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TelCat - Teleporter Catapult
2005 by Ghalador, aka Gala DO.
English readme edited by KarlHemmings
* Current version: 1.60
Introduction
Gentlemen, we have enhanced our battleship capability with the introduction of highly trained Military Personnel and the AEGIS weapons control platform. It is recognized however that Pirates will hide in asteroid belts and they together with the xenon tend to attack heavily populated areas. There are places a battleship can not go and at times sending in fighters is a more expedient solution.
At the moment launching and retrieving fighters is a slow and painful process, individually selecting a fighter to re-arm it, commanding it to launch, building up the fighter wing, monitoring it in battle, calling it back. The micro management of the fighter wing results in un-necessary losses in combat.
In recognition of this we asked for a team of our best scientists, headed by Gala Do, to work on a way to automate fighter wing deployment and retrieval.
1.0) Description:
As the name says, TelCat is a catapult-launching-device for your M1 carrier. Your fighters will no longer need to go through the normal docking/launch procedure. They will be cast directly into space using the Goner transporter and retrieved in the same way, or if installed use a docking computer to return.
But TelCat is more. You can form up squadrons and your fighter will be equipped with ammo and missiles. The launched ships will attack your targets and it is possible for the first time that the carrier is stronger than any Destroyer could be.
This is no miracle. One carrier with -say- 100 Novas aboard provides an incredible battle strength. 300 Guns, 7500MW Shields, 500 Hornets ...without even counting the carrier.
2.0) Requirements:
2.1) An M1 carrier with fighters on board (M3, M4 or M5)
2.2) Every fighter needs a transporter device (Goner), or as an option a docking computer.
Don't go crazy while equipping 100+ fighter with a transporter device! Take a look at 3.3 instead. Likewise see 3.4 for installation of the docking computer
2.3) The carrier also needs a transporter device, without this you will not see the TelCat commands.
2.4) Every fighter needs fight software MK2 in order to be launched. No auto equip for this. But since you can buy this in every equipment dock ...equip it while you buy your fighter!
2.5) You DON'T need video enhancement goggles in your fighter! Since the AI can't use them TelCat identifies ships with goggles as "players own" and will not touch them!
2.6) Optionally: One or more TS class ships on board the carrier as with the carrier as homebase (for the automatic armament of fighters with rockets).
3.0) Command structure: TelCat consists of 3 secondary instructions.
3.1) *** Start "Install Fleet":
Simply press ENTER
This command will give every fighter on board (without goggles) the carrier as homebase. It activates the tail gun (Nova - rocket def, or gunnery crew if 1 personal aboard). It rearms the fighter with 10*mass driver ammo, 5 of the strongest attack missiles available plus 5 mosquitoes. It also checks, if your fighter is fully armed and shielded, it does not check the strength of the weapons or shields, only that they are available. If a fighter is missing any required equipment a short BEEP sounds and a message is registered in the personal log. TelCat can rename your ships, can transfer the launch commands from the carrier to every fighter onboard and it can send out your fighter(s) to buy the docking computer or transporter device.
Warning! Hornets are expensive. It might not look it at first sight, however 150 fighters with 5 hornets each is a lot of money (7.5 million)
*** Overview of commands and Status:
help or status (all commands are case-sensitive - "HELP" is invalid)
*** Auto-Rearm
r0 (off), r1 (on), rm (manually - only in "Install Fleet", not be4 the catapult start).
re (external - like r1, but the script expects another script to resupply the carrier with missiles and ammo)
Standard: off
*** Auto-Rename
n0 (off), n1 (on)
Standard: off
The name reads: Name of the carrier + hunter class + number
*** Damage-Control (hull)
d0, d25, d50, d75, d100
Standard: off (d0)
The number represents % acceptable hull damage. Fighter with hull below this number will not launch, or will be called back to the carrier if you enter -1 (minus one) when initiating the DOCK command.
Note: d0 launches every fighter and calls back fighter with less than 25%.
*** Launch Missile Probability from carrier to fighter
l0 (off), l1 (on)
Standard: off
If this command is on, every fighter will get the same launch missile probability as set in the homecarrier, every time you execute "Install Fleet".
*** Store ware on stock
store
Everytime "store" is entered into the console, TelCat will count through every missile in every docked TS with homebase THIScarrier - like the rearm script does. But then the found amount will be stored in local variables. This is used as orientation for external resuppy scripts, so they know what is needed. Value in variable minus rockets onboard.
*** Any wrong input will result in a helpscreen in your log.
3.2) Player ships are recognized by installed video enhancement goggles. They will not be readied for battle, nor launched, unless you give them the carrier as homebase manually.
3.3) If the Goner Temple is your target while executing this command, every fighter without a Transporter-Device will go and buy one and then return home. Since the carrier AND every fighter needs one...this command can come in handy.
3.4) Same procedure as 3.3 if you want to equip your fighters with a docking computer.
Note: If you do not have the money to cover the costs of either the transporter device or the docking computer your fighter will return without it.
3.5) If a shipyard is your target while executing this command, every damaged fighter will dock and wait. After you have repaired them, you can call them back via station broadcast.
3.6) Any missiles or ammo for the auto-rearm feature must be stored in one or more TS with homebase "THIS carrier" which is/are docked in "THIS carrier"! Any TS will do, any number will be ok, as long as they are docked in their homebase-carrier.
The cargohold of the carrier will NOT be checked for equipment!
4) Command overview: TelCat: Launch Fighter
4.1) You can specify a class and a number.
*** If you enter 0, every fighter will launch.
*** If you enter 40, 40 mixed fighter will launch.
*** If you enter 3040, 40 M3 will launch -> also 50+amount for M5 and 40+amount for M4.
4.2) The fighters will form up as a fighter wing. Target an m6, launch 16 fighters - bingo = M6 with 16 fighter wing. If no target is selected, the fighters will join YOUR ship, as long as you are in the same Sector with the carrier. If you are OOS they will escort the carrier.
Note: If you target an enemy ship, they will form a fighter wing attack and then form up with your ship.
5) Command overview: TelCat: Dock Fighter
5.1) Same number code as LAUNCH. So 5020 calls 20 M5 back.
5.2) You can also call via your target. Target one of your TS and only TS will dock (if the carrier is their homebase).
In addition if you want to call back some of your fighter wing; say 6 M4s, target an M4 and enter 6.
5.3) Enter -1 to call back damaged fighters. (depends on the setting of the TelCat-Damage control, but will at least always call fighters below 25% hull).
5.4) Enter -2 to call back every fighter with shields below 50%.
5.5) The docking computer is optional. It is not needed...but comes in very handy. Fighter equipped with one will use it. You can equip every single fighter per autoscript - see: 3.4
Note: Fighters with a docking computer installed will have a tactical advantage in case their homebase carrier is destroyed. In order they try;
a. Re-assign to another player M1 in sector.
b. Escape to a friendly station within 2 sectors.
c. At least leave the current sector.
d. If all else fails Banzai - they attack anything that is 'red'.
Fighters without a docking computer will not have this advantage.
6) Contact, sugestions, flames:
The original thread to this script is here:
http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75360&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Although it is a german thread, english is allways welcome
It was my 18 year old assistant that fell about laughing that told me...
Hmmmm.
