Missile Firing And Countermeasures
Heat-seeking vs. Aspect-seeking
There are two types of homing missiles in Descent: FreeSpace: heat-seeking and all-aspect-seeking.
Heat-seeking missiles require no lock time, and may be launched as soon as your missile bank is ready to fire. The missile will find the nearest hostile target in its forward view cone and lock onto it. If the target leaves the missile's view cone, it will attempt to lock onto another hostile target.
An aspect-seeking missile will not lose lock if its target leaves the view cone. It will turn to pursue the target until it makes contact or runs out of fuel. However, aspect-seeking missiles require the pilot to gain aspect lock on the target before launching.
Gaining aspect lock is a simple procedure, but can become difficult if your target is highly maneuverable. If you have an aspect-seeking missile such as the Hornet or Interceptor armed, the "aspect diamond" on the HUD will appear and begin tracking your target onscreen. As the target moves around your forward viewscreen, the aspect diamond will follow, attempting to close the distance. Once the diamond is centered on the target, lock is achieved.
1 7Q MDNI'
The Aspect Diamond, as the pilot attempts to achieve lock on a Shivan Fighter.
The more advanced bomb-type missiles such as the Tsunami and Harbinger will require longer aspect-lock times than the lighter ordinance.
Countermeasures
All space fighters are equipped with a set of specific missile countermeasures. (Default key binding is O) These are small electronics "decoys" designed to mimic the flight signatures of that fighter. When dropped behind the ship, they will attempt to fool incoming missiles into tracking them instead of the fighter.
Countermeasures are the most effective when the incoming missile is at close range. Unfortunately, if you wait too long to drop them, you risk sustaining damage from the missile blast as well as direct impact. Practice is the key.
Advanced aspect-seeking missiles are somewhat less susceptible to countermeasures than other missiles.
If you deplete your supply of countermeasures during a mission, you may call for Rearm/Repair and the support ship will replenish you.
- Your Countermeasure supply is displayed above the Kills counter in the lower right of your HUD display
Also be warned that enemy fighters are also equipped with countermeasures.
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