Abstract

The reverberating cascade effect, only applicable to the Torpedo Pylon and Mine Launcher hardpoint weapons (at time of posting), is known to overload shield generators when they strike the shield of a target, damaging the generators directly and eventually destroying them with enough successive hits.

However, no information into the exact amount of damage each strike does in terms of raw integrity removed was able to be found. This study seeks to quantify this and the results are presented below. These tests were performed under controlled conditions in a stable instance with only two commanders, with checks occurring after each weapon strike to confirm the data from the effect. This study is presented by Commander Firehawk894 with help from Commanders Swinchy, and Aleks Zuno/Aleksandra Z.

Torpedoes

Test conducted by Firehawk 894
Ship: Diamondback Explorer
Weapons: 3x torpedo pylon – lightweight G1 – reverberating cascade experimental
Target: Swinchy flying a Federal Corvette with 7C Bi-Weaves engineered with G5 Reinforced with no experimental. Equipped with 6x 0A shield boosters engineered with G1 Resistance Augmented resulting in 1890MJ shield strength

Test 1.1

Target has 5D, 4D, and 3D Module Reinforcement Packages.

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity
1	100%	68%
2	68%	36%
3	36%	4%
4	4%	0%

Test 1.2

Target has removed Module Reinforcement Packages.

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity
1	100%	68%
2	68%	36%
3	36%	4%
4	4%	0%

Test 1.3

Target shield changed to 7A standard shield generator (no engineering) resulting in a shield strength of 1771MJ. Note that in the table below the 20% value denotes that there is something happening behind the scenes involving fractions/decimals in the calculations due to the fact that it is the first time the percentage did not decrease by the same amount as the previous damage.

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity
1	100%	73%
2	73%	46%
3	46%	20%
4	20%	0%

Mines

Test conducted by Aleksandra Z
Ship: Krait Phantom
Weapons: 1x mine launcher – lightweight G1 – reverberating cascade experimental
Target: Firehawk894 flying an Imperial Clipper with 7C Bi-Weaves not engineered resulting in 252MJ shield strength

For this test exact percentages were calculated to find the answer to the anomaly mentioned in Test 1.3. The shield generator was changed to determine if shield strength in raw MJ had an effect on the amount of damage one reverb application will do to the target.

Test 2.1

Unmodded shields used as resistances appeared to be a non-factor. No Module Reinforcement Packages equipped.

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity	Unrounded Value
1	100%	88%	88.24%
2	88%	76%	76.48%
3	76%	65%	64.73%
4	65%	53%	52.97%
5	53%	41%	41.22%
6	41%	29%	29.46%
7	29%	18%	17.70%
8	18%	6%	5.95%

Test 2.2

Equipped 5D, 4D, and 3D Module Reinforcement Packages as a double-check

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity	Unrounded Value
1	100%	88%	88.24%
2	88%	76%	76.48%
3	76%	65%	64.73%
4	65%	53%	52.97%
5	53%	41%	41.22%
6	41%	29%	29.46%
7	29%	18%	17.70%
8	18%	6%	5.95%

Test 2.3

Mine launcher exchanged for 1x shock mine launcher.

Shot Number	Starting Integrity	Damaged Integrity	Unrounded Value
1	100%	91%	91.45%
2	91%	83%	82.90%
3	83%	74%	74.35%
4	74%	66%	65.80%
5	66%	57%	57.25%

Findings

Torpedo launchers modified with the reverberating cascade effect appear to do a numerical damage of 42 points of integrity to the shield generator that it strikes, this value does not appear to be changed by damage resistances on the shields or hull, nor do module reinforcement packages seem to contribute towards damage reduction caused by the reverberating effect.

Mine Launchers equipped with the reverberating cascade experimental seem to do 15.4 points integrity damage to the shield generator they strike, similar to the torpedoes, damage resistances and HRP packages do not cause a reduction of the damage received by the effect.

During the tests with the torpedo weaponry, the average damage dealt to the shield generator module remained within one unit of 42 throughout all calculations, this backs the hypothesis that reverberating weapons do 35% of their full damage to the generator module they attack, due to 42 being exactly 35% of 120, the full damage of a torpedo.

The values of 42, 15.4 and 11.2 for the Torpedoes, Mines and Shock Mines respectively, confirm that Reverberating Cascade damage is 35% of the full damage the weapon deals, that being 120 for the torpedo, 44 for the mines and 32 for the Shock Mines.

Something strange of note is that weaponry modified with the reverberating cascade effect does not have to strike the shields to do damage to the generator, lack of shields caused by module deactivation or triggering of silent running will not prevent damage to the generator and result in hull damage from the explosion as well.

Conclusion

The Reverberating Cascade experimental effect will deal absolute damage in the sense that it cannot be blocked or mitigated once the modified weapon strikes the target, Module Reinforcement Packages will not reduce the damage, nor will turning off the generator prevent damage to it. In essence, the reverberating cascade effect would be the ultimate shield killer, were it not limited to two extremely difficult weapons to use in a combat situation. Torpedoes move extremely slowly and can be defeated by ECM, while mines are outright stationary where they are dropped and are easily destroyed by a single Point Defense turret.

Special Thanks

Canonn thanks Firehawk894 for performing this study. Firehawk894 in turn extends thanks to Aleks Zuno/Aleksandra Z of the Imperial Navy Intervention and Rescue squadron for bringing engineered mines for the testing as well as checking calculations in-game and Swinchy of the Fuel Rats for being a willing target and having his shield generator wrecked multiple times in the name of science!