[Galemp]

Never tried, actually. Mostly I'm in a Herc just trying to get to the node as fast as I can, so as few of my wingmates die as possible from those Manticores that keep chasing us.

[an0n]

I ran my mother****ing ass off in the heaviest, most ass-kickingest bomber they let you have. I forget which one exactly, but I'm guessing it was an Ursa.

[Goober5000]

The thing with that mission is that they don't launch the Ursas or Thoths until later in the mission.  One time I was in a Valkyrie and made great time to the node, but when I arrived in the next mission I had only Alpha and Beta wing.

[Aspa]

Once I hit a bug in that mission, where the Lucy doesn't depart when it reach the node, but starts spinning around, and shoots at the Bastion every time it turns in it's direction.

[Mongoose]

I know the first time, I just ran right to the node.  Now, I usually stick with my wingmen to try to get them all to the node.  It's not that hard if you stay by them and help them fend off the Shivan wings.  Quad Banshees own Basiliks .

[Stealth]

yeah.  i usually tell everyone to form on my wing, put the time compression on x4, all subsystem energy to engines, and haul ass to the node...

[TopAce]

Originally posted by Goober5000
The thing with that mission is that they don't launch the Ursas or Thoths until later in the mission.  One time I was in a Valkyrie and made great time to the node, but when I arrived in the next mission I had only Alpha and Beta wing.

Same happened to me. [V] do not seem to have spent much time testing that mission.

Originally posted by Stealth
yeah.  i usually tell everyone to form on my wing, put the time compression on x4, all subsystem energy to engines, and haul ass to the node...

I do not rush to the node for several reasons:
[list=1]

• I like dogfighting
• I do not trust my wingmen to defend me while I am making the run to the node.
• Taking down Basilisks and Thoths is fun
• There is a lot of time

Originally posted by Aspa
Once I hit a bug in that mission, where the Lucy doesn't depart when it reach the node, but starts spinning around, and shoots at the Bastion every time it turns in it's direction.

FSPort or FS1?

[ionia23]

Bear in mind something,.  the first Shivan "invasion" was little more than a scouting party.

I doubt that as of the end of the FS2 campaign we'd seen even a minor node of the Shivan Armada.

(entirely speculation, btw).

[TopAce]

Scouts destroying an entire planet? I mean Vasuda Prime obviously. The GTVA also needs scouts like those.

The following transmission has been intercepted coming from an Unknown location to the Lucifer:
You will fly a reconaissance mission today. Destroy Vasuda Prime and Earth and neutralise all remaining hostile forces.

[ionia23]

I'm thinking it was more like:

Activity directed in subspace node blah.  Dispatch investigate team to asses.

Hostile presence detected.

Eliminate hostile presence.

[NGTM-1R]

Considering the Lucifer was apparently quite unique...I'm not that open to thinking of it as a scout ship writ large.

My question, though, was why didn't they send ships from the Earth side of the node to attack the Lucifer? Have one Valk sit on the other side to give warning when the Lucifer shows up, then send in the whole of the 1st Fleet. Lucy fall down go boom.

Or maybe just park an Orion infront of the node, so the Lucifer rams it as it exits subspace and they both blow up.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by TopAce
Scouts destroying an entire planet? I mean Vasuda Prime obviously. The GTVA also needs scouts like those.

The following transmission has been intercepted coming from an Unknown location to the Lucifer:
You will fly a reconaissance mission today. Destroy Vasuda Prime and Earth and neutralise all remaining hostile forces.

It's only a planet, after all.  Not a major demolitions job or anything.

[Stealth]

Originally posted by TopAce

I do not rush to the node for several reasons:
[list=1]

• I like dogfighting

you like dogfighting when you're flying an ursa? :lol:

• I do not trust my wingmen to defend me while I am making the run to the node.

i'm more afraid of them dying, which is why i keep telling them to form on my wing... so they don't get 0wned in the battle

• Taking down Basilisks and Thoths is fun

not in an ursa it's not ;)

• There is a lot of time

yeah, but lots of time sitting in an ursa isn't fun
[/list]
[/B]

...

[Mongoose]

Um, the default ship for that mission is a Herc

[TopAce]

People certainly like the Ursa, because it is the only bomber that can carry almost all types of warheads. My favourite bomber is the Zeus or the Medusa, they are not that slow.

I have never taken the Ursa in that mission, for this simple reason my points are invalid for the Ursa.

[Swamp_Thing]

Why would anyone use a bomber in that mission (and the next)??
I mean, you have to fight several wings of fighters, including Dragons. And your wingmen will take out the reactors in  just a couple of minutes anyway...
I always used the Herc, because it´s well armed and heavy hulled. And there IS a lot of time, so stop to take out any fighters that come along, while you fly to the node. When the Typhoon appears, send them to take it out, while you make your way to the node. If you time it right, they will blow it up, and you will just have to jump.
Then in subspace, keep the fighters occupied while you order your wingmen to take out a reactor, any reactor. They will proceed on their own to destroy the other 4 without any orders at all.
I never get near the Lucy, because the reactors blowing up would kill me too, so i stay well away. The fighters that come along always target me, so your bombers should be safe.

[ionia23]

Agreed.  Really no point in flying an Ursa yourself.  The strategy I always use is:

1. Herc
2. Dual prometheus (no point in bringing a shield buster as they'll be pointless in the next mission)
3. Don't bother with afterburners on the way to the node, just cruise at max speed.
4. keep all wingmen close.  When being attacked, wait until they are 1.2 km out, then order all wingmen to engage enemy.  Works fast.
5.  Don't plan on pumping the burner until the Prophecy jumps in.  You should make it to the node before your wingmen get killed.

You can also use a well-documented trick to double the rate of fire on the prometheus.  Switch to single-fire mode, hold down your primary fire button and while doing so switch to dual fire mode.  Blammo.  As long as you keep your fire button pressed you'll fire at roughly double-rate.  Absolutely awesome for taking down Dragon fighters.

[Ghostavo]

I think those like me that use ursas in that mission use it because we don't trust the AI to blow the reactors so instead we like to do it personally

[TopAce]

Considering this thread is exclusively about the Great Hunt, what I am going to post cannot be considered a spam:
I use the Ulysses or the Valkyrie most of the times, with dual Prometheus cannons and the Fury in the secondary bank(s).
The only situation you make a good choice with the Ursa is when all your stupid Delta wingmen die. It is another situation you can defend them if you fly interceptor fighters, but don't touch this yet.

[Trivial Psychic]

I always chose a Herc with Prom in the 4 bank and disruptors in the 2 bank.  I stick with the Proms to engage fighters so I don't lose anything in fire-rate.  I keep the disruptors on hand to help take out the reactors if I lose too many bombers.  As far as secondaries, I load both banks with Interceptors.  I used to keep a bank of Phoenix Vs, but those are hard to use against fighters and they won't take out the turrets on the Lucy very well.  I just load up with Interceptors and can pretty much take out a fighter with a single hit (once I'm in subspace).  I usually do race for the node in the Great Hunt.  I find that at top speed, even the Manticores eventually give up on me and turn back.

Later!