A Possible Safe Way To Take Down Terror Ships W/interceptors

[Shotgunner]

Well, I just learned something new, although it WILL take a little time for you guys to replicate this due to the requirement of plasma cannons.

 

As some of you know, I am using XCOMUTIL and henceforth it's Interceptor/Transport(god I love that thing ). Anyhoo, I have been using it and arming them with dual laser cannons ( as XCOMUTIL gives you 50 scientists to play with afrom the start, so I get the laser weaponry pretty quick ). When I finally got to researchng plasma cannons, I had a small cash flow issue. As a result, when I was able to make them, I was stuck building at max 2 plasma cannons. So I just compromised and placesd a plasma cannon on each Interceptor, so both Interceptors had 1 Plasma Cannon and 1 Laser Cannon. Now, here's the really wacky part:

 

I was taking down Terror Ships with little to no damage to my Interceptors!

 

I know that an Interceptor can down a Terror Ship but will be destroyed about half the time, depending on your choice of weaponry. However, after doing this a few times, I discovered a "safe zone" where the terror ship will NOT fire at you - between the maximum range indicators for the plasma and laser cannons.

 

Now, to pull this off you need to click on the "Aggressive Attack" button. After the Interceptor has fired off TWO ( REPEAT, TWO) shots, quickly click on the "Disengage" button. Once the "blip" on the radar screen has moved beyond the max range indicator for the plasma cannon, click on the "Aggressive Attack" button again. Repeat until the Terror Ship is down.

 

I had a total of 11 Terror Ships come by the base over the course of that month( which , sadly, ended my game after a Base Defense gone wrong ) and out of those 11 ships, I was able to down 6 of them without any damage to my Interceptor. For other times, I took light to moderate damage ( 0 - 1/3 on the damage indicator ) and the last one I had gotten cocky and was downed myself.

 

Like I said in the topic description, if this is old news please forgive me. But if it's not - I would appreicate one of the true X-COM vets to replicate my actions so that everyone knows it's not BS, cause even I will admit it sounds too good to be true. I mean, a Lightning, maybe, but an Interceptor? I can understand how that might be a hard tale to take at face value.

[[NKF]]

The XComutil 'enhancements' don't change the general operation of the plasma cannon, am I right?

 

Well, there you go. Even in the plain vanilla game, one plasma cannon, when set to cautious attack, can shoot down any UFO beyond their firing range, with the exception of the battleship. You can probably imagine how powerful this makes the standard Inteceptor.

 

The reason you're getting a more reasonable shoot downs is because you're only using 1 plasma cannon. 2 plasma cannons tends to cause overkill damage, which is what causes UFOs to be destroyed completely.

 

- NKF

[Shotgunner]

Aw nutz - ws hoping I'd discovered something new .

 

Thanks for the post; guess I sould have slept on it and waited until I was clamed down !

 

Later!

[Kirill]

Imho you shouldn't go straight up to laser cannon at the beggining...

They are great making cash mid/late-game (and to occupy the other interceptor slot once plasma cannons are available ), but very costly research-wise and technical crap. Instead dual avalanches can take down small/medium size ufos, and 3 Interceptors can take down large size ufos (2 Ints can take down a Terror ship if luck is on your side). Beware of the last salvo bug.

 

On regular games i would go laser tech>l.pistol>l.rifle>alloys>personal armour>small launcher + ammo>navigator>HWD and then laser cannon, cause i'll need $$$ for WORLD DOMINATION, i mean, world radar coverage.

I would also research medikit (after p.armor), motion detector (early game cash + battlescape function) and mind probe (to identify the nav/leaders at medium/large size ufos or terror sites)

 

Please excuse my english.

I hope this helps.

Edited December 8, 2006 by Kirill

[[NKF]]

Whether you go for the laser cannon or not is purely dependant on how you play the game. I actually quite like the laser cannons for production and for actual use. To me, minor damage to one interceptor's acceptable, and it cuts down the need for buying more rockets every so often until I get the plasma beams. It's the lazy man's Stingray.

 

- NKF

[Shotgunner]

Right on! Besides NKF's comments, you get 100 shots before you have to break off. If you've exhausted 100 shots and still have not downed the target or been downed yourself, congratulations - you've found a new bug/glitch.

 

Besides, the Laser Cannon is overlooked by quite a few people(based on topics/discussions here and other forums, as well as my local game/hobby store) but I must point out it's advantages - 100 shots per cannon, no ammo costs, and is easily manuafactured. And besides that, without researching the Lasewr Cannon, you can not get the Laser Tank. Call me a laser junkie, but I tend to use them until I get defeated(yes, I still have yet to reach Cydonia without resorting to save game editors, and even with them I get my donkey handed to me). At least I am willing to admit it, unlike some people on the internet.

[Kirill]

Laser cannons can't take down medium/large size ufos. Thats a HUGE con.

 

Plus laser cannons/tanks are also VERY expensive early game (1 laser cannon = 1 avalanche launcher + 18 missiles + research time + manufacturing time. Laster tank = 500K + manufacturing time). Even researching heavy laser is a waste of time at the beggining, cause l.rifles/explosives can take down everything easily for the first 2-3 months (Until chryssalids appear).

[Zombie]

Laser cannons can't take down medium/large size ufos. Thats a HUGE con.

Why do you say this? Of course it can. In fact, I did some craft weapon tests a while back. Lemme pull some numbers together here. I'll list the min and max number of shots necessary to down a few UFOs with a single Laser Cannon mounted on an Avenger (apologies I didn't finish all the tests yet so this table is a bit incomplete):

 

	UFO		  Min	 Max
Large Scout		2	   4
Terror Ship		9	  14
Supply Ship	   20	  24
Battleship		16	  31

True, your craft will probably be destroyed if you go up against a Terror Ship or a Battleship with a Interceptor/Lightning with a single Laser Cannon. But if you have a Firestorm or an Avenger, odds are you will survive the encounter (albeit with some heavy damage). If you equip with dual Laser Cannons, your odds increase as you will be spending half the time facing the enemy UFO. :wink1:

 

- Zombie

Edited December 10, 2006 by Zombie

[Kirill]

Laser cannons in an Avenger? Only in a human tech only game. Edited December 10, 2006 by Kirill

[[NKF]]

In my insanity, I sent TWO avengers out to shoot down a battleship with four cannons. Basic bog standard cannons. And the funny thing is that it worked. I'm not entirely sure how well the laser cannons would fare in the same situation.

 

Money should no longer be a problem by the time you can start building the laser tanks. By then, your haul of heavy plasmas and other bits and bobs should more than compensate for it. At least, in theory.

 

- NKF

Edited December 10, 2006 by NKF

[Shotgunner]

Well, the Avenger is about equal to a Battleship methinks

 

But remember that the amount of time in an interception depends on how often your shots hit the bloody UFO. If your shots keep missing, the increased odds of dual ANYTHING go way down....especially when using the ballistic weaponry.

[[stewart]]

Avenger is not equal to battleship, it superior.

 

Terrorships are nothing at all. Two interceptors armed with dual avalanch will do the trick just nicely (they don't even have to attack at the same time). Any upgrades to this tilts it even more in your favor.

 

Everything but battleships can be readily shot down by interceptors.

 

As a side note: four interceptors armed with dual fusion ball launchers will smash a battleship. Attack at the same time then disengage in the same order you activate. Likely you will lose an interceptor, rarely two, sometimes none.

[Shotgunner]

But won't most people have something more durable than an Interceptor by the time they have fusion ball launchers?

[Kirill]

Interceptor + FBL = Avenger + L. Cannons

 

It can happen, but usually in non-regular games, like Interceptor only games (w/XComUtil) or no alien tech games (only stuff for cydonia)

[Bullet-Tooth Tony]

What "Laser cannons on Interceptors" are people talking about, I don't know. Plasma cannon in X-Com 1 is so fast to research and pretty cheap to manufacture. All you need is Plasma Rifle + Plasma Rifle clip and Plasma Beam itself. You'll probably capture the rifle and some E-115 to manufature PB on the first UFO.

Well, it does still take some time, but if you go for it, you'll be able to afford to FORGET any interception problems (except Battleships) for the rest of the game. 1 PB-armed Interceptor can easily deal with the whole base construction fleet (While Skyranger attacks landed Battleship).

Also, don't forget that in the beginning your vision radius is very limited and you are not able to fight aliens all over the planet. If you see an UFO, and its speed is low, it will probably land and you don't have to shoot it down. If its speed is high, you'll probably be unable to chase it, so what kind of weapon your Interceptors are using is irrelevant. You may only want to shoot down a Terror ship, because, when it lands, a terror site will pop-up and you'll be unable to attack the landed ship.

[[NKF]]

I kind of implied that the plasma cannons are all you really need for everything but the battleships in my first post. I too say - go for the plasma cannon as quickly as you can.

 

However we're, well, trying to justify that the laser cannons are okay. Not the best, but they can provide acceptable performance. You just have to use common sense and not send the interceptor up against something that's much more than it can handle. Same thing goes for the cannons, actually. Or, at least, I am.

 

- NKF

Edited December 13, 2006 by NKF

[zaimoni]

I kind of implied that the plasma cannons are all you really need for everything but the battleships in my first post. I too say - go for the plasma cannon as quickly as you can.

 

However we're, well, trying to justify that the laser cannons are okay. Not the best, but they can provide acceptable performance. You just have to use common sense and not send the interceptor up against something that's much more than it can handle. Same thing goes for the cannons, actually. Or, at least, I am.

 

- NKF

The delay in researching Heavy Plasma rather than Plasma Rifle first might be worth it, though.

[Shotgunner]

But you will have access to the laser rifle/heavy laser long before, unless you have an incredible amount of scientists

[[NKF]]

It also depends on what your general play preference is like. I, for example, don't like to use the heavy plasma to any large degree (I mean, they grow on trees, and every one's grandmother's neighbour's dog owns one - I just pick them up off the ground when I need them), but I do use 1 or 2 plasma rifles for the snapshot enhancement.

 

So to me, the rifle has more utility from the start. But even then, I don't use the plasma rifle as much as I do other weapons, so I just go for which ever one is the most convienient at the time to allow me the fastest acquisition of the plasma cannons.

 

I like to go after my bread-and-butter ground combat tools before hitting the plasma cannon (i.e. laser pistol and personal armour).

 

- NKF

Edited December 15, 2006 by NKF

[Bullet-Tooth Tony]

But you will have access to the laser rifle/heavy laser long before, unless you have an incredible amount of scientists

Not sure about "long before". First landed UFO happens usually when you haven't even researched Laser Pistol. Sometimes, when you're researching Laser Rifle. But a Medium Scout (typical 1st UFO) may be lacking a Plasma Rifle. However, 2nd UFO will have a rifle almost for sure. Whether I have a Plasma Rifle or not, I'd still finish the Laser Rifle project, and arm my people with it.

So, when you get to Heavy Laser, you almost always have an option to research a Plasma Rifle instead. IMHO, Heavy Laser + Laser Cannon and Plasma Rifle + PR Clip + Plasma Beam are roughly equal in terms of research time.

[Shotgunner]

I was merely trying to point out that you'll have the ability to build and use the Laser Rifle a noticable amount of time before you can say the same for the Plasma weapons. Besides, I agree with NKF - it seems like the H.Plasma grows on trees and EVERYONE uses it. Other than research and a few for base defense missions, I usually sell them for the huge profit.

[Cornuthaum]

Interceptors with dual avalanche can down a terror ship too - still, send two if you can, those ships can take some punishment and it is extremely likely that the ship dodges at least two of the six missiles

 

avalanche missiles outrange everything, methinks, save the all-powerful battleship (I'd even use fusion launchers if they'd outrange those ships ... but limited ammo and no outranging? no-go over the plasma gun)

[Steelion]

I go laser pistol, laser rifle, heavy plasma, plasma cannon. I dont research laser cannon AT ALL until i have all that. And then it's just to get the tank.

[[stewart]]

But won't most people have something more durable than an Interceptor by the time they have fusion ball launchers?

 

Maybe but if they dont (after all it's less steps in research to FBL than to your own UFOs). Once you have firestorms then you dont need FBL. BTW 1 firestorm with dual plasma will handle a battleship. It will get damaged to be sure but if its mission is "shoot down battleships" it should be repaired fast enough for the next.

 

Interceptors with dual avalanche can down a terror ship too - still, send two if you can, those ships can take some punishment and it is extremely likely that the ship dodges at least two of the six missiles

 

Already pointed out in this thread by . . . ahem . . . . someone.

[Cornuthaum]

In my defense, it was 04.08 AM when I wrote this, my head was fuzzy and I had just paused an hours-long UFO marathon

 

Actually, what are fusion ball launchers good for except constantly draining your elerium reserves? Dual Plasma cost a bit more than two FBL+Ammo (methinks), but they go forever, or at least until the craft goes boom x.x

[[NKF]]

Well, put it this way, the fusion ball launchers provide the biggest punch (assuming they hit) with excellent firing range (which is unfortunately exactly the same range as a Battleship's plasma cannon - 5km's more than the Avalanche). A few well placed hits combined with plasma cannons or more FBL's can knock down a battleship very quickly. But again, assuming the shots hit. It's a real gamblers weapons - you stand to lose a lot each time it fails, but you get great results when it does work.

 

They're also great for overkilling small UFOs just to show the aliens that you can. I mean, if you can afford to flaunt your massive elerium stockpile, why not blow a small scout out of existence with a pair of fusion balls?

 

Plasma cannons are expensive, but the initial investment of elerium is only needed once. The fusion ball requires that you build the ammo every time you fire a few shots if you wish to keep using it. That's 4 - 5 elerium pieces per rocket! So in the long run they can quickly lead to your ruin if you use them too often.

 

- NKF

Edited December 30, 2006 by NKF

[Cornuthaum]

I can obliterate a small scout with twin plasma beams too

 

and two fusion ball launchers with full ammunition come to 2x 12 elerium-115, giving you six shots, whilst two plasma cannons come to 2x15 elerium and giving you endless, hassle-free, no-workspace clogging ammunition

[[NKF]]

True, but fusion balls do with just that tiny bit more damage. Rather pointless, but hey, it amuses some.

 

I'm just happy with the plasma cannons myself.

 

- NKF

[Cornuthaum]

FBL would have been great, had it either 70 km range OR 5-6 shots each - but in its current (as if there ever were another) form it is completely outclassed by the plasma cannon (of doom)

[Steelion]

NKF, you've given me an idea. I have to go arm my avenger with FBLs now. And find a small UFO.

[Shotgunner]

Once I have the ability to have FBLs, I usually use a sibgle hardpoint to mount them, using the other hardpoint to moubnt a plasma cannon. Two high powered weapons, but with the overkill toned WAY down. VERY useful if you operate with a single interceptor/dropship craft as you are not likely to totaly destroy the poor aline craft....as if we care about the alien's wellbeing.

[Trevelyan]

why bother with FBLs to destroy ships? Just shoot them down over water!

[Pherdnut]

I didn't read the whole thread but you can actually shoot terror ships down with Avalanche missiles with impunity too. It usually takes two interceptors though since they don't always hit and ammo capacity is so low.

[[NKF]]

why bother with FBLs to destroy ships? Just shoot them down over water!

 

Easy! Pure unadulterated and overly gratuitous violence.

 

- NKF

[Pherdnut]

Hmm... reading this thread more thoroughly makes me wish you could turn weapons on and off like in Apoc. Switching from plasma to the standard cannon would be awesome for bringing down lesser ships. I don't really see how the laser cannons occupy a useful niche aside from being wildly lucrative to build and sell.