Do fires smolder out?

[Migillis]

I know there are extinguishers but I'm wondering do small fires burn out naturally? My first ship is very small, it's meant to draw fire and let the enemy waste missiles and extinguishers before I send anything bigger out. While it can finish small fights, it has only one 2a37 meant to swat missiles or harass but I am toying with the strategy of using just enough incendiary rounds to start fires.

It's an interesting strategy to me to get the enemy to waste all their extinguishers then hit them with just enough incendiary to start a another fire, then I can create distance and dodge attacks while enemy ships slowly burn away.

I would like to know which parts burn and for how long? I don't expect to turn some juggernaut into the Hindenburg by peppering the armor but if I can get into the hull or hit certain rooms will they continue to burn without an extinguisher present? Or is that only fuel tanks that burn, and do those burn indefinitely without the presence of an extinguisher or will they smolder out (or be put out by crew) without enough firepower continuing to hit it?
I've sent many ships to their fiery grave but it's usually with a sustained attack, until the ship is literally engulfed in flames and tumbling into the desert floor, and not from essentially lighting a match and running away.

Thanks sorry for the long post just making sure everyone understands exactly what I'm asking.

[Shoelace]

Good question, I'd like to know too.

[veevoir]

I think it is exactly the opposite, they will grow. My retrofitted Sevastopol is in a state where only fires can take it down and anytime I run out of fire suppression in simulations - the fires grow over time until they hit something fun.

[DeadmanTim]

Originally posted by Migillis:

I don't expect to turn some juggernaut into the Hindenburg by peppering the armor

You actually can. Even 37mm incendiary rounds are great.

Never seen fires smoler out by themselves, fought a lot.

[Whatever100500]

I think fires go out by themselves only if fight happens during a rain.

[Migillis]

Originally posted by DeadmanTim:

Originally posted by Migillis:

I don't expect to turn some juggernaut into the Hindenburg by peppering the armor

You actually can. Even 37mm incendiary rounds are great.

Never seen fires smoler out by themselves, fought a lot.

I've seen some fire trails from the engine of enemies appear to burn out without seeing that extinguisher plume before, but it's been hard to confirm. Maybe I'll do some experimenting later in shipworks.

Originally posted by veevoir:

I think it is exactly the opposite, they will grow.

Certainly the case with the fuel tanks, as long as there's no extinguishers. I'm going to experiment later and see if parts of hull or things like a crew cabin will increase in fire intensity.

[BadPsychic]

Originally posted by Whatever100500:

I think fires go out by themselves only if fight happens during a rain.

I second this. Last night I had a small fire go out during a fight, and from memory I believe it was raining. I also saved a burning ship by retreating, but I think it was raining for that one as well.

[DeadmanTim]

Originally posted by Migillis:

I've seen some fire trails from the engine of enemies appear to burn out without seeing that extinguisher plume before, but it's been hard to confirm. Maybe I'll do some experimenting later in shipworks.

Those "fires" are visual effects when engines overheat after too much afterburner. Easy to check in ship builder.

[Lucky]

Any medium block can burn even if it doesn't have any system in it. If a system or an empty medium block is completely surrounded by the small blocks it will smolder out eventually. If there is something for the fire to spread to it will.