Superlaser balance question

[Corusca Fire]

Im wondering about the balance implications of having a ship with a super laser. It could easily end up like this:

*enter eclipse*
*eclipse zaps planet*
*eclipse leaves before response is organized*
*enter eclipse*
*eclipse zaps planet*
*eclipse leaves before response is organized*
*enter eclipse*
*eclipse zaps planet*
*eclipse leaves before response is organized*
*enter eclipse*
*eclipse zaps planet*
*eclipse leaves before response is organized*

Is that going to be a problem--it could get pretty cheap if it was possible.

[Corey]

It's solved by the simple fact that the Eclipse and Sovereign can't zap planets in the mod.

[GrndAdmrlPellaeon]

And they are extremely vulnerable to a well organized bomber attack. (Basic Rebel ideology)

[Corusca Fire]

It's solved by the simple fact that the Eclipse and Sovereign can't zap planets in the mod.

Okay, i didn't know that.  I figured that the Sovereign couldn't, but the fact that the Eclipse can't is (good) news to me.

[Zeron]

While their super lasers can crack planets, it also renders them completely useless to anyone. Not the kind of thing a resource-starved IR would want. Thus, TR isn't bothering to implement it. And yes, it's also because it could be exploited fairly easily. But not only because of that.

[LucianoStarKiller]

eclipse enters zap station and leaves
but anyway whats would be the good (or fun) in it
even if it could destroy planets i wouldnt (think about all poor AI in the planet!)
whats the good to be emperor if half of the planets pf the galaxy  were destroyed!

[admiralcamo]

But now that leaves us with this:
Bring in many tartans and eclipse.
Zap station/everything else
Leave.
I am proposing that While the laser is charging up, all weapons, sheilds, and gravity control generators on the eclipse turn off, allowing the super laser to charge up. when it is done, the weapons and gravity control generator turn on, but sheilds need to recharge, allowing fighters/corvettes to damage the eclipse.

[Dane Kiet]

That would take some interesting coding. The laser already has a long charge-up time, and the lancers (tartans were removed) would have to hold off everything the NR has in space. While the the Eclipse is heavily armed, it is not invincible. And, to be frank, the majority of NR fighters are particularly strong, and enough of those can actually fight lancers. You have to be careful with the Eclipse, there is only one; when it dies, it is gone. Mix in planetary Ion cannons and a large enough defense fleet made up of a mix of units can destroy it.

[admiralcamo]

Well, a long chargeup time is still very unbalanced. I can just camp with hundreds of lancers/bombers/fighters/executor and wait until the laser is charged then blow up the 16000+ main space station. then finish off the rest of the shipyards and enemy.

[LucianoStarKiller]

well im sure its pretty expansive and beside that it still only one ship
in another mod in alliance if you only bring it to a battle you are dead
im sure here is the same

[Corey]

Well, a long chargeup time is still very unbalanced. I can just camp with hundreds of lancers/bombers/fighters/executor and wait until the laser is charged then blow up the 16000+ main space station. then finish off the rest of the shipyards and enemy.

If you have a fleet that good, why do you need the Eclipse or Sovereign anyways? If the enemy fleet is so small that destroying the station removes any chance of them winning, they were probably going to lose anyways. The SSDs (Executors, The Eclipse and Sovereigns) have taken quite a bit of focus from the team for balancing, and we think we've got them in a good place. They're hard to beat, but nowhere near impossible. The Superlaser is very helpful, but it isn't capable of winning the battle for you.

[RockNRollJoe]

So is it possible to destroy a planet in this mod?



Joe

[Zeron]

Nope.

[RockNRollJoe]

That's a shame but what can you do.
I thought if the Eclipse was destroyed they would make it hit the planet and destroy it like that.
That would be great to watch!!!



Joe