Best Secondary Weapons?

[ViciousFett]

What do you guys think are the best Secondary weapons? So far Cluster missiles have been my favorite, but they seem a bit buggy at times firing after getting a lock.

 

Do any of you have an recommendations, or found that any are really great after upgrading them?

[mandoforlife]

I've played most of my matches piloting the Sting and can safely say Cluster Missiles are very effective due to their short lock-on time. But recently I've been flying my Quell, which I'm slowly falling in love with, and Proton Torpedos can be quite devastating if you can work the very long lock-on time. Not to mention that blue explosion is so satisfying. Edited December 22, 2013 by mandoforlife

[ViciousFett]

Do Rocket Pods have a lock on timer since they don't actually lock on to anything? or are they instant?

[mandoforlife]

Do Rocket Pods have a lock on timer since they don't actually lock on to anything? or are they instant?

 

They don't have a lock-on time, but I do believe it has a travel time. It's best to use them while firing with your blasters so you know that they are most likely hitting.

[archifikoss]

Cluster missiles are an awesome secondary weapon for a dogfighter due to their short lock-on time. They don't hurt much on their own but they are very effective combined with blaster fire. They alone should rack up a fair number of assists and maybe a killing blow or two.

 

I am beginning to enjoy rocket pods too. They are purely skill based weapons and they are quite destructive. Again they are more of a supplement to blaster fire but they are deadly in good hands.

 

On a side note... I hope we get cap ship killing game modes. If the cap ship had massive shields it would make proton torpedo bombing runs critical as they bypass shields fully. Do want!

[Verain]

I like clusters because they work.

 

Concussions are interesting. You can't use them at close range, but they are very good when someone is distracted even briefly.

 

Protons are game changers, but I think anyone but the Quell/Pike running them is asking for problems. Mostly they let you threaten at long range, and when your opponent dodges and closes, you threaten at short range with a swap to clusters.

 

 

 

Rocket pods are skill based, but... not just your skill. I dislike abilities in any game that require a delta in skill. When I was new to this game, I came around an asteroid to attack a scout, and he had sent a rocket pod timed to hit me as I swung around. I just died right there.

 

 

Was that skill? Yes, but, more importantly, it required on me derping. It required on him being BETTER than me. Do you think that guy has hit me with a rocket pod since, in that game or any other? I think that their long term use is going to be on ships who are stopped for some strategic purpose, such as a sniping gunship.

[Yakito]

I personally like Sabotage Probes, although they have a long lock on time compared to their small targeting range and very often people just dodge my locking.

 

Proton torpedoes on the other hand are absolutely amazing.

Yes, they do take a lot of time to lock on, but when they do... it's fun watching it fly.

 

The secondary I hate the most? Rocket Pods (or whatever). I still don't really know how to use them properly since they don't have the same flight time as a blaster, therefore I can only hit an enemy while he's flying straight into me.

They are useful against turrets though.

 

IF anybody has any tips on the Rocket Pods, please give them here.

[renegadeimp]

Plasma Railgun, followed my Slug then ion.

 

Well, you didnt say which ship

[mandoforlife]

Plasma Railgun, followed my Slug then ion.

 

Well, you didnt say which ship

 

Oh, you're one of those

[Zakttayr]

We're in your forums sniping your theads.

I love my aoe ion cannon. Popping turrets just to destroy the shields on the four guys hiding behind the satellite is great. I also get a kick out of hitting bypass and one shotting scouts with the slug thrower.

 

"Look at me, look at me! I'm so fast and tiny, pew pew! Look at *BANG* ****, I'm dead!"

 

 

Oh, you're one of those

[Zoom_VI]

We're in your forums sniping your theads.

I love my aoe ion cannon. Popping turrets just to destroy the shields on the four guys hiding behind the satellite is great. I also get a kick out of hitting bypass and one shotting scouts with the slug thrower.

 

"Look at me, look at me! I'm so fast and tiny, pew pew! Look at *BANG* ****, I'm dead!"

 

You are everything that's wrong with gunships.

[Luneward]

And the rest of us take notes so we can be everything that is wrong with gunships.

 

Though admittedly I love messing with opponents. They usually learn very quickly to kill me when I appear on the battlefield. Then I come back and throw them through a loop by sticking a few cluster missiles up their tailpipe. Many of them are obviously confused how a gunship pilot just put missile locks on them. They try to chase me for a little while until they realize I switched ships. I make excellent bait.

 

While clusters are my favorite missile because I suck at maintaining locks, I've been using rocket pods more often. I'm a crappy shot with them, but they're superb turret killers because of their armor piercing.

[Resipsal]

I still don't really know how to use them properly since they don't have the same flight time as a blaster, therefore I can only hit an enemy while he's flying straight into me.

 

I don't think it's so much the travel time, as the way they are designed. At 3,000+ meters they start with a low 80% accuracy, and then -5% per degree that you fire them off center. That's a tracking penalty more than double as bad as any blaster you've ever fired.

 

It's seems like rocket pods are designed to only hit enemies you have lined up almost directly in front of your ship.

[Slivovidze]

I only use rocket pods, they potentially double my DPS when killing gunships or other ships that are lined up nicely.

 

I don't really get that noise around clusters, even my NovaDive's quick charge shield can tank two volleys without hull getting hurt, but they look nice, I must say.

 

Other missiles have so massive lock on times that I don't remember getting hit by them.

 

Recently though, I got too confortable and let someone hit me with a sabotage probe couple of times, that was a sneaky ugly thing! (that got me self-destructed, needless to say)

[Itkovian]

On a side note... I hope we get cap ship killing game modes. If the cap ship had massive shields it would make proton torpedo bombing runs critical as they bypass shields fully. Do want!

 

Amen to that!

 

Not only would that give bombers an actual, you know, target to bomb, but Strike fighters could also participate! Then the true multi-role potential of the Strikes could be exploited.

[Dustotepp]

I am primarily a blaster fighter, but I love rocket pods. If anyone is curious, one of the master level abilities gives them a DoT that ticks for 15-20 damage every second for 5 seconds.

[Delta_V]

I only use rocket pods, they potentially double my DPS when killing gunships or other ships that are lined up nicely.

 

I don't really get that noise around clusters, even my NovaDive's quick charge shield can tank two volleys without hull getting hurt, but they look nice, I must say.

 

Other missiles have so massive lock on times that I don't remember getting hit by them.

 

Recently though, I got too confortable and let someone hit me with a sabotage probe couple of times, that was a sneaky ugly thing! (that got me self-destructed, needless to say)

 

That right there is why people use Clusters - the other missiles have such long lock-on times that they are only useful against noobs or enemies who are preoccupied with another target. Clusters might not hit particularly hard, but a little damage is better than zero damage. Also, they're not meant to be used on their own; they're meant to compliment your blasters. Once you get the enemy's shields down w/ blaster fire, a quick Cluster Missile can take a nice chunk out of their hull.

[Yorumi]

That right there is why people use Clusters - the other missiles have such long lock-on times that they are only useful against noobs or enemies who are preoccupied with another target. Clusters might not hit particularly hard, but a little damage is better than zero damage. Also, they're not meant to be used on their own; they're meant to compliment your blasters. Once you get the enemy's shields down w/ blaster fire, a quick Cluster Missile can take a nice chunk out of their hull.

 

Well if you use them right you can get them off during cooldowns. You're also not necessarily the only one firing missiles at a target, and at best any ship only has 2 missile lock evades.

[Coldcrush]

I personally like Sabotage Probes, although they have a long lock on time compared to their small targeting range and very often people just dodge my locking.

 

Proton torpedoes on the other hand are absolutely amazing.

Yes, they do take a lot of time to lock on, but when they do... it's fun watching it fly.

 

The secondary I hate the most? Rocket Pods (or whatever). I still don't really know how to use them properly since they don't have the same flight time as a blaster, therefore I can only hit an enemy while he's flying straight into me.

They are useful against turrets though.

 

IF anybody has any tips on the Rocket Pods, please give them here.

 

 

I use rocket pods exclusively and refuse to use anything else. As you stated they work great for turrets and people flying directly towards/away from you, but anyone flying in a relatively straight line in any direction for any amount of time will catch a face full or rockets in short order. I find them beyond effective for overconfident gunships who think a scout barreling directly towards them isn't a threat. Evasion plus Rocket Pod/Blaster spam will drop them before they even realize they're in trouble.

[renegadeimp]

Oh, you're one of those

 

Just feeding the debate. I run a fully mastered gunship. However im all for the nerf of ion cannon. No weapon should be able to shut down engines, stop energy regen AND do damage to shields and hull with one little click. It should be like missiles. You need a FULL charge and lockon time to do all that. A small burst should just take away shields, or stop engines. It shouldnt do all of the above.

[Soul_of_Flames]

This is a hard question because I pair all my ships with different weapons that I think complement each other based on the role I wish to perform with each ship.

 

For example, my flashfire uses rocket pods because of the quick lockon. But I also like them because lockons make people panic and they start wasting engine power trying to evade you.

 

My star guard, on the other hand, I like concussion missiles though. I have a 1-2 punch combo with ion cannon and quad cannon primaries but when I can get a lock with a concussion missile after an ion cannon volley, it's a pretty much done-deal for the target.

 

On my Nova, I focused more on speed and maneuverability. So it's blasters aren't very strong. This is why I use thermite missiles due to the armor debuff they put on the target.

[TheHastyTadpole]

as a Scout, I love the cluster missiles fully upgraded with the 2-fer and ammo capacity increase for dogfights and "everyday use"

 

If I die and there is a red satellite with 3 turrets, Ill pull out the Nova with its deadfire missiles. I can take out all 3 turrets in 1 swoop around the satellite with those missiles and Rapid-Fire Lasers.

[Lytewraith]

well I run a mastered pike most the time and the heavy lasers with protons missles and ion missle secondary's once in awile ill throw on concousion's

[Cashal]

Best Secondary Weapon - Depends on the role you want to be for that match.

 

If you are going to be Sat humping - Cluster missiles are a great tool. They offer harassment to players who panic when they hear that missile lock sound. And the 1.3 second lock on is about the best you'll be able to muster while chasing a sat humper.

 

(This also applies to any close ranged fight where you want to add a little extra damage, but won't have the time to get a full 3 second lock on a "Dodgy" target)

[Grayseven]

Rocket Pods on a scout are good for two things...stationary GS's and satellite turrets. They are still useful in dogfights against strikes and other scouts but only in certain circumstances because of their accuracy penalties.

 

In my strike, I still use concussion missiles. Yes, the lock on time is long but quite often they are useful if for no other purpose than to make people burn their evasion. I like using them on players in close confines because it forces them to react and can often spook a pilot into slamming into something even without their evasion boost. If I see a GS shooting I can often force them to move just by starting the lock on process, often moving them closer to the action and taking away their range advantage. If they don't move, blam...they get a missile. And I especially like locking on to an enemy I've seen burn their evasion and sending my concussion missile in along with my wing mates missiles.

 

I've considered putting sabotage probes on my flash but the benefits do not seem to outweigh the negatives of the system and I think I'll keep the clusters.

 

I'd like to ask though, what about non GS's with multiple laser options? I only use my longer range guns on my strike when turret killing or closing on a GS but are there other options people use for other circumstances?