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Author Topic: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(  (Read 3860 times)

Thaago

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Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« on: August 22, 2012, 11:47:51 AM »

I'm hunting the SDF with a midline fleet: Conquest (me), 3 Hammerheads, Venture, and fighters to fill. Normally its a pretty easy fight... but this time things get fubar.

I'm finishing off one Onslaught after some hard close in fighting (sucked burn drive'd right into me!) when another burn drives into fighting range on my other side and unloads its thermal cannons. I pop up my shield to block them, but mistime my drop and overload! So I'm in a pretty intact but overloaded Conquest square between one almost dead Onslaught who is just finished venting and another one with high flux but full health! I was totally convinced I was dead.

Enter my elite Hammerhead, my flagship for countless battles before I moved up. It comes roaring up into the back of the crippled Onslaught with its heavy mauler going double speed - I'm pretty sure it was actually swarmers that finished the Onslaught off, but thats just a nice ironic twist. The explosion was really painful for my Conquest however and the other Onslaught is breaking my starboard armor pretty fast. The Hammerhead swings around the hulk and me and gets right between me and the Onslaught! It goes toe to toe with the beast protecting me. Overload finished I was still forced to back off as the blast and beating had knocked out most of my weapons on both sides. The Hammerhead pulls back but is chewed to hell - at this point another (just veteran, my number 2 ship) shows up and starts kiting the Onslaughts engines. My weapons come online, the storm needlers do their work, and I sink 4 reapers into the Onslaught face. Just as it blows though, a Lasher sinks a harpoon into my venting buddy. You had to be a hero! *sniff*


I have no idea if the AI actually has 'here I come to save the day' coded in where ships will protect vulnerable other ships, but it made for a hell of a sight!
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BillyRueben

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2012, 12:02:22 PM »

A good read, but I'm not sure what to add to it...

Erm... Hurray for the AI?
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Aleskander

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2012, 12:02:51 PM »

I know what you mean

My frigates always try to save something, although more often it's the enemy
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robokill

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2012, 12:11:04 PM »

if only all my ships were like that
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K-64

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2012, 01:14:43 PM »

I have no idea if the AI actually has 'here I come to save the day' coded in where ships will protect vulnerable other ships, but it made for a hell of a sight!

I think it may have a "Well, he's saving my arse now, better back off" thing going on as well. One time when I was in a fight in Caelus, I command a Dawnforce light frigate, and have another identical one controlled by the AI. The AI one had been distracting the big ship of the fleet (a convoy protection cruiser of some description) while I was off taking down the freighters. Once I had dealt with my part, I went over to assist as I saw it was taking on a cruiser all by itself. As soon as I arrived and started pelting on the ship's vulnerable area, it turned round to try and take me on. During which the AI Dawnforce backed off for a much-needed venting, then went on to pulverise the rear while I was the one doing the distracting.

Like with your story there, the only thing I could think was "Holy crap that was awesome!"
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Voyager I

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2012, 01:19:22 PM »

I'm just wondering how you managed to get three Hammerheads.  I have never seen one for sale beyond the one that starts out in the Hegemony station.  I guess you just have to hunt mercenaries and get lucky?
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Avan

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2012, 01:34:22 PM »

Actually yes, IIRC depending on orders, the AI of a smaller ship does have the option to go in and save a larger one. ;) (ie, Full-Escort does this) - I've had this happen with my shield hounds where they would go in and intercept incoming missiles or ships (which has included flying shields-first into torpedoes), though they tend to survive most of these engagements because of their extremely fast venting, shields, and maneuverability.

Hopelessnoob

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2012, 01:45:46 PM »

Its things like this i love about the game, I was flying my conquest agains the system defense fleet, all 3 of their onslaughts are on the field ripping into me when my own onslaught burn drives into them, now an important thing to know here is all 3 onslaughts are practically touching each other. my onslaught kills the one hes touching, theres a flash of light and then i see the bodies of 4 onslaughts floating there :(
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Thaago

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2012, 04:52:16 PM »

I'm just wondering how you managed to get three Hammerheads.  I have never seen one for sale beyond the one that starts out in the Hegemony station.  I guess you just have to hunt mercenaries and get lucky?

Restock mod! :P
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Archduke Astro

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2012, 07:38:20 PM »

Thaago, your "Restock" mod is indeed a perfect fit here. Don't leave Corvus II without it, folks! ;D
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when we got a message up the voice pipe
saying that 'A' Turret magazine was on fire.....

Doom101

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2012, 08:07:50 AM »

I've seen many stories like this and even posted a few myself of the miraculous saves the AI can sometimes pull off, someone should make a thread with copies of all of them on the forum, it'd be hell to find them all but it'd be a great read.

ahh but your story reminded me of a time i was in a Medusa ( this was before ship systems) and i accidentally overloaded versus a venture i think. and just as it fired its salvos of harpoons at me, my other Medusa which had just finished off a few fighter wings swung around in front of me and soaked all the harpoons for me. When he was coming about i thought he was just going to ram the venture then suddenly he is in front of the missiles, which would have easily killed me at that point.

it still amazes me today whenever one of my fleet members happens to be nearby and throws himself in harms way for his commander, i swear these guys deserve promotions. when we eventually get ship captains i'm giving these guys my best ships. :D
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When you can't go on, just accept your doom. It comes to all, it is inevitable.

Also I totally had the name BEFORE the cruiser.

DelicateTask

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Re: Gonna miss my Hammerhead :'(
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2012, 09:35:20 AM »

I've played the crap out of this game, but every time I read something like this, I get the urge to go play some more. It's kinda like Deus Ex. Somebody mentions it and someone else must reinstall it (you heard me, now go).

The AI in this game is nothing short of miraculous, and it's constantly getting improved.
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