[Aardwolf]

The Slammer is an awesome variation on the cluster bomb... I just wish I could use it right.

Any tips? Useful-to-know numbers, or estimates of "effective range" / when to detonate?

Also, how can you make sure you don't accidentally fire a second Slammer when you mean to detonate the first? That's happened at least once when I waited to the last minute, and it was really annoying (but it happens with FS2's remote-detonation missiles too, IIRC)

[Infamus]

detonate about 200-300 meters before impact,so the bombs have time to spread as the fighters fly through the soon-to-be cluster-phuck, works every time, and make sure they are coming AT you

oh and save these for bombers

[Scotty]

It detonates on its own, just fire and forget.

Although, pick targets that are still in intact wing formations.  Launch at the leading fighter/bomber of the group.  Watch the fireworks.

[Fury]

Slammers automatically detonate when they're 150 meters from target. For best effectiveness depending on enemy formation and heading, you can detonate it earlier. Slammer childs have 750m range, traveling at 300m/s. Each of the 25 childs can pick their own target.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

25 childs

That many?

[azile0]

If you use the double-fire feature, you can splash an entire bomber wing in one shot.

[blowfish]

If you use the double-fire feature, you can splash an entire bomber wing in one shot.

I've seen a single slammer splash an entire bomber wing.  It's just difficult to do reliably.

[Herra Tohtori]

You can switch to another secondary weapon to prevent premature release of another slammer. As to effectiveness, last time I played I found it better to manually detonate the thing. When you approach the targets and launch the missile, fly "to the side" so that the target and missiles are not exactly lined up. That will give you better ability to judge the relative velocities of the targets and the missile (plus better view for epic screenshots). Also makes it easier to keep track of missile distance indicator and target distance. The most effective detonation distance depends from lots of things that you'll pretty much need to learn on your own.

[Snail]

The current record for largest Slammer multi kill is 6 Artemises, by QD I think.

[Klaustrophobia]

Whenever I tried to use them, the formations broke long before they were in range of my slammers.  I don't think I ever got more than one kill at a time out of them.  Extra damage to a bunch, though.

[QuantumDelta]

The current record for largest Slammer multi kill is 6 Artemises, by QD I think.

Sure it wasn't E?
He's much better with slammers than I am because I don't use them often.
It's possible it was in one of my DE beta feedbacks in irc tho, cuz they made me use slammers when I hadn't been previously
Felt cheesey so I stopped and substituted with Grimlers.

[Dilmah G]

I pulled six artemis bombers on DE on one of my testing playthroughs. Man, I love that weapon.

[Snail]

The current record for largest Slammer multi kill is 6 Artemises, by QD I think.

Sure it wasn't E?
He's much better with slammers than I am because I don't use them often.
It's possible it was in one of my DE beta feedbacks in irc tho, cuz they made me use slammers when I hadn't been previously
Felt cheesey so I stopped and substituted with Grimlers.

Yeah I think it was The E.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Sure it wasn't E?
He's much better with slammers than I am because I don't use them often.
It's possible it was in one of my DE beta feedbacks in irc tho, cuz they made me use slammers when I hadn't been previously
Felt cheesey so I stopped and substituted with Grimlers.

You don't use Hellfires?

[QuantumDelta]

I normally fly with Hellfires yes, I make a bit of an exception for DE on insane.

[Dragon]

I've also scored an entire wing of Artemis bombers with one Slammer, but it wasn't the final version.

[Ravenholme]

The current record for largest Slammer multi kill is 6 Artemises, by QD I think.

I think I can beat that with 6 direct kills, one where my slammer did the most damage to it that when it was finished up I got another kill. Delenda Est, just before the 2nd Strike package shows up and you've got to take on a lot of fighters burning towards you. One warhead, not dual-fire either. ('course, my computer crashed later when the Imperieuse showed up, but you can't have everything). It's not much of a margin, and was the result of some rather nice circumstances and many replays of Delenda Est (For enjoyment, I seem to have beating the mission on Medium down a pat)

[esarai]

I think the slammer six-kill record is actually held by an AI.  IIRC, one of the pilots in a playtest The E was doing dropped one and completely kapwned 6 Tevs at once.  And not a slammer damage/primary cleanup combo--six direct slammer kills.  At once. 

Fury, what kind of monster AI have you created?

[Scotty]

I've gotten six kills with a double shot.

[General Battuta]

The current record for largest Slammer multi kill is 6 Artemises, by QD I think.

I think I can beat that with 6 direct kills, one where my slammer did the most damage to it that when it was finished up I got another kill. Delenda Est, just before the 2nd Strike package shows up and you've got to take on a lot of fighters burning towards you. One warhead, not dual-fire either. ('course, my computer crashed later when the Imperieuse showed up, but you can't have everything). It's not much of a margin, and was the result of some rather nice circumstances and many replays of Delenda Est (For enjoyment, I seem to have beating the mission on Medium down a pat)

I wonder if this means I shouldn't patch it. Maybe it's just the next Forced Entry!