Mechanics of ramming other ships

Slack

Slack
If someone knowledgeable or maybe a Dev could answer these questions it would be appreciated.

Things I'm aware off:
-The greater the speed difference between the two ships when they collide the greater the damage inflicted.
-When the collision damage exceeds what the shields can absorb, the remaining damage gets transferred to the hull.


The unknown:
-Hull mass: Does mass effect the amount of damage inflicted? If a ship with a 400t mass hits a ship with 200t mass will it inflict more damage to the smaller ship?
-Ship Shape: Does the shape of a spearhead (FDL) inflict more damage to something thats more of a flat shape such as a t7?
-Angle of attack: Does the location of the collision make a difference? For example hitting from the side vs head on?
-Armor Value: Does armor make a difference in collisions once the shields are down?
-Shield Value: Do stronger shields reduce the amount of damage you take? Or is it an equal value that is reduced from both ship shields. In other words it may seem like you took less damage because you were able take the enemy shields down in 1 hit and still have 2 shield rings remaining, but in fact the shield value lost is equal on both ships and one just had a much higher value to subtract from?
 

Arry

Arry
Whatever the facts or results from the technically minded out there; luck has to play a part, in all of this.
 

glynie

glynie
elitetoni.jpg
 

Krezan

Krezan
Lol at picture (should work less hard). Ramming is about the only way to blow up a ship when there's 2 against one. Makes me lol.
 

CorvusDove

C
Slack said:
-Hull mass: Does mass effect the amount of damage inflicted? If a ship with a 400t mass hits a ship with 200t mass will it inflict more damage to the smaller ship? Yes, though not by a mystery formula. The more massive ship will keep going in the direction it was headed for longer and the ram-ee will bounce along and off it, possible taking ramming damage more than once.
-Ship Shape: Does the shape of a spearhead (FDL) inflict more damage to something thats more of a flat shape such as a t7? No.
-Angle of attack: Does the location of the collision make a difference? For example hitting from the side vs head on? Not as such. Transverse velocity is more involved; two ships hitting each other head on at the same speed will hit twice as hard as if one were stationary, and it shows in the damage.
-Armor Value: Does armor make a difference in collisions once the shields are down? Yes. It won't protect subsystems, though.
-Shield Value: Do stronger shields reduce the amount of damage you take? Or is it an equal value that is reduced from both ship shields. In other words it may seem like you took less damage because you were able take the enemy shields down in 1 hit and still have 2 shield rings remaining, but in fact the shield value lost is equal on both ships and one just had a much higher value to subtract from? Shields only apply to your ship for this purpose. The opponent's shielding does not increase damage you take in collision. If it did, bumping a station lightly would be like a bee trapped in a bug zapper.
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This is from my observations and a little research.
 
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CMDR Byr Goefin

C
glynie said:
http://s7.postimg.org/3ovalh7tn/elitetoni.jpg
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Even though my ship does not have oars, I keep slaves chained in the cargo hold so I can hear the drums beat faster when I cry "Ramming Speed!"

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CorvusDove said:
Not as such. Transverse velocity is more involved; two ships hitting each other head on at the same speed will hit twice as hard as if one were stationary, and it shows in the damage.
This is from my observations and a little research.
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Pity that, Kinetic Energy = 1/2Mass x Velocity ^2
 

Bacalao

Bacalao
These are some good questions, have you posted them in the most recent "answers from the devs" post? I think they look through those (as well as here) to gather questions for the next post.
 

Slack

Slack
CorvusDove said:
Angle of attack: Does the location of the collision make a difference? For example hitting from the side vs head on? Not as such. Transverse velocity is more involved; two ships hitting each other head on at the same speed will hit twice as hard as if one were stationary, and it shows in the damage..
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You would think that two ships of equal mass, in a head on collision traveling at 50mph each (for a combined total of 100mph) would do the same damage as an individual ship hitting a wall at 100mph. But actually thats not true.

A head on collision where 2 ships are traveling at 50mph each will do no more damage than an individual ship hitting a wall at 50mph. This due to the fact that the energy in the head on collision is divided between the two ships.
 
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glynie

glynie
Having a heavier ship does make a difference (the heavier you are, the better off you're going to be when you hit something or something hits you). Also:

ARMOUR TYPE: Collision damage to hull (%)
---------------------------------------
LIGHTWEIGHT ALLOYS: 9%
REINFORCED ALLOYS: 4%
MILITARY GRADE COMPOSITE: 4%
MIRRORED SURFACE COMPOSITE: 6%
REACTIVE SURFACE COMPOSITE: 3%

Source

As for the rest, I'm not sure.
 
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Slack

Slack
dc83 said:
No, that's not true. Remember that while the energy is indeed divided between the two ships, the total speed of the collision is the sum of the speed of the two ships, meaning that two ships hitting each other at 50mph would essentially be moving at a relative speed of 100mph... and, in fact, energy per speed of impact is calculated using the square of the speed; double the speed and you quadruple the damage. So if two ships of equal mass hit each other with each ship moving at 50mph, it would do as much damage to each ship as a single ship hitting a stationary block of equal mass at 400mph, divided between both. So each ship would sustain the equivalent damage of running into an equal-mass stationary block ("wall", inasmuch as such a thing can exist in space) at 200mph. Or something like that. Sorry, but a head-on collision at equal speed is much nastier than hitting a pole.
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I thought the same thing you did at first, but its simply not true. A head on collision where each ship is traveling at 50mph, will do no more damage to your ship than hitting a wall at 50mph..

Check it out for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8E5dUnLmh4
 

glynie

glynie
[video=youtube;r8E5dUnLmh4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8E5dUnLmh4[/video]

Edit: lol double post there Slack :) I also remember watching this. dc83, your reasoning wasn't bad. It's a common misconception (hence the mythbusters).
 
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Fendalton

Fendalton
Pretty much, ship weight, speed and angle are taken into account.

Shields absorb damage. Total MJ of shields does make a difference.
 

CMDR Byr Goefin

C
dc83 said:
No, that's not true. Remember that while the energy is indeed divided between the two ships, the total speed of the collision is the sum of the speed of the two ships, meaning that two ships hitting each other at 50mph would essentially be moving at a relative speed of 100mph... and, in fact, energy per speed of impact is calculated using the square of the speed; double the speed and you quadruple the damage. So if two ships of equal mass hit each other with each ship moving at 50mph, it would do as much damage to each ship as a single ship hitting a stationary block of equal mass at 400mph, divided between both. So each ship would sustain the equivalent damage of running into an equal-mass stationary block ("wall", inasmuch as such a thing can exist in space) at 200mph. Or something like that. Sorry, but a head-on collision at equal speed is much nastier than hitting a pole.
Click to expand...

Not quadruple:

Kinetic Energy = 1/2Mass x Velocity ^2
 
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