DUNE, to its new players, is not an easy mod. In fact, it does have a pretty steap learning curve. Even experienced players don't know all the tricks, or how to play all the houses. This guide was written to help both the new players and experienced players learn how to play better, and to understand the mod more so that as a player both new or old can have as much fun with it as possible, and experience the DUNE universe first hand. We will start with the basics, and then move into subcatagories for each house.
Team Work
To start off, you must be aware that this mod is very heavy on Team Play. That means you must communicate effectivly with your team, cooperate with them, and either assume a leadership postition where no leader is to be found, or take orders from any present leader. When your ideals conflict with your current leader's, make your suggestion, but don't spend time debating, as it will only get you or one of your teammates killed. If your idea is generally shot down by your team, or current leader (where your team abstains from comment) try to obey. If his way doesn't work out, and by not working out appears to have little chance of working, resuggest your idea, but don't over do it.
Available Teams
In the DUNE mod, there are a total of 6 different teams available, each with their own unique selection of armors and equipment. Normally the server runs with House Atreides vs House Harkonnen, but the teams are able to be swapped without the server restarting. The 6 teams are as follows:
--House Atredies
--House Harkonnen
--House Corrino
--Ix
--Bene Tleilaxu
--Minor House
Each house will be explained in more detail later on, as well as how to play each house effectivly. Eventually I hope to have the clan system for this mod more rigid and standardized. Each of the top 5 houses will be controled through this site, and each given a leader. These will be the "static" teams, and will, in game, use their own house, and no one elses (nor will anyone use theirs). Other "non-static" clans may form and will be ran as more basic clans in the standard Tribes sense, but will be restricted to useing the Minor House team in game, with possible exceptions.
Spawn time
In DUNE, the time it takes for your player to respawn is variable. It changes depending on what you do. It always has a base time of 10, meaning that the shortest your spawn time can be is 10 seconds. But, it can also go up. For instance, every time you kill yourself, your spawntime will increase by 5 seconds. If you team kill, it will go up by 10. In fact, every time you do damage to a teammate, it will go up by 2 (in addition to the amount that is added on if you kill them). The most significant thing you can do to increase your spawntime, is being the cause of an atomic explosion. If you use a lasgun and hit a shield, or lay a nuke manually, you will be the cause of an atomic explosion. This will make your spawntime increase. Presently, a first offense will increase your spawntime to 1 minute. Every additional time you do it, 20 seconds will be added on to this amount (second offense will be 1:10, third 1:30). Over time, your spawntime will reduce, but unlike the teamkills and suicides which is added on, the atomic explosion will recalculate every time you cause one.
***Also note, that after a certain amount of atomic explosions, you will have a chance to be kicked from the server for some time. See more below.
***Also note, that if you are seen INTENTIONALLY using a lasgun to cause a nuke, you risk being kicked by administrators.
Equipment, weapons, vehicles, and items
This is where you will find all the items available in the game. At the top of the page will be a complete list of them all along with prices and descriptions. They will then be followed by team/armor requirements for each team and each armor. If there is a limited quantity available, it will be mentioned.
For lack of a better place to put it, as it should be mentioned early on, there are NO JETPACKS in this mod. Additionally, the fall damage has been turned up to a more realistic setting. So becareful.
Team Energy is how much "money" your team has to spend on equipment. Be aware that Team Energy IS on almost all the time. This is EXTREAMLY crucial as usualy your team energy is QUITE limited, and is your team's lifeblood. For this reason, if you do not have the "20 faves" script, it might be adventagious to get it. By having more favs, you will spend less time at the stations, and still be able to have different sets of armor to reflect your team energy, and limit its spending (e.g. so that you can buy stripped down versions of your standard armors to use less TE).
Team energy DOES regenerate over time, but not very quickly. When you are out of team energy, even spawn equipment will be limited, although you will always start with at LEAST a knife and a shield.
Be aware of what you buy; high technology items and projectile weapons (guns, rocket-launchers, flame based weapons) are all VERY expensive, givin their rare antiqueness in the DUNE universe. So do not buy an assult rife every time you visit the station! Lasguns are also fairly expensive because of their cost to make, but less so then projectile weapons, as they are more common. Melee weapons are by far the cheapest. So when you are low on cash, you will probably be best going on the defensive.
Shields
In the DUNE universe, shields are god. In game, shields include personal shields, vehicle sized shields, and pentashields. Shields work differently then standard Tribes shields. Dune shields are able to deflect all fast moving attacks, letting none get through to its host. Thus, to a shielded opponent, just about all projectile weapons (pistols, assult rifles, rocket launchers, ect) are worthless. The shielded person will NOT be damaged by these, and the attacker will probably just be wasting expensive ammunition.
Another significant difference between Dune shields and Tribes shields, is that unlike Tribes shields, you can NOT shoot OUT of the shield with a projectile weapon. The exact same thing will happen on the inside, as it does on the outside, only with more problematic results to the wearer. When an object hits a shield, its kenetic energy, and any potential energy left, as well as some of its physical energy is instantly converted into heat. While inside a closed area such as a shield, this burst of sudden energy will not only burn the shielded person, but it will also consume all the remaining oxygen in the shield, causing the shielded person to begin to suffocate.
Dune shields do not run off of a limited--although renewable--energy source like Tribes shields. Instead their energy is infinate. The energy bar instead represents the remaining oxygen inside the shield. Once this runs out, the user is out of oxygen and will begin to take damage from suffocation.
Lasguns and shields DON'T mix. NEVER shoot a lasgun at a shield. Additionally, if you are being shot at with a lasgun, it is in bad form, bad taste, and general a very bad idea to RAISE your shield, without giving your opponent enough time to realize your shield is on, and to use a different weapon. More detail on the shield-lasgun subject will be given in the lasgun section.
Because of their nature, shields can take quite a beating, and unlike material objects, will not display, or have any damage. A shielded person could even leap from high places, and survive the fall without a scratch; to a degree. Unfortunately shields are limited: when enough pressure is applyed to a shield, it WILL overload. The larger the shield generator, the more it can take, but all have a certain level of pressure at which they fail. For this reason, a shielded person COULD leap off of a high drop and not be hurt, but if the drop is just TOO high, the pressure will overload the shield, and the user will still take the damage. Direct artillary hits, and other large enough explosions will also cause shields to overload.
The advent and use of personal shields (and indeed all shields) is the most significant change of how the military and fighting works in the universe. It is the direct reason that projectile weapons have all but been phased out, and why lasguns, although much more abundent then projectile weapons, are also used in a limited and delicate fasion. The use of shields has brought with it an old style of combat, mixed with new: the melee combat is now prominant. Most fighting that is done, can be found being done with melee weapons. Even on Arrakis where the presence of worms is prominent, causing shield use to be reduced significantly, melee weapons are still paramount. It is important to note, that one projectile weapon--the stunner--CAN penetrate personal shields, as its suspensor buoyed projectile moves slow enough to penetrate the shield.
Vehicle shields are larger then personal shields. Thus, they can withstand larger blasts. However, this does not prevent them from crashing, as the vehicle is obviously much larger, and thus carrys much much more momentum. Thus if a vehicle were dropped with shield activated from the same height a soldier was with a personal shield activated, the vehicle's shield would overload first. If however a large enough shell were fired at a shielded personal, it could kill them, but be far from enough to harm a shielded vehicle. Additionally, they still work on the same principle as normal shields, and so all normal restrictions apply. Fortunatly, vehicles have been equiped with simple mechanical devices to ensure that weapons are not fired from inside while a vehicle shield is up.
Pentashields are five layer shield generators. They effectivly and easily block doorways and hallways from any transgression no matter the speed, unless the object (personal) has a disassembler tuned to the correct frequency. Thus Pentashields work as team based doors. Pentashields, like other shields, still block all fast moving projectiles, react poorly to lasgun blasts, and can still be overloaded with a large enough blast. The pentashield can most easily be destroyed by blowing up the pentashield generator (the small beacon like object behind it). Once the generator is destroyed, the shield will die.
Projectile Weapons
Projectile weapons in the mod are not as regular or common as in other mods. In the DUNE universe, most projectile weapons are rare, expensive, and to a degree, ineffective. Shields have almost completely annihilated their use, as projectiles, with the exception of stunners, are unable to penetrate shields. Because of their high cost, it is important to NOT buy them every time you buy new armor. This will only quickly reduce your team's team energy to nothing, at which point it will be at an extream disadvantage. Thus, the best thing to do, is to designate one or two people in an attack or defensive force, as the only people to buy a projectile weapon. Then if they die, someone else can get the weapon from their body and continue the roll, without spending money. The person with the projectile weapon should then be given, and attack, any and all unshielded targets, such as Fremen.
Specialty projectile weapons--flamethrowers, rocket launchers, pillers of fire--many times will demand different funcionalty then common ones such as the assult rifle, but still should be used under the same purchase and squad support practices as the more common ones.
Lasguns
Lasguns are continuous-wave laser projectors. They are highly accurate, and their fire to hit time is instantanious, making them an extreamly suitable weapon. Infact their early development before shields, although still crude, were quickly replacing projectile weapons. The use of lasguns is fairly wide, but with most in use with military. However, the abundant cutteray was designed specifically for the hand demolishing of almost any inorganic material, including rock and plasteel. They also were put into use as surgeon scalpels. In game, lasguns are as described: they are instantainus, perfectly accurate, and deadly. They are effective for both anti-personal(cutting people in half), as well as for anti-armor(being able to slice through many metals like butter, be it on an emplacement, or ground car). They differ from standard Tribes lasers however, in that they are continuous, and not a one burst shot weapon (although they can be used like that, for limited effectiveness). They are also different in that they use ammo "cells," and are ranged. This means that they do NOT deal the same damage to the target no matter how far away it is, but instead will begin to deal decreasing damage the further away the target is, until it deals no damage at all. A table of distance markers for each lasgun is below:
Fulldamage dist Max dist Damage Delt/Sec
Cutteray 1.3 10 small(unless to inorganic objects)
Small Lasgun 16 30 medium
Rifle Lasgun 100 200 medium
Heavy Lasgun 45 75 heavy
Deployable Lasgun 100 200 heavy
Lasguns are different for another, extreamly crucial reason. When a lasgun hits a shield, the interference of the lasgun beam with the high energy suspensor-nullification field causes the shield to "melt down" causing an atomic sized explosion at the point of impact. It also creates a feedback pulse that travels to the laser origin, causing a similar explosion. The explosions will kill both the target and attacker, but will also kill anyone and anything in the immediate vicinity. It is for this reason that lasguns are used on a very limited basis, and take great skill, percision, timing and skill to use properly.
Atomics
Atomics in the DUNE universe are the most devistating weapons available. Fortunately(or unfortunately), they are also banned by the Lanasarad Council. In game, atomics are cause by either the deployment of an atomic device (stone burner, small atomic, medium atomic, or large atomic), or by a lasgun beam hitting a shield. Either way, the Lansarad does not look kindly upon the detonation of these weapons. Thus, when you are the CAUSE of the atomic explosion (the lasgun wielder, or the placer of the atomic) your spawn time begins to increase dramatically. Over time it will gradually return to normal, but until then you may be sitting in limbo for quite some time. This however isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you didn't take this time out, then the Lansarad might catch you quicker! If the Lansarad catches you using atomics, (after a few detonations) you will be kicked from the server (banished from the empire).
Still, even with penalties, using atomics is sometimes the best tatical solution for your team. This is somewhat rare, but there may be occasions where it is useful. StoneBurners for example, are very effective at destroying underground bunkers. By nature, they will burn vertically, both up and down, but not so much horizontally. Small atomics are usefull for small tatical assults on a position. They are much cheaper then the other nukes, but also have a smaller radius of destruction. Medium nukes are good for the elimination of small bases, while large nukes are able to destroy whole valleys.
Melee Combat
As you become more experienced with the DUNE mod, especially with the paramount presence of the shields, you will find that melee combat becomes almost exclusivly the primary method of combat. You will always have personal devoted to projectile assult and lasgun assult, but unless a long fight is being faught, or a suprise attack is made, they may find they have no viable unshielded targets to hit. Because of this, melee combat in DUNE has been given a fair amount of focus. There are six different melee weapons available. For each you will have to develop tatics for use, and tatics against. Below is a table describing each of the melee weapons:
Range Speed Damage
Knife short fast decent
Knife short fast decent
Slip-Tip short fast poor/heavy
(damage initially poor,
but if hit, the subsequent
poison does significant
damage)
Kindjal medium medium good
Saber long slow heavy
Cryskinfe short fast heavy
The melee combat is further complemented by the ability of a player who is wielding a melee weapon, to "block." The normal "grenade button" (g for most of you) has been configured to cause the player to attempt to block attacks for 0.5 seconds. During this time, the blocking player may make no attacks, but any melee damage done to the front of him has a 60% chance of not hitting.
Melee combat is further made complex by different hit zones on the player. Most damage done to the head does significantly more then to the body, while the legs do less damage, but this is most critical where melee fighting is concerned. It makes holding "high ground" give an advantage, as well as good aim something worth while to have. Additionally, if a melee attack is made on a player using a melee weapon, and the attack hits the right arm, the damaged player will most likely be disarmed, and drop their weapon, making them vulnerable.
A good combination of blocks, fients(fake attacks), dodges(getting out of the way!), and attacks can ensure victory almost any time, against most of the weapons. For instance, when fighting someone with a slip-tip, its a good idea to do your best not to let them hit you at all. Having a longer weapon can help, but if you don't have one, shallow faints, dodges, and hits to the side (where they can't hit you without turning) may be best. Just try not to hang around to long. Get a hit in, and get out! When fighting someone with a small fast weapon, try to keep them at a distance, and try some feints and lunges/retreat combinations. If your fighting someone with a long weapon, the block can be extreamly adventagious. If you charge at them, block their initial attack as your comming in, and then attack once inside their guard (with a smaller weapon idealy) you can usualy give them a lot of damage before needing to retreat and try again.
All melee weapons are able to be thrown. You can throw your weapons with the standard "drop weapon" command (cnt w for most of you). If the weapon is going fast enough when it hits another (unshielded, its going to fast to go through a shield) player, then has a chance of doing damage. This chance is based on the thrower's armor, as well as the weapon thrown. Below is a list of % given to each armor and weapon. When a throw is made, the two % are addeded togeather to give the final chance for hit.
However, throwing your weapon and actually hitting someone is quite difficult, in ADDITION to the fact that it has to pass a check based on the above numbers. It takes time and practice, but eventually it may become extreamly worthwhile: when the enemy runs out of air, and you need a quick attack before their shield goes up, a well thrown knife may benifit you; a thrown weapon makes a fairly decent (and extreamly cheap) projectile weapon; when initiating a suprise attack, a thrown knife can hit a suddenly alerted enemy faster (and before their shield is up, or you are hit with a distnace weapon) then charging them.
Later, a "Tackle" and "shoving" system may also be added to further suppliment the combat.
Artillary and Ground Cars
When on Arrakis, ground cars can be both effective (quickly breaking through any unshielded foe, and usualy having a long sight range) and susceptable (they draw worms quite quickly).
The rollers, as long as they keep moving, make cheap effective scouts for their speed, and while are able to dodge rockets fairly well, are susceptable to any lasgun attacks, and to some degree, projectile attacks. If they are unable to dodge them, other artillary shells will quickly eat them up as well.
Other ground cars have more issues with worms, given that they are slow, But an APC may be the best way to get soldiers in to the warzone, while an artillary tank with a good gunner may be able to pick off squads of enemy soldiers. Airdropped ground cars can also be fairly effective in avoiding ambush and worms. Their strong armor makes off for their lack of shields, in that they are always armored, but can still fire without losing that protection.
Off Arrakis, worms are no longer a concern, but their effectiveness against shielded soldiers becomes limited at best. This along with the generally less visible distance, where ambushes can be more effective, makes them about as effective other places as on the surface of Arrakis.
Be aware, that without proper air defense from foot soldiers, ground cars can be highly susceptable to Ornithopters.
Ornithopters
On Arrakis, as well as other planets, ornithopters have proven to be quite effective. Their higher altitudes keep them away from worms, while their AtG abilities make them dangerous foes. On Arrakis where shields are less of a problem, airstrikes can be frequent, and dangerous on unprotected squads. Off world, where shields are more abundant, 'thopters are reduced to more of a governing, trasportation, and anti-armor state.
The spotter makes a cheap scout, but without shields or weapons, is susceptable to many types of ground fire.
The rare vulcan 'thopter makes for an excelent squad elimination device, as well as a fairly effective anti-armor device. It is also the primary air to air fighter available.
The limited Lasgun 'thopter is a dangerous tatical assult 'thopter, best reserved for attacking positively identifed shieldless soldiers, and armored targets.
The Artillary 'thopter is probably the most abundant armed 'thopter, although less accurate. Its bombs are able to overload shields if hit near on target, and devistate armored divisions. (Can fire every 5 seconds)
The carryall is a workhorse. It has protective shields, good armor, but no weapons. It is able to transport 4 troops, and a ground car. Be aware that the pilot must LET the troops out, and drop the ground cars on his or her OWN. The troops are NOT able to get out on their own.
Sand Worms
Sand Worms are the great hazards of Arrakis. They will devour anything on the sand. They are fast, big, and invincable. In game, a worm is distinguished by shifting sand, a loud hissing noise, and static discharges. The worms can only eat what is on the open sand (any area that is not defined in the map as having a "Worm box") but will cross under these area to get to a target. The worms targeting works on "updates." Every couple of seconds, it updates its targets. It will target players, vehicles, and thumpers. Each target is given a priority number based on multiple factors, and the best looking target is then set as the worm's current target. Below is a list of values that are added to determine a target's priority:
Player +1
Thumper +2
Ground Car +2
'Thopter +0.5
Shielded? +2
Suspensor on? +1.5
XYDist +(100/distance)
ZDist -(distance/25)
Not on Sand -2
Was Previous Target +1
Is Fremen/Fedaykin -10
Random value +(0->1)
When a worm has no viable targets (targets with a priority greater then 0) then they will wander off in random directions.
So whats the best way to avoid a worm? Stay off Arrakis sands. Whats the next best thing? Do what you can to minimzie your priority.
Team Strategies
Below are links to each of the Houses subsections. These sections describe available weapon options, special house specific descriptions, and stratagies for each house.
DUNE, to its new players, is not an easy mod. In fact, it does have a pretty steap learning curve. Even experienced players don't know all the tricks, or how to play all the houses. This guide was written to help both the new players and experienced players learn how to play better, and to understand the mod more so that as a player both new or old can have as much fun with it as possible, and experience the DUNE universe first hand. We will start with the basics, and then move into subcatagories for each house.
