Interceptor Missile question

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

Hey guys,
I'm trying to set up some interceptor missiles and thought why not use sticky flares in order too attract incoming IR missiles at the same time. However they don't really seem to work since they just fly straight into space and I was wondering if the flares might interfere? I tried placing more missile warners but that didn't solve it.
Any suggestions?

[TheLightLOD]

Take a look at your system, and compare it to this please. Then post if you still have issues and we'll see if there can be more help.

An interceptor missile system needs:

-missile warners connected to an AI mainframe (by connector and reciever works as well).
-interceptor missile with a missile controller.
-Automated control block next to the missile controller of the anti missile system.

Automated Control block settings:
-effect range: 2-3 (it's placed right next to the missile controller, and we don't want all of our guns to fire when we see an enemy missile )
-triggered by: hostile missile closer than ~800-1000 (your interceptor missile has less range, but these missiles come at us so we meet in the middle )
-effects: weapons (need to effect the missile controller)
-effect: fire weapons (need to launch the interceptor missile)

It doesn't need:
-local weapon controller (it seems lwc's don't see missiles as a target to fire at, and we don't need to waste interceptor missiles at enemy ships)

Nice idea for the flare btw :)

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

First of all thanks for your reply.

- I do have 2 missiles warners one of each side of the ship and both got their own mainframe, one for each "battery" (just 4 missiles) however they are not placed particulary high on my ship, so I might want to try and raise them up a bit for better vision. As I mentioned earlier I tried adding more basically facing in all directions since mine are currently only facing upwards.

- got interceptor warheads and a missile controller (its basically 3 fins,1 variable thruster set to 2000, 4 fuel tanks, 1 flare, 1 interceptor head)

- got an ACB next to each battery (range 2, triggered by hostile missiles closer that 1000, activating weapon systems > Fire weapons)

I do have LWC's aswell although I was told before they are not required so I will try removing them. However I've got a similar set up on my base which is working even with LWC but it does not use flares aswell

I don't quite know what interceptor warheads are "looking" for because if its actual heat signitures they really might just get distracted by their own flares, which seems odd because in this case they shouldn't fly at all but instead just circle around trying to catch themselves.

[darkrajin]

I use anti missile missiles, with flares and they work fine. :D further the flares will lure enemy ir missiles away.

Just remember add an automated controller to fire when enemy missile detected. And you might want to add more missile warners

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

@darkrajin Thanks ! Thats nice to know, so it does work! Guess I need to take a closer look at my system again.

[TheLightLOD]

How are you testing btw?

For me a drake is a good test craft as it only fires 1 missile at a time, though not at huge ranges.

I believe to have read somewhere that the interceptor missile head should get it's target from the missile warners, so i'm not sure if they reengage other missiles once their target is destroyed.

Oh, and another thing about the interceptor missiles. My latest frigate has length 2 interceptor missiles: short range thruster, fuel, fin, interceptor warhead. If i count yours they are length 5? Are your interceptor missiles missing or having some other issue?

If they're just missing than you could try a more compact design, like: short range thruster, 2x fin, fuel, flare, interceptor.

[darkrajin]

They will engage other missles, if their target dies, at least if they have enough fuel. I normally use a small missile, no more then four blocks. Make sure the fins are first :D also I do not know if it is needed, but I always add a friend from foe block.

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

Wow nevermind I'm just stupid xD
Guess it was to late to build such a thing yesterday. I just reviewed what I did and noticed that my missile warners are "connected" via missile connectors... so I switched them with AI connectors and now it works like a charm^^

@TheLightLOD Yes my interceptors are lenght 5 and no due to the 3 fins they are quite agile and therefore pretty reliable. Adding flares was just for fun to begin with since I didn't need quite that much fuel. But the more I thought about it the more I loved the idea :)
Btw not sure if you listed the missile parts in order but you should always put fins at the back (topmost in the list) because they get way less drag that way. As far as I know it shouldn't work that way but for now it does. :P I guess they'll change thrusters to be restricted to the back in the future.
Btw is there any benfit from using short range thrusters? I always stick to variable just in case I want to change the thrust later on.

[darkrajin]

Well the short range thrusters can be set to fire later in a launch. I actually use them on my satelite missiles with varriable thrusters set at low speeds that fly them away from the satelite, then the short range thrusters fire giving more speed (not a lot more, these are some what larger missiles).

You could also combine them with a torpedo propeller in a sub, to launch them upwards, and once they get near the surface, the shortrange thruster would then fire.

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

Hm right, the delay is only available with short range. I haven't done much in regards of satelites or space stuff in general so I'm not certain how missiles work there but for ships I never needed the delay so far, guess that comes more into play with bomber type crafts where you need your missiles to drop a bit in order to avoid hitting yourself.

[darkrajin]

yeah, honestly never used the delay my self, until I acidently made that satelite xD It was going to be a very fast boat until the custom jet engine made it fly....

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

Yeah a satelite is actually my next big project. I need something that can stay in space since my "balloon satelites" keep dropping to water level if I take them out of play...so I don't see that much =/
But I need to research lasers first since I'm basically planning to build a huge space laser with satelite arrays attached to it. I just hope it stays up there even if out of play in order to keep the vision up. ^^

[darkrajin]

If you want to keep it up (heh kinky) make sure to have it out of any groups, and second give it a small move order while in space, then pull from play should work. At least for mine it stays in space when I now pull it from play.and yes my second satelite uses some large.. Lasers, in rainbow colors. It is a pretty deadly setup, plus it makes for a great epilepsy test.

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

My "satelite" is all alone in his fleet and I tried the move order thing before cause I thought I've noticed the same thing but it didn't work.
I've got 2 satelites (100% identical) one at the starting area which is staying at a constant 211m even if out of play, although that wasn't working from the start.
The next satelite is at the (former) DWG base to the east and that one keeps dropping. I managed to keep it steady for a while (although I don't know how) but since I accidentally moved it it keeps dropping again. My hope was that since everything moves really slow in space I've got more time before I had to take them into play again xD

[TheLightLOD]

Yeah short range thrusters allow for a delay. In my case most of my interceptor missiles start straight up, and with a thruster delay they turn before going towards the target giving them the ability to hit missiles closer to the launchpad (smaller turning circle from launchpad). Before that i used it on my very cheap helicopter so it was able to hit targets directly underneath it.

As for satelites i only build a radar satelite so far, i guess i'd need about 16 of them to have full map vision. Haven't had issues with it going down though, but then again it has thrusters in all directions and an aerial ai. Space laser is on my to do list, however i need to build a new battleship first.

[SittingDuckHD #TerroristTurkey]

@TheLightLOD Aerial AI...that's actually a good point. Those satelites were pretty much the first thing I built in my campaign and I think they don't have any AI at all just baloon deployers with an ACB set to trigger on spawn. But then it worked before and is still working for one satelite so I don't think an AI is really the problem =/
They are fairly cheap but I think about 16 of them for full map coverage would be appropriate in this case aswell.^^ Therefore I want one giant space laser/spy satelite which I can just plunk down in the middle of the map. >:)