Give bugs a small chance to Ram automatically when they die

posted on September 30th, 2011, 6:16 am

I think it is better to upgrade the bug by making it 20% faster when a target within 1/2 weapons range is selected for ramming (so the enemy cant escape that easy)

posted on September 30th, 2011, 12:13 pm

There are examples of ship collisions that don't result in much damage - in Nemesis, the Ent-E rammed though a chunk of one of the warbirds and the shields took it (on the nacelle, no less).

I think that there is a huge difference between being rammed by a ship at full hull integrity and shields, and one that is already falling apart.  I like this idea, but it should be limited to shield impact damage.  If the shields are strong enough to absorb the significant damage, then no other damage occurs.

posted on September 30th, 2011, 12:24 pm

Bug ships are likely to detonate the Warp Core when ramming, something that tends to do far more than being hit by a small bit of debris.

Speed also has a big impact of ramming damage, neither the Debris or the Enterprise moved very fast.

posted on September 30th, 2011, 12:46 pm

Bug ships are likely to detonate the Warp Core when ramming, something that tends to do far more than being hit by a small bit of debris.

That i can believe

Speed also has a big impact of ramming damage, neither the Debris or the Enterprise moved very fast.

this is can't. It is space. no friction so technically they collide and then bounce off eachother.

posted on September 30th, 2011, 1:01 pm

this is can't. It is space. no friction so technically they collide and then bounce off eachother.

Even in space, Speed is a factor.
Remember that space-crap (loose screws from satellites and such) orbit this planet and damage things by simply penetrating material at high velocity due to the accelleration.

posted on September 30th, 2011, 1:10 pm

Even with warp core det I think that ram dmg should hurt shields first. It would do more dmg than a floating nacelle ofc

posted on September 30th, 2011, 1:16 pm

Even in space, Speed is a factor.
Remember that space-crap (loose screws from satellites and such) orbit this planet and damage things by simply penetrating material at high velocity due to the accelleration.

yeah so apply that to a spaceship... it needs to be at warp speed to actually penetrate it

posted on September 30th, 2011, 11:17 pm

Bug ships are likely to detonate the Warp Core when ramming, something that tends to do far more than being hit by a small bit of debris.

Speed also has a big impact of ramming damage, neither the Debris or the Enterprise moved very fast.

Good point on the speed issue in my example - both ships were traveling in the same direction, which may have minimized the differential.  I would still argue that we're talking about a mostly disabled bug, which would likely not be fully maneuverable or able to reach full acceleration.

As for the warp core - in canon, you pretty much have to go to warp to avoid a warp core blast.  Following that logic, the first ship in a fleet to be destroyed would take out everything in sight.  I don't think anyone wants to see the ram weapon become that powerful.

I'm not arguing to changing the current ram weapon - I think it does a great job of making the bug a little scary.  I just think that if a ship near death does it automatically, it should be a reduced version of the original.