Is Thermite Torpedo supposed to be useful for anything?

[Nemarus]

It's a torpedo that does great damage vs. hull, terrible damage vs. shields, but has only 20% shield penetration. It takes just as long to lock on as a proton torpedo but only has 7k range.

 

Sure, it could be used to one-shot turrets, but honestly rocket pods can make very quick work of them too, in addition to having situational use in dogfights.

 

In fact I think Thermite Torpedo is SO BAD that everyone takes one look at it then forgets it even exists... hence the lack of anyone even asking why it exists. There's no potential there you'd even want to fight for.

[Altheran]

It's true that this torpedo is awfully balanced.

 

To be interesting, the target has to have no shields or nearly no shields. But :

- you can't really start breaking the shields during the lock as blasters have a shorter range.

- if the target is already without shields, chances that the target dies without the torpedo finishing locking are incredibely high, or when it lands the target would die from 1-2 shots.

 

In theory, we can start in close range, fire, and if the target flees finish him with this torpedo. But most of the time, he'll either do a maneuver to break the lock, or have the shields starting again to refill, or be destroyed by a third player.

 

A first step to make it interesting in theory could be that the torpedo does its ~1400 damage, regarless of hitting shields or hull.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Altheran

[-Streven-]

Even the firing arc is terrible. Ive found little use for it. Maybe there's a fan of this torp out there who can enlighten us.

 

Edit: I'd also like to add that I'm a big fan of sabotage probes so I consider myself fairly open-minded as most people have no use for those either.

Edited January 27, 2014 by -Streven-
add another thought

[Bleeters]

They've armour ignore, an armour reduction debuff (or so the description says) and high hull damage, so I guess they might be useful for busting turrets. That's about all I can think of.

 

As an alternative to sabotage probe or rocket pods, though? Nope.

[JadedJasper]

If the lock were faster and wider arc I might use it, probably in combination with Laser Cannons.

 

At present it's too hard to hit with where it would be useful, and not useful where you can hit with it.

[Sadishist]

Use Bypass. It owns. Edited January 27, 2014 by Sadishist

[Flearos]

In fact I think Thermite Torpedo is SO BAD that everyone takes one look at it then forgets it even exists... hence the lack of anyone even asking why it exists. There's no potential there you'd even want to fight for.

 

It took me a second to remember wth a thermite torp was... Pretty sure that sums it up.

[Kain_Turinbar]

Use Bypass. It owns.

 

Does bypass work with all missiles?

 

If so one-shot concussions here I come.

[Ramalina]

You're probably supposed to nail a bomber with it after a gunship just hit them with a full strength ion railgun blast.

 

Or maybe take out the enemy spawn ships, if their hulls ever become targetable.

 

It fills the anti: big, slow, heavily armored, unshielded target role.

 

For all of the big, slow, heavily armored and unshielded targets that are in GSF.

[Altheran]

Does bypass work with all missiles?

 

If so one-shot concussions here I come.

 

It works with missiles.

 

But you won't one-shot anything with a concussion alone. Its 20% plus the 45% of the companion ability will never be enough for the 950 base HP of a scout (65% of 1100 = 715)

 

In addition, if you use Heavy Blasters with range capacitors (making blasters having nearly the same range), you can nearly destroys the shields (when you don't actually succeed at) before the missiles launches/lands making the use of bypass a waste.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Altheran

[Armadyil]

Even the firing arc is terrible. Ive found little use for it. Maybe there's a fan of this torp out there who can enlighten us.

 

Well, I wouldnt call myself a fan, as thermite torp << any missile a striker can equip, but yea, i picked it over the other 2: the least of 3 evils so to speak.

 

Got a few points:

1. Before t4 it isnt good idd, but after (pick extra fire arc), you can hit people regularly with it, I even ran out of missiles (8 hits!!) once or twice

2. Missiles give that annoying, blying, beeping lock and forces people to break it. I think this threat is worth more than people give it credit for.

3. With your Lasor Cannons chopping away their shield (pick t5 18% shield dmg), 1 hit by a thermite kills everything xcept gunships.

4. The other options are just as bad or worse; sabo probe..., some prefer it, but seen the speed of combat in GSF the sabo probe is like bringing pepper spray into a battlefield. And most pick rocket pods. I never gave m a real chance, but it is only useful in some situations (very good against turrets and stationary gunships). Their usage in dogfights is very small, at least smaller than torps imo.

 

So not saying 'you should pick thermite torps!', just that it is a viable option when compared to the other 2.

[Altheran]

the sabo probe is like bringing pepper spray into a battlefield.

 

Sabotage Probe is more like a CC in WZ. When launched it says : "stay calm and take your beating".

Sometimes, it says instead "See that wall ? Look closer. Much closer. Ah, too close."

[Kain_Turinbar]

It works with missiles.

 

But you won't one-shot anything with a concussion alone. Its 20% plus the 45% of the companion ability will never be enough for the 950 base HP of a scout (65% of 1100 = 715)

 

In addition, if you use Heavy Blasters with range capacitors (making blasters having nearly the same range), you can nearly destroys the shields (when you don't actually succeed at) before the missiles launches/lands making the use of bypass a waste.

 

I do use heavies but blasters tend to not do a very good job vs 47% evasion....but you're right I got carried away thinking bypass ignored more than it did.

[Arkerus]

I completely forgot about them.

 

When a card is so situational that it never comes into play, you leave it out of your deck.

[Gavin_Kelvar]

For all of the big, slow, heavily armored and unshielded targets that are in GSF.

 

From the way things are in the game I gather that on paper a lot of stuff like this made sense but in practice it hasn't really worked out. In part I think because they created weapons that don't really have a use in current game modes. Whether that's because they haven't added the objectives/non player targets they had in mind when creating these weapons yet or whether they underestimated how easily the existing non player targets (namely turrets) are to destroy is anyone's guess.

[dancezwithnubz]

4. The other options are just as bad or worse; sabo probe..., some prefer it, but seen the speed of combat in GSF the sabo probe is like bringing pepper spray into a battlefield. And most pick rocket pods. I never gave m a real chance, but it is only useful in some situations (very good against turrets and stationary gunships). Their usage in dogfights is very small, at least smaller than torps imo.

 

go back, play with rocket pods some more and realise what an outlandish statement you've made. sure, rockets are tricky to use and have a truly horrific tracking penalty but they hit for decent damage and you can carry a fair few of 'em (50!)

 

cruise up behind someone in a sensor dampened scout and unload some rockets into them and watch them turn into a ball of smoke and flame.

[-Streven-]

Sabotage Probe is more like a CC in WZ. When launched it says : "stay calm and take your beating".

Sometimes, it says instead "See that wall ? Look closer. Much closer. Ah, too close."

 

I love this. I like sabo probes for the sheer enjoyment of using them. It's kinda like being a cat that plays with its food before killing it. Once you get stuck with one there is little chance you are getting away. It might not be an instant death but it almost always means your end is near whereas a single missile shot is usually survivable.

[dancezwithnubz]

I love this. I like sabo probes for the sheer enjoyment of using them. It's kinda like being a cat that plays with its food before killing it. Once you get stuck with one there is little chance you are getting away. It might not be an instant death but it almost always means your end is near whereas a single missile shot is usually survivable.

 

i've been hit a couple of times by sab probes. survival is 99% assured.

 

they don't make me think "omg, must have!", more a sort of "you went through ALL that lockon hassle and that's IT?"

[reclipsed]

i've been hit a couple of times by sab probes. survival is 99% assured.

 

they don't make me think "omg, must have!", more a sort of "you went through ALL that lockon hassle and that's IT?"

 

I feel the same way, at first I was like OMGbbq they is the best!. I do admit they are pretty fun against new players that hug the walls without paying attention. I would like to have had a sab probe that give you 3 seconds control of their ship...now that would have be enjoyable (ie mind control priest)

[Armonddd]

i've been hit a couple of times by sab probes. survival is 99% assured.

 

they don't make me think "omg, must have!", more a sort of "you went through ALL that lockon hassle and that's IT?"

 

Do the people hitting you with sab probes not realize they should be shooting at you while you're probed? Alternatively, did they forget to upgrade it so you can't barrel roll?

[elthenar]

It's probably supposed to be the counter to all of those charged plating strike fighters that aren't running around.

[Altheran]

It's probably supposed to be the counter to all of those charged plating strike fighters that aren't running around.

That is much likely Proton Torpedo's role.

[Verain]

The proton torp ignores shields and armor, but does very light damage. If it ignored none of those things but had those same lock on time restrictions, you would expect probably like 1400 damage out of it or so.

 

 

The Thermite Torpedo is being ran by one guy on Bastion. He is doing it For Science. As has been stated earlier in the thread, the combo is to bypass with it. This allows quite a lot of the (very large) damage to go through the hull.

 

Note that comparing it with proton is not exactly relevant. No ship has both, and it is PROBABLY intended to stay that way. It's ok if protons are "better" than it- the stated design goals are that the scout have slightly less potent weaponry (if you deleted BLC magically, that would actually be true), after all.

 

In general, ideas like "first you strip their shields, then you thermite them" are probably not meant to be that amazing. "This finishes a guy with low shields from distance" is probably more the intention. But even post nerf, you'll still be able to bypass up to over 30% shield penetration. Better than a proton? No. But that wasn't your choice, was it? You were comparing it to sab probe and pods, right?

[dancezwithnubz]

It's probably supposed to be the counter to all of those charged plating strike fighters that aren't running around.

 

those charged plating strikes that die horrible, horrible deaths when you lob a few rocket pods their way?

 

yeah, i haven't seen any lately.

[Sadishist]

The proton torp ignores shields and armor, but does very light damage. If it ignored none of those things but had those same lock on time restrictions, you would expect probably like 1400 damage out of it or so.

 

 

The Thermite Torpedo is being ran by one guy on Bastion. He is doing it For Science. As has been stated earlier in the thread, the combo is to bypass with it. This allows quite a lot of the (very large) damage to go through the hull.

 

Note that comparing it with proton is not exactly relevant. No ship has both, and it is PROBABLY intended to stay that way. It's ok if protons are "better" than it- the stated design goals are that the scout have slightly less potent weaponry (if you deleted BLC magically, that would actually be true), after all.

 

In general, ideas like "first you strip their shields, then you thermite them" are probably not meant to be that amazing. "This finishes a guy with low shields from distance" is probably more the intention. But even post nerf, you'll still be able to bypass up to over 30% shield penetration. Better than a proton? No. But that wasn't your choice, was it? You were comparing it to sab probe and pods, right?

 

It also works with head-on fights. The trick is to lower the opponent's shields to zero while you're locking on or also while the torp is flying in the air (it's very slow so plenty of time). DO NOT release the torp unless you know you can take down their shields. Once the torp hits them without shields, BOOM. One can take out a fighter/gunship with full health and no shields.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Sadishist