| ThomasKolter | |||
| I have a question if a freighter with normal hulls, armor and such could be armed sufficiently to maintain enough cargo to earn a decent profit AND fight off a pirate action? Using the AFT Carrier as an example using the modified version...lets assume half the cargo space is allotted to weapons and defense systems. If so what is the best weapons options to do the most damage and number of attacks in each spread. Example: In BSE (US Game) years ago I had an AFT Merchantman with armor and 40 Pulsar Beams plus targeting computers and maintained 600 TU's for cargo and it could hold off a heavy cruiser easily enough if it had to (once it did). I did the basics in my head and it should be possible and if I try to flee in a Carrier seems unlikely unless I dump cargo, so if I can set-up an aggressive defense with a heavy arsenal might be a good option. But I'm not sure what pirates can throw at me, seems most would have to use smaller ships (Courier) in small groups so if I target and severly damage several such ships it could be adequete protection. Just asking the players here that are knowledgeable in such things... | |||
| Brother Tenor | |||
| I wouldn't have thought you'd need that much weaponry to fight off the average pirate attack, given the amount of damage done during a boarding against an armed opponent. Although I suppose you might see more pirates firing at weapons before boarding if lots of people went down that route... | |||
| ThomasKolter | |||
I figure well-armed for a non-combat dedicated vessel. And I don't expect lots of folks to go down this route at first but since AFT on their website is offering a ship might as well consider my options. If I chose a Carrier with Normal Hulls and opted to arm it and put in a good defense it could prove to be a rigorous ship. And face it with the cargo capacity even if 2000TU's is kept for cargo that leaves a sizable section for weapons and defenses. And there is a secondary reason if I clobber a ship immediately it can't do as much damage to MY precious ship. And if they target weapons over other systems it would give the friengter time for help to come. Lets say I put in 100 Photon Cannons thats alot of guns to pick off while they fire back. Of course I'd choose a mix of weapons butyou get the idea. PLUS there is nothing wrong with overkill if I can take out a pirate in one volley GOOD!!!! | |||
| Sjaak | |||
| It all depends on the type of hulls an pirate might use... Just assume that the pirate is using an 25 Heavy Huller... It will probably install Armour plates and that means you need to do a lot of damage to be able to punch through it to kill enough boarders to do any good. The best defense against an pirate is always not being boarded.. so that means sending in extra protecting ships or prevent him being able to board you. You will need dedicated warships to kill off that pirate.. If you start arming your tradeships you will have less space to make profits. Profits you could used to buy extra protection.. |