SHIPCLOAK
Keywords: SHIPCLOAK, SHIPC
=== USER MANUAL ===
Usage: shipcloak
Description:
Toggle the ship's cloaking device from the cockpit. Cloaked
ships are invisible to radar and ping unless the scanner
has a detector module and is close enough. The command itself
is silent and takes 4 seconds to cycle.
Activating:
Cloaking costs 500 energy on engage. After the 4-second
cycle:
The ship cloaks and disappears. (cockpit)
<ship> shimmers briefly then disappears. (starsystem)
Deactivating:
Running the command again while cloaked drops the cloak after
the same 4-second cycle:
The ship becomes visible. (cockpit)
Space shimmers as <ship> slowly appears. (starsystem)
No energy cost to decloak.
Auto-Decloak:
The cloak drops automatically when:
- Ship energy falls below 200 (emergency power cut).
- ping is fired from your own ship (your pulse
reveals you).
- The ship is destroyed or extracted.
Note that taking a hit does not auto-decloak you, but
setting a target will -- you cannot engage combat while
cloaked (see below).
Detection While Cloaked:
You are visible to any ship that has a SHIP_DETECTOR
capability module and is within 1,000 units. Detector ships
also "spotlight" friendlies within 1000 units -- their allies
can see you too.
ping at close range (1500 units) sees cloaked ships, but
the pinger's identity leaks to everyone.
Requirements:
Cockpit ............ Must be in the pilot chair.
Launched ........... Not docked.
Real space ......... Not in hyperspace.
Cloaker module ..... Ship must have SHIP_CLOAKER
capability: "This ship is not equiped
with a cloaking device."
No active target ... Cannot cloak while engaged:
"Not while the ship is enganged with an
enemy!" Clear with target none first.
Not busy ........... Another cloak/baydoor cycle must not
be in flight: "Ship is currently busy."
Mid-Cycle Abort:
If you happen to acquire a target during the 4-second cloaking
cycle, the cloak aborts:
Ship engaged with enemy, cloaking aborted.
No energy is refunded -- the 500-energy charge still lands.
Mass Cloak:
Some ships carry a SHIP_MASSCLOAK module (Cloaking Field
Projector). Friendly ships of the same owner/clan within
1,000 units of an uncloaked projector are auto-cloaked as
long as they stay in range. The projector itself is not
cloaked by this effect.
This is passive -- no command, no toggle. Move into range
of an allied mass-cloak ship and you're hidden.
Notes:
- shipstat displays a (cloaked) tag next to your
coordinate readout when you are cloaked, so you can always
verify state at a glance.
- radar marks cloaked ships visible to you with a *
prefix in dim yellow.
- The 4-second cycle is interrupt-proof except by combat
engagement -- you can move, fire weapons at no target, etc.
during the cycle.
Strategic Notes:
- Cloak is primarily for repositioning and stealth
ingress, not combat. Once you commit to a target the
cloak drops.
- Watch your energy -- dropping below 200 kills cloak
instantly. Install Auxiliary Capacitor modules on a
dedicated scout.
- radar from a cloaked ship works normally; you are
silent but still sighted. Good for long recon passes.
- Carrying a mass-cloak friend fundamentally changes your
approach: fleet stealth instead of solo stealth.
Related Helpfiles: PING, RADAR, SCANSHIP, TARGET, SHIPSTAT, DISRUPTIONWEB, BAYDOORS
=== END MANUAL ===