UEF T3 Battlecruiser

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UEF T3 Battlecruiser: Neptune Class
High-end anti-naval vessel. Armed with plasma beams, torpedo systems, anti-missile defenses and anti-torpedo charges.[ e ]
Build costs	-65000 -7500 30000
Max health	25000
Speed	4.25 (Water)
Veterancy	25 (+3/s)
Intel (radius)	Vision: 40 Water vision: 50 Radar: 50 Sonar: 20
Weapon: Dual-Barreled Hiro Plasma Cannon x 2 Direct Fire Naval - Beam
Damage per second	283.5
Beam damage	945 (0.9s DoT)
Damage radius	1
Salvo size	2 Beams
Reload time	6.7 seconds
Range	80
Weapon: Angler Torpedo Anti Navy - Torpedo
Damage per second	20
Torpedo damage	50
Salvo size	4 Torpedos (in 2.1 s)
Reload time	10 seconds
Range	60
Weapon: Phalanx Anti-Missile Defense - Anti Missile
Damage per second	1
Anti Missile damage	1
Reload time	2 seconds
Range	50
Weapon: Smart Charge AntiTorpedo Defense - Anti Torpedo
Damage per second	0
Anti Torpedo damage	2
Salvo size	2 Anti Torpedos
Reload time	10 seconds
Range (min–max)	10 – 30

The UEF T3 Battlecruiser, nicknamed the Neptune Class, is an UEF naval unit. It is a high-end, anti-naval vessel armed with two Dual-Barreled Hiro Plasma Cannons, an Angler Torpedo system, a Phalanx Anti Missile defense, and a Smart Charge AntiTorpedo system.

The Neptune is primarily used as part of a naval vanguard. It is ideal for eliminating large numbers of fast and low tech enemy naval assets, such as engineers, hover tanks, frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and torpedo boats quickly and efficiently, allowing a fleet to stand its ground, to better aim and fire versus high value targets, without the threat of being overwhelmed by large numbers of lower value targets.

The Neptune is weak versus submarine forces, has no provisions to battle aircraft, and cannot hope to defeat battleships in equal numbers, due to having half as many hit points and slightly less range. It has limited effectiveness for base bombardment as its main guns are beam weapons, which may have trouble shooting targets over cliff shores and hilly areas.

The Neptune is relatively compact for a T3 naval unit and could replace the role of a large number of frigates, although mass for mass, 26 UEF frigates will defeat one Neptune and have a considerable amount left. It can somewhat replace the role of a destroyer, especially where space is limited and speed and agility is not necessary. Although it comes equipped with torpedoes and torpedo defense, they are rather weak and limited and the Neptune will struggle to defeat submarines. Despite having many different weapon systems, it is not wise to build the Neptune in large quantities, but it is wise to have at least one, to protect aircraft carriers (ex. Atlantis), battleships, and cruisers from hover tanks, frigates, and other threats that may give trouble for their particular weapon systems. No other weapon system is as effective for clearing out larger number of non-submerged low hit point naval units.

Match-Ups vs. Battleships[]

The following are results for a cookie-cutter match where both ships are spawned with broadsides directly facing each other.

Against a Galaxy-class (Cybran), the weakest of the various battleships, a tie is possible when both start in torpedo range of each other with an Asylum-class (5000 points plus some regen and costing 1 shot from the Galaxy) shield generator (the Cybran ship fires at this first!) hovering in between to begin the match. A Bulwark doing the shielding will yield a tie if starting out of torpedo range but within gun range of each other. If a Bulwark is used to assist the UEF starting in torpedo range, victory goes to the Neptune. In conditions with no shield generators, the Galaxy will always prevail due to sheer health superiority. If beginning in mutual gun range but outside torpedo range, only an Athanah shielding the Neptune will yield a win for the battlecruiser.

Against an Omen-class (Aeon), the Neptune will narrowly lose beginning in torpedo range, even with an Athanah (10K shield plus regen and 1 wasted shot for the Omen), therefore, it will lose in all direct match-ups. However, this is still cost-effective as the Neptune costs 1/3 less mass than any battleship.

Against the Hauthuum-class (Seraphim), beginning in torpedo range, with an Athanah covering the battlecruiser, the Neptune will narrowly (by 400 health) scrape a victory. In all other conditions, the battleship will prevail.

Against the Summit-class, with an Athanah covering the Neptune, starting in torpedo range, direct broadside-to-broadside spawn will give the Summit victory (by 40 health), the Neptune only needed to get enough time (via positioning) to fire off one more torpedo if it wants mutually assured destruction.

Overall, the Neptune is highly cost-effective if you can get the drop on the opposing battleship, though, under fire, its short range will spell its doom in actually closing to firing position against any of the battleships.

Bugs[]

It is unknown if there is a bug with the vessel, but some people find that the beam weapon does not actually hit their targets, but rather the weapons aim above, as if they were firing a projectile. In most cases this causes the beams to miss their targets entirely. This occurs mostly when playing the Forged Alliance campaign.

Occasionally, when destroyed while firing, the plasma beam graphic willl remian for up to about half a minute after the destruction of the ship.