posted on May 2nd, 2010, 7:53 am
Well, as it is now, the auto assimilator and the holding beams dont make really sense. This was told in many topics up to now.
So, gameplaywise (this is always an approximation to the "how should it be") I thought about this:
The "transport through shields" special ability should be linked with the starbases. You use one starbase as a container with long range beam support and a vessel as link/target marker/katalyst. So the ability will be like the tavara to beam over a certain amount of crew men depending of the chassis size.
If you have 4 borg ships, you may use this ability 4 times in an instant. With 4 scout cubes for example and with 15 drones each per scout cube, you may beam over 60 crewmen. This is enough to capture a small ship, like a destroyer in an instant. This will cost NO special energy for the ships, but for the starbases and will be executed automatic.
But wait, we also have auto-assimilators and holding beams AND standard transporters. So here is the deal:
The auto-assimilator will drain the crew strength of an enemy ship while getting those crewmen on the assimilator. The rate we have until now is a little too low for the energy costs.
Advantage: You can reduce the crew-members very fast and with two ones installed on the assim-avatar (or 3 on the optimized) you may assimilate 24 crewman per second (so doubled the rate) over a longer time you have now. (less special energy consumtion)
With this, you may be able to capture a single ship with a single assimilator. (Would be 'realistic' in the game play)
Disadvantage: The auto-assim is not able to "hold" an enemy ship, so it might fly away. Against smaller ships, you have to be FAST, in order to capture them. Against larger ships, it will take a longer time, you must follow it and it might kill your weapons/engines with a special, so its away.
But one assim should be able to capture any enemy ship, if given enough time (maybe not a tavara, but you get the point)
Holding beam: This holding beam will hold the enemy ship in tow. Like the combat tractor beam, that will consume only very few energy, but with an auto-assim over it. You dont GET crew members by using the holding beam, you lose them in order to capture. Also, until now it will consume sooo much energy, that you cant use it over a long time. And the crew drain you do is... tiny.
So here the same: You use the holding beam, and will deactivate engines AND weapons (so it cant cloak or use specials) and you take away the special energy from a ship while using it. This special energy will be transfered to YOU, so you can use the holding beam longer.
Next: Every holding beam module will increase the effectivness of the beam. For example, every beam will take away 10 crewmen per second (depending on you boarding strength) while you may be able to use it over a longer time (than now).
The holding beam should be fearsome and when you see it, you might think: "The ship is lost"
Disadvantage: The holding beam will focus your systems on it. You will also lose the ability to use your engines so you slow down. Nearly every ship instead of yours can fly away, because you are so slow.
Now we have a fearsome borg assim-avatar: Holding beam can capture even larger ships. Auto-assim is good for small to medium ships and everything is backboned by your starbases with the ability to beam over additional troops. With 4 assims (2 auto assims) and 2 pyramids (4x holding beam) (that is MY personal assim-fleet) you should be able to take out entire fleets.
