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Post by pendell on May 9, 2014 19:15:53 GMT -5
I can think of three possible configurations: * 1 hydra and 2 neptunes. The neptunes for raw firepower and the hydra as rear guard. use the hydra to prep and shape the battlefield, then the neptunes to blast anything that comes down the channels that the hydra creates. * 1 hydra, 1 berserker, 1 neptune. Use the berserker as point and the captain as rear guard to conserve ammunition until we reach our target location, then set up the hydra and the neptune on defense. * 3 berserkers. This would be a situation where we absolutely had no choice but to run out of ammunition and we're holding for forever. In which case, get 4 melee specialists and set them back to back facing one each in the four cardinal directions. Than fight back to back until we are relieved or are overwhelmed. For the glory of the Templars! Frankly, no, for three reasons. 1) Without corresponding honor to back up the prestige, the prestige unlock isn't worth much. I'd have to grind honor to buy the goodies in the first place, and if I'm going to grind, I'm going to grind in the toughest campaign my squad can handle. In which case, I'll probably get the prestige anyway. 2) Although I'm only playing on normal level, part of the fun of the game is to make do with what you have rather than simply buying top of the line equipment. You can't make maximum use of better equipment until you've had a bash with the starting and intermediate equipment. 3) It might be different if it were some kind of game currency like zorkmids or credits. But the idea of BUYING honor or prestige, to me, robs the word of any meaning. I enjoy roleplaying my characters. I can't imagine an Exemplar Templar Knight stooping to buy honor. The completion of the mission, the purging of evil , the bringing of one's comrades back alive -- these are the things that make a Templar. BUYING prestige? Fah! Respectfully, Brian P.
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Post by pendell on May 9, 2014 16:18:32 GMT -5
So I've been playing on regular mode and I've reached some conclusions vis-a-vis the specialists. I present them here to see if other people have the same experience and, of course, to benefit them .
The three specialists are: Berserker, Hydra Flame Thrower, Neptune Heavy Repeater.
Berserker Catch Phrase: YA HA CHOUHAHADA!!! Schtick: Carries a big axe and a shield for additional protection; specializes in melee. Pros: NEVER runs out of ammo. Also if you're going to do melee combat the big guy with the shield makes life much easier. While I haven't used them yet I suspect the ability to add in ATRUS gadgets to the shield doesn't hurt either.
Cons: -1 AP for the shield and -AP for the better armor means that he's not very fast. Also, he can only attack in the square directly in front of him, unliked the range combatants whose arc of fire is best described by a cone in the direction they are facing. There's also the tiny problem that ranged attackers can stand outside his range and plink him to death.
Best Use: I've found the best use for the berserker is on a "gauntlet" type mission with xeno enemies. With your berserker up front and your captain on rear guard, they can cruise along at a good 2 squares a turn and still have AP left to squash bugs who get in their way. Your soldiers in the middle will get bored from having nothing to do, and you may be able to make it through with more than half your ammunition. Speed is life, and a berserker-led convoy can be quite speedy. It doesn't work nearly as well in wide-open spaces where the enemy can outflank him, however. Which is why the berserker is best backed up by a buddy with a projectile weapon who can cover his flanks.
Hydra Flame Specialist Catch Phrase; F-LAMING DEATH! Schtick: Carries a flame thrower which sets fire to the squares in front of the trooper and spreads out in a cone. The flame backwashes from the target point, so the target must be at least 3 squares away (4 squares for the plasma incinerator) or the hydra will be caught in his own fire. If additional troops are immediately behind the hydra, they may also be caught in the fire. Finally, he can fire his flamethrower even at 0 AP
and he cannot miss, giving him a critical mobility advantage over other specialists.
Fires start at stage 2 (very hot), and degrade to stage 1 either with the passage of time (2-3 turns) or if a target is caught in the flames. A stage 1 fire will go completely out if it is degraded further, again by time or by contact with units.
Pros: So long as his ammunition holds out, the hydra is the best rear guard in the game. Simply turn around, leave a wall of fire behind you, then about face and run as fast as you can until the fire runs out. In this way a hydra-backed squad can be among the fastest in the game, because your rear is protected by fire. The Hydra is also excellent in other defensive applications, in that it can deny terrain with walls of fire, shaping the battlefield and making everything easier. Finally, because fire is persistent, this means that enemies will continue to die from it even though you are doing nothing. Because of this the hydra consistently racks up the highest kill counts in my games. He's even useful against Boss-type enemies, if they are coming to you, as you can leave a welcoming carpet of fire for them to walk in on.
Cons: The hydra has limited utility on offense, because the fire he generates will block off the passage to you as well. Thus the hydra requires more careful thinking than any other specialist, as a mistake may cut off your goal with a wall of fire, or even burn your own troops. Also, while fire is persistent it is not a *guaranteed* kill. I have observed Xenos crawling through a full five squares of fire to attack the troopers on the other side. So the hydra isn't your man if you must have a guaranteed kill.
Also, as discussed, the Hydra is not a close-combat specialist. If a Xeno gets close his only option is to punch him out with a melee weapon, set fire to himself and the rest of the squad with his flamethrower, or simply take the hit. For this reason a hydra is best escorted by a projectile-throwing comrade who, again, can guard his flanks.
Best Use: As a "minelayer" to leave walls of flame across enemy avenues of approach. This will kill lots of opponents and provide a breathing space for the team to get away. Also terrific in defensive applications such as the Siege of Roavin, where your characters can hide behind a wall of flame and let the xenos march in to extinction. Excels in wide-open areas in defense against a multiple-aspect attack.
Neptune Weapons Specialist Catch Phrase: "Today's weather will be ... cloudy with a chance of MILLIONS OF BULLETS." Schtick: Carries a repeating weapon with an outstanding ammunition load. Cannot move once he starts firing. Does not lose AP after firing if he hits with the weapon. Cannot shoot through other players, unlike the soldier, scout, and captain.
Pros: Excellent on defense and on offense. Need to get into a bridge swarming with enemies? Put your Neptune up front and let him walk into the objective all guns blazing. Suddenly beset from behind on that same bridge? Put your Neptune at the choke point and have everyone else start a card game while he makes a Metal Storm in the corridor. Also, the Neptune is terrific as a boss-killer. If you see an enemy with >10 HP, put the Neptune in front of it at range and the Neptune will take it down long before it closes. Nearly as good on rear guard as the flame thrower and the berserker. Has a significant advantage of the flamethrower in that he is very likely to hit and the hit is guaranteed either to kill, or give the Neptune more AP to kill him with the next shot. So when it absolutely, positively, has to die this turn, call 1-800-NEPTUNE.
Cons: Slow. By Shai-Halud, slow. He's not fast to begin with, and the better armor takes him down as much as 2 AP. So a squad with a Neptune in it isn't going anywhere fast. Wasted on vanguard if there are not many enemies or a boss in front, and he can only back up so far a turn. So a Neptune squad moves one square -- fires -- more one square -- fires -- on and on and on. So the Neptune is not for you if speed is essential. Use a berserker to lead the way or a hydra to provide a fiery rear guard.
Best Use: I prefer them when advancing against large numbers of ranged fighters, since the Berserker would have to rush them and the hydra can't obstruct the squad's line of advance. Also can fill in for a hydra or berserker on defense, although somewhat slower than either.
Comparison of Neptune and Hydra:
Both are specialists, meaning they are critical in some situations and absolute rubbish in others. Still, if I had to choose ONLY ONE, I would take the hydra. This is because mobility is critical to my game. The hydra loses no AP and , in fact, can fire his flamethrower at 0 AP, while the Neptune must always cease movement to fire. Most situations a Neptune can handle a hydra can also, with the exception of requiring suppressing fire in an advance. So I choose the hydra for near-equivalent performance, better defensive capability, and better movement.
Be that as it may, there is a great deal of synergy when you have BOTH a Neptune and a Hydra, especially in a defensive role. When your back is to the wall, the hydra can lay down a fiery carpet and the Neptune can then shoot anything that comes through it. The hydra can then lay down fire again covering the Neptune's retreat. So, rather than choosing one or the other, the best choice in a defensive scenario is BOTH.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on May 9, 2014 11:53:41 GMT -5
Thanks,
At any rate, my question has been answered. A subsequent mention commented that "Only the most heroic captains will transport artifacts. A trade permit is required to transport or sell artifacts".
So the Templars DO recognize faction trade permits. Interesting. I would have thought ALL artifact smuggling would have been banned, and to be licensed by a faction meant that the faction was licensing you to conduct 'black' operations on their behalf, in contravention of Shalun Law. So you would have been in danger from Xenos, the other factions, AND the templars.
After all, it makes perfect sense for the factions to loudly proclaim their loyalty to Shalun law while scrambling for every advantage they could get through artifacts.
But evidently it doesn't work that way.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on May 8, 2014 13:41:34 GMT -5
So, just finished the mission where you follow a rogue trader into an artifact dig site. He escapes, having stolen an artifact and butchered his entire crew, then blows the elevator trapping our Templar squad behind. He goes to the surface with his new minions, overpowers the Templar ship there, and escapes. Our heroes are marooned on the planet until ANOTHER explorer shows up, at which point they pirate -- excuse me, commandeer -- his ship, presumably executing the explorer and his crew, and return to base.
Thing is, in Star Traders Explorer is a respectable job. While trading in artifacts requires a license, and being caught with them without a license will result in their confiscation, it rarely results in the death penalty unless the faction who has caught you already hates you for other reasons. Something about decorating every sector in the quadrant with the wreckage of Steel Song ships seems to offend them, for some reason.
You don't ever encounter the Templars as adversaries in Star Traders. You can even sign them on as members of your crew, and go alien-squishing together.
May I ask why this is? Do Templars recognize Faction licenses to trade in and explore for artifacts and electronics? Are there anger at rogue traders confined to, say, independents who murder their own crews? If not, why are they neutral-to-friendly to explorers and merchants in ST but seem to be utter death on them in Templar assault?
Also, what is the Dark Age? Are those human ruins from a time before Shalun? Or extraterrestrial? Or both?
Also, just an observation: The Templar ships we encoounter in the ST universe are RUBBISH compared to, say a Spear Cutter or some of the dreadnaughts. If the Templars are supposed to be the only protection of humanity against outside threats, why do they have mediocre ships compared to the factions and even compared to Independents?
Also, I saw it mentioned that -- Cory, was it? -- is a huge Dune nerd. That was an awesome book. If you've got anything to say on how the book influenced your work, or anything ELSE about Dune, I'd love to read it. Does the Galactic War in ST correspond to the Butlerian Jihad, for example?
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on May 4, 2014 17:35:26 GMT -5
I ask because I've just discovered the Hydra specialist, and after two battles I want to name him Gandalf. So I can use the line:
FWOOOOSH.
Darn this game does things to you.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on May 2, 2014 17:57:06 GMT -5
So, just started this excellent game. Congratulations, Trese brothers! I've never seen a game that quite so effectively captured the feel of Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers". I do have ONE suggestion. I just finished the "Gauntlet" mission. Having got through the tutorial, I read the instructions carefully: 1) Primary objective: Reach the extraction point. 2) Secondary objective: Eliminate all Xenos. The last mission had a counter to eliminate 25 xenos, so I assumed there would be a hidden counter in this mission. I assumed that because there was an objective, all I had to do was camp in a corner and pile up the corpses until all the xenos were gone, then stroll to the exit. You can guess what happened. The bodies piled up ... and piled up ... and piled up ... At this point I began to suspect there was no hidden counter. So my next thought was: "What if this is like the last mission of the tutorial, where you had to find and destroy the egglayers?" I carefully began a room-by-room sweep of the ship looking for such an egg. Eventually, people started getting killed and I aborted the level. Thoroughly frustrated, I went on line to see how other people had done this, only to find the secondary objective was flavor text only. THE ENEMIES ON THIS LEVEL ARE INFINITE. GAHHHHHHHHH-AHHH! So I would humbly suggest that any flavor text go into the mission briefing or background, and anything listed in the objectives, primary or secondary, is both measurable and possible within the game engine. I dislike impossible tasks, though I do like this game . It's nice to see more of the Star Traders universe! Respectfully, Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Dec 10, 2013 22:30:16 GMT -5
I direct your attention to the Quantum Vibe webcomic, and it's current space pirate arc, starting in this episode. I think this little arc has a great deal of parallels to the Star Traders universe, and I think Jesus Hernandez would fit in well there. In some ways it is a textbook operation. Here are some of the skills I see used: Stealth. The pirates use hologram technology to create false sensor images. This allows them to close the range to the passenger ship without eating weapons fire -- not much different from ST pirates evading torpedoes. Piloting: The pirates must close the range to the civilian craft in order to engage it, and this they do, aided by the aforementioned stealth. Tactics: After closing to point blank range, the pirates use pinpoint weapons fire to disarm the vessel without breaching the hull. Once this is done, they train the weapons on the victim's command deck and demand surrender. This is not at all different from ST, except we disable a vessel's engines rather than the ship's guns. Warrior: While Jesus Hernandez does not participate in combat, it is apparent from the fact that he is in the first wave through the airlock and through his later actions that he trains in hand-to-hand combat. I would not be surprised if warrior was his second-highest stat. Intimidation: This is his prime stat. Everything about him oozes intimidation. The shaved head. The opaque sunvisor. The tall, muscular physique. The quick violence. The authoritative choice of words. The refusal to smile even once or to show the slightest softness to his victims. Everything about him communicates one thing and one thing only: I am the pirate Jesus Hernandez, and *I* am the one in charge here. The one thing they bring up which ST does not model well is *information*. It's obvious to me that what makes the pirate successful is not any of those stats but the vast quantity of information he has at his disposal. I suspect he had inside help from the crew. The fact that he had exact access to the personnel records. The fact that he subverted the combat robots used for anti-boarding defense. The text implies this operations was weeks, even months, in the planning stages, and therefore he must have known the vessel's exact flight itinerary and defensive capabilities, allowing him to stage a letter-perfect assault with zero casualties. Meanwhile , I suspect his ability to obscure that same information is what allows him to function as a Dark Nemesis at war with all Quantum Vibe factions. This is not something ST models well. I wonder if it could...? Info which can be purchased in bars which can make a mission easier, for a price? Something to think about. Anyway, enjoy the story! Respectfully, Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Dec 10, 2013 22:16:19 GMT -5
GOT IT!
Yes, Captain RR (short for rapid rank) achieved rapid rank 3 at 62.54 ST. It was a tough run.
I started out naming my captains for this attempt RR1, RR2, RR3... but I eventually gave up when I hit double-digit RRs and just started naming them RR. I went through a LOT of captains.
The first few Captains I tried running delivery missions between De Valtos Prime and Syndicate Prime. This just didn't get the rep up fast enough.
So I started supplementing my deliveries with purchases of records on syndicate prime, then selling them right back as soon as I bought them. This gave me the necessary rep, but I didn't have enough money to buy the necessary ranks.
I also had another problem. More time spent flying around meant more time encountering ships or the hazards of space, resulting in more time in the star dock, wasting too much time.
So I tried running a Javat explorer. This gave me a lot more money, but the rep simply didn't climb fast enough. I tried supplementing with records from Syndicate Prime, but it was too far away.
The explorer gave me metric tons of money fast, but didn't let me gain rep fast enough. The delivery route and purchase of records gave me rep, but not enough money.
So eventually, I compromised.
The final strategy was a De Valtos Explorer flying a Fidei Defensor. I put 2 additional points into negotiation, then afterwards began levelling up exploration and negotiation repeatedly.
Touch at Devaltos Prime just long enough to drop off the starting delivery contract, then immediately fly to Syndicate Prime. Touch down long enough to pick up a trade permit and some water, then it's off to Ugolhosh to start exploring.
Once I had a full cargo bay or something close to it, fly back to Syndicate Prime to sell my artifacts and other goodies. This gave me a small bonus, but nothing compared to what I got when I bought all the records on Syndicate Prime than sold them right back. Rinse and repeat.
It took many attempts. The first couple of times I simply didn't get enough rep quickly enough. Another time Syndicate Prime had zero records for sale. Yet another time, my planetary exploration was dead zone.
One time I was challenged by a star freighter controlled by the Alien, though my holds were empty. It killed me because I had put no points into piloting or tactics.
Finally, after many attempts, I was able to hit the exact right combination of jackpot on the wild planet + bountiful records on syndicate prime + spy war with Javat for increased rep. This pushed my rep up to 116 - elite hero with Devaltos More than the 95 or so I needed.
So it's now time for a mad buying spree of promotions. Finish up at 62.54 with $1,654 left. Recorded the achievement. And now I never have to do THAT again. Thank God.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 20, 2013 22:57:36 GMT -5
How can we have Spice without sandworms?
Something along the line of stillsuits (though not named that, for copyright reasons) might be a useful upgrade. Possible improvements would be to either 1) reduce water consumption while in space or 2) improve crew survivability on-planet. One or the other. Both would be a little too uber, don't you think?
Also ,
Just now looking at templar assault -- why is it we never encounter the Templar navy in star traders? We encounter aliens. Presumably the templar navy is powerful enough to prevent steel song being wiped out by the combined might of the other factions, but we never encounter them. We encounter their personnel and sometimes their ships, but never the *faction* as such.
I'd like to see the templar navy as an actual faction without bases. Do enough missions of the right type and you'll be approached by agents, first indirectly through false-flag ops, then later upgraded to first meeting them directly, than full member status if you're willing to co-operate. And the reverse is true: Doing too much of the wrong thing invokes the wrath of templar, and it should make captains who don't blink at insane difficulty tremble in their boots at the thought of being hunted across the quadrant by the most powerful, fanatical, and ruthless force in known space.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 20, 2013 22:51:26 GMT -5
Maybe I've not read the manual thoroughly, but I'm curious as to the backstory of the different factions ? I see there are clues scattered here and there on the board -- something about steel song having a great purge and eliminating all records which don't agree with the ruling party -- but I don't have a clear picture of who the different teams are , who their heroes and villains are or, well , much of anything about the contract save rumors in the spice hall.
Help?
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 20, 2013 19:38:06 GMT -5
I've noticed that Remcoole seems to give really good deals on artifacts -- around $1000 or so. When there wasn't a shortage elsewhere I'd run a load up to Thulun Prime and sell 'em for $2000.
De Valtos Prime always has LOTS and lots of spice.
Javat Prime seems to have its share of metal and crystals.
My trade routes were almost all one way -- from any faction world to any independent world, then deadhead back to a faction world. Prices are high at independent worlds so they are great places to sell, not so great places to buy.
Players of Spaceward ho! (http://www.deltatao.com/ho/) divide planets into three types: 1) Planets which will NEVER run a profit. 2) Planets which will someday turn a profit, but are currently consuming more income than they generate because they're not terraformed yet and have low populations. 3) Planets which are profitable and are the stars of your empire. They are completely or nearly completely terraformed, with large populations. They generate so much money that they are used to support the first two kinds of planets.
I think this maps well to the star traders universe.
Category 1 corresponds to wild planets -- planets that are not yet colonized, or are so hostile they aren't worth the effort, so they are ignored by everyone.
Category 2 corresponds to the independent worlds -- these worlds are still in their birth pangs and so absorb lots of resources while generating little or nothing useful. Also, due to the small populations, they have minimal equipment at the star dock and low amounts of resources.
Category 3 corresponds to the developed faction worlds. These worlds are profitable, prosperous, and populated. They generate lots of material and so the prices are correspondingly low. Equipment is valuable and in high demand. Precisely because they are so valuable they are coveted by the clans and syndicates, who make every effort to incorporate them into their own little web of influence.
So far as I can tell, "trade route" only makes sense between the faction worlds, in that one will produce a product at low cost that will be purchased by another at high cost. But I almost never ran such a trip -- it was more profitable to take goods from a faction world to an independent one, then deadhead to a faction world, then pick up another cargo for another independent world.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 20, 2013 19:23:26 GMT -5
Okay. Run a few missions for De Valtos against independents and had no further problems. I guess the 4 busted ranks was just incredibly bad luck!
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 18, 2013 14:49:43 GMT -5
Update: At some point in the near future I'm going to try to run a mission for De Valtos against a named house such as Steel Song when De Valtos is in no faction conflict with Thulun. If I still get busted a rank, I'll report it.
Respectuflly,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 18, 2013 14:47:50 GMT -5
My first pilot was a star trader. So far as I can tell, a 'star trader' is supposed to do everything but not as well as a specialized class. I'm not exactly sure how it's different from 'Captain'.
I started running delivery contracts from the spice hall until I had saved up enough money to get a better ship. I specialized in a fast ship with serious fuel economy, then trawled the message boards looking for shortages and surpluses. I then made my living as a fast courier. Pretty much the same strategy I used for my next pilot (a merchant) except that I didn't get the records bonuses that merchants get when trading under some circumstances.
That's one way to do it. I see the "Star Trader" as an experimental role , something to play with, rather than a full-fledged career. It's great when you're just starting out and you don't know which profession fits your playstyle, so Star Trader allows you to explore all the facets of the different career tracks. If I understand correctly, in earlier versions of the game Star Trader was the ONLY profession.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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Post by pendell on Nov 17, 2013 12:52:35 GMT -5
Oookay then. Got it working. the problem wasn't with templar assault but with my own droid. I don't have "My Apps" so I attempted to download this for free from the playstore. It refused to make a download connection or install, just as Templar Assault did. This suggested the problem was with my device. So I used my google-fu and, after many incantations as well as the sacrifice of a small chicken, I found this page: support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1067233?hl=en#Following it's instructions, I cleared the cache and data for both my playstore app and my download manager, then re-started the droid. Now both my apps AND templar assault are on my device and installed properly. Thanks to all for your timely assistance! Respectfully, Brian P.
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