Forcefields and sniper turrets

[AlexV]

I'm not quite clear on how the forcefield shot power reducing thing works. The wiki seems to have a completely different idea, as it doesn't mention that, but does say that shots damage the forcefield if fired through it, which I guess must be out of date?

When a unit says that it fires straight through forcefields, like a sniper turret, does that mean it's unaffected by the shot power reducing? What's the best way of telling if a given unit is affected or not?

In players' experience, is it worthwhile having defensive turrets under a forcefield anyway, on the grounds that even though they do 1/4 damage, they last more than 4x as long?

[x4000]

The wiki is probably really out of date, I need to get to that on my next pass, through the wiki.  The rules for force fields, as they currently are, are pretty simple:

1. When a ship fires OUT from under a force field that is protecting it, it's power is reduced to 1/4 of normal.  Or, put another way, it's 75% less effective.  There is no ability or method for eliminating this reduction for your ships, aside from not putting them under force fields.

2. When ships shoot IN at a ship under a force field, normally the force field just absorbs the shot and is damaged the exact same amount that the ship under it would have been damaged.

3. When a ship has the force fields immunity (it just says "force fields" under the immunities list), they can move through enemy force fields and shoot at ships that are under them as if the force fields aren't even there.  There is no power reduction on these shots whatsoever from the ENEMY force fields, those force fields are a non-presence here.  However, this immunity has no effect on the damage reduction from your/allied force fields (item #1 here).

4. The "fires through shields" ability refers to shields, not force fields, which is something completely unrelated.

So, in summary, based on #1 you want your turrets and so forth outside your force field, otherwise you're really making them pretty ineffective.  Meanwhile, anything that you want to protect goes under the force field so that it stays alive.  And if you're attacking an enemy force field with ships that are immune, you don't have to worry about your ships losing attack power from that in any circumstances.

Hope that helps!

[AlexV]

3. When a ship has the force fields immunity [...] There is no power reduction on these shots whatsoever

So something like a sniper turret then, which is immune to force fields, can be placed under a force-field without incurring the 75% penalty, but still be protected from incoming enemy fire itself by the force field? And the relevant bit on the tooltip to look for would be "Forcefields" under the "Immunities" section?

Or did you just mean that when firing on an enemy forcefield they ignore it (and the power reduction from being under a friendly forcefield does still apply)?

Thanks for clearing this up for me!

[x4000]

No worries, my pleasure.

I'll correct my first post to be more clear, but the added notes from your questions:

1. Having immunity to forcefields does NOT have any effect on the damage reduction on your own force fields.  That applies to being able to fire and move through enemy force fields only.  There is no way to remove the damage reduction from your own force fields, aside from not putting your stuff under your own force fields.

2. Yes, under immunities it simply says "force fields" and that's the one you're looking for here.

Let me know if there are any more questions!

[AlexV]

Ah, OK, that clears things up. Thanks. Might need to rethink some of my defensive structures, then. Although... with sufficient micro I might be able to strobe the shields for long reload turrets, or to allow repairs. :-)

[x4000]

There are a lot of things you can do with "sufficient micro," heh.  But glad that helps.

[Draco18s]

1. Having immunity to forcefields does NOT have any effect on the damage reduction on your own force fields.  That applies to being able to fire and move through enemy force fields only.  There is no way to remove the damage reduction from your own force fields, aside from not putting your stuff under your own force fields.

So, wait, a Sniper Turret (which does have Immunity: Force Fields) still takes the power hit from being under your FF?
What's it have the immunity for?

[x4000]

1. Having immunity to forcefields does NOT have any effect on the damage reduction on your own force fields.  That applies to being able to fire and move through enemy force fields only.  There is no way to remove the damage reduction from your own force fields, aside from not putting your stuff under your own force fields.

So, wait, a Sniper Turret (which does have Immunity: Force Fields) still takes the power hit from being under your FF?

Yes, that is correct.

What's it have the immunity for?

So that it can directly shoot stuff under enemy force fields.

[Draco18s]

OK then.  However, the immunity needs to be a little more clear.

"Immune to" has connotations of "avoiding all the effects of" including friendly FFs.

Where I think the words we're looking for is more like

"Fires through" similar to the shield ability.

However, even there I could see the issue of it being misunderstood.  "Penetrates FFs"?

[rubikscube]

well, even if it is like that (snipers 75 % reduction in forcefield) it is pretty logical for op and i to think that i would fire through force fields, friendly and foe alike.