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Inter-Clan Coalition of Awesome Really Useful Science (I.C.C.A.R.U.S)
Mod Josie:
Welcome to the first symposium of the Inter-Clan Coalition of Awesome Really Useful Science (I.C.C.A.R.U.S)! We’re here today to hear a lot of very brilliant minds express themselves to further the way that we wage war in the skies – scientifically!
We will be hearing from many different researchers throughout this process and we would appreciate it if you respect everyone’s work as you would wish them to respect your own.
Please present your papers on the scientific advancements that you have made in your travels around this harsh world. We are looking for:
Interesting Gameplay – any style of gameplay and/or teamwork that breaks from the ordinary.
Innovative Designs – Marrying weapons together that aren’t typically paired and seeing how they could be used to perform intense destruction.
Unorthodox Methods – How would you go about confusing your enemies with your strange new tactics? Tell us how!
When you present your ideas and results, please make sure they are well documented such that other crews could reproduce your findings based purely on what you have written. We want your conclusions to be testable so that they can be verified, much to our amusement.
Thank you for listening to our introduction. I would like to thank Captain RethBurn, Patched Wizard and Pavel Dzhons for getting this symposium started with me. We proudly open the floor to our first brave scientific mind!
RethBurn:
In order to get this symposium rolling. I have devised the Abraham to this coalition. I proudly present the ship that started this:
The Scientific Approach!
Hypothesis:
Originally conceived as the Munker, the Scientific approach is ment to bring enemy teams into disarray by charging in with a lesmok harpoon (To conserve turning engines) and sow the Battlefield with Mines.
Theory:
As many know. The Mine Launcher is a fierce area-of-control type weapon, capable of shredding a formation and stopping a charge. With its variety in arcs and arming times, this is essentially the strongest negation tool known to man. Breaking down the ship design, there is 3 different pieces. Let us begin with the engagement tool:
First-phase engagement tools:
The Front Harpoon. As of version 1.3.9 (456), the harpoon functions for most small ships as gap-closer. On Junkers, it has the added effect of rising the ship to maximum speed in an unstoppable charge (Only directly frontally placed mines can stop this, Source: I tried). With a normal range of 800, the Harpoon reaches its potential with Lesmok, increasing the harpoon shoot to 1,360 Metres. Essentially this means that ultimately calculated shots can give the Junker momentum very early on, while also bringing the enemy ship out of balance. The harpooned ship will turn the hit spot towards the original location of the Javelin, and provides the Junker in most cases a safe entry to the side of the ship. Next up comes the entry angle, and depending on which side is bared, the two other parts come into play.
Second-phase engagement tools
Double Mine-launcher side: Perhaps the most interesting option for second-phase engagement is the double Phobos Mine Launcher side that with a Gunner (Lesmok, Incendiary, Lochnagar) on lower deck and a Lesmok engineer on top deck will provide a barrage of mines into the vicinity of the enemy. Depending on the gunners’ skills and the ship-type, this can very fast turn ugly for both sides, however often case a single mine can negate the enemies’ boon.
This side is used after the initial harpoon tow to sow destruction in the ranks. Will throw enemies into repair and create a distraction for more boring conventional builds to pick up the slacks. In the case a first-phase engagement fails, immediately drop to mine-launcher side and disable the enemy before they get a chance to compose themselves.
Carronade-Flamer Combo:
The most Boring conventional side of the ship. In the case of a successful engagement, this side can be brought up on a single-target enemy with the intention of softening them up for a present ally to finish the job. The reason for this side is to provide a steady Plan B, should the First and second-phase fail to emergy victorious.
On the top, a flamer used and staffed by the same Engineer with Lesmok as on the mine. Essentially both Engineers should bring Lesmok, so that there may never be need for one man to be tied down doing one thing.
Loadouts:
Captain (pilot): Kerosene, Tar Barrel, and Hydrogen.
Kerosene is helpful if the Harpoon engagement fails, and a steady speed increase is needed. Will also help in tricky situation while engaged. Interchangable.
Tar Barrel proved irreplaceable in the heat of battle. As the ship dicates, all sides are capable of fighting back (Front gun can be used to latch onto enemies and swing out of combat) but the aft. For this purpose, and for any enemies that may attempt to succeed the Scientific Approach, Tar proved more than helpful. Considering the enemies may already have taken Mine hits, the tar will be a final stopper for any pesky intruders.
As the build has a constant engineer flow, balloon Is garuanteed to be under repair mid-combat, and therefore Hydrogen is a resource the Captain can tap into for emergency dodges.
Gunner: Lesmok, Incendiary/Greased, Lochnagar and Pipe Wrench
Lesmok is the essential to the First-phase engagement, and should be loaded into the Harpoon at all times. This gives it the reach and easier firing arcs that gunners may need to succeed at range. This is also helpful for the Mine-launcher
Incendiary: Incendiary proved useful for the mine-launcher in close, as it made the escape from Slingshot have both ships very close, but not in Loch-range. Therefore is a must if you prefer the Mine-launcher pass.
Greased: For the crews that prefer the Carro-flamer pass. This is very useful in the close range to leave the enemy dropping as you pass by, making it harder for them to retaliate against your cobra-like assault.
Lochnagar: An essential mine-ammo type. This gives you the absolute dominance in closerange, as it will be the last line of defense against any charging enemies. May be switched out for Incendiary / Greased for a more rounded out build spec.
Engineer (2x): Spanner, Mallet, Chem Spray and Lesmok
Repair tools: As the ship is bound to take massive hits during the combat, the strongest repairs will be necessary to keep the scientific target-dummy afloat while it confuses the enemies. For the purpose of negating the fire-blowback from a mine exploding in your face, Chem spray will keep the ship safe.
Lesmok : Provides range for the Flamer on the Carronade-flamer side, while also allowing the engineer further range on Mines within longer-range engagements. NOTE: It should be known that an engineer can take over for the gunner on the front gun with this ammo, should it be needed.
Conclusion: The build proved highly ineffectual at making a dent in the kills for the team, but it provided cover and support for long enough that more kill-centric builds were allowed in close against helpless and mined enemies. Proved to be an engagement-starting support ship with strong abilities in close range.
This Ship loadout brought to you by: Captain Rethburn, in association with Mark Abrams, Genozide, Delirium Tremens, Jacob Fii, Patched Wizard and Pavel Dzhons
Goldenglade:
Inter-Clan Coalition of Awesome Really Useful Science??? it just doesn't flow i think the A should be Amazingly
Crafeksterty:
As a spire loyalist, and a veteran (Dont know how far in time we would go to call ourselves veterans).
I have tons of builds and uses with the spire. But my most enjoyable and unorthodoks build i want to teach people is this:
The build
2xGattlings on Sides
MineLauncher Front
Heavy Flak Main
Ammo type importance-
Pilot: Lesmok
Gunner: Charged, Lesmok, Lochnagar
Buff engineer: Lesmok
Main engineer: Lesmok
---
Positions
Buff engineer holds his buff hammer and wrench down with the baloon and Side engines along with his Gattling gun.
Engineer holds a ready pose by the Upper gattling in reaction for shooting and running for the hull.
Gunner Takes constant and well timed shots with Heavy flak with a ready pose for the hull.
Instructions
It is expected on a spire that you have competent crew. By that, crew that can listen and obey, yett know how to repair and shoot moderatly enough.
Your main goal with this is to keep other brawling ships at bay. You as a pilot is responsible for calling Targets and commanding the engineers to be on the guns despite heavy fire if that is a neccesary action. You are also responsible for making enemy ships not get too close. If it happens that they are too close, your buff engineers buff on the baloon should give you a form of escape. Other than that, learn to jump out of helm and shoot the minelauncher to make ships that try to get close have a difficult time getting close. Also serves as a good weapon to take down an armor if it hits.
So... Confirm your crews positions and Command the engineers to fire their gattlings on command. 2 Lesmok gattlings can be fired from quite far away yett still be a good threat to the enemies armor. With Lesmok mines being fired torwards ships approaching you, you will always have an advantage, even against two brawling ships, specialy for the sake of getting more time or range. If they hit a mine, usually its the enmies fault, but still your doing.
A constant barrage with the lesmok gattlings will take out armor as if it is 1 gattling firing at the armor. This is if it is far away. The closer the enemy ship gets the more damage hes getting.
The next stage is the heavy flak hitting at the right time, and perhaps with the right ammo. Preferebly always on charged, but switches to Lochnagar on an armor down prediction. Lesmok is to compensate difficult shots.
This build will land you kills without another armor down if you get good with it.
Remember: Mines to create a difficult path, oh and remember to reverse and be aware of your own ship then.
Gattlings to be shooting from a safe distance versus other close range weapons.
Heavy flak landing kills before another armor up (Excluding healthy goldfishies and galleons)
In the know
This works well versus: Close range ships in order of difficulty, from easiest to hardest.
Pyramideon (They take an easy to predict path)
Junker (tiny bit more difficult, but with the heavy flak, one buffed lesmok shot can kill it)
Spire (Unlikely, but you can quickly make of a spire on range. But can proove difficult if it has a hwacha)
Mobula (Mobulas can navigate mines pretty well, your in good luck if he goes below you. He will navigate mines better but you have the shots on him. If hes above, you dont have shots but mines will better hit. You will have to mind game him more)
Squid (Recommended if the heavy flak shots are true. May even recommend Lochnagar mines instead)
Goldfish (sort of Recommended but difficult, carronades or hwachas will be difficult)
Galleon (Not recommended against, unless the mines are replaced with a mercury or artemis)
A team with a close + medium range ships can still be viable with this. Dont forget you have an ally ship yourself.
It is super weak to long range ships unless the long range ship is harrased by your own teamate.
The best maps it is used in is close to medium sized maps or maps that clutter, not large at all (unless the enemy team does still go close range).
Also works awesomely if you have a teamate that can help or attack the enemy team up close. So you are in the safe with 2 gattlings while helping your ally kill quickly.
Take it from me "3 ships down within a minute" -Me
I have loads of more builds but this one is by far my most favourite and odd for everyone else.
Patched Wizard:
The Tothian Minefield
I would like to propose a glorious expedition of scientific inquiry to the cutting edge of airship warfare. At this moment of breathless anticipation it is unknown whether or not such bold tactics are possible within the diesel choked clouds of our skies. So in the spirit of the furthering of knowledge, I would like to form a motley crew of fearless pioneers to test my hypothesis or at least encourage other brave souls to explore for themselves these uncharted waters.
Hypothesis
Is it possible to trap and kill a target in a pre-prepared minefield?
Theory
Mines, devastation wrapped up in a ball of iron and malice. At present, the mine is a overwhelming deterrent against the wild charge of torpedoing ships and an effective killer during chaotic scraps. However, is it possible to turn this static explosive into a instant killing bear-trap?
I theorise that a Spire equip itself with a Hellhound Heavy Twin Carronade and three Phobos Mine Launchers. Using the mine launchers, the crew can lay a dense field of fifteen mines over a small area to increase the success of complete hull disintegration. The pilot can then present the ship as a tempting lure for an unsuspecting opponent to brazenly charge at. Finally the gunner, applying the heavy carronade's flechette darts to the charging ship's balloons, drives the target's ship into the minefield below followed by swift destruction and much lamentation.
Loadout
These suggestions cover, what I believe, to be the essential components to achieving success in the field of combat. As for any tools not mentioned, I recommend that the team apply common sense when deciding what equipment to bring with them.
Spire
1. Hellhound Heavy Twin Carronade - The heavy carronade is required to guarantee that an target's ship falls in a controlled pattern towards your prepared trap below.
2. Phobos Mine Launcher - The mine launcher is essential for preparing the minefield trap before the engagement. Mines should be placed in a tight pattern to ensure sufficient splash damage and increase killing potential. Consideration also needs to go towards how wide the net should be cast to account for drift error and an opponent's attempts to avoid the minefield.
3. Phobos Mine Launcher - See slot 2.
4. Phobos Mine Launcher - See slot 3.
Pilot
1. Lucky Phoenix Claw - Essential to assist the Spire in avoiding any potential flanking manoeuvres or to lure the target into a false sense of security.
2. Moonshine - In case of imminent impact with the target's ship, moonshine can be applied to mitigate damage away from the hull and minimise chances of catastrophic mission failure.
3. Impact Bumpers - During the procedure the Spire might be required to assist the target into the correct position for the trap. Impact bumpers can be activated to limit any permanent damage to the hull.
Gunner
1. Heavy Clip - Two shots directly to the fragile balloon will send any ship hurtling towards the earth.
2. Charged Rounds - If you're having trouble hitting your target, the extra 30% damage increase and wider flechette spread should help with disabling the target's balloon.
3. Lochanagar Shot - If a target is resistant to your attempts to put them down, a single Lochanagar round is more than enough to shred their balloon and a bit of their hull too. The benefit is that while the carronade will be damaged, it won't be completely destroyed by the Lochanagar's experimental cocktail.
Engineer
1. Burst Rounds - Deployed mines should be pre-loaded with nitroglycerin so that the 50% increase in the explosion radius can set off all adjacent mines simultaneously.
Conclusion
Presently, this theoretical stratagem has not been tested by an I.C.C.A.R.U.S approved team or confirmed by an independent study. No definitive conclusions are available at this stage.
Final Consideration
Key features of this paper, from ships to weapon loadouts and crew equipment, might need to be adjusted to allow for greater flexibility and potential for success in achieving the hypothesised goal.
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