With other players, Sierra war zone is awesome.

May be Vice opens another warzone soon. There are other warships in charted systems.

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:06 pm

After 20+ sorties in the Sierra War zone:

Mission type: Join an ongoing battle with a capital ship

Each time I take out all the fighters the capital ships stop firing. Soon afterwards the alliance ship warps out and the alien remains.

Woudn't it make sense if it was the opposite? If the Vonari is left for dead, it should try to escape into the warp, not letting himself to be torn to pieces.

Is it possibile for the alliance vessel to actually destroy the enemy?

[Edited on 6-24-2009 by Koranis]

Post by **Vice** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:17 pm

If the objective is already complete, the enemy capital ship then becomes an optional target (which more players want them left behind to have a crack at rather than having them frequently escape... iirc, a complaint from the early days of Evochron ~2005 or so when they did often fly away, so they've been designed to stick around since). The stakes are raised for a higher level of challenge in multiplayer, where destroying the capital ship is often required.

The capital ships will help bring down each other's shields with their beam weapons, from there, small ships need to engage (which at least one Allied ship often joins in for). Capital ships are not considered the big threats in this game, they're slow, lumbering, and generally have to rely on defensive/supportive roles due to their inherent limitations.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:38 pm

Yes, lkie Vice said, a lot of us like to destroy the Vonari Capital ship first with our excalibur pack and guns and cannons and then destroy some of the fighters flying in formation and then go for the thrill of dogfighting 1 to 3 or even four fighters after they have exhausted all there missiles and the more experienced among us even go for a higher number of enemies in a dogfight! The Capital ship seems to have an unlimited supply of missiles so taking out the capital ship gives you a strategic advantage in dogfighting. You do not have to worry about the missiles of the Capital anymore and can now concentrate on dogfighting!;););)

Koranis · Post by **Koranis** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:38 pm

Originally posted by Maarschalk
Yes, lkie Vice said, a lot of us like to destroy the Vonari Capital ship first with our excalibur pack and guns and cannons and then destroy some of the fighters flying in formation and then go for the thrill of dogfighting 1 to 3 or even four fighters after they have exhausted all there missiles and the more experienced among us even go for a higher number of enemies in a dogfight! The Capital ship seems to have an unlimited supply of missiles so taking out the capital ship gives you a strategic advantage in dogfighting. You do not have to worry about the missiles of the Capital anymore and can now concentrate on dogfighting!;););)

I'm not talking about destroying the capital ship BEFORE taking out all the fighters. It could be a logical tactical move, as you stated it.

In SP however, in an ill equipped fighter, it is better to lure the enemy fighters and take them out outside the range of the capital ship rather than taking on a heavily armoured target while being swarmed by the little ones.

What remains however is an immobile capital ship, drifiting as a brick with a big bullseye on it and no other purpose. Every time. But if it's so popular I'm at a disadvantage here...

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:25 pm

Your tactic is a good one to, specialy in the beginning! You also can generally destroy a Capital ship with 12 or less exodus missiles well aimed at the Capitals weakspots its center belly, center top, straight from behind, or straight head on. So with four hardpoints and flying only with inertia in a side ways slide you can take out a capital ship in 3 or less passes but you have to load up on missiles in between each pass at Station or Carrier!

With an Excalibur you can do it in 3 passes or less depending on hitting the right spot. Sometimes You can do it in one pass with excalibur first and then as you get closer hit the same weakspot with your cannons and Lasers!

I never tried this last tactic with only 4 Exodus missiles and cannons and lassers thou! you might be able to do it with 1 pass only, but you have to hit the right spot with all four missiles!;)