New fighter concepts
- Thread starter Lynx
- Start date
A quick strike fighter? I don't get it. You mean that it can approach really fast to its target and blow it up before it can react? For that, stealth fighters ( Dragon, anyone? ) seem to work best.
I know, I know, modern sensors can detect stealth fighters. Sheesh.
Or a Capship missile with some sort of AI and shielding would be better. Pilots are expensive, not to mention the losses because of lacking defenses.
No way I would fly one of those fighters, no matter how much firepower they had.
What about quick strike drones?
I know, I know, modern sensors can detect stealth fighters. Sheesh.
Or a Capship missile with some sort of AI and shielding would be better. Pilots are expensive, not to mention the losses because of lacking defenses.
No way I would fly one of those fighters, no matter how much firepower they had.
What about quick strike drones?
Just edited my last reply. So what do you think about drones?
Just think about losses. Not to mention morale.
In fleet battles, they would be cut to ribbons the second they would take off. You can't avoid just every bolt of fire.I prefer that my fighter can take a few shots and still be able to return the favor.
And if I remeber correctly, only bombers can carry torpedoes, because of thir mass and a need for complex targeting system.
Just think about losses. Not to mention morale.
In fleet battles, they would be cut to ribbons the second they would take off. You can't avoid just every bolt of fire.I prefer that my fighter can take a few shots and still be able to return the favor.
And if I remeber correctly, only bombers can carry torpedoes, because of thir mass and a need for complex targeting system.
I'm thinkin...
Spaceman
A fighter craft of that sort would be nice for scramble situations involving enemy capships closing on your position. Not that it's a bad idea or anything but something of that type is not entirely feasible. The amount of money to develop someting like that and all of the complex targeting systems would be to say the least, a lot. Plus, I don't really see a need for something like that. With Confed now going to a battle fleet type set up, there are enough anti capship weapons on the Plunkett class cruisers to keep any enemy capships safely away from the carriers. Not to mention that the amount of air defense weapons on every capship is fairly extensive.
As for hit and run tactics, there is really no need for that. Confed is such a huge war machine why bother with hit and run tactics. Just have the bombers go in, drop their loads and kiss the enemy goodbye.
As for hit and run tactics, there is really no need for that. Confed is such a huge war machine why bother with hit and run tactics. Just have the bombers go in, drop their loads and kiss the enemy goodbye.
Chris Mungo
Spaceman
A Fighter for Hit and Run?
I think, this Fighter would have on Torpedo, two Mesonguns, medium shields and high.
Nothing more. But I think that Drones a realy better than some piloted fighters.
I think, this Fighter would have on Torpedo, two Mesonguns, medium shields and high.
Nothing more. But I think that Drones a realy better than some piloted fighters.
DetailedTarget
Spaceman
I'm surprised to see someone referencing "the movie". Did anybody here actualy _like_ that?
I would have thought for sure that every WC fan would what to deck Roberts after that (like me).
The needs of such a space born fleet would naturally be much different, but, pseudo-fighters carrying a torpedo have been proven to be quite effective. They were used like mad in the pacific by both sides.
Speaking of which, the comment of wanting your fighter to be able to take a few also reminded me of the US WWII fighters. lol, I must be playing too much Sturmovik.
I would have thought for sure that every WC fan would what to deck Roberts after that (like me).
The needs of such a space born fleet would naturally be much different, but, pseudo-fighters carrying a torpedo have been proven to be quite effective. They were used like mad in the pacific by both sides.
Speaking of which, the comment of wanting your fighter to be able to take a few also reminded me of the US WWII fighters. lol, I must be playing too much Sturmovik.
I think the closest thing to what you are describing is the Sabre from WC2. The Sabre has medium armor and fairly light shields (only 80 mm vs. the Epee's paper-thin 60mm), twin mass drivers, twin particle cannons, a rear turrent, and it carries the largest load of missiles and torpedos of any WC2 ship (4 IR, 2FF, 2 DF/torp, or 2IR, 6torp for heavy bombing missions). With a little more speed and agility, the Sabre might be what you are looking for.
well, if the capship selfdestructs then your job is already done, much obliged to the captain...
although with the advent of the light torpedo, "quickstrike" becomes much more plausible as a full-out afterburner run at a target is more than sufficient time to carry out an attack with said torpedos in the Shrike. Just add a speed range that puts you through the lock time at roughly 1500 meters max if you dump all energy to engines, an extremely nice 'burner to run away with afterwards (2100kps even would be nice, or some boosters to get you up to 3k as long as they didnt bust up your maneuvarability too bad) and you shouldnt have to worry about fighters for more than 40 seconds or so... the remainder of your loadout being FoF or better yet cluster FoF should see you through that.
Im toying around with a few ideas in WCPed and taking far too much time out of my school for it... I should have a coherent "report" sometime tomorrow, for others' opinions if for nothing else.
although with the advent of the light torpedo, "quickstrike" becomes much more plausible as a full-out afterburner run at a target is more than sufficient time to carry out an attack with said torpedos in the Shrike. Just add a speed range that puts you through the lock time at roughly 1500 meters max if you dump all energy to engines, an extremely nice 'burner to run away with afterwards (2100kps even would be nice, or some boosters to get you up to 3k as long as they didnt bust up your maneuvarability too bad) and you shouldnt have to worry about fighters for more than 40 seconds or so... the remainder of your loadout being FoF or better yet cluster FoF should see you through that.
Im toying around with a few ideas in WCPed and taking far too much time out of my school for it... I should have a coherent "report" sometime tomorrow, for others' opinions if for nothing else.
Things like the Vampire held those light torps, which was actually pretty useful. I could see some of those light torpedos having a chance of getting on a lighter fighter, but I somehow don't see it as realistic that such a light fighter as your suggesting would be able to make it to the capships, lock torps, and launch them successfully, then make a getaway.
-<Stiletto>-
Spaceman
Well, this 'quick strike fighter/bomber' seems to only have 1 purpose... to be a Wasp basically except it's use is against Capital ships, and not that many capital ships, as only 2 torpedos are often not enough.
I doubt Confed would be able to develop, build and deploy EVERY specialized design for whatever purpose they had in mind, except this thing sounds like a WCP Torpedo loaded Epee...
I think the Wasp/Dev are the only two _really_ specialized craft, and that's all you need. The Vamp/Panther/Tigershark are versitile enough to do this. Remember the Torpedo-equipped Panthers and such?
I doubt Confed would be able to develop, build and deploy EVERY specialized design for whatever purpose they had in mind, except this thing sounds like a WCP Torpedo loaded Epee...
I think the Wasp/Dev are the only two _really_ specialized craft, and that's all you need. The Vamp/Panther/Tigershark are versitile enough to do this. Remember the Torpedo-equipped Panthers and such?
actually now that is an idea, take a wasp, with the booster, and replace all it's misiles with how ever many light torps it could carry, use the boost to get it to firing range, fire get the hell out of there, remember that each fighter doesnt need to be able to kill an enemy capship, that is why wingmen exist, send like 4 of them up, kill a cap long range, before the rest of the fleet engages soften up the enemy, say a capship has 50 wasps, use 25 as anti-capship, and 25 as escorts for them, they do damage then go full afterburner back to the carrier, then rearm ASAP and go out and do the role of antifighter.
*Groan * If you're relying on stripped down Wasps carrying torps, then why the hell do we have bombers? Why do we have capship missiles?
Take a look at the situation. We're fighting the bugs, they have lots of fighters. Any approaching Wasps, no matter how fast they're travelling, can be intercepted. After the last 2 buttkickings the bugs have sustained, they're going to beef up their defences. That means more Devil Rays and the like using those missile MIRVs of theirs. They're going to have Squids (who have more or less unlimited booster) using more missiles, and they're going to pack tougher guns on the Lamphreys. They'll probably have better fighters, better jammers, and their capships will be loaded with enough anti-fighter firepower to ensure that any fighter/bomber with shields that don't equate to a small capship will die.
In short shoot and scoot tactics, of the kind you guys are suggesting, are doomed to failure. The bugs got a serious thrashing last time, and so we can be sure that when they come back, they'll be packing more firepower then the losing thread fleets of WC3 and 4, plus the BOT armada, combined.
Take a look at the situation. We're fighting the bugs, they have lots of fighters. Any approaching Wasps, no matter how fast they're travelling, can be intercepted. After the last 2 buttkickings the bugs have sustained, they're going to beef up their defences. That means more Devil Rays and the like using those missile MIRVs of theirs. They're going to have Squids (who have more or less unlimited booster) using more missiles, and they're going to pack tougher guns on the Lamphreys. They'll probably have better fighters, better jammers, and their capships will be loaded with enough anti-fighter firepower to ensure that any fighter/bomber with shields that don't equate to a small capship will die.
In short shoot and scoot tactics, of the kind you guys are suggesting, are doomed to failure. The bugs got a serious thrashing last time, and so we can be sure that when they come back, they'll be packing more firepower then the losing thread fleets of WC3 and 4, plus the BOT armada, combined.
OriginalPhoenix
Professor Emeritus
They were? In 25 years of studying WWII naval operations, I can't think of an instance of a fighter being used as torpedo bomber in anything other testing, or the most remote/rare instance. Certainly not "like mad". Would you please elaborate a bit on this?
Mekt-Hakkikt
Mpanty's bane
Hmm, which era? Because two torpedoes really aren't that much in any era (except Aramda).
What I'd like is a WCP-era quick-strike-fighter: Speed and agility comparable to the Panther, same goes to protection and mounting a Hvy.Plasma gun. With that, who needs torps?
Mekt-Hakkikt
Mpanty's bane
Ow, don't be too hard: The Banshee carries, 4 Lasers, 2 Leech guns and 1 Scatter gun. And fitting two torpedoes instead of 8 missiles doesn't seem too hard for to me (though that's just guessing).