Hyperspace Artillery = Too Powerfull

posted on September 16th, 2009, 5:59 pm

It doesn't even need to be as "big" as the bug's gun, in terms of firepower, but taking into account that an artillery unit should have superior telemetry and targeting systems, it could have "artillery" range. To discourage pursuit.

True, but the ability to 'target' an aggressor at artillery range does not necessarily mean that you should be able to 'engage' them at that range. Since the weapon being used is not normally effective at those ranges... those limitations should remain. Plus at artillery range it becomes more offensively oriented, and less of a defensive mechanism.

[Tyler]

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:02 pm

Last edited by Tyler on September 16th, 2009, 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Either the romulan as the federation artillery are in most cases useless. You can inflict the same damage in the same time with a destroyer and have more defense and you can run away. As for the name "artillery" they both dont suit that prupose.

The steamrunner fired its weapons and a direct hit with this weapon to an already shieldsless destroyer didnt destroyed him. A direct hit with an artillery-weapon against a destroyer!!! And he flys away as nothing has happended.

So, I send an intrepid and are better on with it.
And... the only purpose for the steamrunner is to bombard enemy turret platforms. But this is only possible if you already destroyed the enemy fleet. So... useless.

When I think about an artillery, I think about vessels stating with an offensive value of 50 and a defensive value from around 20 to 25. The romulan one can cloak and the siltent resolve could THEN be effective... the first time.

Up until now the shield breaking torp from the B'rel is more effective.

So the steamrunner should get:
attack: 50
def: 25
system: 15

Romulan one:
attack 50
def: 20 (it can cloak and through that evade)
system: 16

The bad thing on the steamrunner is that this ship is not effective against enemy ships. But against enemy installations I use the Exelsior MK II - artillery range and shred the enemy turret in pieces.
And pleas dont tell the federation is overpowered. You just have to use the cloak right. Only the romulan turrets are a little bit too weak in my eyes.

Tried using the Steamrunner with the Tri-loader active? It causes a lot more damage.

True, but the ability to 'target' an aggressor at artillery range does not necessarily mean that you should be able to 'engage' them at that range. Since the weapon being used is not normally effective at those ranges... those limitations should remain. Plus at artillery range it becomes more offensively oriented, and less of a defensive mechanism.

Maybe giving the weapon a range between 'Short' and 'Dogfight'?

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:11 pm

Yes, I tried and it did work, but only then. I used over the time 6 or 7 steamrunners I created with warp in and one golden bar (and Galaxy - the rest went into battle trash) and tried to level them up (by the way, this method will only work against the AI, no player would fall for those tricks)

After all 7 of them activated the triloader I was able to destroy a cruiser. One. Single.
With 7 ships. This vessel is in my eyes nothing for the real game but only a nice thing to have without use. Like a golden washbowl.

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:30 pm

Steamrunners are designed for destroying buildings, hence the x2 damage against them. Everyone of their shots is basically the Intrepid's special. And the tri-loader just hammers that home. Try using it on a mining station.

And if you get one veteran, destroys them twice as quickly again.

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:43 pm

Pick up SIX Steamrunners AND grant them Veteran status.

I think you will appreciate the (huge) change.

It's those damn Feds and their OP ships...

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:45 pm

2 veteran Steamrunners with Tri-loader active isn't exactly good for a Stabase's health, either...

posted on September 16th, 2009, 6:49 pm

Yeah.

When playing Fed, it's the only ship I give Veteran status. If you manage to remove all fleet from a base, those six ships will level ANY completely built base in a minute or less.

[Dominus_Noctis]

posted on September 16th, 2009, 9:53 pm

Last edited by Dominus_Noctis on September 16th, 2009, 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Also try adding in a Norway or two and then those Steams can fire forever. They do quite a bit of damage to ships I'd say--especially to the Borg

Incidentally, FO isn't a simulator, so stating that a Steamrunner or Hyperspace Artillery should get a defensive weapon cannot be compared to an artillery piece in the real world having a machine gun. The game is designed to emphasize unit roles, so an artillery is generally not going to get a phaser too emphasize its design goal. Artillery are meant to bombard from afar--not get in the thick of it, and yes, not defend themselves when retreating. This is why all Artillery are slow and generally weak in terms of defense I believe.

posted on September 16th, 2009, 10:03 pm

The game is designed to emphasize unit roles, so an artillery is generally not going to get a phaser too emphasize it's design goal.

Really? Modern Artillery fulfills a its role. Yet it is armed with machine guns for self defense. By that logic Humvee's should not be outfitted with weapons because they are designed primarily to carry people... or sorry i should say "shuttles".

posted on September 16th, 2009, 10:07 pm

I think you missed the first part of my statement. This game is not a simulator, and is designed to emphasize a unit role. Other vessels provide the defense, that way a horde of Artillery cannot succesfully defend themselves against, lets say, a gaggle of fast destroyers. If you don't protect them with the appropriate counters, you will not get rewarded. I am not talking about real life as I said before--strictly about the game and about keeping it fun and the units distinct from one another . Realism cannot run everything, especially as this is Star Trek

posted on September 16th, 2009, 10:12 pm

I think you missed the first part of my statement. This game is not a simulator, and is designed to emphasize a unit role. Other vessels provide the defense, that way a horde of Artillery cannot succesfully defend themselves against, lets say, a gaggle of fast destroyers. If you don't protect them with the appropriate counters, you will not get rewarded. I am not talking about real life as I said before--strictly about the game and about keeping it fun and the units distinct from one another . Realism cannot run everything, especially as this is Star Trek

Point taken.

posted on September 16th, 2009, 10:54 pm

Another way of looking at it is that everything is simplified and therefore an exaggeration. If we were going for literal realism, then the artillery might have light defensive weapons but nothing that could really take on a direct attack. In making the necessary simplification, the artillery units have no weapons because they "may as well" not have.

posted on September 17th, 2009, 3:13 am

now i have to go home tonight and try that   :woot:

as promised, i tried hyperspace bombing myself.

after the blast subsided, guess what

hull at 74%
shields at 61%

yeah,  it "too powerfull" all right.