Timed Explosive Scout raids?

from Sins Forums
At Tier3, the TEC scout ship gains an ability to lay down timed explosives. These explosives are placed directly on an orbital structure. The scout frigate suffers a 50% damage penalty while placing the explosive. After 15 seconds total it blows up, dealing 1200 damage, minus armor effects. After using it, they need to wait 15 minutes before trying again (basically, they only live for one attempt)

I'm curious if anyone has used this to painful effect? A dozen or so scout ships can easily run an early game blockade, and dump their explosives on many structures. For an extremely low cost, you could do a lot of damage to space infrastructure, even deep in enemy territory.

Some questions about the ability:
Q: Can you place multiple explosives at once, or do they all have to wait until the previous one goes off?
A: Yes, they do stack!
Q: Can you use the ability on targets under construction? This would be especially deadly for opponents that try to get last minute defenses up.
A: I have not tried it yet, but see no reason why it shouldn't.
22,727 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Wow.

You know, I hadn't thought of this, but a whole rush wave of 20+ scouts dropping timed explosives would CRIPPLE an opponent early in the game. Remove his frigate factory, cap ship factory, and a few labs, and they'd be back to square one. And early in the game they'd have less of a fleet/defense to stop the scouts.

Only takes a few Military labs to research while you're spamming scouts. Cheap too..

I'm going to have to run this scenario in a game. Might also be a great way to stop the dreaded Vasari RA.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
I'd hate to see this fall into obscurity just yet, at least not until some more people weigh in if it rocks/sucks.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
I've never actually seen it pulled off in game -- from what I can tell, timed explosives doesn't stack, so its impossible to kill anything but mines with 'em, unless your scouts live long enough to sequence their attacks.
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Returning Armada, the Vasari tech which, at 8 empire labs, is their true ultimate weapon, summoning a free army of mixed units(heavy cruisers, flak frigates, carriers, long range frigates) every few minutes.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
I'd like to clear something up:
The explosives DO stack! You can send 6-8 scout frigates out to flatten any structure of your choice. That is, if they live to place the explosives down. Scouts take a few seconds to place the C4, and during the meantime they suffer a 50% damage penalty. Still, that's no match for sending a couple more to finish the job.
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
I'd like to clear something up:The explosives DO stack! You can send 6-8 scout frigates out to flatten any structure of your choice. That is, if they live to place the explosives down. Scouts take a few seconds to place the C4, and during the meantime they suffer a 50% damage penalty. Still, that's no match for sending a couple more to finish the job.


Oh really? They must have changed it since the last time I tried that trick... cool!
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
Oh really? They must have changed it since the last time I tried that trick... cool!


you have to tell them one at a time. if you click the skill on the stack, they'll do it in turn. On our game vs innociv a month ago, I was screwing around with this tec for the first time.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Oh really? They must have changed it since the last time I tried that trick... cool!


you have to tell them one at a time. if you click the skill on the stack, they'll do it in turn. On our game vs innociv a month ago, I was screwing around with this tec for the first time.
Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
Can you ALT select them and then use Tab with the hotkey to just click-click-click through the group? That wouldn't take more than a few seconds, or do you have to wait for each ship to finish placing the explosives before being able to send in the next one?
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
yes, that's how I do it (same with phase gates too)