Flew countless battles in strikes and I love the T1 (Star Guard) and T3 (Clarion)
T2 (Pike) feels a bit off.
For the T1:
Using Ions in any combination will help kill bombers quite well, but you will need some help from others if the bomber pilot is good.
If he just hangs under a sattelite spamming mines and doing nothing else they are easy blaster fodder.
Gunship killing is fine also as long as you have half a brain and not fly straight at them.
If they use Ions and get a jump on you, then yeah, you're screwed if you can't get to a hiding spot fast enough.
Scouts are a problem if they start circling you. Especially the T2 scouts with Burst.
They then simply get outmaneuvered, maybe adding bursts to a strike or increasing evasion or maneuverability may help here or add another weapon type or buff to them that increases short range accuracy for the weapons.
For the T2:
It feels like a missile gunboat.
If you get into close range of scouts and bombers, the armoring on this ship is so bad that you are pretty much dead.
GS killing can be OK for the same reason as the T1.
Same fixes as above could apply as the T1, but this ship is simply way more squishy compared to the T1.
For the T3:
Don't think this one needs fixing.
It is a support ship with heavy armor and support abilities.
When I fly this in TDM or even Domination, there are many battles I come out off with 0 deaths.
I have a few guildies that fly these also and they have the same situation.
Even in TDM we end up in the top kills section.
The defensive capabilities even allow head-on approaches to gunships and still killing them without issues, same with bombers (but under a sattelite can be an issue due to torp lock-on and maneuverability).
Yes, scouts can get a drop on you and if they circle you. All you can do is stay alive while your team mates pick em off.
Again, I don't think the role for this one has to change.
Looking forward to where this initiative is going.
Cheers,
Puc, Unrelenting/Red Eclipse