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Fleet Configurations
Considering a group of 8 (I believe that's the max group size), and also predicting the devs adjustments to balance weapon systems, I started thinking of possible group ship configurations for large scale battles.
While a set of vultures, or valks is going to do fine, I think that the role of support ships should be explored. To this end, (from an
Itani/UIT perspective, since my experience with proms is limited), I am suggesting a possible configuration, and I would like to hear other's suggestions and opinions:
A rag with 3 rails, 2 chaos swarms, and a heavy battery
a hog with a gauss, repairgun/Mines, and a fastcharge
3 vults with an assortment of flares, neutrons, and gausses,
(I have a couple ideas for the optimum layout here, more to come) FC's
2 valks with the same, perhaps with gems to add confusion
a Hornet with 4 rails and a heavy battery
the idea is that the rag is too slow to move anywhere, at all, its basically a turret, almost useless at close range, with swarms to make closer range problems manageable. the rails allow it to engage the dogfighting vults
The warthog accompanies the rag, using it as a shield, with a repair gun to keep its shield alive, or mines to make swarms more difficult to dodge. The gauss is its means of dealing with vulture/valk problems.
the vults are used for the main fighting, but at least 1 should keep a steady eye on the rag-hog group, they should keep from becoming too obsessed with any one opponent, as doing so will create a "death spiral" which will be difficult to target with rails
valks should fly along the periphery, attacking enemy support groups. enemy hogs etc.. using their superior acceleration to dodge the missiles and take those groups out
the hornet is really replaceable by another valk or vult, but having rail crossfire could be leagues more useful than a single turret, its also going to be slightly more maneuverable. A valk with rails is also possible for the same purpose.
While a set of vultures, or valks is going to do fine, I think that the role of support ships should be explored. To this end, (from an
Itani/UIT perspective, since my experience with proms is limited), I am suggesting a possible configuration, and I would like to hear other's suggestions and opinions:
A rag with 3 rails, 2 chaos swarms, and a heavy battery
a hog with a gauss, repairgun/Mines, and a fastcharge
3 vults with an assortment of flares, neutrons, and gausses,
(I have a couple ideas for the optimum layout here, more to come) FC's
2 valks with the same, perhaps with gems to add confusion
a Hornet with 4 rails and a heavy battery
the idea is that the rag is too slow to move anywhere, at all, its basically a turret, almost useless at close range, with swarms to make closer range problems manageable. the rails allow it to engage the dogfighting vults
The warthog accompanies the rag, using it as a shield, with a repair gun to keep its shield alive, or mines to make swarms more difficult to dodge. The gauss is its means of dealing with vulture/valk problems.
the vults are used for the main fighting, but at least 1 should keep a steady eye on the rag-hog group, they should keep from becoming too obsessed with any one opponent, as doing so will create a "death spiral" which will be difficult to target with rails
valks should fly along the periphery, attacking enemy support groups. enemy hogs etc.. using their superior acceleration to dodge the missiles and take those groups out
the hornet is really replaceable by another valk or vult, but having rail crossfire could be leagues more useful than a single turret, its also going to be slightly more maneuverable. A valk with rails is also possible for the same purpose.
or perhaps this:
2 proms
2 hornets
2 vults
2 valkyires
the hornets would be the ship that'd go in first followed by the proms for backup. the valkyires would follow the prom with the vultures behind them. durning half way into the battle zone the valkyires would break off attacking the largest ships, while the vultures attack the second largest targets.
basicly the hornets punch a big hole in the enemy's fleet, while the prom drops off mines. the vultures would attack the second largest targets that are still spaceborn, and the valks would do the finishing touch.
the ship loadouts are below.
prom: fast charge battery - axia accelerated gravitons, and a lightning mine
hornet: fast charge battery - 2 sunflares, and 2 tachyons
vult: heavy battery - 2 gauss cannons
valkyire: fast charge battery - 2 axia accelerated gravitons, third port empty for weight.
if you want to punch the biggest hole as fast as possible.
4 hornets, fast charge, with 4 sunflares.
2 warthogs, with a fast charge, rail, and 1 lightning mine
1 valkyire, 3 axia accerlated gravitons, fast charge (or heavy)
1 ragnarok, fast charge. 3 geminis, and 2 chaos swarm missiles.
in this scene. the warthogs would go first dropping mines everywhere, while the hornets fire off their sunflares point blank. the ragnarok would be the middle ship firing it's swarms at everything with the valkyire defending it.
OR:
warthog: fastcharge, rail gun, and a jackhammer (or a screamer. i love those :D). the hogs would support the hornets.
it's a'bit heavy, but if groups were not limited to 8. i would throw some proms in there as the 3rd heavy ship, have the hornets, and warthogs as the frontal attack. the -faster- ships such as vultures, and valkyires come dashing behind the rag/hornets/proms.
2 proms
2 hornets
2 vults
2 valkyires
the hornets would be the ship that'd go in first followed by the proms for backup. the valkyires would follow the prom with the vultures behind them. durning half way into the battle zone the valkyires would break off attacking the largest ships, while the vultures attack the second largest targets.
basicly the hornets punch a big hole in the enemy's fleet, while the prom drops off mines. the vultures would attack the second largest targets that are still spaceborn, and the valks would do the finishing touch.
the ship loadouts are below.
prom: fast charge battery - axia accelerated gravitons, and a lightning mine
hornet: fast charge battery - 2 sunflares, and 2 tachyons
vult: heavy battery - 2 gauss cannons
valkyire: fast charge battery - 2 axia accelerated gravitons, third port empty for weight.
if you want to punch the biggest hole as fast as possible.
4 hornets, fast charge, with 4 sunflares.
2 warthogs, with a fast charge, rail, and 1 lightning mine
1 valkyire, 3 axia accerlated gravitons, fast charge (or heavy)
1 ragnarok, fast charge. 3 geminis, and 2 chaos swarm missiles.
in this scene. the warthogs would go first dropping mines everywhere, while the hornets fire off their sunflares point blank. the ragnarok would be the middle ship firing it's swarms at everything with the valkyire defending it.
OR:
warthog: fastcharge, rail gun, and a jackhammer (or a screamer. i love those :D). the hogs would support the hornets.
it's a'bit heavy, but if groups were not limited to 8. i would throw some proms in there as the 3rd heavy ship, have the hornets, and warthogs as the frontal attack. the -faster- ships such as vultures, and valkyires come dashing behind the rag/hornets/proms.
I think I would go with something like this
4 Valks- whatever the pilots are best at, energy mainly since it does not need reloading
2 Vults- neut III
2 Rags- 1 seeker type (L)
2 neut III
1 repair gun
1 - seeker (s)
The valks take out fighters and bombers, the vults defend the rags and the rags cause confusion and repair valks/vults.
4 Valks- whatever the pilots are best at, energy mainly since it does not need reloading
2 Vults- neut III
2 Rags- 1 seeker type (L)
2 neut III
1 repair gun
1 - seeker (s)
The valks take out fighters and bombers, the vults defend the rags and the rags cause confusion and repair valks/vults.
Now as nice as a rag with seakers is, I have to say that in my experiance (as the SAW can agree with :P) the best possible configuration for a rag is to have all dumbfire missles, namely 3 sunflares and 2 jacks. The heavy assult ship that it is, it should only be used in protection/blockading a station (granted a big problem as the system is now but...) but I completely agree with the other setups.