Squiddy McSquids possibly short life - {Possible spoilers inside}

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 00:12

crawlerw wrote:i dont like the no buying ships rule. factory TS's should be legal

Ship buying makes it too easy... using mosquitos to lure an M5 can cap it with a rear IRE in a Vulture hauler, is priceless...

muadiib · Post by **muadiib** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 00:17

Well i have just sat down and read all 19 pages of posts........

i am hooked (pardon the pun)

Problem is i dont get computer access till 19th cause i am spending the next few weeks up mountains in wales or scotland....I will go through withdrawl.....

Amazing work.

Its funny normally i play virtous characters, oblivion i play good mages, In X2 i was a bounty hunter killing pirates. Funny thing is i started re-playing oblivion on my 360 cause i had never done any of the assasin missions, i had so much fun. Been evil and having very few morals and acting purely on whim can be most gratifying.... and my character level 4 level is far tougher than my poncy mage....Mwah!!!

Might fire up X2 this xmas for some evilness....

NUKLEAR-SLUG · Post by **NUKLEAR-SLUG** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 00:48

OPERATION: ' Ooh, look! Shiny!'
-----------------------------------------

With the arrival of the HCP in CBSW the mission is a go and I jump into CBSW geared for war. Of the two HCPs I've chosen to go for the first one rather than the second. The first has several more weapons onboard which will mean it's going to be more difficult to disable but the second, while less well armed, makes up for it by carrying a substantial amount of missile firepower. Engaging the second would likely result in either it or me getting a capital-class warhead in the face. I don't much fancy either of those possibilities so HCP2 is relegated to backup option.

Currently the HCP isn't aware of the danger and the few seconds before it realises will be crucial to getting the shields low and me into position. To aid this I've brought a couple Tornado missiles with me which I intend to use to Alpha-strike it. First mistake. It turns out Tornado missiles are IFF locked and it refuses to fire on the HCP. Fair enough just have to do it the hard way and QUAD-EBC it. I've got him down to around 25% shields before he figures out I do actually mean business here and aren't just messing about and then he tags me as enemy at which point I get a volley of CIG fire directed my way. I'm anticipating it tho and avoid it.

Now it's turned into a maneuvering war. I've determined the HCP has a small blindspot slightly behind and below so I'm trying to stay within that zone and hit him with alternating EBC/ION-D. EBC to remove the shields and conserve energy, ION-D to try and burn away those CIGS. Meantime the HCP is maneuvering to try and bring his side-turrets to bear and fire his CIGS at me. Unfortunately for me the HCP is only marginally slower than I am which means it's hard for me to maintain a steady position. When he does get a bead on me I have to jink out the way but then that puts me even further off position and the speed difference makes it tricky to get back in there without taking fire. While CIG fire is relatively slow it does hit quite hard and in my case every hit is 10% off my shield.

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/1.gif

My shields ended up at a critical point and I had to break off, but I'm making some progress as you can see. I've reduced his shields to 25% capacity which makes it easier for me to get the ION-D thru. He's also lost a couple CIGS but has replaced them with PBE which in some ways is easier and others not. If I stay within 950-1000m off his position then he tries to use the PBE on me but I'm just fractionally out of range. If I drift past 1000m he switches back to CIGS and I have to start dodging. I'm having to try and maintain some fairly precise positioning, while in a turning maneuver and while under fire and swapping between EBC and ION to maximise burntime. I need more fingers.

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/2.gif

As you'll probably gather this hurt. A lot. In short I just plain got outmaneuvered and with his high base speed I wasn't able to pull away fast enough and got banjoed good and proper. I'm fairly sure the mass of Wasps I fired to distract as I hit the jumpdrive saved my skin there. Barely tho. Anyways, I wound up at the east gate and while the HCP came steaming in quickly called in my second Blastclaw, transferred across and jumped the first one back to CBSE.

Back in action again, I've learned my lesson, and I've decided to changed my tactics. Instead of trying to maintain a position close enough to encourage the HCP to waste PBE shots I'm hanging back a little more and consequently I'm having CIG fire lobbed my way again. Instead of trying to follow the HCP tho I'm using boost to accelerate to top speed and then immediately cutting my engines, turn to a different vector and repeat. In short I'm making random pulsed movements and hitting him with fire inbetween. I'm finding this is confusing his turrets a fair bit to the point where we get here..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/3.gif

This one's a fair while later but as you can see I've made good progress. In fact left and rear turrets have been completely disabled so I'm now holding position off his left flank and frazzling him with no return fire. It's just a matter of time now. At least that's what I thought. After about 15 mins of constant frying that turret still wasn't disabled and I wasn't going to attempt a boarding pod with that turret still active. I was starting to wonder if it was because it was the other side of the ship so I decided I'ld be clever and buzz over the other side of him and hit it direct. It was a move that turned out to be not so very clever after all because as I did so he suddenly banked round the other direction, pinned me in a turn again and then pulled twin PBE out of somewhere and flayed my shields off again before I could duck under him. I knew he had them but as he'ld made no attempt to use them in other turrets I'd made the mistake of assuming he wouldn't.

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/4.gif

Lesson learned I went back to being patient and as you can see was duly rewarded. Took a while tho.

With the HCP properly disabled this time (and I made sure by flying all around it) It's time to capture it so I jump in my M7M and prepare to initiate boarding action. I'm all set to go when..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/5.gif

..Gold wing shows up, which is a bit of an issue because they've been assigned to follow the second HCP around. It would appear I've been tied up with the first for so long that the other one has caught up. It also appears this guy is aiming to be a pain as well because he faffs around for a full 15 mins before finally deciding all is fine and heading north. Just as well really because by this point I've called in the rest of Gold wing and was very close to issuing a kill order.

Distraction done with I set the weapon loadout on my Blastclaw back to quad-EBC and IRE turrets and then transfer across to my M7M. Assigning my Blastclaw to shield supression the HCP seems to finally give up as he cuts engines and just sits there. Fine with me, that just makes life easier. Soon as the shields hit 4% I fire Boarding pod 01..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/7.jpg

..which you can just see between my M7M and the HCP. A clean connection and while they cut the hull I transfer to my Blastclaw and keep the shields low. And they're in..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/8.jpg

..it all goes to plan, Olmanckelttak breaks out his Vista boot-disk and reboots the ship computer and..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/9.jpg

.. Sweet.

Debrief:
Aside from a little cretinism on my part on my part that went fairly smoothly. The mission lasted for nearly an hour in total and given that the only military/police vessel that showed up in all that time was the second HCP wandering thru suggests CBSW was indeed a good choice to stage the op. 61% for a capture isn't too bad, it'll cost a few million to repair but that's to be accepted. Mission costs were a little higher than would have been preferred. Blastclaw 2 needs at least 500k of repairs and Blastclaw 1 is going to be far too costly to repair. I think I'll just write that one off.

Overall I think the mission total cost was around the 8 million mark when you add everything up. Compared to the approx. 500k it cost me to capture the M7M 'Ask Questions later' that's probably not looking so good, but it was a positive outcome and overall that's what counts at this stage.

Total Assets:
1x HCP 'Thunderchild'
4x 200Mj shield
6x HEPT, 2x PBG, 3x PBE, 1x ION-D

1x Minotaur 'Ask Questions Later'
1x Zephyras TM
1x Medusa 'Questionable Ethics'
2x Blastclaw
3x Blastclaw Prototype
3x Caiman SF - L
2x Caiman SF - S
1x Caiman Hauler 'Logistical Support'
1x Caiman Miner 'Red Dwarf'
1x Toucan Hauler 'Dropship - 01'
1x Hermes 'Dropship - 02'
1x Express
1,200,000cr

craigr1982 · Post by **craigr1982** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:16

fantastic work there!!

I envy your boarding skills and look forward to your next step in global domination

Fendalis · Post by **Fendalis** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:17

One word... WOOT!!!!!

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:21

OMG! Good job man.

KiwiNZ · Post by **KiwiNZ** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:25

Well done, mate. It was a close call there with your first Blastclaw. Even at a cost of eight million you have done well. There is, after all, no other way to obtain one of these prototypes and they are the toughest of the lot.

Andaius · Post by **Andaius** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:35

Exellent job! So the second blastclaw is going to be scrapped ot repaired in parts? So what are you goign to do with your new toy?

Post by **Nanook** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:53

I wouldn't scrap the Blastclaw, personally. There's a fair number of credits just tied up in engine, rudder and cargo upgrades that won't be fully recouped with a sale. And those are upgrades that would need to be purchased with the next capture, most likely. Surely, since Squiddy was personally flying the ship when the damage occurred, it falls under the 'repair own ship with repair laser' rule.

Andaius · Post by **Andaius** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 01:55

I would agree!

Stryc9 · Post by **Stryc9** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 02:06

Yet another exciting episode. Today with added inspiration, after reading yesterday's post I decided to spend some time in CBSW and managed add two Demeter Superfreighters to my fleet, they're both on their way back to the shipyard in Argon Prime for repairs as I'm playing X3R and have no fancy repair laser thing.

kurush · Post by **kurush** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 02:17

Brilliant! But considering that you disarmed the HP and it actually shut down the engines, wasn't it a waste to use the boarding pod? It is one precious resource out there better saved for destroyers....

GCU Grey Area · Post by **GCU Grey Area** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 02:49

Nanook wrote:Surely, since Squiddy was personally flying the ship when the damage occurred, it falls under the 'repair own ship with repair laser' rule.

I agree with Nanook: you broke it - you fix it (no taking the easy option & getting a shipyard to do it for you

)
Congratulations on your latest acquisition by the way - I remember when I went after a HCP - tough brute of a ship to capture. I didn't fare much better: lots of hull damage & smashed equipment & that was while flying another M6 (a standard HC bought specifically for the purpose & never flown since). Dread to think what would have happened if I'd been in an M3 at the time.

Ravenholme · Post by **Ravenholme** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 02:54

If only Tupman could get his hands on such a ship.... *Sighs*

Excellent 'episode' Squiddy, truly inspirational.

Though I may have to avoid following in his footsteps, I want Tupman to survive to recieve that Hyperion Vanguard

(New Installment up for anyone interested, btw)

Necrosexual · Post by **Necrosexual** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 03:30

He's unstoppable! With this new victory the Xverse as we know it is on the brink of annihilation.

Oh and Squiddy I recommend 2 ion pulse generators (weapon group 2) in the main and 4 cigs(group 1)

with plasma burst generators in the turrets.(anything else just misses for all eternity and wastes energy).

phoenix-it · Post by **phoenix-it** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 10:59

Makes me wonder if he shouldn't change his no buying ships rule to exclude used ships. With a couple of the prices that I have picked up used M6's for, he is spending MANY times more money to capture one.

Still, it's a great accomplishment... And makes me wonder why I have been thinking that you can destroy some guns with ION-D's but that SOME will always remain. If it is possible to completely shut down a ship's turrets I might go after that Agamemnon I've been wanting so badly.

KiwiNZ · Post by **KiwiNZ** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 11:22

That's about to change. Now that he has a corvette himself, expenses during capture will drop considerably. Besides, the prototypes aren't for sale second hand, are they? I also appear to need to work on a rank or two because I haven't seen any corvettes on the 2nd hand market yet.

In regards to repairing, Squiddy might opt to manually repair the corvette and have the fighters fixed at the shipyard. That'd probably till be a lot cheaper.

Mouseco · Post by **Mouseco** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 11:32

Indeed, I never realised IonDs actually started stripping off ships systems .... If its true then I've got a skate prototype with about 9 of them on ....

Is this actually confirmed?

If so ... Time to go annoy the paranid

muaha

angels7707 · Post by **angels7707** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 11:40

well..what can l say.. hoora....nice change of tactics... and who said you don't need to know the finer details.. they really count..

still waiting for my X3:TC...hope l can get to my frist cap.

KiwiNZ · Post by **KiwiNZ** » Thu, 4. Dec 08, 11:55

ION-Ds always destroyed systems, from the moment they were introduced to the game.

egosoft.com

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Squiddy McSquids possibly short life - {Possible spoilers inside}