Revision as of 07:19, 13 September 2026

Rapid Fire

Rapid Fire (RF) is a ship-vs-ship combat modifier. Catalog RF values say how effectively one hull type can cut down another in the same battle (for example, capital ships shredding swarms of light craft).

RF is capped at 20 in combat calculations.

What players feel

High RF against a target type means those shooters can remove many of that hull per round — soft screens and light craft die fast under strong RF.
Low RF (including logistics with RF 1) does not donate “free kill slots” to capitals. Soft ships only contribute kills according to the damage they actually deal.
RF tables are defined per ship type in the fleet catalog (see individual ship pages and rapid-fire lists on those pages).

Carrier screen

Carriers (and similar escorts with RF-cancel) soften enemy rapid fire against your fleet:

Each Carrier contributes cancel/cover points (Carrier: 2 cancel points covering 20 friendly hulls each in catalog terms).
Screen points are capped (about 3 cancel points max in the combat model).
Screens cancel at most half of the attacker’s RF advantage — you always keep at least half of a strong RF edge.
Screens are recomputed each round — lost Carriers mean thinner protection later in the fight.
Guardian class improves RF cancel effectiveness (about +50% to cancel points).

Screens reduce RF pressure; they do not erase it.

Practical tips

Bring Carriers when you expect RF-heavy enemy fleets (Battlecruisers, Destroyers, etc. into your light lines).
Don’t rely on cargo/probes to “soak” RF kill budgets for your capitals — soft hulls no longer donate unused kill ceilings.
Check each ship page’s rapid-fire list when theorycrafting counters.

References

Fleet Combat · Targeting and Priority · Damage and Shields · Carrier · Fleet and Ships · Player Classes

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 = Rapid Fire =
-'''Rapid Fire''' allows a ship or defense structure to attack multiple targets in a single combat round.
+'''Rapid Fire (RF)''' is a ship-vs-ship combat modifier. Catalog RF values say how effectively one hull type can cut down another in the same battle (for example, capital ships shredding swarms of light craft).
-Instead of firing once per round, a unit with Rapid Fire may continue attacking additional targets of a specific type.
-Rapid Fire only applies against the unit types explicitly listed in its profile.
-----
-== Core Concept ==
-If a ship has:
-Rocket Turret → Probe ×10
-It means:
-* When targeting a Probe,
-* It may continue firing again after destroying one,
-* Up to the listed multiplier limit.
-Rapid Fire does NOT multiply damage. It multiplies attack opportunities.
-----
-== How It Works In Battle ==
-Each combat round:
-. A unit selects a valid target. 2. It deals its normal attack damage. 3. If the target is destroyed and Rapid Fire applies,
-   it may immediately attack another valid target.
-. This continues until:
-   * No valid targets remain, OR
-   * The Rapid Fire chain ends.
-Then the unit’s turn ends for that round.
-----
-== Example 1 — No Rapid Fire ==
-Scenario:
-Fighter (700 attack) vs 10 Probes (200 HP + 15 shield each)
-Without Rapid Fire:
-* Fighter attacks once per round
-* It destroys 1–2 probes per round
-* Battle lasts multiple rounds
-----
-== Example 2 — With Rapid Fire ==
+RF is capped at '''20''' in combat calculations.
-Fighter has:
-Probe ×5 Rapid Fire
-Now:
-Round 1:
-Attack 1 → Probe destroyed  Rapid Fire triggers  Attack 2 → Probe destroyed  Rapid Fire triggers  Attack 3 → Probe destroyed  Attack 4 → Probe destroyed  Attack 5 → Probe destroyed
-Up to 5 attack cycles in one round.
-Result:
-Most or all probes destroyed in a single round.
-Same attack value. Different outcome.
 ----
-== Defense Example ==
+== What players feel ==
-Rocket Turret has:
-Probe ×10  Kamikaze ×2  Fighter ×2
-If 50 Kamikaze attack:
-Each turret can potentially eliminate multiple interceptors in a single round.
+* High RF against a target type means those shooters can remove many of that hull per round — soft screens and light craft die fast under strong RF.
+* Low RF (including logistics with RF 1) does '''not''' donate “free kill slots” to capitals. Soft ships only contribute kills according to the damage they actually deal.
+* RF tables are defined per ship type in the fleet catalog (see individual [[Fleet and Ships|ship]] pages and rapid-fire lists on those pages).
-This makes swarm-only strategies risky.
 ----
-== Why Rapid Fire Matters ==
+== Carrier screen ==
-Rapid Fire:
+[[Carrier|Carriers]] (and similar escorts with RF-cancel) '''soften''' enemy rapid fire against your fleet:
-* Punishes mono-fleet compositions
+* Each Carrier contributes cancel/cover points (Carrier: '''2''' cancel points covering '''20''' friendly hulls each in catalog terms).
-* Encourages mixed fleets
+* Screen points are capped (about '''3''' cancel points max in the combat model).
-* Makes counter-building viable
+* Screens cancel at most '''half''' of the attacker’s RF advantage — you always keep at least half of a strong RF edge.
-* Defines meta strategies
+* Screens are recomputed '''each round''' — lost Carriers mean thinner protection later in the fight.
+* [[Player Classes|Guardian]] class improves RF cancel effectiveness (about '''+50%''' to cancel points).
-Example:
+Screens reduce RF pressure; they do not erase it.
-Heavy Laser → Cruiser ×3  If opponent brings only Cruisers,  Heavy Lasers gain exponential defensive value.
 ----
-== Important Clarifications ==
+== Practical tips ==
-* Rapid Fire only applies to specific target types.
-* It does not increase base damage.
-* It does not bypass shields.
-* It only triggers if the target is destroyed.
-* It resets each combat round.
-----
-== Strategic Implications ==
-Early Game:
-* Rocket Turrets counter Probe spam.
-* Flak Cannons counter interceptor swarms.
-Mid Game:
-* Destroyers counter shield-heavy fleets.
-* Railgun Towers punish tank-heavy compositions.
-Late Game:
-* Prism Towers counter Titans and Battlecruisers.
+* Bring Carriers when you expect RF-heavy enemy fleets (Battlecruisers, Destroyers, etc. into your light lines).
-* Plasma Cannons dominate armored fleets.
+* Don’t rely on cargo/probes to “soak” RF kill budgets for your capitals — soft hulls no longer donate unused kill ceilings.
+* Check each ship page’s rapid-fire list when theorycrafting counters.
-Fleet diversity reduces Rapid Fire vulnerability.
 ----
-== Related Systems ==
+== References ==
-* [[Targeting and Priority]]
+* [[Fleet Combat]] · [[Targeting and Priority]] · [[Damage and Shields]] · [[Carrier]] · [[Fleet and Ships]] · [[Player Classes]]
-* [[Damage and Shields]]
-* [[Fleet Formations]]
-* [[Defenses]]
-* [[Fleet and Ships]]