Energy Dome

The Energy Dome is a utility weapon, added by the High Seas DLC. It has no capability to deal damage - it's instead used solely as an anti-air tool, intercepting the incoming projectiles with a shield. It is unlocked by the Workshop.

## Energy Dome

### Description

"Creates a temporary barrier against destructible projectiles"

## Characteristics

### Pros

Excellent at stopping projectiles that are otherwise hard to shoot down. Resistant to anti-air baiting.

### Cons

Long reload time and high energy cost per shot compared to Flak gun. Vulnerable to stagger-fire from multiple weapons.

## **Overview**

The Energy Dome is an automatic anti-air unit. When an interceptable attack is inbound, the weapon will react by releasing a spray of energy pellets, materializing a temporary shield some distance from the weapon, blocking the attack by destroying the incoming projectiles.

It should be noted that the shield will only block destructible projectiles. It will ***NOT*** block bullets, Cannon shells, or Laser beams, etc.

The shield appears 20 grid spaces away from the weapon, with a bit of delay (because of the energy pellets travel time) and lasts for 3 seconds. During those 3 seconds, it is capable of tanking an infinite amount of damage. This makes it excellent for defending against attacks that are hard to destroy, such as Deck Gun or Howitzer shells, which would otherwise require copious amounts of Machine Guns and/or Flak.

The Energy Dome is less susceptible to *Anti-Air baiting* than other Anti-Air emplacements. This is because they will only activate right before a projectile is threatening to hit the fort, opposed to other forms of anti-air which open fire whenever a destructible projectile appears in their line of sight.

The main drawback of the weapon is - compared to other anti-air options - a heavier logistical profile. It consumes a whopping 1000 Energy per activation - a far cry from Flak gun's 300, and has a significantly longer cooldown - 15 seconds, compared to 6 seconds of the Flak. This makes it possible to counter the Energy Dome by simply staggering fire with multiple weapons.

Placement of the Energy Dome itself also requires a considerable amount more thought than normal Anti-Air emplacements; since the shield always materializes 20 grid units away from the launcher itself, it's nearly impossible to use an Energy Dome in a trench. At close range, a doored Energy Dome may not fire in time; for these reasons, placing hidden yet unprotected Energy Domes provides the greatest chance of it properly discharging its shield to protect against the incoming projectile.

While the barrier emitted from the Energy Dome will instantly destroy most destructible projectiles, there are two exceptions — the Warhead, and Planes. The former will only take one hit, thus putting it into a drunk state. The latter will pass through harmlessly; however, the ordnance released from the Plane will still collide with the shield.

## **Strategies**

Since it comes from the Workshop instead of the Armoury, the Energy Dome can provide effective Anti-Air solutions to one who also wants the offensive power from Buzzsaws, Missiles, Mortars, and the Runway.

The Energy Dome is fantastic as a back-up Anti-Air device, should the rest fail to catch a projectile or two. While it should not be relied on — especially in team games, since it can not support teammates — it is a valuable asset to have to ensure that no projectiles will get through one's defense.

The main perk of the Energy Dome, compared to other Anti-Air weapons, is that when set up properly, it has a 100% chance of stopping projectiles; once the shield is up, nothing (besides the aforementioned Warhead and Planes) will pass through.

The Energy Dome can be used to neutralize Nighthawks attacks, and even reduce the power of a devastating Thunderbolt barrage, due to its extended coverage period. Where other emplacements only fire for a short burst, the Energy Dome can provide protection for up to 3 seconds.

Energy Domes also aren't hard-countered by Firebeams; while the weapon can still be directly attacked and destroyed by one, its projectiles do not burn out like standard bullets. Thus, it's a good option to consider when the opponent has a stockpile of threatening armaments backed up with Firebeam support.

## **Counters**

While great at ensuring the interception of projectiles, the Energy Dome still has similar weaknesses to that of Flak; its long firing duration makes it a prime target for enemy Snipers, which can easily destroy the Dome while it's firing; additionally, unlike Flak, the Energy Dome has poor success while trenched, meaning that it must typically be placed in positions where it can be easily sniped.

Energy Domes are also highly vulnerable to Firebeam attacks. If the incendiary beam can hit the weapon in addition to the strut it's on, then the Dome will perish to the lingering flames.

Previously mentioned, the Energy Dome also fits poorly into energy-hungry builds. Over 3x as expensive as Flak to fire, the Dome can either consume valuable energy required for Weapons, or even end up failing to fire altogether. due to lack of energy reserves.