Pheagey was the first to release a mod for SS. It is with obvious interest that I downloaded the Heavy Spectre mod from the SSDEV/Mods folder on the downloads area.
Like a good chocolat bar, first impressions are important.
As I unzipped the file, I found the .dat and an "extras" folder.
Inside that extras folders you have a word doc with the history of the model - wich is a very quality thing to do, as it adds "flavour" to gaming.
Additionaly, the "extras folder" contained 2 bonus "walppaper" pictures of this DD and the release notes! Impressive, very impressive!!!
It is time to go technical now. Here is the "background" information on the Heavy Spectre class Destroyer :
After the war with the Hegemony the Alliance admiralty recognized that the cheapest yet more effective weapon at there disposal with the fusion torpedo. Cheap, dependable, and deadly. With this in hand the admiralty set out the quickly refit the Spectre class destroyer with 4 addition torpedo tubes; thus the Heavy Destroy class Spectre was born.
Upon successful field testing of the new refit other class refits will be approved.
Compared to the stock Specter class DD, armement seems to have doubled :
Weapons summery:
2 PDB: forward sweeping
2 PDB: aft sweeping
4 X-Ray Lasers. Forward sweeping
6 Fusion Torpedoes. Forward firing
tock SS Spectre class DD :
Heavy Spectre class DD :
Family photo :
As you can see, both are about the same size. On some perspectives, you are under the impression that the stock SS variant is slightly bigger. Perhaps it is just an illusion...
Now for the gaming! You know the plot, the Alliance has won the war and it is deploying new designs, in other to counter the "Zolon" menace.
I have setted a battle in the Nephrys system, so listen carefully...
"A scout vessel has been reported lost on the Nephrys sector. Force Space has deployed your DESRON to the area to investigate.
Look for any survivors and for any evidence of Zolon attacks.
Good luck!"
My DESRON was composed of 2 Heavy Spectre class DDs and 2 Berents class Frigates.
It was not long before we got "company". We got jumped by 4 Zolon attack fighters but the combined point defense of the DESRON teared them appart! There we got, our first view of "Zolon evidence".
Speaking of point defense, detail must have been a very "looked after" point, judging by the quantity and detail of the PDB gun turrets :
Look for the ball turrets in these 2 images :
Nice isn't it?
Lets go back to our adventure. Eventually the 2 Zolon Destroyers I've setted up as enemies came within range of my torpedoes.
The heavy Spectre can launch 6 torpedoes at the time :
Yet, there were still 4 Zolon fighters near the Zolon DDs that were engaging most of the torpedoes, judging by laser fire and their moves.
Unfortunately I had to get closer and personal, to have a chance of destroying the Zolon Capital ships.
Getting closer also ment getting with those deadly Zolon lasers range.
My PDB and the rest of the DESRON chunked the remaining Zolon fighters to bits.
I got one on one with a Zolon DD which I got to destroy. Here is what it looks like when the Heavy Spectre fires it's four X-Lasers simultaneously :
In the end, I got blown to pieces by the last surviving Zolon DD (the only enemy vessel remaining), which had suffered light damage (like 17% or so).
This encounter resulted in the destruction of 2 Heavy Spectre class DDs, 2 Berentz class frigates (for the Alliance side), against the destruction of 1 Zolon DD, 4 fighters and 4 attack craft (Zolon side).
The Zolon side winned this engagement, as it remained in control of the Nephrys sector with a very operational ship.
I have decided to try another scenario - this time a light one, one I could easily win, to destroy things easily.
I've setetd up 1 single Spectre against 1 Tiger class FF, 1 Freighter, 1 Raider class corvette, 4 antiship fighters and 1 space fortress.
The first to go was the freighter. 3 shots of the 4 fire-linked X-lasers blowned it to pieces.
Same happened to the Tiger and Raider.
The fighters got occupied with my PDBs and I left them to run out of fuel and headed for the fortress.
I got withing laser firing range and started pounding. It took ages to do a very small amount of damage to the fortress so I got fed up and moved to finish mercilessly those "dry tanked" fighters.
Conclusion :
The Specter is a good craft for what it was conceived - fleet duty.
It has showed that it can participate on its own small operations or in big fleet engagements accompanying the "big ships".
I think this ship deserves it's place on the Alliance fleet.
However, the Alliance has still to bring bigger guns to meet the "Zolon Menace".
Keep it up Pheagey!!!
You can download this mod from the SSDEV/Mods folder and the test mission (which is called "Dangerous patrol") from the single missions section of SSC.
Enjoy!!!
=S=
