147 replies to this topic

[Unikraken]

Posting this in the public area to iron out any potential badness from it and to once again mingle with the peasants...

 

Basically, due to time constraints, a lack of resources, and a desire to adhere, nay, cling, to canon...the two starbase idea for the UNSC is out. At this time we no longer plan to do a heavy starbase for the UNSC. However, we're also getting rid of the current model for the UNSC starbase. It was a loaner from Homefront and even they are getting rid of it in favor of a more personal design (also very resource intensive).

 

So where does that leave us? Whatever we're doing is going to have to be from scratch and we don't have the manpower/time to do two somethings. So we can create something that fits within the lore and is less resource intensive than the previous model, but it also needs to provide the kind of utility that starbases provide in SoaSE.

 

 

Anchor 9

 

I think an Anchor 9-type station is the best option because of the utility and available references. With starbases in SoaSE you can have sections of a model tie into starbase upgrades. With that in mind, one can have something that starts out as the initial Anchor station and have modular components pop in by upgrading the station, such as those nearby shipyards when one researches the shipyard upgrade and then upgrades a specific station to have them. Conceptually, the station would start out fairly basic with only PDS guns. One would then upgrade to archer missile pods, shipyards, hangars, trade modules, all of the little things starbases typically get, and even eventually Onager-type MACs mounted on the station, as well as abilities like shiva nukes or slipspace probes that allow you to take a peak at nearby gravity wells.

 

The idea being, UNSC starbases start out cheap and through an investment of time and resources they become powerful tools for the UNSC to project military power and defend the empire. At this point I'm thinking that there will be enough upgrade slots to allow for all upgrades, so it's really a choice of how much cash are you willing to drop rather than having to tailor stations to defense or econ. I think this is more in line with the defensive nature of the UNSC. In some areas you may only slap down a cheap station with a trade station to extend your trade route, and then in another location you'll a significant amount of moula into a fortress meant to deter the enemy and push out more ships for the local fleet.

 

Feel free to add your thoughts about this below but please be rational and mature.

[D4RKST0RM99]

love it, cant wait, i may rely heavily on the weapons upgrades though than the diplomatic/economic stuff, how about extra armor to bolt on, perhaps later in the tech tree a shield generator that way could balance the offensive with the defensive upgrades

[Unikraken]

love it, cant wait, i may rely heavily on the weapons upgrades though than the diplomatic/economic stuff, how about extra armor to bolt on, perhaps later in the tech tree a shield generator that way could balance the offensive with the defensive upgrades

There will be armor and health upgrades or research, much in the same way normal SoaSE does it. Shields are very controversial. Certainly something that can be discussed here and may help us make a decision on it.

[MrChipps]

Well shields could be restricted to the ONI faction. The same research that give ships a shield could possibly cover starbases as well.

[SternuS]

Interesting.

Since we saw Anchor 9 in a debris field, and since those debris were probably UNSC ships' scraps, how about giving it a recycling ability? Like, for every ship you lose in the gravity well where the Anchor is stationing you get some resources back, just as if the station was actually recycling the metal of the destroyed ships.

[Crisiss]

yes yes yes yes yes. I like the "skill points for all" thing. Nothing pisses me off more than having to choose between hangars or construction capabilities. I like the ideas presented here and think they would fit nicely. How powerful do you plan on making the onagers? Are we talking Ivanoff station tier (where if you got outside of the map and took control of one, it took 5 fucking shots to kill a phantom) or Halo: Reach tier where you can kill unshielded CSS cruisers and phantoms in one shot? Would an EMP ability be viable? I like watching ships float around defenseless.

[D4RKST0RM99]

still need to keep it fair, bit of a downer to have your fleet blast its way through hell to get to the enemy colony to be brick walled by an emp spamming station that picks off your ships with its guns, onagers and archer missiles

[SPECTRE]

My first reaction: Oh no!

Second reaction: this is better.

Third reaction: OK yep i agree.

 

I like the idea of a Whole block, about 200x 100M with just archer missiles, so that even after phase 1 combat is complete with possible onagers, it can still deal some phenomenal damage in phase 2.

Also like the idea of Longswords OR sabres. Sabres for ONI and long sword masses for UNSC.

Bolt on armour i like too, something very angular, to give maximum effectiveness.

[SternuS]

 Are we talking Ivanoff station tier (where if you got outside of the map and took control of one, it took 5 fucking shots to kill a phantom) or Halo: Reach tier where you can kill unshielded CSS cruisers and phantoms in one shot?

The Onager in Reach managed to destroy the CCS because it shot its weak spot, the energy projector near the gravity lift. Otherwise, I suppose it wouldn't have one-shotted it.

[SPECTRE]

The Onager in Reach managed to destroy the CCS because it shot its weak spot, the energy projector near the gravity lift. Otherwise, I suppose it wouldn't have one-shotted it.

When charging a glassing beam the energy in the surrounding atmosphere fucks with shields, hence why a needle rifle round when straight through her helmet.

[SternuS]

When charging a glassing beam the energy in the surrounding atmosphere fucks with shields, hence why a needle rifle round when straight through her helmet.

Yes, I know. I wasn't contesting the fact that it was shieldless. I was contesting the fact that an Onager could one shot a CCS battlecruiser generally.

[SPECTRE]

Yes, I know. I wasn't contesting the fact that it was shieldless. I was contesting the fact that an Onager could one shot a CCS battlecruiser generally.

Yeh, i'd have to agree with you then, i'd say 3 to at least severely cripple a CCS so that it can't return to service,  perhaps 20 rounds to take out shields. it took about 3 shells from infinities to down a possibly shielded CRS.

[D4RKST0RM99]

lets not forget the onager on reach was powered by a vast subterainian power generator, the starbase would have no such advantage.... unless  one of the addons would be a microwave energy reciever that if its near the colony it would recieve the same power boost as the SMACs

[SPECTRE]

lets not forget the onager on reach was powered by a vast subterainian power generator, the starbase would have no such advantage.... unless  one of the addons would be a microwave energy reciever that if its near the colony it would recieve the same power boost as the SMACs

Was it? Source? I'm pretty sure it was mobile powered, because the marines say:

 

 

• Marine: "We rigged a mass driver up top. We lose that, the Autumn will have no covering fire. She'll never make orbit."

[D4RKST0RM99]

Was it? Source? I'm pretty sure it was mobile powered, because the marines say:

Y'know I dont recall, thought it was fact but may have been asumed/deducted, I withdraw the statement, but it would need to be powered by something big to be capable of firering in rapid succession, we know the capabilities of the ship board macs and this certainly has a higher rate of fire.

is it known if the onager was placed their for the autumn or was it pre existing?

[Unikraken]

Interesting.

Since we saw Anchor 9 in a debris field, and since those debris were probably UNSC ships' scraps, how about giving it a recycling ability? Like, for every ship you lose in the gravity well where the Anchor is stationing you get some resources back, just as if the station was actually recycling the metal of the destroyed ships.

It's worth considering. Not a bad idea at all.

I like the idea of a Whole block, about 200x 100M with just archer missiles, so that even after phase 1 combat is complete with possible onagers, it can still deal some phenomenal damage in phase 2.

Also like the idea of Longswords OR sabres. Sabres for ONI and long sword masses for UNSC.

Bolt on armour i like too, something very angular, to give maximum effectiveness.

Both factions will get Sabres.

 

The quote would suggest it was put there to defend the autumn.

 

Our onagers will have DPS similar to a good cruiser, but less damage per individual shot with a higher rate of fire. The station will be able to hurt things that get into range. Point being, you'll lose ships attacking the station if it's fully upgraded.

[SPECTRE]

The quote would suggest it was put there to defend the autumn.

 

Our onagers will have DPS similar to a good cruiser, but less damage per individual shot with a higher rate of fire. The station will be able to hurt things that get into range. Point being, you'll lose ships attacking the station if it's fully upgraded.

What will its range be like? Because i have concerns that increasing galaxy size again, means that weapons will again will be unbalanced. ATM at smaller grav wells like asteroids are death to the covenant, whereas a large gravwell is determined by how many carriers.

[Unikraken]

What will its range be like? Because i have concerns that increasing galaxy size again, means that weapons will again will be unbalanced. ATM at smaller grav wells like asteroids are death to the covenant, whereas a large gravwell is determined by how many carriers.

Range will be similar to other UNSC macs. Otherwise someone could sit outside the firing range and snipe it to death.

[SPECTRE]

Range will be similar to other UNSC macs. Otherwise someone could sit outside the firing range and snipe it to death.

Thats the same kinda problem i have with SMACs, they just sit out of range spamming fighters, hence now SABRE spam.

[Crisiss]

The Onager in Reach managed to destroy the CCS because it shot its weak spot, the energy projector near the gravity lift. Otherwise, I suppose it wouldn't have one-shotted it.

Well who's to say the Autumn wasn't analyzing the ballistics of the shot, I mean Cortana was probably bored or something, right? "Holy fuck, Six just downed that CSS in one shot, bring up the stats on that." So why wouldn't EVERY other onager defense gun use the same weakness? I mean the mods going to be set at least 2553 with Infinity so, they've had time to train and discuss. Besides, shooting at the thinnest point seems to be a thing for ship to ship combat. Specifically series like Star Wars (Nebulon B frigates with that super fucking annoying design) or one of the Episode III games, where you had to man a Confederate gun and shoot up a Providence at the weakest (read: thinnest) spots. I'm not asking for something OP, I'm just looking to make it enough to bruise your fleet.

lets not forget the onager on reach was powered by a vast subterainian power generator, the starbase would have no such advantage.... unless one of the addons would be a microwave energy reciever that if its near the colony it would recieve the same power boost as the SMACs

I never understood why they didn't put the generators underwater. Would be a LOT harder to destroy aside from plasma bombardment, which was the reason they deployed troops in the first place, they couldn't get through orbit.

Also, the Onager in Reach was put there for the defense of the ship breaking yards, don't think it was really ever said specifically the Autumn. I honestly doubt they were the first ones there, personally. An Onager doesn't seem like something you can just pick up and plug into an outlet, and then shoot.