Newcomer / Intro Two Combat-Related Questions: 1) Gimbal/Turret Locks , 2) Scans

[timoteo]

Been playing for a while, and mostly have avoided combat other than self-defense and the occasional easy bounty. But I've always wondered a couple of things that I can't quite seem to find answers on ...


1) Is there any way to tell if an enemy ship is using gimballed or turreted weapons on you? In other words, is it possible to know when they have a weapons lock? I guess same goes for tracker missiles? (Is there a tone or any other kind of indicator?) And finally, is there any way to know if your CHAFF has broken said lock?

2) Also, I've always wondered how you could tell who is scanning you if there are multiple ships in the area. Does your radar display change the shape/color/etc of a contact if it is scanning you? (Sorry, guess that's not actually techincally COMBAT related. Could be pre-cursor to some combat I guess. )

Thanks!

-Tim

 

[Dommarraa]

1) only by looking at your shield display on the HUD. If it has little blue splashes, they have target lock

2) if they have sent the idiot NPC message, you will know their name on the contacts screen without having to scan them

 

[KillaALF]

Also, ships that are scanning you at the moment are roughly at a range of 1 km from your ship.

 

[Frenotx]

Chaff does not break locks. All it does is confuse gimballed and turreted weaponry. The only ways to break a missile lock is to stay out of the enemy's forward arc for a few seconds, get outside of the sensor range, or turn on silent running. There is also an engineering special effect called "target lock breaker" for plasma accelerators that breaks sensor lock, and thus missile lock. Note that none of these things break the lock of an already-fired missile. Once the fish is in the water, your options are to shoot it down via point defense turrets or your ship's weapons, scramble the lock via ECM, or outrun / outrange the thing.

 

[Para Handy]

............... The only ways to break a missile lock is to stay out of the enemy's forward arc for a few seconds, get outside of the sensor range, or turn on silent running. .........

... drop a heatsink breaks target lock - fire ECM breaks missile lock? [where is it]

 

[Rob_the_Sparky]

You can also shoot missiles with your main weaponry

 

[Frenotx]

... drop a heatsink breaks target lock - fire ECM breaks missile lock? [where is it]

Dropping a heatsink is effectively the same as going into silent running, from a targeting stand point. ECM, unless there was a sneaky undocumented change recently, scrambles already-launched missiles, but doesn't affect ships in any way (doesn't break their lock).

 

[Para Handy]

............ ECM, unless there was a sneaky undocumented change recently, scrambles already-launched missiles, but doesn't affect ships in any way (doesn't break their lock).

I guess that's why I said "ECM breaks missile lock" ....

 

[Frenotx]

I guess that's why I said "ECM breaks missile lock" ....

To be fair, the terminolgy available to us isn't wonderful. There's target lock (selecting the target), missile lock (acquiring a firing solution), and missile lock (the lock an in-flight missile has on the target).

 

[Nero Tacitus]

A) No.
B) No.

Most NPCs (in my experience) run gimbals. So if they're not suing railguns/PAs, you can assume chaff will be effective against them, and usually be correct. As for missiles, they innately do very poor shield damage, so whilst your shields hold, you don't really need to worry about them.

When you're scanned, the ships seem to exchange information. If you check your contact page, any ship that has scanned you will have some of its details (name etc) updated from the basic ship description. 99% of the time when an NPC scans you, you'll get some form of flavor text in your log, along with the name of the NPC. Line up the name in your contacts panel and you'll know who just scanned you.

 

[timoteo]

Thanks, everyone! Yeah, I meant "Gimbal Lock" (not missile ... of course that's what my Point Defense is for [yesnod]). I tried the ECM, but prefer the PD system (I think!) ... like I said, very limited combat.

1) only by looking at your shield display on the HUD. If it has little blue splashes, they have target lock

Ah yes, but of course!

 

[EvilestKhan]

so whats point defense?

 

[timoteo]

so whats point defense?

Point Defense is a module which shoots down incoming missiles. Think phalanx gun on aircraft carrier or other naval vessles.

 

[aRJay]

so whats point defense?

Also very useful on any ships you are carrying cargo in as they will shot down hostile limpets, another analogy is the sentry guns in aliens but only because they don't look multi barrelled like a phalanx.

 

[Frenotx]

Also very useful on any ships you are carrying cargo in as they will shot down hostile limpets, another analogy is the sentry guns in aliens but only because they don't look multi barrelled like a phalanx.

ECM can also be used to kill limpets. Just be aware that it will wipe out any of your own limpets hit, too.

 

[timoteo]

Also very useful on any ships you are carrying cargo in as they will shot down hostile limpets, another analogy is the sentry guns in aliens but only because they don't look multi barrelled like a phalanx.

Cool beans, didn't realize they worked on limpets too, thanks! Also, I think you mean "Aliens: The Director's Cut", ahem! ;-)

 

[Rock Hunter]

Is Point Defense an automatic defense system I.e. equip it, leave it to do its job or does it need to be given a firing mode and fired as required? I’ve equipped Chaff and Heat Sinks but either never encountered a missile or never noticed one being fired at me.

I’m curious more for the ability to shoot down hatch breaker limpets etc

 

[C64Fan]

Is Point Defense an automatic defense system I.e. equip it, leave it to do its job or does it need to be given a firing mode and fired as required? I’ve equipped Chaff and Heat Sinks but either never encountered a missile or never noticed one being fired at me.

I’m curious more for the ability to shoot down hatch breaker limpets etc

Yes, as long as it’s activated/powered it’ll do its thing. It’ll shoot down hatch breaker limpets too.

 

[Para Handy]

Is Point Defense an automatic defense system I.e. equip it, leave it to do its job or does it need to be given a firing mode and fired as required? .......

Fit and forget

Just remember the firing arc / coverage - I have one on top and one below - make sure one sees forward and the other aft (at least).

 

[aRJay]

Cool beans, didn't realize they worked on limpets too, thanks! Also, I think you mean "Aliens: The Director's Cut", ahem! ;-)

Well they were in the original, you saw the boxes and the ammo usage display, but yes you needed the Directors cut to watch them in action.