| Author |
ICC Supply Ships; Let's get going. |
Bardiche
Chief Marshal
Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 1247
|  Posted: 2008-03-12 15:23
[size=1](And another one! ... I am aware of the coding not working, but please bear with it. I like my bb coding. I figured I'd write this as sometimes I see ICC Supply Ships not going into battle, or dying upon entry... All of which is unnecessary.)[/size]
You are a Supplier. You enjoy helping your allies keep up the good fight, and do not mind risking your life to ensure their safe retreat. Or do you?
Flying a Supply Ship is unique. Your role is not to fight enemies, nor to attack planets. Your primary role is to be a mobile depot for your allies. Here's a guide that'll help you on your way to be a good Supplier. (This is, however, not guaranteed.)
This guide will cover both the 40A (light) supply ship as well as the 42A (heavy) supply ship. The only difference will be 2 standard mounts and a Reload drone.
[u]Requirements:[/u]
Rank: 1st Lieutenant / Commander
Badges: None / Bronze Support
Tech level: Not relevant, imo.
Resources:
Don't know from the top of my head. : (
[u]Mounts and Standard Components:[/u]
(#, mount type, stock components, arcs)
(F=fore, A=aft, L=left, R=right, Full=F/A/L/R)
1x Jump Drive I slot
*1x Tachyon Drive (A)
2x Drive slots
*2x IE Drive (A)
4x Shield slots
*1x Reactive Shield (F)
*1x Reactive Shield (L)
*1x Reactive Shield (R)
*1x Reactive Shield (A)
1x Special I slots
*1x Tractor (Full)
4x Standard Mount (40A)
*2x Standard Chemical Laser (Full)
*1x Railgun (R)
*1x Railgun (L)
6x Standard Mount (42A)
*2x Standard Chemical Laser (Full)
*1x Standard Chemical Laser (F/L/R)
*1x Standard Chemical Laser (A/L/R)
*1x Railgun (R)
*1x Railgun (L)
1x Drone I slots (40A)
*1x Reload (Full)
2x Drone I slots (42A)
*2x Reload (Full)
Outfitting
It is generally believed that a Supply Ship can be left mostly stock. Replace the tractor for an Aux Gen or ECM, load up with full PD beams and you're go!
I, however, do not believe in this. Ideally, I always load up my Supply Ship with almost full pulse/standard chemical beams, but leave one of the full arcs for a beacon. It's always great to be prepared just in case. I do not like ECM that much on a vessel plagued with energy maintenance problems, so I like to prepare for prolonged combat and load my Supply Ship up with an Aux Generator.
The drives are replaced by PFE Engines, as I feel the Supply Ship manages well enough at a max speed of 21.6 and does not really need the 25.0 offered by two IE Engines. As I said earlier, these Supply Ships have energy management trouble, so try to load in at least one PFE Engine.
Then lastly, the shields: I never leave re-active shields. Get actives. They work a lot better, last you through a QST strike without hull damage and with your energy, you can last at least long enough for prolonged battle.
It stands to reason that, aside from point-defense, everything is upgraded to max.
[u]Usage[/u]
Effectively using the Supply Ship means you are a mobile Depot. Ideally, Supply Ships accompany a ship that will likely need repairs/refills, like bombers, but they can also be used to jump into a battlefield and save a damaged ally. An effective range to keep from your target will be 300~400. Sticking too close will make you a possible victim of splash damage, and going farther from that might get you out of a level 10 reload's maximum effective range, which is 500. Once you notice you are getting more than 400 distance between you and your target, adjust your heading to get closer to them.
[u]Ingress[/u]
Supply Ships, as mentioned earlier, aren't combat vessels, but support vessels. As such, entering a battlezone is relatively easy. Try to position your supply at a spot in the system where you can easily reach your allies on whatever they are doing, then jump in when the going gets tough. Maintain a high speed at almost all times (vary a bit between speeds to dodge enemy fire), ensure your shields are covering you sufficiently from all sides and stick to a target.
[u]Engagement[/u]
You're not engaging. You are supporting. Unless you are a battle Supply (highly advised against due to aforementioned energy drainage), heed the earlier advice of a 300~400 distance between you and the preferred target. Stick to priority targets such as Dreads, Cruisers, and other slow moving vessels: The smaller ships can usually fend for themselves and dodge enemy fire while you get the big ones back up online.
When an ally flees, don't give chase unless the other combatants urge you to: Your allies still in combat will need your supplies more than the one that fled, and a fleeing ally will more likely than not jump away as soon as they can to avoid tracking anyway. Get to them later and prioritize the next slowest moving target, or whoever others ask you to supply.
The most important thing to remember is that, when people know you are a supply, often they will give you a target to prioritize. Stick to that target, and only help the others whenever capable. If you are in prolonged combat and find your energy running low, warn your allies that you are in need of recharges. Turn off your PD, check your shield status and keep supplying that ally. Should your shield status drop below 50 and an Elite Assault Dread or K'luth Dread is in the area, get out of the combat zone and warn them you are doing so. Otherwise, get out once shield status is less than 30.
[u]Egress[/u]
Egress, for a Supply Ship, should not be needed. Sometimes, though, you may be the only one left, your forces are overpowered or you have no Energy. Once you notice you can no longer stay in combat, warn the others of your condition and get out. If you have hull damage, set your drones to repair you. An important thing is that you keep moving, as people tend to track your location and give chase. Do -not-, under any circumstance, jump to damaged allies or an allied Station unless you are certain no enemies are within 2000 gu of you.
Once you are clear from the battlefield, regroup with your allies and fix who needs fixing.
There isn't a whole lot to write about Supply Ships. But while flying ICC, I've found some Supplies like to sit in deepspace and let us jump to them, or they fit themselves out with Re-active Shields and Railguns/Particle Cannons, only to either get killed or be forced to retreat prematurely. I'm hoping that some of you will benefit from what I've written and what I've experienced as a Supply.
[ This Message was edited by: Bardiche on 2008-03-21 22:25 ]
_________________
|
Coeus
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: March 22, 2006
Posts: 2815
From: Philly
| Posted: 2008-03-12 15:38
Tip 1) Close quotes in the order you opened them.
B U I /I /U /B, not B U I /U /I /B
Tip 2) Why wouldn't you upgrade your pulse beams to max? It increases the range, but doesn't increase the power usage or reload time.
Other than that, ICC bricks are a world of suck compared to UGTO HSes - the only mobile weapons reload platform I can think of that can keep pace with a destroyer under ECM & not lose energy.
_________________
Do I really look like a guy with a plan?
'I'm gonna go crazy, and I'm taking you with me!'
ICC Security Council Chief Enforcer
|
Bardiche
Chief Marshal
Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 1247
| Posted: 2008-03-12 15:41
Well, a guilty pleasure: I like standard chem lasers because big lasers taking out small missiles are relevant to my interests. :x Upgrading them increases energy usage and load time, so I prefer them at level 0~1. lol
[ This Message was edited by: Bardiche on 2008-03-12 15:42 ]
_________________
|
DarkScorpion
Marshal
Sanity Assassins
Joined: September 14, 2004
Posts: 237
From: London England
| Posted: 2008-03-12 15:47
Just hope a mandy dont spot you supply ship because that beacon will do you no good once your dead
_________________
|
Kanman
Grand Admiral
Pitch Black
Joined: August 26, 2005
Posts: 1017
From: Virginia, United States
| Posted: 2008-03-12 16:10
Quote:
|
Tip 2) Why wouldn't you upgrade your pulse beams to max? It increases the range, but doesn't increase the power usage or reload time.
|
|
Do we know this for certain? Have we tested it? I remember a lot of strange jump drive myths before I tested those. Has anyone tested the pulse beams in this manner?
_________________
|
DarkSpin
Captain
Sanity Assassins
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 651
From: Somewhere in the USA
| Posted: 2008-03-12 16:20
It may or may not increse the time it takes for reload but if it does it is minor because I do not see a diffrence.
_________________
(- _ -) - Email: admin@inductivesoul.us
(' o ') - Website: DIAU.NET
|
Coeus
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: March 22, 2006
Posts: 2815
From: Philly
| Posted: 2008-03-12 16:29
No difference. Confirmed by code examination by the devs & my own tests ages ago. It would kind of defeat the purpose of having pulse beams wouldn't it?
Oh, and a new catchphrase for this thread....
"When the going gets tough, the tough get the hell outa ICC Bricks"
_________________
Do I really look like a guy with a plan?
'I'm gonna go crazy, and I'm taking you with me!'
ICC Security Council Chief Enforcer
|
Admiral Alucard (2IC)
Marshal
Exathra Alliance Fleet
Joined: April 30, 2004
Posts: 279
From: St. Helens, England
| Posted: 2008-03-13 09:18
"prolonged combat" in a brick....thats a new one.....I've never seen that happen though.....Have you???
_________________
Quod nos non interficit, nos fortiores facitrnrn
|
Bardiche
Chief Marshal
Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 1247
| Posted: 2008-03-13 13:48
Yes, I've often times fought in an "ICC Brick" until energy was depleted, despite Aux Gens and PFE Drives and not going at max speed.
_________________
|
Coeus
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: March 22, 2006
Posts: 2815
From: Philly
| Posted: 2008-03-13 17:33
I obviously wasn't around... 
Coeus - Brick Smasher!
_________________
Do I really look like a guy with a plan?
'I'm gonna go crazy, and I'm taking you with me!'
ICC Security Council Chief Enforcer
|
DMC-13
Admiral
Evil Empires Inc.
Joined: February 16, 2008
Posts: 187
From: Huntington Beach, California, USA
| Posted: 2008-03-21 21:21
Some great information. I'm a sponge and I'll soak it all up so keep it comming.
DMC-13
_________________
|
Fornax
Marshal
Raven Warriors
Joined: April 30, 2002
Posts: 906
From: Jacksonville, FL
| Posted: 2008-08-04 09:25
I've flown the brick many times also. Flying ICC is all about power management - easily the most important sub-tactic is to either selectively (or collectively) drop your shields to conserve power. As with all ships for all factions, it's is nearly always better to target & jump than e-jumping - and careful jumps around the battlefield is often the best way to survive AND to fulfill your primary task, repairing allies.
_________________
|
English
Deutsch
Nederlands
)
