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Post by darloth on Sept 29, 2016 10:44:13 GMT
Sometimes when I launch drones against a fairly close target and all goes well, I can then have them rejoin the carrier fleet. Good stuff! I can even refuel them, that's handy sometimes.
What I can't seem to do though is stuff them back into the launchers, even though the timescales of the combat can be over several days.
Here's a scenario where it would have been useful to do that:
Retaking Ceres, the enemy launches a big load of gun drones at me - I counter these with beam drones that do a burn towards his incoming gun drones, then slow down a lot and shoot them all at low relative velocity. So far, so good. They have a bit of delta-v left, enough to get back to the carriers as the engagement happened pretty close to (within hours of) his original low velocity intercept point.
Now what I'd like to do is drop my carrier fleet into a lower orbit. Right now I can't find a good way of doing that and preserving those rather useful beam drones for close in defense - they've used up a big chunk of dV, and if I refuel them I'll be wasting fuel because they'll have to do the same burn as everything else and have lower efficiency engines compared to the carriers.
Basically I guess what I'm looking for is a "Recover Drones" order in the fleet menu, which would put drones back into magazines but require a significant chunk of time (maybe with no burns during that time?)
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Post by boomertiro on Sept 29, 2016 17:10:15 GMT
Why should the time to put them back in their holes be significant, when merely exiting the screen you launch them from launches them all instantly even if there are hundreds? In any case, they should be recoverable because they'd be recoverable if this were real.
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Post by jonatanhedborg on Sept 29, 2016 17:38:05 GMT
I guess making them recoverable in real life would require openings in the carrier (I doubt you could just shove them back into the launcher), potentially causing weak spots and taking up lots of space. You would then have to be able to transport them from the "hangar" back into the magazine (re-packing them with polystyrene or whatever is used to keep them from moving around and getting damaged inside the magazine). It's obviously not impossible, but should come at a cost (that most people would be reluctant to pay in their combat ships).
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Post by boomertiro on Sept 29, 2016 19:48:26 GMT
There shouldn't be anything stopping you from putting them in the same way they came out, honestly. Looks like just a gentle conveyor. The cheapest way to build it I can think of would make it work in reverse just easily. It's either an empty tube or a conveyor and everything slides in as slowly as it came out.
What I would also like to see is a legit drone or missile LAUNCHER of the railtype variety that slams the payload out at a decent km/s. If I ever get the module designer unlocked I shall try and make that.
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Post by cardshark on Oct 1, 2016 16:42:16 GMT
What I would also like to see is a legit drone or missile LAUNCHER of the railtype variety that slams the payload out at a decent km/s. If I ever get the module designer unlocked I shall try and make that. You can use missiles as ammo for coilguns. |
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Post by The Astronomer on Oct 2, 2016 2:12:32 GMT
Why get them in a hole? Just make them stick to the side of your ship.  Anyways, I really want drone fleets that can transfer all their fuel to mothership. Would a pump help this? |
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Post by boomertiro on Oct 2, 2016 2:50:35 GMT
What I would also like to see is a legit drone or missile LAUNCHER of the railtype variety that slams the payload out at a decent km/s. If I ever get the module designer unlocked I shall try and make that. You can use missiles as ammo for coilguns. I AM DOING THIS EVERY CHANCE I CAN FROM NOW ON! |
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Post by Autochton on Oct 2, 2016 11:41:48 GMT
I would pay $cashmoney for a proper box launcher. Basically a box, possibly retractable into the hull, open at both ends, full of missiles. Light them off one at a time and there you go. Launch costs dV, but you can output 3-4 birds a second. Make a launchable payload with this on it, and you have Honorverse style 'podnoughts'...
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Post by elouda on Oct 2, 2016 12:07:59 GMT
More variety for launchers would be nice.
Boxes in general, both as you describe above along with just simple side or front mounted one shot containers would be great. Likewise external 'hardpoints' for larger missiles or drones would be great. Another nice addition might be the option to make the current 'launcher' bow mounted lengthwise (think torpedo tubes on a sub).
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Post by Harpoon on Oct 2, 2016 12:45:20 GMT
I guess making them recoverable in real life would require openings in the carrier (I doubt you could just shove them back into the launcher), potentially causing weak spots and taking up lots of space. You would then have to be able to transport them from the "hangar" back into the magazine (re-packing them with polystyrene or whatever is used to keep them from moving around and getting damaged inside the magazine). It's obviously not impossible, but should come at a cost (that most people would be reluctant to pay in their combat ships). Yes, but on the other hand it would make a lot of sense logistics-wise. In game drones are pretty much expendable but I imagine that RL commanders would prefer to sacrifice a little bit of protection or cost for longer time between refitting. |
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Post by argonbalt on Oct 2, 2016 18:25:31 GMT
I would pay $cashmoney for a proper box launcher. Basically a box, possibly retractable into the hull, open at both ends, full of missiles. Light them off one at a time and there you go. Launch costs dV, but you can output 3-4 birds a second. Make a launchable payload with this on it, and you have Honorverse style 'podnoughts'... So basically one of these "rocket pods"  |
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Post by Autochton on Oct 3, 2016 6:02:25 GMT
So basically one of these "rocket pods" Yes, except full of Devastator missiles. :-D |
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