How is it done?

I'm working on a flak type point defense system, but the submunitions are affected by the origonal weapon's velocity. (i.e. they go faster in the same direction as the origonal shot, and much slower in the opposite direction.) I figure if I have the first shot sub in the oposite direction of itself as a single identical weapon, then with no velocity sub into the actual starburst, it should work.

What I want to know is, is it possible for a submunition to fire backwards?
Possibly using a negative# in the SubTheta or Inacuracy field?

Picquilarius, on Sep 20 2004, 11:21 PM, said:

I'm working on a flak type point defense system, but the submunitions are affected by the origonal weapon's velocity. (i.e. they go faster in the same direction as the origonal shot, and much slower in the opposite direction.) I figure if I have the first shot sub in the oposite direction of itself as a single identical weapon, then with no velocity sub into the actual starburst, it should work.

What I want to know is, is it possible for a submunition to fire backwards?
Possibly using a negative# in the SubTheta or Inacuracy field?
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I haven't noticed that behavior with submunitions before...I always thought they flew as if the emitting shot was stationary.

Perhaps the submunitions behave like their weapon type...fixed cannons (unguided projectile type weapons) inherit the firing ship's movement. Other types do not...I think perhaps a front-turreted cannon does not. Try different weapon types for the submunition wëap.

Anyway, to address your specific question, rather than your problem ;), negative submunition inaccuracies specify a fixed angle between submunitions. For example, an inaccuracy of -90 with two submunitions would fire two shots 45 degrees to either side of "forward". With three submunitions, it would fire one shot straight forward and two perpendicularly to the sides. The only way to make a weapon seem to submunition straight backwards is to have it actually submunition into two projectiles with an inaccuracy of -360, which works as long as you don't have a problem with there really being two submunitions even though it looks like one (they are atop one another).

Do negative velocities work in Nova? They did in Override.
Else wouldn't it work just by giving the first submunition 0 velocity and then sub into the starburst?

Weepul 884, on Sep 21 2004, 08:02 AM, said:

The only way to make a weapon seem to submunition straight backwards is to have it actually submunition into two projectiles with an inaccuracy of -360, which works as long as you don't have a problem with there really being two submunitions even though it looks like one (they are atop one another).
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No, it realy does need to be just one sub.

Guy, on Sep 21 2004, 08:29 PM, said:

Do negative velocities work in Nova? They did in Override.
Else wouldn't it work just by giving the first submunition 0 velocity and then sub into the starburst?
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I could do that, but would the new sub actualy have no velocity, or would it just not add to the velocity it inherits from the first one? Guess I'll have to test it...

Well, negative velocities work, I think, but then the projectile will be facing forward but moving backwards, instead of facing backwards and moving backwards. Perhaps that's the desired effect...since submunition inaccuracies are relative to the direction the original shot was facing. Facing forward/moving backwards might be good.

That still wouldn't cancel out any horizontal movement the shot may have from the ship drifting when firing.

I really don't remember submunitions inheriting the original shot's movement, though...but if I found that they don't and you found that they do, that suggests that the submunition's wëap type has an influence. I still suggest trying different projectile weapon types for the submunition, like front-turreted projectile. As long as it's a projectile unguided weapon type, the only difference it could make is whether it would inherit the original shot's movement.

Well I'm not realy sure what I did, but it works perfectly now without needing the second sub.

The base "Point Defense Turret" weapon has- Velocity: 1650, LifeCount: 15, Inacuracy: 15, SubQty: 16, SubTheta: 360, SubLimit: 1

and the "Unguided" Sub weapon has- Velocity: 1500, LifeCount: 4, Inacuracy: 0

It's just like the Flak Cannon in Ares

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Do negative velocities work in Nova? They did in Override...

That's one of the things I had to figure out when I adding the outfit "countermeasures" for FOTVE. The countermeasures first acted like free fall rocket bombs, then I started tinkering around with the velocity numbers before finally getting the expected results. Originally I wanted the countermeasures to fire off from the sides of the ships, kind of the way the A-10 Warthogs deploy decoys through the tips of the wing for maximum escape distance.

You could use a rear turret with a 45ş arc, if that is available in Nova (I think it's available, yes?)