Lyran Tactics for Newbies

Lyran Tactics for Newbies - a compilation

Lyran - A cat-like feudal race, bordering Hydran, Mirak, and Klingon space. Often shunned by players as being "weak" or "hard", the Lyran are actually a fun and deadly race to play.

Lyran Ships:

Lyran ships use Phaser 1s, 2s, and 3s. They have disruptors, usually 2 mounts with FA only arcs and 1 mount with FX arcs. They are the only race to use the Expanding Sphere Generator or ESG (or bug zapper - as I like to call it) which is both an offensive and defensive weapon. Generally, when choosing a ship, look for one with the absolute BEST power curves (MP, DWx, CWx, etc.). These ships are often as powerful or more powerful than a hull-size-larger opponents.

ESG

Delay: 4 seconds at game speed 7
Up time: at most 35 seconds at default game speed 7
Sound: Makes warning noise before firing.
Ranges: .5 - 0, 1.5 - 1, 2.5 - 2, and 3.5 - 3
Damage: Depends on range and energy. (see chart in manual/damage card)
Cooling down period: 35 seconds at default game speed 7
Recharge cycle: 35 seconds at default game speed 7 (if full power available)

ESG versus Drones: While the ESG is effective at stopping drones. I recommend a smart captain simply outfly slow or medium drones and save his ESG for hitting the other ship. Against fast drones, the ESG is an effective way of keeping ones shields intact - but only for a little while. This is because the ESG cycles slower than drone chuckers can fire. Just remember how much prestige it's costing him every time he fires fast drones.

Note: Range 0 ESG does not stop fast drones.

ESG versus Hellbores: When hellbores hit (and they don't always hit), they always drop the ESG fields (all of them) and apply damage to the Lyran ship (instead of the fields first, then the ship). Against Hellbore ships, I recommend you have your ESG up the MINIMUM amount of time, if possible. If he does not have fighters, try sabering and hitting him from behind/side with the ESG since hellbores are generally only forward firing weapons.

ESG and Wild Weasel: ESG does not void a wild weasel, either before or during either's activation.

ESG and cloak: ESG will strike a cloaked ship for damage and flash the ship so you can do even more damage with direct fire weapons.

Lyran Tactics:

1. Lyran are lawnmowers: Go best speed, set range zero ESG, full phasers and disruptors, possibly overloaded disruptors. Basically a standard alpha-main use, gutting an enemy of his power supply, but usually costs you the foward shield and some internals. (Thanks Skawpya)

2. Lyran are saber dancers: This approach promotes using the disruptors to chip away at an opponent (saber dance) like a Klingon and the ESG to defend against drones, shuttles, and overrun. This tactic works well with Lyran ships that have an FX arc disruptor mount. Shutting off the FA-only mounts allows for power to trickle into the capacitors while moving at high speed and providing ECCM power. This works particularly well against Plasma races. In teams, concentrate all fire on one ship at a time. (Thanks Heath)

3. Lyran are axe fighters: This approach promotes using the ESG as an offensive weapon and defending with a combination of ESG and speed. The CW and DW are especially well suited to this approach as they have high maneuverability and two ESGs. For their size (especially the DW) they can pack a tremendous punch. The Lyran ship approaches the opponent at a glancing angle trying to strike with a range 3 sphere outside of the opponent's front arc to cleave off a flank shield. Power only the FX disruptor to provide more power for speed. The FX disruptor can fired into the weakened shield (overload the FX if you have power to spare) and hit them with the Phaser 2s. Stay outside of Phaser 3 range - particularly against Mirak. Break off, recharge your weapons, and arc around for another pass. (Thanks Heath)

4. Lyran are hit and run bandits (weedwackers): This approach promotes using the ESG and phasers with speed and ECM as a defense. The idea is to hit a slower moving enemy from the side or behind at high speed with a range 3 ESG, alphaing all offensive phasers, and veering off (toward the rear of the enemy and away). All disruptors are usually shut off to provide power for shield reinforcement, speed, and ECM. This tactic works particularly well against FA-firing (Federation) ships. Once some shields are down, switching to tactic no. 1 allows for Mizia into the downed shields. (Thanks Skawpya)

5. Lyran are sluggers: Set a HOLD tractor and race after an opponent at spd 31 (preferably from behind), Fire your range 3 ESG so it hits before your tractor does, latch on to them and don't let go. Keep hitting with everything you have (your ESG should open a shield). Slow to spd 0 and launch a (prepared) suicide shuttle. Then, break the lock and run away. This works very well against drone cruisers if you get inside launching range. (Thanks Gamester and Skawpya)

6. Lyran are plasma teasers: Turn off the flank disruptors and overload the center FX disruptors. They have better arcs, and overloads hit better for the same power. Inside 8 you can circle a slow plasma guy at spd 31 and trickle the overloads and phasers at them. If they launch, stop turning in and run the plasma out. Be careful using this against a Plasma R ship. (Thanks Patchfur)

Playing with your power

Lyran ships, even if used properly, are power hungry monsters. Just going to Red Alert means the ship's weapons often try to draw more energy than the ship even has! The answer to gaining more power for your other systems (like movement, tractors, shuttles, EW, and shields) is power management.

I read once that watching a good Lyran is like watching a juggler keep 5 balls in the air at the same time. It's actually pretty close to the truth sometimes when it comes to managing power...

Phaser capacitor: Every good captain knows the first thing you should do is turn your phaser capacitor down once it is fully charged. I recommend setting it at 25 percent and leaving it there most of the time (if you get a downed shield, by all means DUMP power back into the capacitor).

Turn the phaser capacitor down!

Shut off disruptors: Each disruptor on your ship uses 2 points energy to arm and 2 points energy to hold. Most Lyran ships come with three hardpoints - 2 FA only arcs and 1 FX arc. Most captains after an initial pass at the enemy will shut off the FA arcs and save the power (usually 4 points in most FF and CL hulls). Note: Disruptors draw power BEFORE the ESG capacitor.

Notice I've shut off my FA-only dizzies.

ESG capacitor: Talk about a gas guzzler. This bad boy really eats the available power. While some Lyran captains like to leave the capacitor at 100%, I prefer to set it at 25% in case I quickly need power somewhere else. I set it and forget it. If I need it to be higher later, I'll go back and change it, otherwise, the extra power can be used somewhere else.

Nothing like a full ESG capacitor.

What you set where, and what you turn on/off, depends on your play style and your enemy. For instance, if you are a saber dancer, you may not care to set the ESG capacitor because you don't plan on firing it any time soon. If you are a lawnmower or weedwacker (someone who likes hitting people with the ESG), you may shut off all your disruptors and set the ESG capacitor at 100%. I prefer to set my ship for most situations and adjust things later.

Remember: Phaser capacitor up/down - Disruptors on/off - ESG capacitor up/down.

Hotkey settings:

Here are my recommendations for hotkeys.

1 - All Phaser 1s and 2s.
2 - All Disruptor
3 - All Weapons EXCEPT the ESG
4 - ESG

This allows you to quickly pick all your offense weapons and keeps the one power monster safely on only 1 key. You can't accidentally fire it off when you want to alpha strike either. This also keeps your Phaser 3s ready for fighters or drone defense if needed.

Use your F1 key

Hum... hard to see when and where the ESG will hit.

Oh, that's MUCH better.

The overhead view gives you a much more accurate picture of where you and your enemy are, the range of your ESG, and which shield you'll hit. I use it almost constantly when playing Lyran.

(On a side note here, I have run at least a dozen competent captains into dust clouds, asteroids and planets simply by using the F1 key!)

Tuning a Lyran ship for battle:

We enter the battle area and begin-

Note: These are my settings, other players have their own. I also assume you have setup your hotkeys for this ship. Double check them!

Go to red alert.

Hit "2" key and take disruptors OFFLINE.

Target nearest enemy.

Pull up power panel and set energy priorities:
1 - Movement (Speed is life)
3 - Weapons (I want them to charge but not at expense of ECM)
5 - Shields (A dumping ground for extra power)
X - Tractors (I set mine to 1)
2 - ECM (No matter what, I don't want my ECM to fall below my setting)

Note: If you set weapons as a priority over movement, get ready to come to a crashing stop once the ESG recycles and the capacitor starts charging - always set movement priority above weapons.

Pull up Shields panel, set some or all shields to reinforce.

Pull up ECM panel, set ECM to 1 (will check back later when enemy is closer). Remember that you'll probably need some ECCM if you want your disruptors to hit.

Set phaser capacitor charge rate to 25 percent. (Once it's full)

Set ESG capactior charge rate to 25 percent. (Once it's full)

Hit "2" key and put disruptors ONLINE. (Sometimes, I only put the FX dizzies back online)

Now, finally, you set attack speed and start speeding up.

Decision time:

Do I fire a probe? (It uses 1 point of energy while charging and I only have 5)

Do I start creating a weasel or suicide shuttle? (Each uses 1 point energy to create and hold. What ship did the enemy have again?)

Do I set a hold/repel tractor and at what level? (Level/Energy - 1/1 : 2/2 : 3/4 : 4/8 : 5/16)

You'll notice that with a Lyran ship, you shouldn't be in any hurry to speed up (if you can help it). Give those capacitors time to fill up (shutting off disruptors, turning them back on helps) before you speed up. Dynaverse2 actually makes this easier with large battle areas.

You'll also notice that I almost immediately turn my capacitors down, which goes back to good power management. That's because in the thick of things, I now no longer really have to worry much about my ESG or phasers. They'll slowly trickle back up again while I'm busy firing disruptors and running around. If I need to adjust them later, I will.

Missions in Dynaverse II (GSCI)2: (From SFCShadow)

Data recovery (super easy 450 points, just get within 15k of sensor outpost, no fighting needed), don't even need to fight. Though that kinda defeats the purpose of learning, you still can get a good boost for points. Very quick battle (less then 3-4 minutes, if you just blitz to the sensor outpost). (K'tujHegh note: I agree. I always take this mission!)

Shipyard Defense (moderately easy 450 points). Support your allies and just stay alive, the Bases can take a lot of beating on, so if you get hurt, peel away and repair and let the bases get munched on. With patience easy win. Can be time consuming.

Shipyard Attack (easy to moderate, 450 points) The flipside of the defense. Kill the defenders, then kill the bases, doesn't take long, wait till you get the MP and this is even eaiser.

Monster (moderate 450 points). This one you have to be careful with, depending on the monster, if it's pretty much anything BUT the Sunglider, take it. The next toughest is the asteriod one (plasma), just tease the plasma out of it and then dash in and hit it, or get behind it and hit it. Just be patient and this isn't to tough a fight. Since they don't have shields all damage is internal.

Scan (super easy, but only worth 20 points, if you kill the defending ship you get that ship as bonus score equal to what it would be in patrol, if you fight, easy to moderate). Just run up to the planet turn on deep scanners, wait till message run off the map. Easy.

Scout (easy). Get the same points as Patrol basically with a little extra. If you capture the ship, you can get mucho extra, without capture, gain roughly 200 PP, with capture gain about 300-450ish.

Ambush the Enemy. (easy) You only get about 100 PP, but you typically overpower the opponent with your AI assistance. Just be patient and you'll win.

Patrol (in Neutral hex - Varies for PP, but typically 150-300ish). If you take Patrols in Neutral hexes, you'll most likely face Orions. Orions are easy if you are patient.