Description[ | ]
Gyro Array blocks are attitude control devices, that increase the turning capability of a Ship. Gyro Arrays are comprised of a collection of suspended gyroscopic cylinders with a stored angular momentum, which can be changed through an application of electromagnetic field. This change in angular momentum transfers to the rest of the ship as counteracting force, causing it to turn in the opposite direction. This principle allows to control the ship's attitude without the need of using direct leverage of Thrusters.
Gyro Arrays vastly outperform Thrusters in their immediate purpose, offering roughly 4 times the angular acceleration in perfect conditions. However, unlike Thrusters, Gyro Arrays do not offer any lateral movement assistance (strafing, braking or reverse).
Every given block provides angular acceleration relative to a single axis of rotation, which is displayed as arrows when a block is being placed or selected.
Gyro Arrays work well as an addition to Thrusters in larger ships, where placement of the latter may prove too difficult or provide insufficient turning rates on their own merit. The largest end-game ships can be built with little consideration for lateral maneuverability and thus rely completely on Engines, Gyro Arrays and Inertial Dampeners for navigation.
Features & Stats[ | ]
Gyro Arrays can be built out of any material and their power, as well as the associated power demands, scale with the material chosen. Blocks made out of more advanced material require more power, but produce exponentially stronger effect.
Opposite to how Thrusters operate, Gyro Array blocks work best when their axis of rotation is aligned coherently with the same axis traced from ship's Center of Mass. Once those two axis lines are as close to each-other as possible, distance between the center of a Gyro Array Block and Center of Mass marker along them makes no difference. For example, placing a Gyro Array block for the blue (Roll) axis further in the left/right or top/down direction will reduce its efficiency, but placing it further forward or backward will not.
Gyro Array Blocks cost 5 times more in materials and credits to build, weight 6 times less and have/give 2 times less hit points compared to regular Hull.