Planetary combat mobile Suit

[DFNewb (OP)]

Thinking of doing a Fighter based campaign soon. If I wanted ground support fighters is this all I need?




do I need FFD on the ground?

[Jorgen_CAB]

I'm not sure if you need an engine... but you probably don't as a fighter don't need to move away from the planet they are on in any way.

So in principle you don't need engines, fuel or fire-controls.

In my opinion ground fighters should have been a ground unit type rather than integrated with space ship modules. You could still have fighter pods for fighters to act as make shift fighters that you could add to box launchers.

[Droll]

I suggest you try at least 1 armor pen on the autocannon - even infantry with light armor has 1 armor at the start of the game. This might not be able to kill anything.

[Froggiest1982]

I'm not sure if you need an engine... but you probably don't as a fighter don't need to move away from the planet they are on in any way.

So in principle you don't need engines, fuel or fire-controls.

In my opinion ground fighters should have been a ground unit type rather than integrated with space ship modules. You could still have fighter pods for fighters to act as make shift fighters that you could add to box launchers.

I am 100% with you on this. Also considering how ground unit are structured now would have been very easy to implement on a similar way STO works now.

[Desdinova]

You do need FFD for ground support fighters. I believe one FFD unit can control 6 fighters.

[DFNewb (OP)]

I suggest you try at least 1 armor pen on the autocannon - even infantry with light armor has 1 armor at the start of the game. This might not be able to kill anything.

I just made the simplest thing I could with my current tech, I assume I need to increase the size of the pod or something to get armor pen on it.

[Alsadius]

You do need FFD for ground support fighters. I believe one FFD unit can control 6 fighters.

Correct. And because of this, and the fact that FFDs are relatively expensive as GUs go, building larger fighters for ground-support work is likely a good idea.

Also, someone said in another thread that ground support fighters need to have some kind of fire control, but that its quality really doesn't matter. I haven't tested this, but you may want to.

[DFNewb (OP)]

You do need FFD for ground support fighters. I believe one FFD unit can control 6 fighters.

Correct. And because of this, and the fact that FFDs are relatively expensive as GUs go, building larger fighters for ground-support work is likely a good idea.

Also, someone said in another thread that ground support fighters need to have some kind of fire control, but that its quality really doesn't matter. I haven't tested this, but you may want to.

Size 0.1 active is no big deal to add on. Do you absolutely need FFD? Would be cool if Steve made it so they could still work without it but with a penalty or something.

[Alsadius]

Size 0.1 active is no big deal to add on. Do you absolutely need FFD? Would be cool if Steve made it so they could still work without it but with a penalty or something.

They can, but from my reading of the rules the penalty is so huge that the extra fighters are basically wasted. Your hit chance is multiplied by (Number of FFD supported fighters / Number of fighters), so basically 600 fighters on one FFD will get a -99% chance to hit, and you'll still only land as many hits as you would with six fighters. It could be that I misunderstand the mechanics here, but it did seem very harsh.

[DFNewb (OP)]

Size 0.1 active is no big deal to add on. Do you absolutely need FFD? Would be cool if Steve made it so they could still work without it but with a penalty or something.

They can, but from my reading of the rules the penalty is so huge that the extra fighters are basically wasted. Your hit chance is multiplied by (Number of FFD supported fighters / Number of fighters), so basically 600 fighters on one FFD will get a -99% chance to hit, and you'll still only land as many hits as you would with six fighters. It could be that I misunderstand the mechanics here, but it did seem very harsh.

so I did some reading. They don't need active sensors:

The pods require a missile fire control to operate, although this can be minimal size (0.1 HS) as there are no range or resolution restrictions.

Also they don't need FFD!!!!

Non-Support Fighter Missions

In addition to the option to directly support ground forces, fighters can be assigned additional missions over the battlefield. To be eligible, a fleet composed only of fighters is given one of the following orders with a system body as the destination. A friendly population is not required. These orders function in a similar way to a 'Follow' order, with the order remaining in place until removed by the player. Fleets with these orders that are at their target system body cannot be targeted in normal naval combat or by STO weapons.

Search & Destroy

Search and Destroy involves sending fighters to a planet with enemy ground forces (with or without friendly forces present) to attack targets of opportunity. This is similar to a ground support mission with the following differences:
The fighters do not need to be assigned to a friendly ground formation and do not require fire direction
The fighters will select any hostile formation, regardless of field position
The chance to hit is 33% of normal
Hostile AA will fire as if this is a ground support mission directed against the selected formation

Flak Suppression

Flak Suppression involves sending fighters to a planet with enemy ground forces (with or without friendly forces present) to specifically attack hostile AA units. Because the fighters are seeking out nearby AA units that are engaging them, the chance to hit is higher than for Search & Destroy, but the target selection is more difficult (finding the AA). This is similar to a ground support mission with the following differences:
The fighters do not need to be assigned to a friendly ground formation and do not require fire direction
The fighters will select any hostile formation, regardless of field position
The chance to hit is 50% of normal
Only hostile AA elements will be attacked. If none are present in the selected formation, no air-to-ground attack will take place
Hostile AA will fire as if this is a ground support mission directed against the selected formation, even if the fighters did not open fire

This post is also a placeholder for additional missions - one of which will be Combat Air Patrol (when I code it).

Which means I can land in 100 mobile suits and watch them fight the enemy ground units! Best of all only AA can hit them so if I somehow manage to suppress all the AA I can win with air superiority!

[RougeNPS]

Thinking of doing a Fighter based campaign soon.  If I wanted ground support fighters is this all I need?




do I need FFD on the ground?

Can you please explain why a mech suit is a frakking fighter and has fighter bays?

[Alsadius]

Can you please explain why a mech suit is a frakking fighter and has fighter bays?

Judging by the name of the thread, he's thinking anime-style zippy flying mechs, not Battletech-style heavy stompy mechs. "Mobile suit" means Gundam, no? (I'm not a big anime person)

[kks]

For those who want to read the whole changes: the relevant changelogs:


Fighter Pods and Fighter Pod Bays

Ground Support Fighters

Non-Support Fighter Missions

A FFD is only needed for direct ground support, where fighters act like some kind of support for a ground formation.

The mentioned Non-Support Fighter missions don't need a FFD, as  already said. But they have lower hitchances. One should think of that more as stategic bombings or airstrikes against logistics, etc..
For having mobile flying soldiers, these could then be something like paratrooper commandoes in this case. Just with an mechsuit instead of a chute and the option to return to space.

[Coleslaw]

A FFD is only needed for direct ground support, where fighters act like some kind of support for a ground formation.

..Wait I thought you needed FFD for artillery in the support/rear echelon position too?

[SpaceMarine]

negative FFD is only for Ships and fighters to provide support

1 ffd = 1 ship  or 6 fighters