[MagicJeffrey]

I've searched the internet for this phenomenon and I can't find an answer for it. I'm not sure this is the right place to ask but I don't know where else to go with this.

I just recently bought FS2 after playing the first one 8 years ago. I'm playing through the campaign, trying to get all achievements, when I get to one mission, Proving Grounds. One of the secondary objectives of this mission is to destroy a Shivan corvette, the Tiamat. After several attempts where the Aquitane just jumped out faster than I could chip away at the Tiamat's hull, I finally managed to disable the damn thing. Finally, I thought, I could get that objective. After sitting here for 10 minutes with 5 wingmen unloading onto it, and having fired no less that 1500 dumbfire warheads into it, destroying all turrets, disabling every single subsystem, imagine my disappointment when I realize that the ship has been at 10% for the last 9½ minutes.

I am honestly puzzled. It says in the debriefing I should have destroyed it, basically says "stay close and the Aquitane will kill it for you," which it doesn't, unfortunately. But to have the ship actually be invulnerable? Is this a bug related to my choice of difficulty(2/5)? Does Volition not intend all achievements to be attained unless the game is on medium? Or is the mission programmed so that only the Aquitane can finish it off?

Has anyone experienced this before?

[blowfish]

The issue is that only weapons marked with the "Huge" flag can damage ships of corvette level and up.  That means that any guns/missiles you are carrying will be mostly ineffective at damaging its hull.  I've seen the corvette get destroyed before, though I'm not sure what circumstances lead up to it...

[Deepstar]

It's a difficult task to destroy the Tiamat, yes.

But it's possible.

It's important that the Tiamat is always in target range. But when i remember correctly it's very helpful if you use TAG missles for the Tiamat. The Aquitane should shoot then more often at her with the beams.

[MagicJeffrey]

Thanks for the advice. It looks like it basically comes down to letting the Aquitane do it. Sadly, the mission doesn't offer any TAG missiles so I can't use those. I guess I just have to stay close to the Tiamat and destroy anything that might distract or reduce the firepower of the Aquitane.

[blowfish]

Or alternately, focus on the fighters and bombers.  Theoretically, if there are less of those, the Aquitaine will be able to focus more of its turrets on the Tiamat.  Even its weak Laser turrets will do more damage than the player's guns.  This theory hasn't been tested though.

[Mobius]

Welcome to the HLPBB!!!

As Deepstar said, taking the Tiamat down is difficult - but possible. My suggestion is to make sure that the Aquitaine's main beam cannons don't get destroyed, because they're your only chance of destroying the Shivan corvette.

Also, tryng to stay near the Tiamat(so that it appears in your radar as a clear signal, without any disturbance) is vital: it provides the Aquitaine with the sensor support needed to bring weapon batteries to bear.

Or alternately, focus on the fighters and bombers.  Theoretically, if there are less of those, the Aquitaine will be able to focus more of its turrets on the Tiamat.  Even its weak Laser turrets will do more damage than the player's guns.  This theory hasn't been tested though.

I doubt the Aquitaine's AAA and blob turrets would really make the difference. They're not useless(blob should even have the Huge flag, if I remember well), but the main beam cannons are the way more effective. A couple of volleys from the main BGreen can easily cripple the Moloch.

[blowfish]

So then it's really a question of how many times the Aquitaine's main beam fires.  That is quite difficult to influence, since the Aquitaine is heading toward a waypoint and the Tiamat will only be in front of it for part of the time.  The refire rate has a randomness factor involved, but I think you can possibly make it fire faster by increasing the difficulty level.

[General Battuta]

Dude! You don't need to kill the Tiamat to get the medal for that mission.

Just keep the Aquitaine's hull above 50%. You'll get the medal that way.

The Tiamat can be killed with EMP missiles (or at least it could in 3.6.9.) You just have to use a ton of them. Are you using Freespace Open?

[Mobius]

So then it's really a question of how many times the Aquitaine's main beam fires.  That is quite difficult to influence, since the Aquitaine is heading toward a waypoint and the Tiamat will only be in front of it for part of the time.  The refire rate has a randomness factor involved, but I think you can possibly make it fire faster by increasing the difficulty level.

I think the only real random parameter is the fact that the Tiamat is ordered to attack the Aquitaine instead of flying through a set of waypoints(which is the best solution to handle warship battles).

Just like the GVCv Asar, the SCv Tiamat will attack its target, thus adding a "random factor". Wheter or not the Tiamat can be hit by two or more volleys of BGreen shots, it's mostly a matter of luck.

[Sololop]

I also think that the higher the difficulty level your on, beam weapons fire more often, and inflict higher damage. On easy difficulty, I don't think the Aquitaine may have enough time to kill it.

But I may be misinformed.

[blowfish]

They will fire more often (though it only cuts a few seconds off an anready somewhat randomized firing time), but I don't think they do more damage...

[MagicJeffrey]

On a related note, is there a way to destroy the Tiamat's giant laser? Is it just that dinky turret labeled Beam Cannon or do I have to destroy the weapons subsystem? Or is there just no way to disable it?

[General Battuta]

On a related note, is there a way to destroy the Tiamat's giant laser? Is it just that dinky turret labeled Beam Cannon or do I have to destroy the weapons subsystem? Or is there just no way to disable it?

Just the 'beam cannon' turret. It's not very hard to take out.

It has three anti-capship beams, I believe: two on the bottom and one on the top.

[Dilmah G]

Yeah

Neutralising the beam cannons is something you should always do when given the chance, after that it's safe to let it duke it out with the Aquitaine while you worry about fighters etc

[Mobius]

Disabling the Moloch's beams is extremely useful, because a) it prevents them from damaging the Aquitaine even more and b) more in general, the improve the Aquitaine's beam turrets' chances of survival.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Beams reload faster on higher difficulty levels, if that helps.

[Dilmah G]

Beams reload faster on higher difficulty levels, if that helps.

Yeah, making it imperative you disable each and every Shivan cannon you see ASAP, otherwise your escort ships WILL NOT survive

[blowfish]

The truth is, the Moloch's SReds really can't do that much damage.  If you get a chance, disable any that can shoot at the Aquitaine, plus you eliminate the slight possibility of one of them hitting its main beam and disabling it, but I think, in this mission in particular, the bombers are much more of a threat.

[Killer Whale]

www.freespace2.com `0000000...

Is that the one where you have to fend off the pegasi?

[Dilmah G]

www.freespace2.com `0000000...

Is that the one where you have to fend off the pegasi?

Umm w0rt?

Epsilon Pegasi is a star system is it not?