Difference between revisions of "GTW Morning Star"

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The '''GTW ML-70 Morning Star'''  is an unusual weapon, described as a long-range tactical weapon.  The long-range aspect is undeniable: at 2km, it out ranges ever other gun except the Maxim cannon, and even most missiles. Its high projectile speed and blistering rate of fire allow hits even at its maximum range.
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The '''GTW ML-70 Morning Star'''  is an unusual weapon, described as a long-range tactical weapon.  The long-range aspect is undeniable: at 2km, it outranges ever other gun except the Maxim cannon, and even most missiles. Its high projectile speed and blistering rate of fire allow hits even at its maximum range.
  
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The most interesting part of the Morning Star, however, is its kinetic properties. When a target ship is hit by the weapon, it is shaken slightly; with repeated hits, the target can be driven completely off course and will tumble out of control.  This can make them easy prey for a follow-up volley of [[GTM Harpoon]] or [[GTM Tornado]] missiles.
  
The most interesting part of the Morning Star however, is its kinetic properties. When a target ship is hit by the weapon, it is shaken slightly; with repeated hits, the target can be driven completely off course and will tumble out of control.  This can make them easy prey for a follow-up volley of [[GTM Harpoon]] or [[GTM Tornado]] missiles.
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It also has other excellent properties. Given its range and accuracy, as well as its rate of fire, it makes an ideal weapon to intercept bombers and their warheads. The weapon does high shield damage, but minimal hull damage, making it relatively "safe" to fire at inbound torpedoes even if your shots are being backstopped by a friendly target.  It also works well as the opening weapon in a dogfight: if you start hitting your target at the weapon's maximum range, their shields should be badly drained by the time you close to range with other guns or missiles and chew up their armor.
 
 
 
 
It also has other excellent properties. Given its range and accuracy, as well as its rate of fire, it makes an ideal weapon to intercept bombers and their warheads. The weapon does high shield damage, but minimal hull damage, making it relatively "safe" to fire at outbound torpedoes even if your shots are being backstopped by a friendly target.  It also works well as the opening weapon in a dogfight: if you start hitting your target at the weapon's maximum range, their shields should be badly drained by the time you close to range with other guns or missiles and chew up their armor.
 
 
 
  
 
Because the Morning Star does extremely minimal hull damage, it is not a good choice if your craft has only one weapon mount.  Pilots should also be aware that this gun has fairly high energy requirements. If your ship has more than two firing cannons for one its mounts, the Morning Star should be mounted on the mount that has fewer firing points. Its already substantial advantages are not increased by firing more than two at once.  In theory the Morning Star and Maxim gun perfectly complement each other, but in practice the energy demand is simply too high to make this a viable tactic.
 
Because the Morning Star does extremely minimal hull damage, it is not a good choice if your craft has only one weapon mount.  Pilots should also be aware that this gun has fairly high energy requirements. If your ship has more than two firing cannons for one its mounts, the Morning Star should be mounted on the mount that has fewer firing points. Its already substantial advantages are not increased by firing more than two at once.  In theory the Morning Star and Maxim gun perfectly complement each other, but in practice the energy demand is simply too high to make this a viable tactic.
  
 
{{FS12_Weapons}}
 
{{FS12_Weapons}}
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Morning_Star_320x240.jpg]]|caption=The GTW ML-70 Morning Star}}
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{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Morningstar.gif]]|caption=The GTW ML-70 Morning Star}}
  
 
==Tech Room Data==
 
==Tech Room Data==
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===Statistics - Morning Star D===
 
===Statistics - Morning Star D===
 
{{Primary|2000|5.88|1000|7|Average|3.5|Full|7|Very Poor|1.4}}
 
{{Primary|2000|5.88|1000|7|Average|3.5|Full|7|Very Poor|1.4}}
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 +
==Compatibility==
 +
 +
The following table refers to weapons compatibility in singleplayer, and does not reflect the compatibility of dogfight variants in multiplayer. A ✓ mark indicates that a ship can mount the weapon, whereas an ✗ mark indicates that it cannot.
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 +
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{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| colspan=2 style="background:#000025;"| '''Terran Compatibility'''
 +
| colspan=2 style="background:#303020;"| '''Vasudan Compatibility'''
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| style="width:120px" |Ship Class
 +
| style="width:60px" |Compatible
 +
| style="width:120px" |Ship Class
 +
| style="width:60px" |Compatible
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Ulysses]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Thoth]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Loki]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Serapis]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Hercules]]
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| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Horus]]
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| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
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| [[GTF Hercules Mark II]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Seth]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Myrmidon]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Tauret]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Perseus]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVF Ptah]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Pegasus]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVB Osiris]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Erinyes]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVB Bakha]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTF Ares]]
 +
| ✓
 +
| [[GVB Sekhmet]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[SF Mara (Terrans)]]
 +
| ✗
 +
|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTB Zeus]]
 +
| ✓
 +
|- align="center"
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| [[GTB Medusa]]
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| ✗
 +
|- align="center"
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| [[GTB Artemis]] (Inc. D.H.)
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| ✗
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|- align="center"
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| [[GTB Ursa]]
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| ✓
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|- align="center"
 +
| [[GTB Boanerges]]
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| ✗
 +
|}
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==Notes==
 
==Notes==
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===Veteran Comments===
 
===Veteran Comments===
{{Comment|The Morning Star is a totally tactical weapon, unlike the [[GTW Flail]], which had a useful shield-damage value in addition to its knock-around capabilities. Use it to push folks around, but beyond that, forget it exists.
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{{Comment|The Morning Star is a totally tactical weapon unlike the [[GTW Flail]], which had a useful shield-damage value in addition to its knock-around capabilities. Use it to push folks around, but beyond that, forget it exists.
 
 
  
Excellent bomb destroyer, due to the long range, high firing rate, and low energy requirements. It is also a good weapon (if you have good aim) for the mission where you have to fight off the Pegasus fighters, and is also good at knocking around bombers to prevent them from locking onto a ship. Overall however, it is inferior to its predecessor. It uses more energy, and its damage values are lower. The longer range is nowhere near enough of a factor to compensate either.
 
  
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I've never really favored this weapon for my own use; however, I sometimes find that it increases the effectiveness of AI fighter escorts in bombing missions.
  
I've never really favored this weapon for my own use, however I sometimes find that it increases the effectiveness of AI fighter escorts in bombing missions
 
  
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These things WILL juggle you, and you won't even be able to control yourself.
  
If you mount this thing on turrets, sentry guns, transports, cruisers and freighters, just TRY to get near them after... These things WILL juggle you, and you won't even be able to control yourself.
 
  
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The Morning Star's low hull damage surprisingly is a benefit in certain scenarios. When chasing down bombers, you often have to attempt to shoot down bombs with what you're trying to escort as the backstop for the shots. If you attempt this with something like the Maxim (for its long range and high fire rate), what you're trying to defend can sometimes take a serious pounding, especially if it is one of the more fragile ships like Fenris cruisers. With the Morning Star, that isn't so much of an issue, and you still get the excellent fire rate and long range. Outside of this though, there is little reason to use this weapon other than for the novelty of knocking around enemy fighters and bombers.
  
tut tut tut, what happened here, I had made a joyful art form of ragdolling fighters with the flail, so when the Morning Star came up in the campaign brief I was well happy, then I used it. Hmmm, no shield damage and harder to keep your target at the end of your stream of fire, what's the point? Ok you can cause bombers trouble, but that's about it. The Flail was a good combat weapon that had a niche waiting for the Prometheus and the Banshee to come along, in FS2 the Morningstar is just a relic of the first game.
 
  
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When mounted on at least a quad bank, the Morning Star alone will be a danger to any strike bomber that enters its barrage, since it will be unable to maintain its trajectory while at the same time having its shields and armour peeled off, layer by layer. However, this is hardly a viable tactic on anything weaker than an assault fighter as the Morning Star drains a lot of energy.
  
Second the comment about Morningstars as defensive weapons. You have not known frustration until you run into a bunch of Alastors armed with these.
 
  
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The Morning Star actually is a better overall weapon than the Flail, but seeing as neither do much aside from shoving enemies away and destroying bombs, it really isn't that useful. When going for bomb intercept in a mission, I normally use the Maxim simply for the fact that it can be used for something else (anti-subsystem/cruiser killing), unlike the Morning Star.
  
Interestingly enough, in "[[...But Hate the Traitor]]" you encounter a number of Alastors at the depot armed with one turret of [[GTW Subarch HL-7|HL-7]]s and one turret of Morning Stars.}}
 
  
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Like the Flail, the Morning Star makes ships that are struck by it vulnerable to slower missiles, such as the [[GTM Hornet|Hornet]]. Like the Flail, it is also a fantastic anti-lag weapon and will increase your survivability in multiplayer dogfights. The main reason why the Morning Star is generally regarded as being worse than the Flail is because it consumes '''8x''' more energy '''per shot''' for approximately the same level of effectiveness. It thus becomes largely obsolete once the Maxim is introduced due to the latter's extreme damage against hulls, greater range and accuracy (its shots fly faster) compensating its significantly higher energy demands, as well as making it useful as a proper offensive weapon.}}
  
 
[[Category:Weapon]]
 
[[Category:Weapon]]

Latest revision as of 21:18, 21 September 2020

The GTW ML-70 Morning Star is an unusual weapon, described as a long-range tactical weapon. The long-range aspect is undeniable: at 2km, it outranges ever other gun except the Maxim cannon, and even most missiles. Its high projectile speed and blistering rate of fire allow hits even at its maximum range.

The most interesting part of the Morning Star, however, is its kinetic properties. When a target ship is hit by the weapon, it is shaken slightly; with repeated hits, the target can be driven completely off course and will tumble out of control. This can make them easy prey for a follow-up volley of GTM Harpoon or GTM Tornado missiles.

It also has other excellent properties. Given its range and accuracy, as well as its rate of fire, it makes an ideal weapon to intercept bombers and their warheads. The weapon does high shield damage, but minimal hull damage, making it relatively "safe" to fire at inbound torpedoes even if your shots are being backstopped by a friendly target. It also works well as the opening weapon in a dogfight: if you start hitting your target at the weapon's maximum range, their shields should be badly drained by the time you close to range with other guns or missiles and chew up their armor.

Because the Morning Star does extremely minimal hull damage, it is not a good choice if your craft has only one weapon mount. Pilots should also be aware that this gun has fairly high energy requirements. If your ship has more than two firing cannons for one its mounts, the Morning Star should be mounted on the mount that has fewer firing points. Its already substantial advantages are not increased by firing more than two at once. In theory the Morning Star and Maxim gun perfectly complement each other, but in practice the energy demand is simply too high to make this a viable tactic.

Primaries
Secondaries
Turrets

Weapon Comparison Table, FS1

Primaries
Secondaries
Turrets

Weapon Comparison Table, FS2


Morningstar.gif
The GTW ML-70 Morning Star


Tech Room Data

The GTW ML-70 Morning Star improves upon the performance of the Flail gun, which was developed during the Great War. The original Flail was too expensive to mass produce, because of its limited usage/effectiveness profile. Recent advances in high-temperature optics enable the main focusing chamber of the Morning Star to produce a much more coherent beam, increasing its range and damage levels. This comes at the expense of somewhat higher energy requirements, however.

Performance

Statistics - Morning Star

Range 2000 m
Rate of Fire 6.67 shots per second
Velocity 1000 ms-1
Base Damage 9.1
Armor Damage Poor 3.5
Shield Damage Full 9.1
Subsystem Damage Minimal 1.4


Statistics - Morning Star D

Range 2000 m
Rate of Fire 5.88 shots per second
Velocity 1000 ms-1
Base Damage 7
Armor Damage Average 3.5
Shield Damage Full 7
Subsystem Damage Very Poor 1.4


Compatibility

The following table refers to weapons compatibility in singleplayer, and does not reflect the compatibility of dogfight variants in multiplayer. A ✓ mark indicates that a ship can mount the weapon, whereas an ✗ mark indicates that it cannot.


Terran Compatibility Vasudan Compatibility
Ship Class Compatible Ship Class Compatible
GTF Ulysses GVF Thoth
GTF Loki GVF Serapis
GTF Hercules GVF Horus
GTF Hercules Mark II GVF Seth
GTF Myrmidon GVF Tauret
GTF Perseus GVF Ptah
GTF Pegasus GVB Osiris
GTF Erinyes GVB Bakha
GTF Ares GVB Sekhmet
SF Mara (Terrans)
GTB Zeus
GTB Medusa
GTB Artemis (Inc. D.H.)
GTB Ursa
GTB Boanerges


Notes

Veteran Comments

Please read the Veteran Comments policy before editing this section.


The Morning Star is a totally tactical weapon unlike the GTW Flail, which had a useful shield-damage value in addition to its knock-around capabilities. Use it to push folks around, but beyond that, forget it exists.


I've never really favored this weapon for my own use; however, I sometimes find that it increases the effectiveness of AI fighter escorts in bombing missions.


These things WILL juggle you, and you won't even be able to control yourself.


The Morning Star's low hull damage surprisingly is a benefit in certain scenarios. When chasing down bombers, you often have to attempt to shoot down bombs with what you're trying to escort as the backstop for the shots. If you attempt this with something like the Maxim (for its long range and high fire rate), what you're trying to defend can sometimes take a serious pounding, especially if it is one of the more fragile ships like Fenris cruisers. With the Morning Star, that isn't so much of an issue, and you still get the excellent fire rate and long range. Outside of this though, there is little reason to use this weapon other than for the novelty of knocking around enemy fighters and bombers.


When mounted on at least a quad bank, the Morning Star alone will be a danger to any strike bomber that enters its barrage, since it will be unable to maintain its trajectory while at the same time having its shields and armour peeled off, layer by layer. However, this is hardly a viable tactic on anything weaker than an assault fighter as the Morning Star drains a lot of energy.


The Morning Star actually is a better overall weapon than the Flail, but seeing as neither do much aside from shoving enemies away and destroying bombs, it really isn't that useful. When going for bomb intercept in a mission, I normally use the Maxim simply for the fact that it can be used for something else (anti-subsystem/cruiser killing), unlike the Morning Star.


Like the Flail, the Morning Star makes ships that are struck by it vulnerable to slower missiles, such as the Hornet. Like the Flail, it is also a fantastic anti-lag weapon and will increase your survivability in multiplayer dogfights. The main reason why the Morning Star is generally regarded as being worse than the Flail is because it consumes 8x more energy per shot for approximately the same level of effectiveness. It thus becomes largely obsolete once the Maxim is introduced due to the latter's extreme damage against hulls, greater range and accuracy (its shots fly faster) compensating its significantly higher energy demands, as well as making it useful as a proper offensive weapon.