Earthsiege

Mechanics

Gameplay in Earthsiege consists of piloting Hercs in combat against the Cybrids. The Herc can be steered with a keyboard or joystick, though some controls are only found on the keyboard. The mouse can be used to interact with the various buttons in the cockpit. Eight pilotable Hercs are available in Earthsiege, each with its own unique speed, armor, shielding, energy, and weapon hardpoints.

Combat success is reliant on several elements. First, the pilot must choose the right Herc for the job, depending on whether the mission calls for speed or firepower. Next, a good weapon configuration is important to give an edge in combat. During a fight, the pilot must be able to maneuver around enemy fire while maintaining accuracy with his or her own weapons. The key to this is effective usage of torso twist, the ability of a Herc to swivel its upper torso to follow a target (in the same way a tank can swivel its turret). Skilled usage of torso twist can allow a pilot to maneuver considerably without losing track of his or her target.

In order to fully access the firepower capacity of the current Herc being used, a player should use the Tracking program and Link up weapons to simultaneously attack a target on screen, and is able to be hit thanks to the Tracking.

Additionally, the player can bring up to three squad mates along on missions. Squadmates can be assigned Hercs and weapons before a mission, and during a mission they can be issued basic orders. As squadmates complete more missions, their skills and rank rise.
Weapons
Energy Weapons

Energy weapons use reactor energy to fire and must recharge after each shot. Using too much reactor energy can cause weapons to stop charging and systems to shut off until the reactor recharges. If necessary, the player can adjust the recharge rate or power of each energy weapon to balance energy usage during combat. The energy weapons available in Earthsiege are Lasers, Electron Flux Weapons (ELFs), Particle Beam Weapons (PBWs), and Electromagnetic Pulse Cannons (EMPs). Lasers are available in several wattages.
Projectile Weapons

Two projectile weapons are available in Earthsiege: Automatic Cannons (autocannons, or ATCs) and missiles. Both weapons have limited ammunition, but do not use reactor energy to fire. Autocannons come in several calibers, and missiles come in packs of varying size (6, 8, or 10 warheads). Additionally, four types of missile are available: Semi-Active Radar Homing (SARH), Active Radar Homing (ARH), Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARM), and Electro-Optical Missiles (EO).
ECM Pod

The Electronic Counter Measures POD, or ECM, is an electronic device that can be mounted to a hardpoint instead of a weapon. The ECM creates electronic "noise" which can be used to jam radar locks and confuse missiles.