Point Defense Test

[MacThule]

SUMMARY
This was my thorough PD first experiment with the new turrets. I set up a small station with 18 small (15 block) point-defense turrets. 6 on each plane (X, Y, Z). Instead of using a single type of turret, I put 2 Cc, 2 Cm, and 2Cb (to increase range of AI's vision) on each plane. I disconnected the station's offensive turrets for this experiment.

Using an alt on a factioned ship with all 4 missile varieties installed (single tubes of 5 blocks each @ 100% support link), I tested the station's defense at various ranges.

RESULTS
Torpedos fired from farther than 300m do not hit.
Heat Seekers fired from farther than 500m do not hit.
Dumb Fires fired from farther than 500m do not hit.
Guided Missiles fired from farther than 2km do not hit, and even at 1km elimination was nearly 50%.

CONCLUSION
By using a mix of many small point defense turrets instead of a monoculture or fewer larger turrets, missile-dependent ships can now be very effectively repelled or forced into heavy weapons range. Obviously more turrets would be needed to handle fire from more tubes, but I was pleasantly surprised. Compared to the old system, PD turrets now work great!

Try it out

 

[Mork2]

A couple tricks for you. If you have a PD turret with CC and CB the turret will rotate to engage while the outside of CC range but within CB range. While the CB is in range the CC should also be firing even though its out or range, the bobby AI holds the trigger down for all weapons when one is in range I think. CM won't hit much because with the improved accuracy of point defence it doesn't actually fire a round at the exact point is suppose to be aiming at to hit the missile. I understand that there used to put more rounds down range so in the end I put all three on a turret CC,CB and CM on each PD turret. With a server speed limit of 75m/s and sector size of 2000m I can fire 9 swarmer missiles with 100% slave for a total of 90 missiles at just one of those turrets stationary and not have a single missile get through most of the time.

If you updated to have all the turrets with CC, CB and CM very little will get through from a distance.

 

[Chrometheus]

Try a PD turret with cannon+cannon and missile+beam

 

[Keptick]

A couple tricks for you. If you have a PD turret with CC and CB the turret will rotate to engage while the outside of CC range but within CB range. While the CB is in range the CC should also be firing even though its out or range, the bobby AI holds the trigger down for all weapons when one is in range I think. CM won't hit much because with the improved accuracy of point defence it doesn't actually fire a round at the exact point is suppose to be aiming at to hit the missile. I understand that there used to put more rounds down range so in the end I put all three on a turret CC,CB and CM on each PD turret. With a server speed limit of 75m/s and sector size of 2000m I can fire 9 swarmer missiles with 100% slave for a total of 90 missiles at just one of those turrets stationary and not have a single missile get through most of the time.

If you updated to have all the turrets with CC, CB and CM very little will get through from a distance.

That's actually really interesting. I'm especially interested in knowing if CM is helping at all. Have you tested it without CM?

 

[Mork2]

The CM on one turret by itself will need a minor miracle to hit a single missile. Its there to help against massive swarmer launchers. Especially if you have multiple turrets with them. And also if a hit will decloak a cloaker then its a plus...

I have tried some systems with logic activated by a detector set to missile. Like multiple sets of grouped CMs. So say a grid of 5x5 alternating checkerboards with 4 sets linked to logic to fire every 0.5 seconds rotating. A basic bobby AI and antimissile turret is used to aim the contraption. And while it puts out an impressive amount of fire its to lag inducing....