EM Combat?

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:16 pm

Yes, I'm sure you've had rookie combat questions a lot, but I couldn't find the answer to this one.

I'm new to Evochron Mercenary, started playing yesterday - so far I love it. I've just got to the first I.M.G combat mission, and I'm finding it a little tricky.

The most I've managed so far is destroying 2/3 (I've had 3 enemy ships most of the time, last attempt there were 4

. ) I have no problem with the inertia/drifting/firing missiles aspect, but I only have 2 missile slots. I was using Rockeye (I think...) missiles, and manage to get both fired off fine, but then I have to rely on my primary weapons - I go in close and quickly get bombarded and destroyed by missiles.

What's the easiest way to increase the number of missiles I can carry? Is the only option to purchase a new ship frame? I saw something about Excal Missile Pack - but I can't find it in game anywhere. Does this have more missiles?

Also, it's a shame lots of the tutorials/videos are no longer around - the youtube channel seems to have been taken down by the user. I've gone through the official training videos, but are there any more current resources I'm missing?

Thanks!

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:57 pm

You need to buy a bigger ship to get more missile slots. You can shoot down missiles as they come at you. Stay way from a group of enemy and try to take them on one at a time. Watch your shields and get away if you find yourself about to be destroyed.

Post by **DaveK** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:01 pm

Hi someguy!

You will get lots more advice here soon!

In the meantime, get hold of the two parts of the Hints&Tips Guide (where there is loads of wisdom about combat (and loads of other stuff) that will help you get started. The website hosting it is here: http://evochron.junholt.se/menus/downloads.htm

fabittar · Post by **fabittar** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:04 pm

DaveK, could we maybe have all mods (or at least the better known ones) in one place for easy reference and download? I'm looking like crazy for Maximillien's Cockpit and HUD but the download link in his forum thread is not working.

I thought I had found an alternate link, but it's also dead.

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:14 pm

Here are some hints for combat if you need some help:
http://www.junholt.se/evoschool/index.htm

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:25 am

From post: 135898, Topic: tid=9251, author=fabittar wrote:DaveK, could we maybe have all mods (or at least the better known ones) in one place for easy reference and download?

http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8676

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:51 am

Hi Someguy201, welcome to the game and forum!....Hope to see you out there some time!.....

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:06 pm

Thanks everyone! I finally managed to complete the mission, and the next one - I changed the type of missile I was using, and in the end only had to shoot down 2 ships. Still getting used to the combat in game, but getting better - I've been saving up to upgrade my ship more.

Thanks for the links, I've had a read of Part 1 of the Hints & Tips Guide - this game is a lot of fun, glad I found it. But some more questions...

1) I've noticed the economy seems to fluctuate - does that just randomly change? Is there any way to view the current prices of systems you're not currently in?

2) I've occasionally tried to carry passengers, mostly they board and then I don't have a clue where to go - I find the map is quite hard to read, place names overlap each other. Any advice for this? Is there any way to view sector maps of other systems, or do I just have to know where I'm going if I accept a passenger?

It's also quite annoying having to type in coordinates for Distress Calls (haven't managed to complete any yet, the closest I got to completing one was a distress beacon off Olympus Theta - I typed in the coordinates after I jumped to the right sector, and got the correct nav mark, but it wouldn't let me jump - just said it was out of range despite being in the same sector as me (I did check both map views, it was 211k away from me - using C3 Jump Drive.)

Edit: - In combat, how do I switch firing modes? I keep seeing tutorials telling me to fire with lasers to destroy the shields, and then switch to guns to damage the hull - how do I switch, and how do I tell when an enemies shield is down?

[Edited on 4-28-2012 by someguy201]

Post by **Marvin** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:39 pm

1. Press F3 to call up the same menu you see when docking. The News option will give you current prices.

2. Sapphire is the only system where labels are hard to read (due to the number of objects). The expansion pack is scheduled to reduce the clutter but, until then, you can limit the number of lables to one type ... or you can clear all the labels and, instead, cursor over a selected object.

3. Most distress calls will be from places far from your current location. Ergo, you must first get to the proper sector ... then enter sub-sector coordinates.

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:20 am

Thanks - I've managed to get a lot better at Combat (suddenly realised I've now played for 14 hours according to Steam) - I'm now taking on some more of the Olympus contracts - occasionally winning, and often still being heavily damaged. I'll also have to remap the F2 key to something else, I have a habit of jumping into asteroids.

Is there a way to switch between firing modes? I've been using Beam and Particle guns at the same time - it's working okay with the enemies I'm facing at the moment, but usually I don't run out of energy in the small amount of time I'm actually engaging ships on each run.

Post by **Vice** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:33 am

Yes, the default N key will change the firing mode. You can also dedicate a key and/or button to each individual primary weapon if desired.

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:41 am

Thanks! I need a bigger keyboard to deal with all the commands needed - just playing on my laptop with no numberpad at the moment.

I'm also incredibly surprised this game was made by one person (the only thread for a game I've made where the developer has replied... ) - I haven't played many space sims before, but I'm finding this game lots of fun.

Post by **Vice** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:16 am

Glad you're enjoying the game. Welcome aboard.

Laconis · Post by **Laconis** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:24 am

Oh man, you have got to get a numpad, that thing has saved my life countless times (have counter measures assigned to its enter key). It controls all kinds of things which you could remap (shield balance and IDS multiplier most importantly), but remapping would just clutter everything up hopelessly.

You mentioned only having two hardpoints, you can balance hardpoints, equipment slots, crew members, and counter measures while looking at frames to buy in a station. The button for that is frame configure and it allows you to allocate points from one section to another. When first starting the game I found passengers to be too much of a hassle so I rebalanced my frame for equipment and hardpoints (no need to buy a whole new frame just to get more missiles). Now I have been differentiating between cargo ships and combat ships so I use a template mainly to balance hard points, equipment, and counter measure slots.

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:58 pm

I have IDS multiplier assigned to some non standard mouse buttons, and countermeasures at it's default on C. Getting a numpad isn't really an option until I buy a new computer with a new keyboard - not a laptop.

I managed to get up some money, my current ship is a Raven with a Class 6 shield - I get the feeling this should be fine for early combat, and I'm trying to avoid using missiles (4 hardpoints now), but I just need to get a bit better. Usually in combat it goes well for a while, and then I end up stuck in the middle of all the ships and get blown to pieces with missiles... occasionally I can destroy 4 ships, but probably 80% of the time at the moment I end up dead.

amtie · Post by **amtie** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:45 pm

This video helped me a lot. Watch it in full 1080p to see what's going on in the HUD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG6xVh9j0aU

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:04 am

Thanks - that was quite useful. I think I've got the hang of combat now, I managed to destroy 10 ships in the Cerulean system without using a single missile. Using a Raven, with a Maxim-R and coil laser - Class 6 shields. Think I can start to try some of the harder missions now.

amtie · Post by **amtie** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:47 pm

That's pretty much exactly what I did!

Only I've upgraded to a Mirage and a Class 10 shield.

You'll need to upgrade your CM slots for the longer missions, like 20+ ships. Unless you tend to shoot down the missiles instead of confuse them.

Nubarus · Post by **Nubarus** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:37 pm

From post: 136082, Topic: tid=9251, author=amtie wrote:This video helped me a lot. Watch it in full 1080p to see what's going on in the HUD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG6xVh9j0aU

Man, that video makes combat look waaaay too complicated.
Hectic, no tactical oversight or control of the battle.

Nubarus · Post by **Nubarus** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:06 pm

I re-uploaded this old video I recorded a long time ago. It has no fancy sounds in it though so it's not your speakers that broke or something, it's just a welder tinkering around with PC recording programs without reading the manual first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXRo8jbMW6Y

someguy201 · Post by **someguy201** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:23 pm

From post: 136224, Topic: tid=9251, author=Nubarus wrote:
From post: 136082, Topic: tid=9251, author=amtie wrote:This video helped me a lot. Watch it in full 1080p to see what's going on in the HUD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG6xVh9j0aU
Man, that video makes combat look waaaay too complicated.
Hectic, no tactical oversight or control of the battle.

Are you expecting all new players to have tactical oversight and complete control of the battle? It serves it's purpose for helping new players get a grip with the combat.

Nubarus · Post by **Nubarus** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:48 pm

From post: 136240, Topic: tid=9251, author=someguy201 wrote:
From post: 136224, Topic: tid=9251, author=Nubarus wrote:
From post: 136082, Topic: tid=9251, author=amtie wrote:This video helped me a lot. Watch it in full 1080p to see what's going on in the HUD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG6xVh9j0aU
Man, that video makes combat look waaaay too complicated.
Hectic, no tactical oversight or control of the battle.
Are you expecting all new players to have tactical oversight and complete control of the battle? It serves it's purpose for helping new players get a grip with the combat.

Well, in that case I am glad I didn't watch this video when I was a new player in EM, it would have taken me a lot longer to master intertial combat.
Not to mention it would have costed me a lot of fuel as well with all that AB action and I remember struggeling to pay my gas bills when I started to play.

[Edited on 4-30-2012 by Nubarus]

amtie · Post by **amtie** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:48 pm

From post: 136228, Topic: tid=9251, author=Nubarus wrote:I re-uploaded this old video I recorded a long time ago. It has no fancy sounds in it though so it's not your speakers that broke or something, it's just a welder tinkering around with PC recording programs without reading the manual first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXRo8jbMW6Y

Thanks for the video, but I still feel the first one is better, in the sense that it's quicker to destroy enemy ships and you don't get pounded as often.

Does this video demonstrate tactical oversight and control of the battle? Just wondering. If not, do you have one that does?

Nubarus · Post by **Nubarus** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:01 pm

He took out 7 ships in 2 minutes with AI naval ships as backup, I took out 12 in 3 minutes witout AI backup. It may seem I got pounded a lot to you but never was I in any danger of getting destroyed, only once got my shield knocked out and I took 1% hull damage in the process.

So yes, I call that having tactical oversight indeed since I was all alone, all the enemy ships where after me and not getting distracted by other allied ships in the area nor did I ever ran away from the fight or loose the advantage.

Post by **Marvin** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:28 pm

From post: 136251, Topic: tid=9251, author=Nubarus wrote:So yes, I call that having tactical oversight indeed....

I'd call it what it is: situation awareness.