From: jwest@weevil.frc.ri.cmu.edu (Jay West)
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek
Subject: Re: Locking & Clockers
Date: 7 Apr 92 06:23:13 GMT
Reply-To: jwest@frc2.frc.ri.cmu.edu (Jay West)
Distribution: rec
Organization: Field Robotics Center, CMU

I use this feature VERY often - when ogging & for planet defense.
Hate to give away something that can be used against me, but here goes
....

When ogging a person who cloaks a lot: Just before you cloak, lock on
to him.  As you approach and he cloaks, immediately uncloak to save
fuel.  Watch the galactic map.  If it appears he is changing
directions, slow to warp 1 or 2 ASAP and you will track him.  When it
looks as if he finished his manuver, max warp - thats what he'll
probably do.  Speed control via careful watching of the galactic map
is critical in order to track him but not lose him.  Throw out one or
two phasers directly in front of you to try for phaser lock.  If you
get it, phaser mercilessly and rely on the phaser lock.  More often
than not, you'll get him.  You can do the slow-auto-turn manuver while
cloaked if he has defenders, uncloaking as soon as you've got a true
bearing, but don't spend too much time cloaked - watch your fuel.  If
you have to dodge torps, do it - and you're no worse off than not
getting the lock.  You win if you don't have to doge.

When ogging a person who doesn't usually cloak:  Forget the lock -
going straight at him usually means a torp stream in the face.   But
you won't need it since he's not cloaked.  For someone who fires a
stream first and then cloaks, wait for him to fire and then establish
the lock.  He's toast (hopefully) if he cloaks.  Know you're enemy's
tactics.

Planet defense: You know who the army carriers are - there should be
very few of them.  Stay at a planet warp 0, establish lock on the most
threatening person.  Just sit there until he is about to orbit, then
fire like crazy directly in front of you.  Most effective against
pesky scouts who usually zoom in without escorts.  They can be in and
out before you can hunt him in the normal method.

Some other food for thought:
	When ogging and the carrier has escorts that you have
difficulty penetrating - forget the carrier and ogg one of the
escorts.  You want to get rid of as many escorts as possible before
the group gets to one of your planets.  You are relying on the rest of
your team to take out what's left.  Often, you can get two or three
attempts at your primary target before he reaches the planet he is
going after.
	When ogging, you WANT to die.  First, you are counting on your
explosion to cause additional damage.  Second, you don't want to waste
time repairing/refueling - you want to come back immediately and
resume the pressure.  HOWEVER, you MUST take out your target, and get
killed by ONLY him - don't leave a kill behind.  If you do, you have
another target to add to your list.  A very effective tactic I
recently picked up from MUCUS PIG is to intentionally drop your
shields when you KNOW you will kill him.  Ogging is used for kill
management - you defeat your purpose if you give away kills.
	When ogging and your target runs deep into his own space and
you are doubtful that you can get him, ogg someone else.  You've
accomplished your mission - prevent him from taking a planet/dropping
armies.  Don't let someone else get an easy kill while you
single-mindedly go after your primary target.  Once he comes forward
again, go after him again.  You gain precious time for your own
planets to pop in LPS situations, and the rest of the time you are
effectively slowing the enemy's expansion.  Runner scums are the least
threat to your team - they can't take planets if they are always
running.
	Watch what Val (can't spell his full name), ensign, MUCUS PIG
and other good oggers do when they ogg you, and learn from them.

Just some ramblings that I hope will be usefull.......

West