Post reply

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

Note: this post will not display until it's been approved by a moderator.

Name:
Email:
Subject:
Message icon:

shortcuts: hit alt+s to submit/post or alt+p to preview

Please read the rules before you post!


Topic Summary

Posted by: sloanjh
« on: September 16, 2011, 07:58:26 PM »

Quote from: Charlie Beeler on September 16, 2011, 03:54:22 PM
Like.... Mesons ignore shields and armor?   :-\

My recollection of the technobabble is that Mesons (as opposed to other beams) have zero cross-section until they decay, depositing all their energy on the other side of the solid stuff in between (like armor or planets).  It ain't the way real mesons work, but that's why it's called technobabble :)  So my understanding of the design intent is that you should be able to target other (presumably over-the-horizon) PDC with meson-armed PDC, but not with other beams such as lasers.

John
Posted by: Thiosk
« on: September 16, 2011, 05:10:52 PM »

aurora is 2d
of course the planets are flat!
Posted by: Charlie Beeler
« on: September 16, 2011, 03:54:22 PM »

Quote from: Beersatron on September 16, 2011, 03:22:16 PM
Or, you could concoct some kind of handwavium TN mumbojumbo that allows Mesons to fire through the crust without any side of effects on the firing mechanism.

Like.... Mesons ignore shields and armor?   :-\

I agree it bugged me at first.  Here's another one, it's not restricted to mesons.  Just most other beams run into issues with atmosphere.  Put PDC's on a body with an atmo of less than one and they can shoot at each other.

Until Steve adds terrain effects and multiple planet locations with specific facings I'm good with PDC's being able to engage each other. 
Posted by: Dutchling
« on: September 16, 2011, 03:26:31 PM »

Well, I just assume that transNewtonian Meson cannons follow the laws of gravity and can thus be shot like a missiles :)
Posted by: Beersatron
« on: September 16, 2011, 03:22:16 PM »

That is why I said 'impossible' (notice the single quotes), there is no game logic to stop you but I would personally not do it and instead follow some kind of role play that makes PDCs missile/hangar/troops only.

Or, you could concoct some kind of handwavium TN mumbojumbo that allows Mesons to fire through the crust without any side of effects on the firing mechanism. :)

I guess what I am trying to get at is that your projector for the meson cannon might possibly have to point through your actual PDC inorder to hit the PDC on the other side of the planet. And to me, that is not a good thing  :o
Posted by: Charlie Beeler
« on: September 16, 2011, 02:57:39 PM »

Quote from: Beersatron on September 16, 2011, 02:29:09 PM
Also don't forget that PDCs from different continents will be over the horizon, so firing a meson is 'impossible' unless you plan on taking out your own base around the projector to fire through the crust of the Earth!

Granted, Mesons ignore armor ....
Since Aurora doesn't have any mechanic for terrain inhibiting line-of-sight PDC's are free to directly target each other.  The only limitation is atmosphere interaction.
Posted by: Dutchling
« on: September 16, 2011, 02:55:01 PM »

Ehm, targeting PDCs with meson armed PDCs works perfectly fine actually. Kinda weird though, I guess Aurora has flat planets :)
Posted by: Beersatron
« on: September 16, 2011, 02:29:09 PM »

Also don't forget that PDCs from different continents will be over the horizon, so firing a meson is 'impossible' unless you plan on taking out your own base around the projector to fire through the crust of the Earth!

Granted, Mesons ignore armor ....
Posted by: Charlie Beeler
« on: September 16, 2011, 12:57:00 PM »

Quote from: Dutchling on September 16, 2011, 12:35:15 PM
So there is no way to defend yourself from missile attacks if you play with multiple factions on earth? I thought That in one of Steve's fictions (the one where a russian/American/eu alliance eventually form an empire) he used mesons to shoot down some missiles. Did this change sometime? Or does he intend to once make it that way

For Trans-Newtonian missiles this is correct. 

ICBM's are a special case.  When Steve implemented them, they were given a 15 minute flighttime and should be targetable during that time.  To my knowledge this has not been changed, though I don't usually play conventional starts so I have no direct experience with them.
Posted by: Dutchling
« on: September 16, 2011, 12:35:15 PM »

So there is no way to defend yourself from missile attacks if you play with multiple factions on earth? I thought That in one of steves fictions (the one where a russian/American/eu alliance eventually form an empire) he used mesons to shoot down some missiles. Did this change sometime? Or does he intend to once make it that way
Posted by: Charlie Beeler
« on: September 16, 2011, 12:09:46 PM »

Quote from: Dutchling on September 16, 2011, 11:36:35 AM
I thought final defense mode works right before missile impact?
It does, but detection follows all movement.  

Quote
Movement Phase (This section repeats a number of times equal to the number of movement sub-pulses. This may just be one sub-pulse for the whole increment or many sub-pulses. If an event is generated during a sub-pulse, that becomes the last sub-pulse and the time for the increment is reduced accordingly)
- Fleets Move
- Fighter Groups Move
- Fighter Groups Reload (remaining rearm time is reduced)
- Monsters Move (including precursors)
- Missile Salvos move (including intercept, point blank point defence and damage allocation\planetary bombardment)
- Life pod Endurance Check (any lifepods that have exhausted their endurance are removed)
- Sensor Update (all sensors are checked for new contacts)
End of Movement Sub-pulses
   
Check Primary Special Orders (If a fleet has no move orders, its primary special orders are checked
Check Secondary Special Orders. (If a fleet still has no move orders, its secondary special orders are checked
Ion Storms are updated
Damage Control takes place

Fire Phase
- Weapons are recharged or reloaded
- Shields are recharged
- Point Defence in area mode is assigned targets
- Ships fire weapons
- Planets launch missiles
- Fighters launch missiles
- Combat results from energy weapons are applied
- Monsters (including precursors) fire weapons. Damage is applied as each monster fires
End of Fire Phase

Posted by: Dutchling
« on: September 16, 2011, 11:36:35 AM »

I thought final defense mode works right before missile impact?
Posted by: Brian Neumann
« on: September 16, 2011, 11:23:06 AM »

Quote from: Dutchling on September 15, 2011, 10:29:00 AM
So missiles other than ICMB's can only be shot down my final fire mode when shot from the same planet? Wouldn't that mean that there is no way to use your mesons if you don't already have your active sensors turned on?
Actually non ICBM's can not be shot down if they hit on the same impulse that they are fired on.  So if you have a missile that goes 20,000km/s then anything inside of 100,000km will be hit before any point defense gets a chance to fire.  This is because of the sequence of play and when the active sensors are checked.  The sensor check is before the fire phase, the missiles are fired and move to hit their target.  After the combat phase they will be detected, but for that first 5 seconds of flight they are basically invisible.

Brian
Posted by: voknaar
« on: September 15, 2011, 06:35:45 PM »

I don't know about pdc meson combat but i assume since they are the same location they can attack eachother in atmosphere.
Posted by: Dutchling
« on: September 15, 2011, 10:29:00 AM »

So missiles other than ICMB's can only be shot down my final fire mode when shot from the same planet? Wouldn't that mean that there is no way to use your mesons if you don't already have your active sensors turned on?