[SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyers V3.9[UPDATED]

Distribute and discuss mods that are functional. Moderator - Grognak
FederationScumX1999
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

[SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyers V3.9[UPDATED]

Postby FederationScumX1999 » Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:43 am

Hello! It's time for yet another lore-friendly Lanius ship mod, so here ya go: the Lanius Destroyer, specifically...

Image
Image

...the Reaper! And now...

Image
Image

...the Deoxidization! And...

Image
Image

...the Adder! And, lastly,...

Image
Image

...the Swordsmaster!


I decided to dabble with a bigger ship which, unlike the frigate-type ships I've done so far, is fully customizable and even has its own artillery. Originally, the theme for this line of ships was going to center around Hacking which, despite its reputation, is rather limited on its own and I really didn't wanna fall back on boarding to essentially recreate ResidentEvil063's Raptor or my prototypical Coercion. So, instead (for now) this line is going to feature my attempts at custom weaponry and artillery (however limited)(Future note: Oops).

-
LORE - SKIP IF YOU WANT TECHNICAL DETAILS AND DOWNLOAD
-

No one has ever seen a Lanius fleet and survived. This consequently results in the omission of certain details. It is widely believed that the Lanius lack a respectable fleet of powerful warships that could rival the Rebels or, at least, the Federation's, with only frigate and corvette type vessels regularly encountered and fought. Those who believe such rumors should count themselves lucky that they have never seen the likes of the Lanius's destroyers which are utilized only within the Lanius's fleets. Ironically, certain individuals who happen to be running from the Rebel fleet would be familiar with such a sighting, the difference being that the evidence of their inevitable demise would be wiped clean.

The Reaper was a fleet warship utilized for only the most important missions in conjunction with several other destroyers, with its flank protected by bombers. Its heavy flak artillery would tear holes into ships, leaving them ripe for boarding crews from bombers such as the Deimos. Bolstering its offense was a chain variant of the popular Burst Laser Mark 2 which allowed it to fire its proficient payload every six seconds. That said, the Reaper has not seen much action as the Lanius rarely use overwhelming force unless absolutely necessary. Indeed, the Reaper was confiscated by its original crew who had become guilt-ridden sympathizers after witnessing the massacre of an entire colony and the effortless destruction of its military police. While not as durable as the Kruos or Shrike, the Reaper's mythical status and fleet modifications may very well give it a certain edge in the fight against the Rebels, a more noble cause.

The Deoxidization was birthed from many chance factors. The Cooperative Sect of the Lanius has had fairly close ties with the Federation and thus the two have shared technology from small systems to entire starships. Before disappearing into deep space on the run, the creator of the Coercion transferred battle data it had accumulated through three sectors of travel and conflict. While the secret of the Taser Bomb has yet to be unlocked for mass production or modified usage, the Lanius's reverse-engineering of medical nanobots was a noted tactical advantage that was fairly easy to retrofit. A former crewman of the hospital ship Mother Hen decided to break even with the unfortunate absence of the Taser Bomb and the failure of a Healing Beam prototype by introducing the Lanius to the Healing Cluster Bomb. With a powerful destroyer chassis at their disposal, the crewman and a small crew of Lanius have heavily retrofitted it into a hospital ship in its own right. The outright lack of direct offense masks its advantages of having a virtually immortal crew, ripe for boarding, and the ship now engages on its maiden voyage.

The relationship between the Lanius and Mantis has been one of mutual respect. On the one hand, Mantis crews go off to engage Lanius vessels for bragging rights and profit and are never heard from again; on the other, the Mantis recognize that a partnership would lead to the same conclusion, and then some, without the reckless waste of warriors. After all, the Mantis benefited immensely from the toil of their Engi slaves from tasks as menial as ship repair to the installation of systems and weapons that covered the gaping weaknesses of the boarding-centric strategy of the Mantis. Recognized as formidable warriors in their own right and similarly motivated, the Lanius provided a destroyer chassis that would be hybridized with Mantis architecture. Finished with a catalog of Engi and Mantis technology, the Adder was commissioned as another ship to follow in the same line as the Theseus in celebrating the two races' formidable alliance. This adaptable boarding ship is a terrifying vessel of the most vicious creatures in the galaxy.

The crew of the Reaper made it clear that some Lanius have awakened to the fact that there is probably something morally iffy about murdering thousands of aliens for resources, especially for a race so advanced. Some have sought solace for their actions, to funnel their energies into more constructive lifestyles. It was a chance meeting between two Lanius and a former Rock priest. A dissenter who denied the doctrine of xenophobia of his people, both he and his new Lanius disciples took an open-minded approach towards discovering the deeper connection between the different alien races and the universe at large. However, war beckons the development of weaponry to stave off oppressors of any kind. With the unique talents of their races in mind, the group designed the Celestial Missile Artillery: an advanced versatile quad-fold ballistic weapon system. Grafting together a new vessel from the priest's old ship with pieces of a destroyer chassis, the group had forged a temple to travel through the stars on a mission to learn all that could be known and assist against the tyrants that threatened to forever destroy such an opportunity for future generations.

-
BEGINNING STRATEGIES
-

Reaper

The Reaper is the most basic of the destroyers and is barely similar to the Fed-A that it replaces. Your only means of direct offense is through your Chain Burst Laser 2 which is an amazing weapon once it gets going, but leaves you vulnerable to opening volleys starting out (especially if they hit the Weapons room). The Shrapnel Artillery is incredibly disruptive by causing multiple breaches across an entire ship, but becomes underwhelming without proper support. A Hacking Module or Teleporter (with Lanius boarding crew) is recommended to make the most of the breaches you're able to cause. The decision to buy Oxygen to feasibly support other races or to not buy it to maintain boarder and fire proofing have their strengths and weaknesses accordingly. All things considered, you've got 3 slots (compared to Fed-A's two) so no pressure.

Deoxidization

The Deoxi is a partial love letter to the Mother Hen, focusing on the power of the Healing Bomb Artillery. This artillery allows you to keep up the fight on enemy turf and has the potential to disable critical systems (especially recovery rooms). Additionally, your augments will allow you to maintain boarder and fire proofing while keeping your non-Lanius crew alive - so long as the Med-Bay remains powered. Lacking Weapons (and given that they are not guaranteed to be sold at a store), you are down to overwhelming your opponent with boarding parties and utilizing the artillery to keep first responders alive as back-up comes in behind. Be vigilant as you cannot sacrifice your crew and, unlike the Mother Hen, you only have a two-person teleporter to work with. Despite your limited offensive potential, you have a whopping 4 system slots available for you to customize and better-than-average defenses to work with. Once you either get more crew or Weapons installed, you should be set.

Adder

The Adder is a very specialized ship compared to the other two, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It to is also a love letter to the Mother Hen, utilizing the incredibly effective Reconstructive Teleport augment and four-person teleporter. You have no recovery system to speak of, but this is the least of your worries. The focus of this ship is adaptable boarding strats, with two different boarding drones to work alongside your Lanius initially. In this case, the drones can breach rooms and occupy an enemy which allows you to vent a room and fight normally. Both drones can be deployed to produce two breaches, though one will simply exist as a punching bag. Careful play is key here, and there are going to be moments where you may need to evacuate injured crew to the enemy ship temporarily (or deliberately as back-up) to keep them alive. The Triple Chain Ion is an artillery that will not be fully appreciated until you acquire weapons, though it can sometimes ionize critical systems.

What is important to keep in mind, again, is that the ship is quite adaptable depending on what you find or buy. Boarding drones work well with just about every strategy you may want to employ since they cannot be harmed by venting or fires. You can do Rock+Fire Bomb/Beam/Drone, Lanius+Breach Bomb, Mantis-Lanius tag team, Mantis-Rock tag team, full-on Lanius boarding, use Mind Control and upgraded Drones for an all-out 7-person initial boarding bonanza, etc., the choice is yours. That said, be very picky about what system you buy: you only get one free slot to customize.

Swordsmaster

The Swordsmaster takes a step back from fancy boarding in favor of heavier firepower in the form of the Hull Pierce Laser Mark 2 and Celestial Missile Artillery. The ship may be familiar to those who have played the Rock-B, though its selling point is shifted towards either a mix of Rock-Lanius boarding or gun-heavy alpha strikes. The Celestial Missile gives you a fairly reliable backup in all situations, even boarding operations, making it a jack-of-all-trades. It can save the day if the enemy is being smart in keeping your weapons down. Being able to set rooms on fire or cause breaches provides openings for Rock and Lanius boarders (at the same time), but four missiles inflict decent damage. That said, if you are going to get a Teleporter, turn the artillery off when you do not need it, or else.

The Hull Pierce Laser can inflict a nice chunk of damage (to a maximum of 6 in one volley) with a nice edge in piercing one shield, an attribute that can make a huge difference. Regardless, it is a power hog that is difficult to add to for the first few sectors and is vulnerable to premature deactivation if a stray shot hits your Weapons room. In a battle of attrition though, if properly supported, it is definitely nice to keep around. Whatever approach you go with, you have reliable tools to work from so abuse them to your heart's content.

-
DOWNLOAD
-

Lanius Destroyers V3.9

Recommended for this ship, RAD-82's 25-Hull HUD mod

-
SHOWCASES
-

ResidentEvil063's TF: FTL Mods 3 Lanius Destroyers (Co-com)
Part 1: Reaper, custom event
Part 2: Deoxidization
Part 3: Adder
Part 4: Adder, continued
Part 5: Swordsmaster

-

* Healing Cluster Bomb borrowed from ResidentEvil063 with his permission
Last edited by FederationScumX1999 on Thu Dec 10, 2015 2:35 am, edited 14 times in total.
The future hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
User avatar
R4V3-0N
Posts: 1291
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:44 am

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby R4V3-0N » Sun Aug 23, 2015 1:00 pm

Um... from the looks of the images you put up, it seems the floor of this ship is slightly shifted down.
R4V3-0N, a dreamer.
FederationScumX1999
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby FederationScumX1999 » Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:06 pm

R4V3-0N wrote:Um... from the looks of the images you put up, it seems the floor of this ship is slightly shifted down.


Could never quite line the floors the way I want'em, always being off-center one way or another.
The future hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
User avatar
kartoFlane
Posts: 1488
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:20 pm

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby kartoFlane » Sun Aug 23, 2015 7:21 pm

FederationScumX1999 wrote:Could never quite line the floors the way I want'em, always being off-center one way or another.

In SL, you can use the arrow keys to nudge the thing you have currently selected by a single pixel. It's great for fixing tiny alignment issues like this.

That is, unless there's a lingering off-by-one bug still hiding somewhere... :/
Superluminal2 - a ship editor for FTL
FederationScumX1999
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby FederationScumX1999 » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:35 pm

kartoFlane wrote:
FederationScumX1999 wrote:Could never quite line the floors the way I want'em, always being off-center one way or another.

In SL, you can use the arrow keys to nudge the thing you have currently selected by a single pixel. It's great for fixing tiny alignment issues like this.

That is, unless there's a lingering off-by-one bug still hiding somewhere... :/


Oh yeah, I'll take a look at that then. Thanks. -w-
The future hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
User avatar
stylesrj
Posts: 3644
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:54 am

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby stylesrj » Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:24 pm

No starting Oxygen? Well I like Lanius ships that do that but I think in my last video of your Lanius ships, I showed off how annoying a lack of oxygen and a always-on Clone Bay really got.

I'm guessing these ships should be run in Captain's Edition or at least in some mod where Lanius (and Ghosts) can be bought outside of Abandoned Sectors, right?

And if not, they should :lol:
FederationScumX1999
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby FederationScumX1999 » Sun Aug 23, 2015 11:38 pm

stylesrj wrote:No starting Oxygen? Well I like Lanius ships that do that but I think in my last video of your Lanius ships, I showed off how annoying a lack of oxygen and a always-on Clone Bay really got.

I'm guessing these ships should be run in Captain's Edition or at least in some mod where Lanius (and Ghosts) can be bought outside of Abandoned Sectors, right?

And if not, they should :lol:


I normally design these ships with the original game in mind which is why they tend to be a bit underpowered when used in CE, though this ship might shine better in CE. Admittedly, while it is rather pointless to micromanage non-Lanius in a Lanius ship (since they'll die before they can do anything useful), this ship gives you the option of installing your top three picks of systems while also having artillery. Having half a crew of Lanius also make it easier to scout around for extra Lanius if you're lucky enough to find an Abandoned Sector or at least keep all the major systems staffed in a virtually fire and boarder proof ship.

That said, this mod is still going through a number of changes as I forgot to change some values (Oxygen's free, for instance, and I need to make the Chain Laser 2 expensive because of how powerful it can be if you find a second one) and I want to make the ship's design a bit more compact.
The future hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
User avatar
stylesrj
Posts: 3644
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:54 am

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby stylesrj » Sun Aug 23, 2015 11:51 pm

You can also modify the Emergency Respirators to be more effective too. You'll still have to buy them (and make them expensive. But then again if they're expensive, then selling them is good too) and any enemy ship that comes equipped with them means you have to manually flush them out with your Lanius as it's much easier to do that than wait for them to finally take their last breath.
FederationScumX1999
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby FederationScumX1999 » Mon Aug 24, 2015 12:09 am

stylesrj wrote:You can also modify the Emergency Respirators to be more effective too. You'll still have to buy them (and make them expensive. But then again if they're expensive, then selling them is good too) and any enemy ship that comes equipped with them means you have to manually flush them out with your Lanius as it's much easier to do that than wait for them to finally take their last breath.


Might be something to look into, though CE does adjust them already by making crew 75% resistant to depressurization. One thing I enjoyed was the combo of improved Engi medbots and Emergency Respirators to allow non-Lanius crew to work on a vented ship so long as the med bay was powered. I doubt I was the first one to think of it, but I feel it adds a bit of variation to healing and security. I may actually improve Emergency Respirators to CE levels just to add value to the Med bay and Engi medbots for that reason.
The future hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! - Captain Jean-Luc Picard
User avatar
R4V3-0N
Posts: 1291
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:44 am

Re: [SHIP][AE] Lanius Destroyer V1

Postby R4V3-0N » Mon Aug 24, 2015 4:43 am

stylesrj wrote:You can also modify the Emergency Respirators to be more effective too. You'll still have to buy them (and make them expensive. But then again if they're expensive, then selling them is good too) and any enemy ship that comes equipped with them means you have to manually flush them out with your Lanius as it's much easier to do that than wait for them to finally take their last breath.


Out of curiosity but is it possible to make an emergency respirator give 100% no suffocation damage?
R4V3-0N, a dreamer.