Transformers in Fleet Ops!

posted on July 10th, 2009, 2:50 pm

As I was looking at my swarms of Dominion Worker Ships/Mining Ships and a thought hit me (ouch). What if we had a warship that had two modes which had completely different roles?

Since we know that the Ciadan are quite technologically advanced--especially in the realm of computers, I think this idea would best suit them: you can build a ship from one of their yards that has two modes. The first gives the vessel an exceedingly high defensive value (perhaps 70 or so) but almost no attack power (maybe 2-4). The vessel at this point has long/medium range. This would enable you to close with the enemy only to unleash the power of the "transform button". Taking a second or two to enable, the starship would reroute all its energy from shields as well as change the vessel configuration (so instead of a tight little easily protected ship, it folds out unveiling massive torpedo tubes and disrupter banks etc). As soon as this tranformation is complete, the vessel's defensive value drops to maybe 10, the vessel's attack range drops to shot... and the offensive power reaches 60 or more. A massive barrage of torpedoes, disruptors--whatever--annihiliates the enemy.

I think this would be quite a strategic ploy, as well as quite interesting. You can target the more "compact" vessels, but these will have immense defense--so best to run away. However, when the tranformation is complete (if you are paying attention) you can easily destroy these short range heavy weapons platforms at long range. Perhaps speed of the vessel could also be altered.

Fire away! 

posted on July 10th, 2009, 2:59 pm

nano tech Holo emitters?  I employed a similer design on one of my ships in an old mod.  I called it molecular shift.  It used (special) energy to stimulate the emitterson the hull of the ship, thereby changeing the shame, and pourpose of the ship. 

However you are talking about reconfiguring the hull.  could go from an akira to a Miranda type vessel.  Pod on top, nacelles under.  But even for the noxter, they could morph, it could definitely be implemented.

How about transforming into a moon for camouflage?

posted on July 10th, 2009, 2:59 pm

Sounds cool, I'm definitely in favour of something like this.

posted on July 10th, 2009, 3:04 pm

Would let the Ciadan have Q-Ships in a very WW1 sense. Good idea noctis.

posted on July 10th, 2009, 3:53 pm

How about transforming into a moon for camouflage?

Sure would suck when you tried to mine that moon... 

posted on July 10th, 2009, 4:16 pm

sum sort of special holoship ability,to change appearance and sneak into ur enemies base and cause sum damage wud be cool 

posted on July 10th, 2009, 4:27 pm

What you mean the USS Insurrection? Didn't they already say that would be added back as a map object. But i think what noctis is suggesting is a little different. To paraphrase, a ship with a defensive mode to let it close to close range, and then switches to offensive mode where it looses its shields and enables weapons. 2 second 'cast' time and then boom.

posted on July 10th, 2009, 5:03 pm

Yup, exactly Hawkshark 

posted on July 10th, 2009, 5:10 pm

What you mean the USS Insurrection? Didn't they already say that would be added back as a map object. But i think what noctis is suggesting is a little different. To paraphrase, a ship with a defensive mode to let it close to close range, and then switches to offensive mode where it looses its shields and enables weapons. 2 second 'cast' time and then boom.

If yo are talking about the hologenerator ship, it the Incursion, not Insurrection.

posted on July 10th, 2009, 5:23 pm

Indeed
thats what i meant to say 

posted on July 10th, 2009, 5:41 pm

Hmm, the two modes should'nt be such easy to switch, I think, and the difference is too huge. I think on this:

You have a ship in the "normal mode" with everything balanced out.


Attack mode: Your defense value stays at it is, but will depleed because no energy is transfered to the shields and so it will deload itself PLUS the damage it will take from enemy fire. The time until the shields will be down to zero from 100% will be about 30 seconds without enemy fire and faster with.
Your attack range will be set from "long" range to "medium" range (so you should make sure that you are in range) but you will get a massive amount of firepower. Fast reloading wepons with greatly extendet firepower.
You will also loos special energy. So nearly all energy is transfered to the weapons.

Defensive mode: Your weapons are deactivated (no need to attack with offensive power of 4 or even 10)
Your shield get a regeneration boost + reload (instant like the federation heavy warp in cruiser) and a defensive value boost for a higher shield strength. This mode is for "stand in the line". It will also need special energy.

After the special energy is down to zero, the ship will switch back to "normal" mode.

posted on July 10th, 2009, 10:37 pm

maybe the ship could be put in a cooldownphase, when it cannot move and the shield regeneration is deactivated, to balance the ship.