GTM Trebuchet
The GTM-55 Trebuchet is a specialized tool developed to assist guarding vessels in the interception of bombers at maximum range before they can deploy their torpedoes. With a range of 5km, this missile has the longest reach of any fighter-mounted system, and can inflict devestating damage even to heavily shielded bombers.
The primary disadvantages of this weapon are that it lacks agility, and that it's a bulky peice of equipment. While few bombers are nimble enough to even think about evading an incoming Trebuchet, the missile doesn't stand a very good chance of hitting any type of fighter. This wouldn't normally be a large problem for such a specialized system as this, but it is amplified because of each missile's size, making each fighter able to carry only a few rounds.
Some pilots have reported a high degree of success using this weapon as a sort of light tactical torpedo. While the missile doesn't have anywhere near the effective payload of a GTM Cyclops, it does have the advantages of being longer-ranged, compatible with many fighters and interceptors, and that anti-torpedo defense systems cannot target and destroy an incoming Trebuchet. Pilots disable a target ship's anti-fighter beams and flak from a safe distance, then move in for the kill with heavier ordnance. GTVA Command is considering an analysis program to explore this tactic from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.
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| The GTM-55 Trebuchet |
Tech Room Data
The new GTM-55 Trebuchet was developed as a long-range, anti-bomber missile with an effective range of 4,000 meters. It also utilizes the latest in precision targeting technology for short lock times. The Trebuchet plays a vital role in defensive missions, enabling escort and patrol fighters to intercept incoming bombers without straying from the ship or emplacement under attack.
Performance
Statistics
| Range | 5 040 m | |
| Reload time | 6.0 s | |
| Velocity | 280 ms-1 | |
| Base Damage | 840 | |
| Armor Damage | Average | 315 |
| Shield Damage | Poor | 175 |
| Subsystem Damage | Full | 840 |
| Shockwave Radius | 20 / 40 m | |
| Type: | Aspect Seeking | |
| View Cone: | N / A | |
| Minimum Lock Time: | 3.5 s | |
| Turn Rate (360 degrees): | 3.0 s | |
Notes
Veteran Comments
Dual Trebuchets can take out virtually any fighter or bomber. The only fault this missile has is its lack of maneuverability, and the space they take up in your secondary slots. Always pick up a rack of these if you're flying intercept.
If you're flying escort, there is nothing better: a rack of 5, and you've destroyed 3/4 of any enemy wing before it's in range to fire on your escorted ships
Remarkably effective weapon, The only time not to use Trebuchets is inside of range 1300 (approx), at that range its accuracy drops off sharply; better to switch to Harpoons, Tornados or to use primaries.
In some missions, if the enemy consists of slower fighters like Mara, Basilisk, Aeshma, Herc II, Seth, and Tauret, and they are quite far away (>3000 m), a single Treb missile can knock them out of the water. I kid you not, in the campaign mission Bearbaiting, after the Sathanas has jumped out and the Beleth has been destroyed, some fighters may still appear around 3 klicks out. Use any remaining Trebs against these fighters from long range and you'll be astonished as to how it can take them out.
The Phoenix V has nothing on this. While the Phoenix was more of a heavy Interceptor missile, this is in a class of its own. It will destroy any target at long range 80% of the time. Never use this at short range except in a pinch against the most un-manoeuvrable of targets.
Best anti-bomber/anti-turret/anti-subsystem missile ever. Too bad your AI teammates won't fire them (but then again, enemy SF Maras, which have Trebuchets by default, won't fire them either). Funnily enough, in the Inferno R1 mod for Retail Freespace (I didn't use FreeSpace Open for this one), the Sniper missile is nearly identical to this one, except that the AI finally fires them, for once.
Edit: I hope someone finds a fix for this Trebuchet bug soon...it would really rock if the AI would use them in the normal campaigns. Some people say that the "huge" flag is responsible for the AI not firing the Trebuchets, but I disagree. The Stiletto II Missile also has the "huge" flag according to the FS2 Weapon Table but that doesn't stop the AI from firing them. One time I armed a Leviathan with Trebuchets so that it would fire them from its missile launcher and it fired them with no problem at all. Someone in the forums here has said something about that, so I gave it a try and it worked...if only the AI fighters could do the same thing...*sigh.* The solution may lie in looking into the Inferno R1 campaign and see how they made it so that the AI fire the Sniper Missiles (which are basically the same thing as Trebuchets).
A good fredder would simply use good-secondary-time.
