Re: Usage of cloak

It has come to our attention that some Romulan captains are either not using their cloak or not using it effectively. Recently, High Command received a video of a Firehawk Heavy Cruiser being damaged by a Klingon Frigate firing spd 34 missiles at long distance! The Firehawk was eventually overwhelmed with missiles when all the captain had to do was simply cloak his ship every once and awhile.

About cloak:

Hitting the "X" key on a ship equipped with cloak will allow it to begin cloaking. Cloaking and uncloaking are vulnerable times for a ship as it cannot fire weapons and is still vulnerable to enemy weapons (cloaking at game spd 7 takes 6 seconds). Cloaking also negates tractor beams. Do not cloak if you're holding missiles at bay!

A cloaked ship cannot fire but can launch wild weasels, use erratic manuveurs (EM takes 7 seconds to start in v5.5), build a repel tractorand drop mines. Cloaking uses a great deal of power; so a cloaked ship usually cannot move very fast.

A cloaked ship is vulnerable to "flash" explosions (t-bombs, mines, ESG). This makes a ship vulnerable to lock-on by weapons. The Lyran ESG is a much feared weapon for a cloaked ship (suicidal?). It does damage AND flashes a cloaked ship (for a Lyran alpha). Mines are less feared if the cloaked ship is going less than spd 6 (and you should be), because the mine will not detonate. Beware the captain that places a mine and then runs over it to flash your ship (i.e. do not stay under a mine).

Cloaking has several advantages:

1) Direct fire weapons are greatly reduced in their damage. At ranges greater than 6, the enemy will do virtually no damage at all from any direct fire weapon.
2) Plasma weapons that have been fired before or during cloak still hit but often have their damage greatly reduced. No further plasma may be fired at a ship once it is fully cloaked.
3) Missiles loose lock-on and "wink out". At range, missiles wink out almost immediately. Close in, it can take quite a bit of time for them all to wink out. Remember, if a missile boat is near you while cloaking, you cannot fire or tractor! Your best bet is a weasel.
4) Heavy weapons (Disruptors, photons, etc.) are reduced in their chances to hit (stats?) and have their damage reduced.

This does not factor in ECM shift, which could further reduce damage.

Why cloak?

1) To avoid a plasma alpha. If an enemy unloads plasma and you have to either weasel or cloak. Cloaking is cheaper and more tactically sound. You will probably take damage, but greatly reduced.

2) Avoid missiles. Get in the habit of cloaking every once and awhile to break missile locks, especially if the enemy is at range or moving away. It's much cheaper and safer than using phasers. Remember, if a missile boat is near you while cloaking, you cannot fire or tractor his missiles! Your best bet is a weasel.

3) Charge your weapons. You've just spent your last plasma (See Communication #94210 on always holding one plasma in reserve), the enemy is closing, what to do? Try slowing to spd <6 (so mines will not detonate) and cloak. Let your heavies charge and uncloak for a nasty surprise.

4) Make the enemy come to you. If a Klingon is sabre dancing, cloaking will negate virtually any damage he may try to inflict at range. In fact, he'll need to get to ranges under 10 before his disruptors start hitting with any punch... the perfect range for plasma. (See no. 2, however!)

In conclusion, do not forget your cloak.

Good luck, Captain!

*Transmission Ends*