Rookie Scout Questions

[Bluflash]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to? 4000-crew skill, 7500-dampeners= 11500 right? And a fresh strike fighter has a sensor range of 15000, so I should be able to close to 3500 before he can target me?

 

Hypo: I'm one on one against a strike fighter, with no one else around to provide him targeting support. I have his sensor range down to 3500, and I drop an improved beacon that further lowers his sensors by 5k (I think?). Can he target me at all?

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

 

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

 

Thank you!

[Wainamoinen]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to? 4000-crew skill, 7500-dampeners= 11500 right? And a fresh strike fighter has a sensor range of 15000, so I should be able to close to 3500 before he can target me?

 

I’d say sensor dampening isn’t so much use for you compared to better sensors, but you’re welcome to give it a go. Might be fun to lurk around.

 

Between PTS and Live servers BW coded a hard minimum 15k range your sensor dampening can take their range down to (15k being railgun max range, so people couldn’t be zapped by undetectable gunships).

 

Hypo: I'm one on one against a strike fighter, with no one else around to provide him targeting support. I have his sensor range down to 3500, and I drop an improved beacon that further lowers his sensors by 5k (I think?). Can he target me at all?

 

See above: yes he can.

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

You have improved sensor detection in a cone in front of your ship – this is sensor focus. If you have sensor focus buffs, it will extend this cone.

 

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

 

Assuming you get your shot on their hitbox: Accuracy – evasion = chance to hit

 

Note many things (including tracking accuracy) affect accuracy and evasion from both shooter and target ends.

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

 

Thank you!

 

Yes; No; Yes.

 

You’re welcome. And Novadive is my favourite ship.

[Coldcrush]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to? 4000-crew skill, 7500-dampeners= 11500 right? And a fresh strike fighter has a sensor range of 15000, so I should be able to close to 3500 before he can target me?

 

Hypo: I'm one on one against a strike fighter, with no one else around to provide him targeting support. I have his sensor range down to 3500, and I drop an improved beacon that further lowers his sensors by 5k (I think?). Can he target me at all?

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

 

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

 

Thank you!

 

2. It is a cone shaped sensor range that exists in the direction your ship is facing

 

4. Yes it counts for rail guns. No it does not count for missles. I do not believe it counts for rocket pods either, but I am not sure on that one.

[Bluflash]

Good to know about the 15K minimum. That changes my layout quite a bit. I guess it's time to become AWACS (SWACS?) for the team instead of psuedo-iniltrator.

 

Also thanks for the formula on evasion. I was under the impression it was just a flat x% miss chance.

 

Talk about confirmation bias, I upgraded dampening sensors and felt like I was being targeted a lot less. My buddy switched from quick-charge to evasion shields and felt like he got significantly more survivability.

[HoloGrinder]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to? 4000-crew skill, 7500-dampeners= 11500 right? And a fresh strike fighter has a sensor range of 15000, so I should be able to close to 3500 before he can target me?

 

Hypo: I'm one on one against a strike fighter, with no one else around to provide him targeting support. I have his sensor range down to 3500, and I drop an improved beacon that further lowers his sensors by 5k (I think?). Can he target me at all?

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

 

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

 

Thank you!

 

I like improved senors. As a scout against a SF you should try and be within damping range always. you out maneuver him so take advantage of it and get good at fighting in close. On evasion you can max it out and pop the cool down and come to a stop against his charge and burn him down before he can land a hit on you. Crew is a big part of what you do so it is good that you are looking at what they offer. Remember, SF's don't necessarily out gun you so don't fear a dog fight with one you will likely come out on top.

[Bluflash]

So pulling this data from Dulfy means that in a Nova/Bolt it is worthless to go over 10,000 dampening (barring abilitiy uses) as that is enough to bring every ship, even with maxed sensor range down to the cap of 15k? That makes the last upgrade essentially useless (+1,500 dampening=11500 total). The only ability that messes with dampening is the sensor beacon, and that knocks you back by 5k.

 

Max Sensor range:

Blackbolt/NovaDive max sensor detection range: 17500m ship default + 2000m range sensors + 3000m fully upgraded range sensors + 2500m companion passive = 25000m

Sting/Flashfire max sensor detection range: 17500m ship default + 2500m companion passive = 20000m

Rycer/Star Guard max sensor detection range: 15000 ship default + 2500m companion passive = 17500m

Quell/Pike max sensor detection range: 15000m ship default + 2500m companion passive = 17500m

Gunship max sensor detection range: 15000m ship default + + 2000m range sensors + 3000m fully upgraded range sensors + 2500m companion passive = 22500m

[Luneward]

 

4. Yes it counts for rail guns. No it does not count for missles. I do not believe it counts for rocket pods either, but I am not sure on that one.

 

I'm pretty sure evasion does work against rocket pods. They really aren't any different from blasters, mechanically speaking. I use a burst laser/rocket pod combo for gunship hunting, and ones that pop distortion field rarely take any hits. It would be nice if they would ignore evasion due to their projectile nature since they already have a hideous tracking penalty and their damage nerfed. Might be a little overpowered though, given you can shoot off both lasers and rockets rapidly.

 

Edit: And yes, there isn't much reason to take that much dampening as a scout. Just having the crewmember with the passive will probably be enough. If I'm specced for gunship hunting I prefer sensors, but normally go for communication sensors. As a gunship it is always a good idea to use dampening sensors since not many people have powerful sensor focus, but scout mobility generally means it doesn't matter if someone sees you from that far off.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Luneward

[Slivovidze]

So pulling this data from Dulfy means that in a Nova/Bolt it is worthless to go over 10,000 dampening (barring abilitiy uses) as that is enough to bring every ship, even with maxed sensor range down to the cap of 15k? That makes the last upgrade essentially useless (+1,500 dampening=11500 total). The only ability that messes with dampening is the sensor beacon, and that knocks you back by 5k.

 

Since you can see everything in 15k and everything in 15k can see you, no matter how hight dampening you have, dampening is imo not that good stat for a scout. Could be useful-ish if there was the gunship hunting for you and there wouldn't be any enemies around you. Then you could dampen yourself that the gunship would have to get into 15k range to see you. That range is however huge, and in practice there will be enemies around in 99% of time.

Sensor radius can help scouts more in lots of ways. See turrets disappearing from unguarded beacon? Get semi-close and you see what enemy firepower is attacking it. Plus, since you naturally have somehow high comm radius, you also transfer this information to allies in pretty wide proximity.

 

For gunships though, it's mostly the other way around. Since they don't go into the fray too much, but tend to stand at the edges of map, they might want to have dampening because they want to be visible only to the people they themselves can see (and shoot). Gunship with good dampening sniping A beacon from a good position can not be seen by people at B. Gunships also don't need sensor radius that much because they can rely on their allies' comm information.

 

TL;DR: Scouts want to prefer sensor radius over dampening. Gunships want to prefer dampening over radius. The unseen interceptor you'd wish to make is not there, yet. Something stealthy is coming in July though.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Slivovidze

[Vid-szhite]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to? 4000-crew skill, 7500-dampeners= 11500 right? And a fresh strike fighter has a sensor range of 15000, so I should be able to close to 3500 before he can target me?

 

Hypo: I'm one on one against a strike fighter, with no one else around to provide him targeting support. I have his sensor range down to 3500, and I drop an improved beacon that further lowers his sensors by 5k (I think?). Can he target me at all?

 

Correct. However, if he has any allies nearby that have good sensors, such as a scout, they'll both spot you. Dampening on a scout is for escaping once you're being chased, not being un-targetable. In addition, if a ship is looking directly at you, they have something called "sensor focus range", which is a fair bit longer than ordinary sensors, especially with co-pilots. He can still target you if looking at you.

 

Hypo: I believe there's a cap on how high you can get your dampening.

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

 

The range boost you get to sensors for looking directly at someone.

 

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

 

Yes.

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

 

Railguns yes (not drone railguns though), Missiles no (because they have a lock on you), Rockets yes (because they don't), Mines no (because you can't dodge an explosion/they have a lock on you).

Edited February 14, 2014 by Vid-szhite

[Suzina]

I am trying to spec out a scout ship (Nova) and I had a few questions:

 

1. On sensor dampening: What is the minimum I can get an opponents sensor range to?

No ship can be dampened such that you can't tab-target it within 15k meters. That's the minimum detection, regardless of dampening.

 

 

2. What is sensor focus range? (On some of the crew passives)

Sensor focus range is a cone of detection tacked onto the front of your sensor radius (which is a 360 sphere). So if you have 15k radius + 10k Focus, you can see 15k in every direction, 25k in front of you. A scout with dampening of 5k flying into you will effectively negate your sensor focus, bringing detection range down to 20k. If the scout came from behind, below, or above your sensor focus, you'd detect them at 15k.

3. How is evasion implemented? (Only calculated after a successfully aimed shot?)

Nobody is quite sure!! I am not aware of ANY tests or good math dissections on the calculation. However, there is PLENTY of speculation. Does it have more of an effect while you are moving? At greater distances? Does it have diminishing returns?. How effective is 6% accuracy mathematically against 60% evasion if there ARE diminishing returns? Some fly-text from Bioware indicating Evade'd shots would be handy, as currently the shots pass right through the ship model with no indication it was due to evasion.

 

4. Does evasion count for rail guns? Missiles? Rockets?

Yes, Evasion counts for Rail Guns that are directly targeted at the ship. Such as a slug railgun or Plasma railgun. An Ion AOE railgun will have evasion calculated if you're the one being shot at, but not if you're being AOE'd. That hits 100% of the time. So shooting a nearby turret to AOE an evasion-build scout is still possible with railguns. Evasion does not seem to 'evade' damage there that I can tell.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Suzina