Maybe they aren't infinite range Planet Busters....?

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Author Topic:   Maybe they aren't infinite range Planet Busters....?

K posted 05-09-99 06:42 PM ET
I've read on this forumn about the dreaded infinite range PB, and my question is this. Have you every considered that the PB that killed you could have been fired off from a perfectly ordinary transport. Personly, I rarely fire straight from a base. I load up fusion cruisers with about 6 or seven PB's, and can launch on a mess of bases and still be well out of sight range of my enemy faction. In essence, my attack looks like my PB missles came out of nowhere
trippin daily posted 05-09-99 08:29 PM ET
Wait?! You can load missiles onto NORMAL transports and fire them. They didn't need the carrier deck option? If that is so, you may want to post that info on the bugs and troubleshooting board.
Trippin Daily
Plato90s posted 05-09-99 09:07 PM ET
No, I am sure those PBs have infinite range.
When I don't have ODPs, I keep a close eye on where the enemy keeps its PBs. If they should wander close enough for a quick strike, I'd like to take the opportunity. But I've seen a Hive PB previously located at a landlocked base about 30+ squares from the target city suddenly appear. There is no conceivable way of moving that missle to let it nuke me.
In addition, I had radar coverage of the entire perimeter of my empire. Sensor towers, patrolling aircraft, etc... I guarantee no transport ever made it within 20 moves of the target city.
Finally, I have NEVER seen the AI move its missles or PBs from city to city or from the source to the target. They always appear instantly next to the target and then attack. In fact, you can replicate the same feature by putting a city on Governor and letting it produce missles. Your own missles will demonstrate the teleport capability.
R A Spottiswood posted 05-10-99 09:10 PM ET
You guys seem to be saying that the missiles and such are teleporting because you do not see them in flight. This may be just semantics, but it could be that the computer is simply not showing the path of the missile. After all, does it really matter where it came from, as long as you know who fired it? As evidence of this, in one game I was experimenting with Planet Busters. I found that the PB stayed visible while the enemy had Defence Pods, but after I retried it after shooting down his pods it disappeared while I was not moving it.
Of course, the real question is not whether they teleport, it should be whether they still have infinite range, or not.
RAS
Plato90s posted 05-10-99 09:36 PM ET
Okay, I'm already seen occasions in which an unit will disappear from the screen. A refresh problem.
However, we've all seen PlanetBusters hit a target which is far beyond the range of the missle. Heck, I've seen a Hive PB move from a city over 40 spaces away to hit my city.
googlie posted 05-14-99 01:59 AM ET
You can try it yourself. Put your Missile or PB on autotarget and launch - it will select an enemy faction city and drop on it well outside it's range.
Another comment I noticed in another thread. Move your 10/10 needlejet until it has just one movement point left, then put it on auto. Miraculously it then has another ten squares that same turn to return to base.
Also, try surrounding an AI needlejet at the end of it's outward turn with yours. Next turn the AI's will hover, then it's your turn. You have to return to base. then the AI's will return, i/e/ over 3 turns instead of your mandated 2 turns.
seth5454 posted 05-14-99 06:46 AM ET
Maybe the PB's seem like they r disappearing but they actually r going out of orbit to attack u from above.
Plato90s posted 05-14-99 09:24 AM ET
As has been pointed out already, human players can also replicate the infinite range PBs, missles, and needlejets by using that "auto" option.
As for PBs, if you tell a PB to launch at a city that is further away than its range, it won't do it. But if you put the PB on "auto" [which is exactly how the enemy AI factions do it] then the PB can hit any target the computer feels like hitting, anywhere in the world.
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Author	Topic: Maybe they aren't infinite range Planet Busters....?
K	posted 05-09-99 06:42 PM ET I've read on this forumn about the dreaded infinite range PB, and my question is this. Have you every considered that the PB that killed you could have been fired off from a perfectly ordinary transport. Personly, I rarely fire straight from a base. I load up fusion cruisers with about 6 or seven PB's, and can launch on a mess of bases and still be well out of sight range of my enemy faction. In essence, my attack looks like my PB missles came out of nowhere
trippin daily	posted 05-09-99 08:29 PM ET Wait?! You can load missiles onto NORMAL transports and fire them. They didn't need the carrier deck option? If that is so, you may want to post that info on the bugs and troubleshooting board. Trippin Daily
Plato90s	posted 05-09-99 09:07 PM ET No, I am sure those PBs have infinite range. When I don't have ODPs, I keep a close eye on where the enemy keeps its PBs. If they should wander close enough for a quick strike, I'd like to take the opportunity. But I've seen a Hive PB previously located at a landlocked base about 30+ squares from the target city suddenly appear. There is no conceivable way of moving that missle to let it nuke me. In addition, I had radar coverage of the entire perimeter of my empire. Sensor towers, patrolling aircraft, etc... I guarantee no transport ever made it within 20 moves of the target city. Finally, I have NEVER seen the AI move its missles or PBs from city to city or from the source to the target. They always appear instantly next to the target and then attack. In fact, you can replicate the same feature by putting a city on Governor and letting it produce missles. Your own missles will demonstrate the teleport capability.
R A Spottiswood	posted 05-10-99 09:10 PM ET You guys seem to be saying that the missiles and such are teleporting because you do not see them in flight. This may be just semantics, but it could be that the computer is simply not showing the path of the missile. After all, does it really matter where it came from, as long as you know who fired it? As evidence of this, in one game I was experimenting with Planet Busters. I found that the PB stayed visible while the enemy had Defence Pods, but after I retried it after shooting down his pods it disappeared while I was not moving it. Of course, the real question is not whether they teleport, it should be whether they still have infinite range, or not. RAS
Plato90s	posted 05-10-99 09:36 PM ET Okay, I'm already seen occasions in which an unit will disappear from the screen. A refresh problem. However, we've all seen PlanetBusters hit a target which is far beyond the range of the missle. Heck, I've seen a Hive PB move from a city over 40 spaces away to hit my city.
googlie	posted 05-14-99 01:59 AM ET You can try it yourself. Put your Missile or PB on autotarget and launch - it will select an enemy faction city and drop on it well outside it's range. Another comment I noticed in another thread. Move your 10/10 needlejet until it has just one movement point left, then put it on auto. Miraculously it then has another ten squares that same turn to return to base. Also, try surrounding an AI needlejet at the end of it's outward turn with yours. Next turn the AI's will hover, then it's your turn. You have to return to base. then the AI's will return, i/e/ over 3 turns instead of your mandated 2 turns.
seth5454	posted 05-14-99 06:46 AM ET Maybe the PB's seem like they r disappearing but they actually r going out of orbit to attack u from above.
Plato90s	posted 05-14-99 09:24 AM ET As has been pointed out already, human players can also replicate the infinite range PBs, missles, and needlejets by using that "auto" option. As for PBs, if you tell a PB to launch at a city that is further away than its range, it won't do it. But if you put the PB on "auto" [which is exactly how the enemy AI factions do it] then the PB can hit any target the computer feels like hitting, anywhere in the world.