Shiver wrote:The 2418-B's lightning has variable range which can actually hit Chmmr from beyond its reach. As many as 1 in 30 shots will do so, if memory serves. This is, of course, a disgusting exploit and anyone that actually uses it should not be played with in PvP. Thankfully, this trick was so obscure that it never caused any problems in #uqm-arena back in the day.
Does anybody know how the probe’s firing pattern is determined? I always thought it was a pattern of lightning that shot towards the enemy, and if they were in range it arched out more to make contact and decrease the target’s hit points, with the remaining lightning bolts displayed just for aesthetic fluff. To reiterate and expand, to me it looked as if most of the zaps were pre-configured to hit static locations (pardon the pun) at their pre-set coordinates. Does this mean all of the lightning directional points are determined “on-the-spot” by ways of a variable generator in relation to their target? Could the lightning pattern appearance itself be generated in a similar fashion? Also, is the fuel consumption 1 bolt per energy unit?
Draxas wrote:Exploit or not, you've got to be damn good controlling one of the toughest ships to keep under control in order to make that work. It also sounds even more dull than trying to plink away at an Avatar with a Torch.
Well, since you bring up the torch, let’s see how they did, but I’m sure we’ll soon learn the best method is to not let the computer fly your torch for you!
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“To make the Thraddash your friends, you should consider killing most, but not all of them.” - Melnorme
14 Chmmr Avatars (14 x 30 = 420 pts.)
VS.
14 Thraddash Torches (14 x 10 = 140 pts.)
RESULTS: Chmmr wins with all 14 Avatars remaining!
Approximate battle time: 3 minutes
ANALYSIS: Well, the Chmmr weren’t making any new friends today -- they killed all of the Thraddash with a fervent quickness! One of their ZapSats was eventually destroyed, and then the rockets started penetrating the barrier more, leaving the Avatar crew down to about a third… I’m thinking maybe another 2 or 3 torches may have finally taken it down! Maybe. In fact, the ZapSats blocked just about everything that came within range, including the long lines of afterburner chemtrails, which the ZapSats would fire upon in succession as you’d hear the “Tap, tap, tap!” sound of those little lasers blasting away at fire puffs. I’ve learned that the AI is pretty crazy flying a Torch, and it was constantly in danger when it would attempt to sweep in for an attack, and only when they dared to venture through the path of the Avatar that the afterburner plasma could even get through, though it usually meant the quick destruction of the attacking Torch.
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