Difference between revisions of "Penetrator"

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(particle beam stilleto really isn't that easy to score hits with given its refire delay and narrow width)
 
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[[Image:Star_control_i_syreen_penetrator_databank.png|thumb|225px|Starship Databank Entry]]  
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[[Image:Star_control_i_syreen_penetrator_databank.png|thumb|306px|Starship Databank Entry]]  
The [[Syreen]] '''Penetrator''' is lightly crewed and not terribly powerful in terms of offensive weaponry, but it is able to use "wiles" strengthen itself while weakening enemy ships. With the [[Mycon]] [[Podship]] and the [[Pkunk]] [[Fury]], the Penetrator is one of the few ships able to come out of battle stronger than they went in.
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The [[Syreen]] '''Penetrator''' is lightly crewed and not terribly powerful in terms of conventional weaponry, but it is able to use psionic weaponry to strengthen itself while weakening enemy ships. Along with the [[Mycon]] [[Podship]] and the [[Pkunk]] [[Fury]], the Penetrator is one of the few ships able to come out of battle stronger than it went in.  
  
==Navigation==
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The ship's phallic resemblance, coupled with the fact that it is piloted by a matriarchal race of mostly women, may lend it its euphemistic name.
The Penetrator has a good turn-rate and a fair speed but suffers from a somewhat lacking acceleration. Its shape, center of gravity and turn-rate can be masterfully combined into an orbiting maneuver, during which the Penetrator circles a planet until it found the direction it wants to use a Gravity-whip maneuver.
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==Propulsion==
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The Penetrator has a good turn rate and a fair top speed but suffers from somewhat lacking acceleration. Its shape, center of gravity and turn rate can be masterfully combined into an orbiting maneuver, during which the Penetrator circles a planet until it finds the direction it wants, so as to use the Gravity-whip maneuver.
  
 
==Armament==
 
==Armament==
 
===Primary===
 
===Primary===
The Penetrator's primary weapon is a weak, forward-firing weapon with a fair range and acceptable firing rate. Normally it is used for nothing but finishing off a Psi-resistant captain. This weapon is more commonly known as a "Particle Beam Stilleto," or alternatively as a "light Electron Dagger."
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The Penetrator's primary weapon is a weak, forward-firing cannon with a fair range and acceptable firing rate. Each shot from the weapon kills two enemy crew members. Normally it is used for nothing but finishing off a Psi-resistant captain. This weapon is more commonly known as a "Particle Beam Stiletto", or alternatively as a "light Electron Dagger".
  
 
===Secondary===
 
===Secondary===
To compensate for its lack of offensive power, the Penetrator captain employs the "Syreen Song", a short-range hypnosis field designed to lure enemy crew from their ships via the airlocks. The effectiveness of the Syreen Song decreases with distance. When the ships are right next to eachother, eight crew members may desert, but a ship will never be abandoned altogether. If the Penetrator picks up the crew, they will willingly serve alongside the Syreen as members of the Penetrator's crew; if the enemy ship reclaims their crew, they are able to counteract the effects of the hypnosis field -- at least for a while.  During the war, crews on board Syreen ships became a surreal pastiche of alien races, with [[Ilwrath]], [[VUX]], [[Spathi]] and others working dutifully side by side with human volunteers under the command of beautiful Syreen officers.
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To compensate for its lack of offensive power, the Penetrator captain employs the "Syreen Song", a short-range hypnosis field designed to lure enemy crew from their ships via the airlocks. The effectiveness of the Syreen Song decreases with distance. When the ships are right next to each other, eight crew members may desert, but a ship will never be abandoned altogether. If the Penetrator picks up the crew, they will willingly serve alongside the Syreen as members of the Penetrator's crew; however, the enemy ship can still reclaim its crew.  During the [[Ur Quan Slave War]], crews on board Syreen ships became a surreal pastiche of alien races, with [[Ilwrath]], [[VUX]], [[Spathi]] and others working dutifully side by side with human volunteers under the command of beautiful Syreen officers.
  
The "Syreen Song" has no effect on non-sentient beings like the [[Slylandro]] [[Probe]].
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Crew under the effect of the "Syreen Song" appear as green dots and float slowly toward the Penetrator. They have a limited amount of life support and if not retrieved by either ship, will expire and be lost. They are affected by gravity, so if they jump ship near the planet, they will fall into it and die. The Song has no effect on non-sentient beings such as the [[Slylandro]] [[Probe]]'s artificial intelligence.
  
 
==Tactical Overview==
 
==Tactical Overview==
 
Against most ships, the tactic is pretty straightforward -- close in quickly, evade incoming fire, and use the "Syreen Song" to bolster your ranks and weaken the enemy's.  Once you have made the enemy's crew your own, finish them off with a few quick shots.  
 
Against most ships, the tactic is pretty straightforward -- close in quickly, evade incoming fire, and use the "Syreen Song" to bolster your ranks and weaken the enemy's.  Once you have made the enemy's crew your own, finish them off with a few quick shots.  
Slow ships are the prefereable targets for Penetrator captains.
 
Ships with good turn rates and/or good firing rates are what Syreen captains fear most.
 
  
'''Strong Against''':
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The Penetrator is most effective against the quick, maneuverable ships, as these ships usually have low crew complements and short-range weapons. These ships must close in towards the Penetrator if they are to damage it, making them vulnerable to Syreen Songs, and the quick turning rate of the Penetrator, coupled with its speedy primary weapon means it is able to hit these highly maneuverable ships, killing the psi-resistant captain, often giving little time for their meager weaponry to inflict much damage.
[[Mycon]] [[Podship]] - The Penetrator can outrun a plasmoid but only if already at its best speed. If the Mycon try to regenerate lost crew, the Penetrator should hold patiently and let the Mycon send more crewmen - or Crew-Fungi - prey for the Syreen Song.  
 
The [[Ilwrath]] [[Avenger]] is also easy prey for the Penetrator, as the Syreen Song is effective even when the Avenger is cloaked, and the Penetrator's engines can easily keep the ship out of the Avenger's attack range.
 
[[Chenjesu]] [[Broodhome]] ships are quite pained, trying to keep the Penetrator off their back.
 
[[Earthling]] [[Cruiser]]s may have a good turning rate but once the initial Dual missile barrage is off, the dismal recharge-rate usually forces the Cruiser captain into a "Scorched Earth" tactic - Point-defense Lasering his own crew rather than seeing them onboard the penetrator. The slick penetrator easily dodges the cumbersome nukes.
 
After mastering the art of evading the [[Kohr-Ah]] spinning blades, Penetrators can launch a nasty surprise for the over-confident [[Marauder]] captain.
 
[[Umgah]] [[Drone]]s are a nice source of crew. Just go in front of it (so that you are not touched by the Anti-Matter cone) and use the Syreen Song to lure all its crew out, and fly around the ship to catch them. The Drone often accidentally kills the crew, flying towards you firing all the time. If the Drone rams at you with the backward going device, you'll be flying fast. When the Drone has only 1 crew left, wait for it to use the backwards going device and then fire.
 
  
'''Weak Against''':
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{{ShipBox|image=Penetrator_icon.png|link=penetrat|race=[[Syreen]]|crew=12<small><sup>(starting)</sup></small> / 42<small><sup>(max)</sup></small> |value=13|batt=16|regen=0.142|primary=Particle Beam Stiletto|prim-cost=1|prim-rate=8|secondary=Syreen Song|sec-cost=5|sec-rate=10|speed=36|turn=0.5|accel=4.5|mass=2}}
Ships like the [[Shofixti]] [[Scout]] with its glory device or fast-turning, quick firing ships such as the [[X-Form]] in Laser mode, the [[Utwig]] [[Jugger]] and the [[Yehat]] [[Terminator]].  
 
It is also easy prey for the [[Slylandro]] [[Probe]], with the Probe's superior maneuverability and invulnerability to the Song.
 
  
 
[[Category:Ships]]
 
[[Category:Ships]]
 
[[Category:Syreen]]
 
[[Category:Syreen]]

Latest revision as of 18:02, 6 March 2020

Starship Databank Entry

The Syreen Penetrator is lightly crewed and not terribly powerful in terms of conventional weaponry, but it is able to use psionic weaponry to strengthen itself while weakening enemy ships. Along with the Mycon Podship and the Pkunk Fury, the Penetrator is one of the few ships able to come out of battle stronger than it went in.

The ship's phallic resemblance, coupled with the fact that it is piloted by a matriarchal race of mostly women, may lend it its euphemistic name.

Propulsion[edit]

The Penetrator has a good turn rate and a fair top speed but suffers from somewhat lacking acceleration. Its shape, center of gravity and turn rate can be masterfully combined into an orbiting maneuver, during which the Penetrator circles a planet until it finds the direction it wants, so as to use the Gravity-whip maneuver.

Armament[edit]

Primary[edit]

The Penetrator's primary weapon is a weak, forward-firing cannon with a fair range and acceptable firing rate. Each shot from the weapon kills two enemy crew members. Normally it is used for nothing but finishing off a Psi-resistant captain. This weapon is more commonly known as a "Particle Beam Stiletto", or alternatively as a "light Electron Dagger".

Secondary[edit]

To compensate for its lack of offensive power, the Penetrator captain employs the "Syreen Song", a short-range hypnosis field designed to lure enemy crew from their ships via the airlocks. The effectiveness of the Syreen Song decreases with distance. When the ships are right next to each other, eight crew members may desert, but a ship will never be abandoned altogether. If the Penetrator picks up the crew, they will willingly serve alongside the Syreen as members of the Penetrator's crew; however, the enemy ship can still reclaim its crew. During the Ur Quan Slave War, crews on board Syreen ships became a surreal pastiche of alien races, with Ilwrath, VUX, Spathi and others working dutifully side by side with human volunteers under the command of beautiful Syreen officers.

Crew under the effect of the "Syreen Song" appear as green dots and float slowly toward the Penetrator. They have a limited amount of life support and if not retrieved by either ship, will expire and be lost. They are affected by gravity, so if they jump ship near the planet, they will fall into it and die. The Song has no effect on non-sentient beings such as the Slylandro Probe's artificial intelligence.

Tactical Overview[edit]

Against most ships, the tactic is pretty straightforward -- close in quickly, evade incoming fire, and use the "Syreen Song" to bolster your ranks and weaken the enemy's. Once you have made the enemy's crew your own, finish them off with a few quick shots.

The Penetrator is most effective against the quick, maneuverable ships, as these ships usually have low crew complements and short-range weapons. These ships must close in towards the Penetrator if they are to damage it, making them vulnerable to Syreen Songs, and the quick turning rate of the Penetrator, coupled with its speedy primary weapon means it is able to hit these highly maneuverable ships, killing the psi-resistant captain, often giving little time for their meager weaponry to inflict much damage.

Penetrator icon.png
3DO Syreen Penetrator
Basic stats
Crew: 12(starting) / 42(max) Value: 13 pts
Battery: 16 Batt. Regeneration: 0.142 units/frame
Armament
Primary: Particle Beam Stiletto Secondary: Syreen Song
Refire delay: 8 frames Refire delay: 10 frames
Energy use: 1 units Energy use: 5 units
Propulsion
Max speed: 36 world units/frame Turn rate: 0.5 facings/frame
Acceleration: 4.5 units/frame Mass: 2