GTM Infyrno

Like the GTM Piranha, the GTM-11 Infyrno is an anti-fighter weapon carried by bombers to clear a path through defenders as they close with their primary objective. The Infyro is a much different device than the Piranha however. It is, again, a manually detonated dumb-fire missile. But intead of using seeking submunitions, it depends solely on high-energy explosives released within a very tight detonation pattern. It does enormously higher damage, but to a small area.

The missile moves fast and has a fair range, making it safer to deploy. But this is a very difficult weapon to use in its intended role since one must gauge by eye the necessary lead factor on its unguided path. Enemy fighters also have the annoying habit of seeing the massive chunk of ordnance come sailing their way, and break formation evade it. When it works, it works amazingly well, and entire wings go out with a single brilliant detonation; but it doesn't often work.

However the Infyrno is not entirely useless, since it can dish up absolutely catastrophic damage to light warships, freighters, transports, etc. Against these targets, the Infyrno can be considered a sort of quick-loading, dumb-fire antiship torpedo. The standard version has 3/4 the damage of the Cyclops, greater velocity, and actually increased subsystem damage. Be cautious however, not to release too near the target, since you will almost certainly be vaporized by your own weapon if you're caught in the blast radius.

Weapons in Descent: FreeSpace

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS1

Weapons in FreeSpace 2

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS2

The GTM-11 Infyrno

Tech Room Data

The GTM-11 Infyrno is an area-effect bomber suppression weapon, often employed to knock out incoming waves of slow-moving bombers. Upon detonation, the Infyrno releases multiple submunitions that contain ultra-high-explosive charges. The Infyrno is detonated remotely by pressing the Secondary weapon trigger a second time. A HUD indicator displays the distance from the warhead to the firing ship. If the pilot triggers the detonation too early, he risks being caught in the Infyrno's extensive blast radius.

Performance

Statistics - Infyrno

Range	840 m
Reload time	5.0 s
Velocity	120 ms-1
Base Damage	150*
Armor Damage	Full	150*
Shield Damage	Good	112.5*
Subsystem Damage	Full	150*
Shockwave Radius	30 / 100 m
Type:	Dumbfire
View Cone:	N / A
Minimum Lock Time:	N / A
Turn Rate (360 degrees):	N / A

Statistics - Infyrno D

Range	1 155 m
Reload time	5.0 s
Velocity	165 ms-1
Base Damage	100*
Armor Damage	Full	100*
Shield Damage	Good	75*
Subsystem Damage	Full	100*
Shockwave Radius	30 / 100 m
Type:	Dumbfire
View Cone:	N / A
Minimum Lock Time:	N / A
Turn Rate (360 degrees):	N / A

Spawned warheads

Range	75 m
Reload time	0 s
Velocity	250 ms-1
Base Damage	100*
Armor Damage	Full	100*
Shield Damage	Full	100*
Subsystem Damage	Average	50*
Shockwave Radius	20 / 60 m
Type:	Heat Seeking
View Cone:	45 degrees
Minimum Lock Time:	N / A
Turn Rate (360 degrees):	1.0 s

Notes

• Weapon can be remotely detonated
• Weapon can be shot down (Bomb)
• Weapon spawns 14 smaller warheads (Standard)
• Weapon spawns 5 smaller warheads (Infyrno D)
• The shockwave doubles the damage against any target that takes a direct hit

Veteran Comments

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I've never gotten the hang of the Infyrno, personally, but when you get it right, it's quite effective at shaking up formations and causing people pain. A direct hit will leave a target in very bad shape.

This weapon takes considerable skill and timing to use against fighters, but can be quite effective against them if you do have the listed requisites. However, I found that for those less able like me, it works well against cruisers, as well as transports, although for those, you could use the much better suited Tempest, or simply hammer them with your guns. Personally I feel that this could dispense with the complicated bomblet crap and a bigger boom.

Like old Indiana Jones says, "If you don't know how to use a whip, you'll just end up hurting yourself." If you detonate an Infyrno too close to yourself, you will most likely cause yourself to explode. Though, once you get the hang of using these, the same stands for enemy fighters, which even the burliest of which have problems taking two hits. These also have a very high chance to knock out a specific subsystem you may be aiming for, just by their sheer power.

Speaking with true experience of using the Infyrno, it is useful against SB Seraphim and SB Nephilim bombers, notorious for their heavy shield and hull plating. Against even a glancing hit from one of these, all that will be for naught. Time your detonation of it when the range of the missile is near/at the same range of the target from you. Best to fly straight into the oncoming wave of bombers and fire, it is VERY tricky to use otherwise. If they won't destroy your target, they will certainly shake off some of its shielding for you. Also a viable weapon for harassing cruisers.

If you're attacking a convoy of freighters, gas miners or AWACS, the Infyrno is actually a very good weapon against these targets. Don't leave this behind if you're going on a convoy assault mission. Also be careful of detonating it too early, especially on the higher difficulties since it can do some heavy damage to your fighter if it's too close.

The AI is formidable with this weapon, but be careful with wingmen who have Infyrnos! They'll not care if you're within the blast radius. You'll die of your wingmen's Infyrnos more often than your enemies' Tornado swarms, so overall, it's better to forget about giving this weapon to your AI-controlled wingmen.

For all that the description is worth, the Infyrno is hardly effective against strike craft. With a speed of 120, unless your target is stationary or remaining on a straight course, odds are that you will hardly even do any damage. Moreover, you probably will need to keep an eye on the warhead if you want a manual detonation, which leaves a high chance of getting caught in the blast yourself. What the Infyrno can really be used for is a substitute for torpedoes - being dumbfire you are spared from long lock-ons, and capships can hardly dodge. If you are good with primaries consider flying a fighter that can carry these, not that there are a lot of chances of doing so in the campaign.

If this thing can a heck of a lot faster, it would be able to kill those pesky wings in a short order and less time for them to get away and escape. Otherwise, it can only really hit bombers facing head on into you.

Does not work on bombers flying head on to you either. Even AI knows how to dodge this thing from up front, and if you are close enough detonate before the bombers turn away, you are probably close enough to toast your own fighter.