XRM Antibase Missiles

[Compellor]

If the number of missiles is a problem, you could simply increase the damage and cargo size. Actually, if you made hvy bombers able to carry actual XRM Cruise, they'd only be able to fine one per rack, two if you arbitrarily increase their cargo size by 5. Of course, at present XRM Cruise is a shipyard tech... and I'm not sure this is anywhere near a good idea.

[Andon]

With the price of a TP2 Hvy Bomb run, if you had to get SY tech to do it, then you might as well do a TP2 Cap Ship run

[sambasti]

The only time I've seen tp2 xrm is when Giga Corp is rolling in spec mine cash. Also, a figbee is not the same as an xrm bomber. Figbees are just shreded by mini3 hvys. I'm not sure if they would survive a 3k run. On the other hand, XRM can barely fail, so the key is to find a balance.

[CronoDroid]

Uh it doesn't take that much money, yes it costs significantly more than SBs and isn't nearly as effective but on a large team it can be devestating. FBs IMO are slightly more cost effective credit for credit than XRM Hvy Bombers are, after all they cost a bit less (factoring in Hvy Bomber, XRM1 + 2 and Cruise Boostah) and they can EASILY make 3K runs. You're going to be firing your AB at 1.5k anyway travelling at 100mps so you only have to walk 1500m. That's much easier in a ship that's half the size and twice as fast as a Hvy Bomber.

If I had the money, and wanted to win, yes, I would go for XRM because it is more powerful if more expensive. However if the base is closer than 3K, say if you were doing an aleph drop, FBs are better simply because they can cover the distance faster to fire the more damaging SRM AB. And yeah, FBs tend to die more on runs because with XRM the base is dead sooner, allowing you to rip out, with FBs, you're going to be something like 800m from the base and a mass of enemies when it dies, so the attrition rate is higher.

What I'm trying to say is FBs are extremely viable and there is no reason you shouldn't be able to succeed with them even if the enemy has Mini3 Hvy Ints. If you lose with TP2, it simply means the enemy has outplayed you. Removing XRM is not going to break Sup in the slightest. It will still be infinitely possible to end games. That is unless of course I just happen to be the last good TP2 dropper in the game, which is definitely not the case. There are a fair few commanders and pilots out there who still know how to use TP2 in all its majesty.

[Dorjan]

An uneyed fig/b run is cool. Done that in a squad game.

[CronoDroid]

Okay I will elaborate on my point in the other thread then. Yes SBs are better endgame tech than XRM is but Tac has a much, much weaker early game than Sup does. It's a tradeoff. Exp has awesome early game, strong mid game then it drops off once you're trying to HTT against Adv Exp. Sup is fairly balanced, Figs are easily smashed by Ints but survive and play well and you get TP2. Tac is weakest at the start, but let it live and you're facing Hunter3 and SBs.

It is easier to stop XRM than SBs, yes, but you can stop Tac more easily than you can stop Sup. For one thing, it's way harder to defend miners as Tac than it is as Sup, contrary to what certain nutjobs (Spidey) may or may not think.

[takingarms1]

QUOTE (CronoDroid @ Oct 24 2008, 08:39 AM) It is easier to stop XRM than SBs

Are you on crack? For a successful tp2 drop all you need is 1 scout to get in position and make the drop. Once the drop is a success, it is almost impossible to stop the resulting attack if there are enough bombers who rip in. In essence, you only need 1 skilled pilot.

Sbs on the other hand, you've got to sneak in at least 3 into position and probably 4 or 5 to really guarantee success. And those sbs have to remain hidden until everybody sets up and is ready to go. So you need 3-5 skilled pilots. Not to mention if the attack is spotted early enough, it is often possible to completely thwart it if your pilots are vigilant. I think it's a LOT harder to pull off a successful SB run than a TP2 xrm drop.

TP2 xrm is more expensive, yes, but it's practically a win button if you've got large enough teams. Sbs are no way near as effective.

[spideycw]

I wsa typing out a long winded post but then TA just reposted my original quote.

Don't get to into it TA - even I can't teach an old dog new tricks

[ChildOfDeath]

QUOTE (TakingArms @ Oct 24 2008, 07:34 AM) In essence, you only need 1 skilled pilot.

I tend to agree that XRM is a little OP. But only really because it scales so well with numbers. 5 adv figs/hvy ints can stop 5 bombers from XRMing a base, 20 figs/ints can not stop 20 bombers from XRMing a base.

With that said it should be noted, that while it only takes 1 skilled pilot to drop a TP2 well, it also only takes 1 skilled pilot to intercept the TP before anyone can rip to it.

Figure 18 seconds for activation+rip time (Assuming TP2s activate in 10 seconds, I can't remember) a fig can cover about 3k in that time, an int can probably cover more ground. Maybe a little less if you pick the wrong side of the rock to go around. Its remarkably easy to completely shut down any TP drops within range of target bases just by being out. Of course this assumes you know the enemy has TP2, but the first use of any advanced tech has the potential to be game ending just from the surprise factor.

[takingarms1]

Generally I agree Cod, but you also have the problem of the scout dropping the Tp2 to hide it behind a rock, nan it while you try to shoot it, and drop multiple Tp2 probes for redundancy.

And then if you want to add multiple Tp2 scouts you've got even more potential for devestation.