SHIPFIRE
Keywords: SHIPFIRE, SHIPF
=== USER MANUAL ===
Usage: shipfire
shipfire <laser|missile|cannon|rail>
Description:
Fire the ship's weapons at the current target. The behavior
depends on which chair you're in:
Main gunner seat ... Specify a weapon type. Fires the best
available module of that type.
Turret seat ........ No argument needed. Fires the turret's
laser at the turret's independent target.
Bare shipfire from the gunner seat lists every weapon type
currently installed on the ship, so you can pick one.
Gunner Seat Weapons:
Argument parser accepts these weapon types (abbreviations OK):
laser ............... Beam weapons. Ranged energy fire.
missile ............. Guided warheads. Limited ammo.
cannon .............. Autocannon rapid-fire ballistics.
rail ................ Railgun kinetic slugs. Heavy power
draw.
Default ranges vary by weapon type:
laser ............... ~500 units (type default)
missile ............. ~1000 units
cannon .............. ~500 units
rail ................ ~2000 units
Individual modules can override range via w_range, check
scanship on your own hull.
Pre-flight Checks:
Before a shot goes out, the engine verifies:
- Weapon type installed ("This ship isn't equipped
with <X> weapons.")
- At least one module of that type is off cooldown
("All lasers are still recharging.", "The missile
launchers are still reloading.", etc.)
- Target locked ("You need to choose a target first.")
- Target still visible in same system
- Weapon mount not damaged ("The ship's primary weapon
mounts are damaged.")
- Target within weapon's range
- For non-station ships: ship facing target. Main guns
fire forward only.
- Sufficient energy (lasers/railguns) or ammo (missiles/
cannons)
Turret Fire:
Turret chairs handle the legacy laser-only path. Each turret
has its own:
Target .............. Set with target from the turret itself.
Cooldown ............ laserstate counter.
Damage .............. Fixed 2 damage per hit.
Range ............... 500 units (main-weapon rules apply).
Because turrets don't need an argument, shipfire alone from
a turret seat fires that turret.
Hit Chance:
Chance to hit is computed from the target's model, maneuver,
speed, and the velocity delta between your ships. Clamped
between 10%% and 90%%. Higher target maneuver / speed
and closer velocity match makes hits harder; bigger ships are
easier to hit.
Requirements:
Turret or gunseat ... "You must be in the gunners chair
or turret of a ship to do that!"
Real space .......... Not hyperspace.
Launched ............ Not docked (unless the hull is a
station class that fires from docks).
Energy >= 5 ......... "There is not enough energy left
to fire!"
Manual control ...... Autopilot off.
Not webbed .......... "Cannot fire while trapped in a
disruption web!"
Echo (Gunseat Hit):
Your <weapon-name> hits <target>. (cockpit)
<weapon-othr> from <ship> hits <target>. (starsystem)
You are hit by <weapon-name> from <ship>! (target cockpit)
A small explosion vibrates through the ship. (target ship)
Echo (Gunseat Miss):
<weapon-othr> from <ship> barely misses <target>.
(starsystem)
<ship> fires at you but misses. (target cockpit)
Echo (Turret Hit):
Your lasers hit <target>! (your cockpit)
Laserfire from <ship> hits <target>. (starsystem)
You are hit by lasers from <ship>! (target cockpit)
Echo (Turret Miss):
Laserfire from <ship> barely misses <target>. (starsystem)
The ship's lasers fire at <target> but miss. (cockpit)
Laserfire from <ship> fire at you but miss. (target cockpit)
Counter-Targeting:
Hits on a target whose autopilot is on and not already
targeting you will cause that ship to lock you back:
You are being targetted by <target>.
Notes:
- Manual firing is a single shot; for continuous automated
fire use autocombat (also from the gunner's chair).
- Rail and laser weapons consume energy per shot
(shown in scanship via weapon modules' w_energy).
- Missiles and autocannons consume ammo. Dock at a
shipyard to rearm.
- A main-gun fire is forward-arc only. Use autotrack
from the pilot seat to auto-aim the nose.
- Turret targets are separate from the main ship target.
Strategic Notes:
- Check scanship on your own hull to see weapon
levels, damage, ranges, and cooldown classes.
- Pair shipfire with target + autotrack + autocombat
for lazy-combat: pilot holds nose, gunner lets auto-combat
cycle.
- Webbed ships can't fire back -- lead with disruptionweb
when possible.
Related Helpfiles: TARGET, AUTOCOMBAT, AUTOTRACK, AUTOPILOT, SHIPSTAT, SCANSHIP, REPAIRSHIP, DISRUPTIONWEB
=== END MANUAL ===