Aelfgar: Well, first of all this ship guarantees that you don't have any cloakers on the world when you attack it (because they have to set Intercept, they can't cloak). Come to think of it, after the introduction of "Cloak&Intercept" this isn't 100% true anymore, but at the very least it protects you from anyone else. This alone is a game-changer for the Colonies, who on their own are very susceptible to for example the Pirate.
Having defensive ships intercept the TL only works from "outside" the planet and its warpwell, because any ship hit by a TANTRUM immediately loses its Intercept command. Which means that these ships are susceptible to attack. Also, imagine what happens when contrary to expectations, the TL does not attack, but rather leads the intercepting defensive fleet into a trap? It's a ship which creates mindgames.
The main use is not really to push ships super-far, just away from the planet. And once you are outside of the warpwell edge and can't easily return there, you're vulnerable. Keep in mind that COM are generally good at attrition warfare.
The charge requirement isn't very tough. Since the ship is super-light, you usually build them on those bases which have an ion storm nearby. Warp7 will be sufficient to let them fly endlessly, and even Warp5 will do fine.
There are many other uses for them. For example, if you use them on your own planets, you can nearly assure that they won't be taken this turn. If you're inside an ion storm, you can even do this with perpetuity, because you recharge the same turn you TANTRUMmed.
You can use this ship as a siege breaker. TANTRUM next to a ship you're worried about, and it cannot intercept you anymore.
Pushing ships into mines is also powerful, since you gain this ability for 2 meager PP in NuQueue and even a single one in Classic. Keep in mind that as COM, you can be expected to have minefield superiority, especially in Ion Storms.
So: Tantrum Liners no fire-and-forget power ships that win you wars by themselves, but they are extremely flexible tools which give the COM abilities which they direly need. If I played COM in a Campaign team game, for example, I would almost definitely pick them. |
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