Basic mine help

[tryrar (OP)]

So, I've pretty much figured out how to do mines(put a second stage(or 5) on a buoy), but I need some help.  I know I need to design a munition for the second stage, but do I need to also build the mine munition, or does the mine get built with it already? Also, is there any way at all for me to automate mine laying so that the minefield gets renewed as the mines expire?

[sloanjh]

So, I've pretty much figured out how to do mines(put a second stage(or 5) on a buoy), but I need some help.  I know I need to design a munition for the second stage, but do I need to also build the mine munition, or does the mine get built with it already? Also, is there any way at all for me to automate mine laying so that the minefield gets renewed as the mines expire?

Submunitions get built as part of the base munition - you do NOT have to stockpile them before building the base.

John

[sublight]

Just build the mine. Any submunition is automatically included as part of the mine construction.

Step 1: design and research the submunition
Step 2: design and research a mine containing the submunition
Step 3: build the mine.

Make sure the mine release range isn't longer than the submunition's sensor capabilities.

You're free to manufacture the submunition as independent ordnance, but they can only be used with missile launchers and can't be used to reload a mine.

Automated mine laying: not really.
The closest you can get is to issue a minelayer cyclic orders. Move to location. Launch at location. Move to next location. Launch at next location. Return to base to reload. Refuel and resupply. Repeat. Ideally the mines would have slightly longer reactor lives than the time it takes for the mine layer to complete a circuit. A system like this might be a little tricky to set up and time, but with enough engineering sections the minelayer should keep things running for a decade before it has to be retired for overhaul.

[Arwyn]

You can also mount the mines on the the end of a long range drone and deliver them that way, if you dont want/have ships in the system to do so.

[Steve Walmsley]

Make sure the mine release range isn't longer than the submunition's sensor capabilities.

This isn't strictly necesary. When the sub-munitions launch, the mine will pass on the location of the target it detected. The sub-munitions will head for that location while trying to detect a target. So it would more accurate to say that you should ensure that the sub-munitions have sufficient sensor capabilities to deal with any movement of the target between their launch and their arrival at the original target location.

Steve

[Steve Walmsley]

You can also mount the mines on the the end of a long range drone and deliver them that way, if you dont want/have ships in the system to do so.

Yes, this is effectively a three-stage missile with the mine as the second stage.

Steve

[tryrar (OP)]

Next dumb question: What is the proper procedure to lay mines? Every time I click on the launch missile button with my minelayers it says ship is suffering the effects of transit(even when it didn't go through a JP)

[madpraxis]

Go to the..er..munitions tab, wrong computer..lemme go see.
On the the ships TG screen, double click ship. Move to ordnance tab, load the launcher
Try doing that, I'm sure you could do it through the combat screen, but I usually find myself staring at the task group when I remember to load a launcher or two.
I think that should do for you....

[tryrar (OP)]

sorry, but loading the launcher's the FIRST thing I do, so I must have a different problem

[Arwyn]

Easiest way, is to load the launchers from the ship screen. Then go to the system screen, set a waypoint where you want to lay the mines. Then go to the task force (F12) window and hit the checkbox up to that says "Waypoint". Then go to the left column, select the waypoint, have the ship move to it, and select the fire missiles at the waypoint.

You can do this without even having fire controls on the minelayer.

[tryrar (OP)]

ok then, thanx.  Now, how is this mine design?

Hellion Mine

Code: [Select]

Buoy Size: 20 MSP  (1 HS)     Armour: 0
Reactor Endurance: 56 months
Active Sensor Strength: 4.2   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 50    Maximum Range vs 2500 ton object (or larger): 3,260,000 km
Cost Per Buoy: 29.2035
Second Stage: Hellion2 Submunition x5
Second Stage Separation Range: 150,000 km
Materials Required:    3.75x Tritanium   11.2x Boronide   10.22x Uridium   3.1335x Gallicite

Hellion2 Submunition

Code: [Select]

Missile Size: 2 MSP  (0.1 HS)     Warhead: 3    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 16
Speed: 18800 km/s    Endurance: 3 minutes   Range: 3.6m km
Active Sensor Strength: 1.204   Sensitivity Modifier: 110%
Resolution: 50    Maximum Range vs 2500 ton object (or larger): 930,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 2.7307
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 300.8%   3k km/s 96%   5k km/s 60.2%   10k km/s 30.1%
Materials Required:    0.75x Tritanium   1.204x Uridium   0.6767x Gallicite   Fuel x50

Development Cost for Project: 273RP


[Theokrat]

The second stage separation should be equal to the sensor range of the bouy, no?

Your submunition needs about 170 seconds to travel to the maximum range of the bouy. If the enemy cruizing speed is about 5k, then you would just be able to catch him in range of the submunition (he would travel about 850k km in that time) - but if you have reasons to believe he is faster, the mine could become ineffective.

The submunition has a warhead of 3, which leaves a unfavorable damage profile. increasing the missiles slightly (say 4*Size 2.5) would yield a slightly favorable damage profile. It would also mean less of the submuntions' space would need to be devoted to sensors in relative terms. Downside is of course slightly lower PD saturation, but IMo that would be worth it.

[tryrar (OP)]

Huh, I did not know that bit about second stage separation. Thanks, I've fixed that. Also, the submunitions have larger warheads(to about 5 IRRC), and even only 4 per is still pretty brutal in a minefield containing about 200 of these(I use about 25-30 box launchers a mine layer, and they work in groups of 4, though I'm planning on groups of 8 eventually). With their 4 year duration, they make pretty effective JP denial weapons

[madpraxis]

I love the generic 'side effects of transit' that pops up for a number of problems
You figure out your launching problem? And by chance are you in a nebula?