new ability for Flak

limited protection for planets from ultimate weapons

from Sins Forums

here is a suggestion for a couple new techs and a new ability for nearly worthless flak frigate.

allow the flak to target projectiles from the super weapons like the novalift.  sufficient flaks (10, 20, ?) could stop the weapon entirely protecting the planet.  obviously, there would need to be a tech to get the upgrade.  and a tech another to detect the incoming weapon.  detection at maybe 5 seconds out or something with upgrades to 10 or 15 seconds.

it would be difficult to use since you dont have the fleet capacity to keep dozens of flaks at all planets to protect them, but if used to protect a home world, or choke point it could work.  plus it would bring purpose back to the flaks.

flak gun ranges dont change, they can just see and fire on the weapon before it hits the planet.  this would require the flak group to be in the right position to stop the missile.

thoughts?

32,417 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Worthless flak frigate?! LoL!

What version are you playing?

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

agreed, flak is far from worthless, just look at their massive health!  good meatshields, and destroys the pesky fighter flies.  

you have a good idea though, just don't use flaks for them, maybe it should just be another structure entirely for the purpose of defeating giant nukes heading your ways.  some kind of "anti-novalith cannon" that fires a missile a little smaller that will collide with it to destroy it.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

i thought about the structure option and didnt like it as much.  too easy to layout the novalift defenses on every planet in the backfield.  maybe have a structure than can detect the weapon approach.  but the actual anti-weapon should be a ship.  the planetary shield is there, but i think i have many seen one or two actually used in game.

i picked the flak because it doesnt have a special ability currently.  and face it...what good is a flak against 50 or 60 squadrons of bombers that simiply fly away to attack other targets.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

flak are meant for defense for other ships, so you are supposed to keep them around your fleet in a tight fomation, at least that's what i do and it works quite well. 

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

 

Some people even spam out flak ships.  They're cheap, hardy, and they'll take down enemy fighters.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Plus, the Junsurak Sentinel shares the Charged Missile ability with the Assailant, causing AoE damage to strike craft.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

plus the biggest thing of all, sure, the novalith is a missile... but the deliverance engine is a psychic burst, and the kostura is some sort of energy weapon...

last time i checked... bullets dont hurt energy or crazy angry-girl-scout mental powers

and, to be entirely honest, ICBM's today move so fast unless you are standing in front of it you will be VERY lucky to hit it. you most likely (99.99999% wont) so an InterPlanetary Ballistic Missile is going to be impossible to hit considering how fast it would go =P

=P i would like to see flak get maybe an AoE weapon vs mines?

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

If flaks were getting any kind of boost, I'd prefer if flak frigates reduced missile damage.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Tkins, reply 8
If flaks were getting any kind of boost, I'd prefer if flak frigates reduced missile damage.
End of Tkins's quote

except the Advent dont use missiles? does unbalance it a fair bit 

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

Don't let defenders use the missile block.

 

I'd prefer them stay as is anyways.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

You couldn't aim at an IPBM...  You are dealing with weapons that move at the speed of light...  Good luck with the aiming...  By the way...  The Kostura is a giant bullet looking thing...

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top

I think they should have a abillity that shuts down the ships movement. kind of like the flak ship fires a shell that burrows in the engines then explodes and just shreds them to shit.

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

That may be to much reduced speed would be better.

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

The superweapons should definitely remain uncounterable.  They are supposed to be tools to help break stalemates at the end of long games, and any ability to neutralize their effect would be a bad thing, in my mind.

Besides the fact, as mentioned, flak frigates don't really need any improvement at this point in time.

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

You couldn't aim at an IPBM... You are dealing with weapons that move at the speed of light... Good luck with the aiming... By the way... The Kostura is a giant bullet looking thing...
End of quote

exactly what i was saying

Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top

You guys realise this is a game right?

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

Darvin3... the super weapons are not totally uncounterable... or at least they are semi-counderable if you are prepared for them.

I mean... if your heavly out numbered... like 3v1 and they are spamming superweapons... your screwed... but when things are balanced... and things have just gone into the late game... and then very late game... and if, say building 5 superweapons would hurt the economy of your enemy enough for you to attack...  (not to mention the sudden lack of repair bays and hanger defences and such)... in such a rare gem of a game... you can counter them.

 

 

Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top

NO. End of the line for this.