Mining Jump Points

[Zook (OP)]

I've built my first mine layer, and I wonder if it would work:

Code: [Select]

Buoy Size: 18 MSP  (0.9 HS)     Armour: 0
Reactor Endurance: 33 months
Active Sensor Strength: 0.525   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 80    Maximum Range vs 4000 ton object (or larger): 510,000 km
Cost Per Buoy: 21.5616
Second Stage: Chasseur ASM x2
Second Stage Separation Range: 150,000 km

If a hostile fleet is detected, which ship would be targeted by the mines? Are all missiles fired at one randomly selected target? Can I affect more targets if I split the mines into several groups?

Also, I think I set the separation range to 510k when I hit "Create", but as you can see, it doesn't show when I load the design in the design window. Is there any other way of finding out?

[Erik L]

Your separation range is 150k km. That's the default.

Last time I used mines, the entire field opened up on one hapless ship. If your ASM have sensors on them, then that won't be so bad as they can retarget.

[Zook (OP)]

Thanks. Oh, and the second stage is automatically built and loaded when I build the mine, right?

[Erik L]

I believe so.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

If you want a 'smart' minefield you can use tiny long-endurance missile platform ships.  As long as you have box launchers, at any rate.

[Havear]

I've gone with 1kton pods rather than minefields for some time now. Standard missile pod at game start for me has a 40+ year engineering life and 25 box launchers. Supported by a command pod or two with active sensors and thick armor, it works pretty good. Another plus is that I can deploy them from hangars to either augment the battle-wall's weight of fire (with very nearly the same reload rate and tonnage used as a 25% launcher, but with more flexibility), or to cover a retreat. I think occasionally I build a pod with berthing capacities for two fighters that can sit on a JP or garrison an area.

[Nathan_]

I've built my first mine layer, and I wonder if it would work:

Code: [Select]

Buoy Size: 18 MSP  (0.9 HS)     Armour: 0
Reactor Endurance: 33 months
Active Sensor Strength: 0.525   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 80    Maximum Range vs 4000 ton object (or larger): 510,000 km
Cost Per Buoy: 21.5616
Second Stage: Chasseur ASM x2
Second Stage Separation Range: 150,000 km

If a hostile fleet is detected, which ship would be targeted by the mines? Are all missiles fired at one randomly selected target? Can I affect more targets if I split the mines into several groups?

Also, I think I set the separation range to 510k when I hit "Create", but as you can see, it doesn't show when I load the design in the design window. Is there any other way of finding out?

probably the first in order, but since the sub-munitions will have to have sensors of their own they'll target all available enemy craft assuming they are able to kill the 1st one that appears. I'd separate the mines, and for 2 reasons. The first is that putting all the mines on the JP will mean that they all fire on the 1st available target(might be a scout), and the second is that squadron jumps could bypass such a minefield. Lastly, ditch the active sensor. Thermal is a much better sensor for the mine itself, though the missiles still need actives.

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php/topic,4644.0.html

The second image has a 2 ring minefield surrounding a jump point.

[Zook (OP)]

Thanks! Have you actually tried the mines in combat? There was some speculation as to whether missiles need an active sensor as well.

[Nathan_]

I'd laid mines in the path of an oncoming swarm queen, and they did work as advertised. Still its a good idea to harmonize separation distance, mine sensors, and sub-munition sensors. And even if they weren't needed, you'd still want sensors so that your missiles can target multiple incoming craft.

[Zook (OP)]

Weird. I built the following mine:

Buoy Size: 18 MSP  (0.9 HS)     Armour: 0
Reactor Endurance: 42.4 months
Active Sensor Strength: 0.98   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 100    Maximum Range vs 5000 ton object (or larger): 1,070,000 km
Cost Per Buoy: 24.0716
Second Stage: Chasseur ASM x2
Second Stage Separation Range: 150,000 km


Missile Size: 6 MSP  (0.3 HS)     Warhead: 16    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 17
Speed: 34500 km/s    Endurance: 1 minutes   Range: 1.2m km
Active Sensor Strength: 1.05   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 100    Maximum Range vs 5000 ton object (or larger): 1,150,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 8.68
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 586.5%   3k km/s 187%   5k km/s 117.3%   10k km/s 58.6%

Hmmm... apparently I forgot to set the separation range again. Wait - I just found a bug.

But anyway: when I launched the first ones at a jump point (the minelayer was parked on top of it), the mines immediately launched their missiles. Which didn't move at all and ran out of fuel. WTF?

[niflheimr]

launch it without a target from the taskgroup window

[Zook (OP)]

Good idea. But now it says "Missile xxx cannot be fired because the ship is suffering from the effects of transit". After seven months in system...

[Shooer]

You can also try using waypoints.

[Zook (OP)]

Then the missiles attack the waypoint, as above.

[niflheimr]

the transit is a well known bug - search for it , I can't really remember what the fix for it was.