What would YOU do?

[alpha45]

Looks like the previous poll was a great success. The forum is active once again and many previously silent players are once again talking. I've noticed that many players have different tactics than what I've listed before (although close and personal seemed the most popular) so I've decided to make another poll, this time about a specific situation.

You are in combat against another player. He gets the drop on you and disables your engines. You are completely immobilized, but your directional (turning) thrusters and weapons systems are still active. Your shields are red. Your hull is at 40% integrity. His ship is slightly damaged. His hull is at 75%, and his shields have recharged to yellow. He's coming back for another run and thinks you are completely disabled. He's taking his time, coming in slow. He has an excalibur pack and has about 10 secs left before it recharges, and it looks like he's planning to use it to finish you off. Your clan is coming in to help, but they're too far out to reach you before he does. Your weapons power is empty, and you'll have to divert energy from the shields to recharge in time. You have 2 leech missiles and an FT, and no countermeasures.
Do you:
Go on the offensive (divert energy to weapons, at the cost of shields, and attack)
Defensive (power to shields, at the cost of firepower, and try to hold out until help arrives)
Ambush/Surprise (pretend to surrender or be disabled and surprise him at the last moment)
Kamikaze (launch the FT, but get caught in the blast)
Commit Suicide (hit F7 and deny him the kill)
Surrender (Don't know why you'd do this)

These are meant to be the type of action you will take, and the part between brackets are just examples. So, if you where going use the leech missiles to try and disable him to buy more time for your allies so they can get there in time, that could count under "Defensive". Any sort of action meant to fool or confuse him would fall under "Surprise/Ambush". If you want, you can give more specific answers below. Remember, this is just a way to get more people to participate in the forum, and to learn more about each other.



My answer:
"Ambush/Surprise" I'd launch the FT in whatever direction that is least likely to get me killed (depends on where I'm drifting) and the sudden FT launch alert would surprise him, and more likely than not, he'll try to turn away or warp out of there immediately, even if its not heading towards him (the sudden appearance of an FT tends to make players panic).

[Wasp89]

Forcing my foe to fight on my terms is my preferred mode of combat, and that tactic generally doesn't include drifting without power with a big target painted on my tailpipe. There are, however, ways to counter this situation and switch the tables back to your advantage, and emerge victorious; all you need is to keep your cool and have a little bit of skill and some patience.

You are never completely dead in the water, so to speak, even if your engines are out (though you will be if you are out of fuel). You can always use your directional thrusters to increase speed. I would face the opposite of the direction of travel and press and hold the inertial reverse button, while switching full power to charge energy (I have a bind on my controller which will do it with one button press) and divert all remaining shield energy to my front shields. I would switch to cannons only (no lasers), and wait for the inevitable missile volley. I use a cannon with a higher cycling rate, so it should be easier to take out all (or most) of the missiles as they come in. Once the immediate threat is over, I might change course slightly or continue drifting at high speed away from my opponent after switching full power to shields. Once my shields have regenerated I would switch recharge back to my weapon capacitors, and prepare to evade another volley of excals. I would then likely attempt to close within firing range and fire off the two leach missiles, simultaneously setting up to pull my special maneuver (which can be done without engines but is a little slower and harder) that gives me a good firing solution with cannons and lasers while making it much harder for my opponent to hit me. Hopefully by this time my engines would be back online, and I can be back in the fight.

If all else fails, drop the ft while flying backwards at a high velocity. That should get him to jump away, if his nav is still functioning.

The best offense is a good defense, so the saying goes; I think that concept certainly applies in this situation.

[alpha45]

Originally posted by Eclipse
Suicide by self-destruct (F7) after receiving damage will give kill credit to your opponent.

I have great tactics for just this situation ......

Remember, Excals are weak missiles individually and most of the volley can be shot down easily.

You have a point, but remember, your shields are red and your weapons energy bar is empty. If you reroute power to guns to be able shoot down the missiles, your shields will recharge too slowly to protect you from any further attacks. Also, your hull strength is 40%, so it wouldn't take much to finish you off.

Originally posted by Wasp89
The best offense is a good defense, so the saying goes; I think that concept certainly applies in this situation.

You've got a great plan, but the saying's backwards. It's "The best defense is a good offense". It still applies though.

[Wasp89]

Originally posted by alpha45
You've got a great plan, but the saying's backwards. It's "The best defense is a good offense". It still applies though.

Ah, you're right. A classic case of posting before thinking.

Glad you liked my plan. Just promise not to use it against me, okay?

[Marvin]

On the B5 server, it's always a good day to die. Gives you more time to chat. And, when you come back from the dead, you can always sell that stupid FT and instead spend the credits on all the gas you use while coming to the rescue of the latest pilot to strand himself 300 sectors from civilization. In other words, make yourself useful.

[DennyMala]

I'm not used to leeches so I dunno exaclty how they perform, but if I have two of them aboard and they can disable my enemy for some time, that will surely buy me time and life. The FT is not an option if I die in the blast.....unless you fire it as far as needed.

I'll go for the missiles while trying to charge shields, then divert do weapons if my enemy is disabled.

[Dengar]

Offensive.

If your going to go, go with a bang, but give yourself a fighting chance - Leech then a few seconds later another. Do what you can to hurt him.


Kobiashi Maru!!!

[tha_rami]

I'm not going to go. I'd divert power to my weapons to shoot down the Excals, make some backward velocity, then fire my Fulcrum Torpedo, then divert everything to my shield and try to get out of there. That way, the hostile will most likely jump to not get caught in the blast.

As far as I know, that's a defensive tactic.

[Maarschalk]

Originally posted by Marvin
On the B5 server, it's always a good day to die. Gives you more time to chat. And, when you come back from the dead, you can always sell that stupid FT and instead spend the credits on all the gas you use while coming to the rescue of the latest pilot to strand himself 300 sectors from civilization. In other words, make yourself useful.

ROFL....Hahahahaha.....:P:P:P:P:P

There are more fun things to do then usefull things in this Game....heck I play this game to have fun......If you really want to be usefull do not play this Game....LOL....:P:P:P;)

[Marvin]

Gotta be useful somewhere. And my wife's idea of "useful" is a lot harder and not nearly as much fun.

[Ethaninja]

I would go the Ambushing route, at least then I have more of a fighting chance to knock him down a peg or two. Who knows, I might even hit a critical system of his.