Spinal Mounted Guns

[Aussie Gamer]

Here's my idea for a massive gun which can only be mounted in a Baseship.
I have looked at the comparsion to other Massive mounted guns in a Baseship to get the damage and rate right, I think.
Notice that you have to increase the tech level to 12 for HEW.

Name := Spinal Mount I
Description := Massive energy forming Baseship mounted gun.
Pic Num := 226
Tonnage Space Taken := 1300
Tonnage Structure := 300
Cost Minerals := 10000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 5000
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 2000
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 4045
Roman Numeral := 1
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := High-Energy Discharge Weapons
Tech Level Req 1 := 10
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := Direct Fire
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets
Weapon Damage At Rng := 0 0 0 0 0 0 8000 8000 8000 8000 8000 8000 8000 6000 6000 4000 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Skips All Shields
Weapon Reload Rate := 5
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 26
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := ppbeam.wav
Weapon Family := 40

Name := Spinal Mount II
Description := Massive energy forming Baseship mounted gun.
Pic Num := 226
Tonnage Space Taken := 1300
Tonnage Structure := 300
Cost Minerals := 10000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 5000
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 2000
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 4045
Roman Numeral := 2
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := High-Energy Discharge Weapons
Tech Level Req 1 := 11
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := Direct Fire
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets
Weapon Damage At Rng := 0 0 0 0 0 0 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 8000 8000 5000 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Skips All Shields
Weapon Reload Rate := 5
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 26
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := ppbeam.wav
Weapon Family := 40

Name := Spinal Mount III
Description := Massive energy forming Baseship mounted gun.
Pic Num := 226
Tonnage Space Taken := 1300
Tonnage Structure := 300
Cost Minerals := 10000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 5000
Vehicle Type := Ship
Supply Amount Used := 2000
Restrictions := None
General Group := Weapons
Family := 4045
Roman Numeral := 3
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 1
Tech Area Req 1 := High-Energy Discharge Weapons
Tech Level Req 1 := 12
Number of Abilities := 0
Weapon Type := Direct Fire
Weapon Target := Ships\Planets
Weapon Damage At Rng := 0 0 0 0 0 0 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000 10000 10000 6000 0 0 0 0
Weapon Damage Type := Skips All Shields
Weapon Reload Rate := 5
Weapon Display Type := Torp
Weapon Display := 26
Weapon Modifier := 0
Weapon Sound := ppbeam.wav
Weapon Family := 40

[Kadste]

Aussie, Great weapon. I think that this is the way to create large weapons. It gets rid of the inherent problems with the compenhancement.txt file. Now all we have to do is to find a way to add it automatically where it is necessary. BTW you might want to increase the 0 (zero) damage to 1 (one). For some reason when I am testing weapons (usually missiles) a damage rating of 0 usaully produces no damage at all.

[Aussie Gamer]

When you said to increase the damage from 0 to 1, was that for the closer ranges?
Does it do no damage for the entire range?

I have not tested this yet, but I will try soon.

[Suicide Junkie]

I would suggest that you give your weapon "normal" damage type.
Most shields won't stand up to that kind of beating anyways, but planetary shields should be able to help absorb the first hit. (I've boosted MPSs to do 10k or 20k of shields)

The Name & Description, "Spinal Mount I" sounds like a mount, and I'm quite sure that weapons use up energy, rather than forming it.

How about something like:
Name: Massive Pulse Cannon
Desc: An vast energy capacitor system which channels all of a ship's resources into firing a single burst of energy.

Statistics:
16 range, 8000 damage, 5 reload, 1300kT
Damage Factor: 1.23

Comparison to standard weapon: PPB, DF=1.7
Comparison to standard weapon: APB, DF=1.5
Comparison to standard weapon: CSM, DF=0.8
Comparison to standard weapon: WMG, DF=0.66

Looks like you've got a reasonable damage factor, but I would suggest increasing the reload to 6, since the range is so high.
That would give a damage factor of 1.03, which is still quite high for a long range weapon. (and a planet-buster too)

--------------------------

I think that this weapon would easily be unbalancing, since it can be used to wipe out a planet so easily. One shot and the planet is toast, no matter what.

[Baron Munchausen]

If you're looking for ways to balance this monstrosity, how about 'destroyed on use'? It's got to be a ***** to charge up and fire. Maybe it burns out vital parts of it's circuitry when used and has to be essentially rebuilt after each firing?

It really ought to be "Planets Only" for targetting or give it a -50 modifier so it has a hard time hitting anything smaller than another base ship.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 28 March 2001).]

[pathfinder]

hmmm...spinal gun.

my back hurts thinking about that!