Topic: Battery Usage in OP (Read 1194 times)

Fahrenheit · « **on:** September 09, 2003, 05:34:33 pm »

OK, tell me... how do use batteries in OP?

I mean, I know you can click the little icon and the batteries will allegedly start depleting.

But I do this, and it's not like the power goes anywhere USEFUL... like arming weapons where I don't have _quite_ enough power to arm them.

Should I just give up on using them at all? That's pretty much what I do.

F°
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." -- Plutarch

Strafer · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2003, 05:50:27 pm »

It *sometimes* does, and sometime doesn't. Not sure what the key is however. Maybe shield reinforcements or something...

RazalYllib · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2003, 06:27:02 pm »

From observation:

Basically, click the battery activator, it will highlight.
The number represents the number of power units that you can expend on demand (there is a little delay)

If you have perfect energy balance at that point, the power in the battery is not needed so the value will stay constant, as soon as a ships system need power (for anything includeing shield reinforcemt of any kind) it will draw power from the capacity and thus deplete the batteries charge and you can watch the number next to the battery. Even if reinforcement is not being used it will trickle away to uselessness. Got to pick and choose when to use to maximize benefits.

Rechargeing it requires the presence of excess power ( ie turn shield reinforce OFF and slow down until there is excess power) just wait, it will slowly recharge. Take a mauler in single player and practice to get the hang of the timing.

Use of battery power falls into the "use your tractor dam-it" phrase from SFB , though "Speed is Life" is more well known.

TarMinyatur · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2003, 06:51:48 pm »

Batteries can be used for ECM/ECCM and to recharge the phaser capacitor. Batteries don't seem to be able to recharge heavy weapons. Tractors have highest energy priority (disregarding EA settings) so Batts are only indirectly useful.

IMO, the best use of Batts is to sustain ECCM for a Fed who has overloaded Photons and wants to run down a fast ship. The Batts can sustain 6 ECCM at high speed for a good while depending on the power curve and amount of Batts. A BCF for example can use Batts to get up to speed 31 with 6 ECCM, 2 OVL Phots, and 2 STD Phots for about 15 seconds. Its actual power usage is briefly 48...just 2 less than a KHK! Not too shabby.

One last point. Batteries discharge at twice the rate as they should. A Battery can provide 1 point of power for only half a turn. Batts would be much more useful if they discharged at a rate of 1 point/turn instead of 2.

Fahrenheit · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2003, 05:34:33 pm »

OK, tell me... how do use batteries in OP?

I mean, I know you can click the little icon and the batteries will allegedly start depleting.

But I do this, and it's not like the power goes anywhere USEFUL... like arming weapons where I don't have _quite_ enough power to arm them.

Should I just give up on using them at all? That's pretty much what I do.

F°
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." -- Plutarch

Strafer · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2003, 05:50:27 pm »

It *sometimes* does, and sometime doesn't. Not sure what the key is however. Maybe shield reinforcements or something...

RazalYllib · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2003, 06:27:02 pm »

From observation:

Basically, click the battery activator, it will highlight.
The number represents the number of power units that you can expend on demand (there is a little delay)

If you have perfect energy balance at that point, the power in the battery is not needed so the value will stay constant, as soon as a ships system need power (for anything includeing shield reinforcemt of any kind) it will draw power from the capacity and thus deplete the batteries charge and you can watch the number next to the battery. Even if reinforcement is not being used it will trickle away to uselessness. Got to pick and choose when to use to maximize benefits.

Rechargeing it requires the presence of excess power ( ie turn shield reinforce OFF and slow down until there is excess power) just wait, it will slowly recharge. Take a mauler in single player and practice to get the hang of the timing.

Use of battery power falls into the "use your tractor dam-it" phrase from SFB , though "Speed is Life" is more well known.

TarMinyatur · « **Reply #7 on:** September 09, 2003, 06:51:48 pm »

Batteries can be used for ECM/ECCM and to recharge the phaser capacitor. Batteries don't seem to be able to recharge heavy weapons. Tractors have highest energy priority (disregarding EA settings) so Batts are only indirectly useful.

IMO, the best use of Batts is to sustain ECCM for a Fed who has overloaded Photons and wants to run down a fast ship. The Batts can sustain 6 ECCM at high speed for a good while depending on the power curve and amount of Batts. A BCF for example can use Batts to get up to speed 31 with 6 ECCM, 2 OVL Phots, and 2 STD Phots for about 15 seconds. Its actual power usage is briefly 48...just 2 less than a KHK! Not too shabby.

One last point. Batteries discharge at twice the rate as they should. A Battery can provide 1 point of power for only half a turn. Batts would be much more useful if they discharged at a rate of 1 point/turn instead of 2.

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