Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:33 am
If I recall correctly, drone AI can be written to let the drone follow its target even if that target loses "eye" and becomes invisible to team sensors. I remember Phoenix attack drones working this way. So, how about creating a very basic, inexpensive drone that does exactly one thing: it follows stuff. It has excellent manoeuvrability and reasonable (but not *too* high) speed, and if you order it to "go to" an enemy ship, it will do just that, and follow it tirelessly until destroyed. However, it has no actual scan range, so it can't actually give eye to whatever it is chasing. Any enemy ship (even a scout) could destroy it without too much difficulty, but this would mean it has to stop and take a bit of time, allowing any pursuers to catch up. The drone would also has a low sig.
Usage: The enemy gets SBs / HTTs / TP2. When you realise this, you research/buy a few of these drones for a reasonable cost. As soon as you glimpse an HTT, a SB, or a possible TP2 scout, even just for a few seconds, say as it enters the sector, you (or anyone else on the team) order one of these drones to follow it. Now, just follow the drone, and you're guaranteed to hunt down your target eventually - unless the drone is killed.
Pros:
- Cheaper than other drones.
- Low sig increases survivability.
- If used on time, practically guarantees the target can be hunted down.
- If target tries to kill the drone, it will need to stop and raise its sig, making it easier to kill.
Cons:
- Can't do *anything* except follow stuff. Has 0 scan range.
- Someone has to actually see the target, and react quickly enough with the drone order before the target loses eye.
- Drone can be killed without great difficulty, losing money (although doing this will make its target an easy kill as well).
- You can only buy a few of them (as with all drones).
Basically, think of it as shooting a missile at an escaping stealthy ship to keep track of it, except the missile doesn't explode, is slower than the target, has infinite range, and is a drone.
An alternative idea: A similar drone, but it doesn't move *at all* (or at a ridiculously low speed). However, it is still very manoeuvrable, so it can constantly turn to keep facing the target. It is quite expensive, so you'll only usually buy one or two, but it's also more difficult to kill. Usage: Target a stealthy enemy ship as it's briefly eyed, and then follow the direction the drone is facing! But, the drone won't actually chase anything, and because it's expensive, you won't likely be using these for multiple targets at the same time - so make sure you target the TP2 scout, and not the decoy! Plus, the enemy could just rush and kill it in advance.
Usage: The enemy gets SBs / HTTs / TP2. When you realise this, you research/buy a few of these drones for a reasonable cost. As soon as you glimpse an HTT, a SB, or a possible TP2 scout, even just for a few seconds, say as it enters the sector, you (or anyone else on the team) order one of these drones to follow it. Now, just follow the drone, and you're guaranteed to hunt down your target eventually - unless the drone is killed.
Pros:
- Cheaper than other drones.
- Low sig increases survivability.
- If used on time, practically guarantees the target can be hunted down.
- If target tries to kill the drone, it will need to stop and raise its sig, making it easier to kill.
Cons:
- Can't do *anything* except follow stuff. Has 0 scan range.
- Someone has to actually see the target, and react quickly enough with the drone order before the target loses eye.
- Drone can be killed without great difficulty, losing money (although doing this will make its target an easy kill as well).
- You can only buy a few of them (as with all drones).
Basically, think of it as shooting a missile at an escaping stealthy ship to keep track of it, except the missile doesn't explode, is slower than the target, has infinite range, and is a drone.
An alternative idea: A similar drone, but it doesn't move *at all* (or at a ridiculously low speed). However, it is still very manoeuvrable, so it can constantly turn to keep facing the target. It is quite expensive, so you'll only usually buy one or two, but it's also more difficult to kill. Usage: Target a stealthy enemy ship as it's briefly eyed, and then follow the direction the drone is facing! But, the drone won't actually chase anything, and because it's expensive, you won't likely be using these for multiple targets at the same time - so make sure you target the TP2 scout, and not the decoy! Plus, the enemy could just rush and kill it in advance.
