3 things that define your "style"

[Nemarus]

Obviously in a game like GSF, eventually everyone migrates toward the "known good" builds and strategies, especially for highly competitive, serious matches.

 

But I'm curious if any aces feel they have a particular nuance to their flying/ship-building/etc. that makes them somewhat distinct from other aces. I doubt anyone is truly "unique", but certainly I suspect there are some rarer choices--even if they are used in more casual matches.

 

Try and limit yourself to 3.

[Nemarus]

For my part, I believe these 3 stylistic choices distinguish me from the plurality of pilots:

 

1) I don't usually use Distortion Field. In TDM, I am usually in a Blackbolt with Shield-to-Engine Converter. In Domination, I am usually in a Sting with Directional Shield. Or if I'm in a Gunship, I often use Feedback Shield. I do this even in competitive matches, and I still have a lot of success.

 

2) I always use Range Capacitor, and I tend to shoot people at the edge of my range. For TDM, I have a Blackbolt with MLC's and Pods, and I tend to shoot at people 5500-5750m. I find that, despite the penalty to Accuracy and Damage, I am able to deal out more consistent damage because it is easier to track my targets. This holds true for HLC and Quads as well. I don't do this so much with BLC's or LLC's if I'm using them, of course (though I still always use Range Capacitor).

 

3) I always use Power Dive if available, and I very rarely self-destruct because of it. This is really a consequence of my #1 item. Without Distortion Field, I need Power Dive in order to have a frequent missile break. I also use Power Dive to travel around maps, close distance with enemies, and--most important for my #2 item--open up distance between myself and my target so I can shoot them at mid-long range.

 

I'm sure I'm not unique in any of the above three choices. But I also think there are a lot of people who make different or opposite choices. For my part, I like that I am able to be competitive in serious matches (and records threads) while not using the most common, typical "flavor of the decade" builds. Even if it subtly limits my maximum theoretical effectiveness (which I'm not sure it does), the fun of flying "my way" outweighs any lost potential.

[Crazy-Wolf]

Tunnelvisioned suicidal gunshiphunter

[Altheran]

1) Has 3 Strikes in his hangar

 

2) Serious in Strikes, goofing in other ships. Not the other way around.

 

3) Uses regenerative shields on all of the Strikes. No Large Reactor.

Edited November 2, 2015 by Altheran

[Ryuku-sama]

1) At least one trollling ship thee shall have in thy hangar.

2) At least one Power Death every match thee shall endure.

3) The more people on thy tail the better.

[Caernos]

1.) No Railguns. I'm a terrible shot with them. I could try and shoot an asteroid 500M away and still miss. If it was just a point and click with a super long CD I think I'd be fine, but the whole charge up while trying to keep a target in my crosshairs is a bit more challenging. Or give me a laser beam that I can just hold down the trigger and trace damage over people, that would work better in my own opinion too.

 

2.) No scouts. I took all of the scouts off my bar because I began to feel like I was depending on them and judging my flying in other ships by comparing it to scout performance. Anytime I thought the coming battle might be challenging in some way or another, out came my scouts. I didn't like that so I pulled them from my lineup. Now I fly the three strikes, missile Jurg and Dodger bomber. I'm a lot happier with my flying.

 

3.) Protorps are pretty? Don't know if it really defines my flying style but protorps sure are pretty when they hit. They're a pain to get a lock and super challenging to score a hit with so many missile breaks in play but I can't deny the satisfaction I feel when I successfully land a hit from one.

[FlavivsAetivs]

1. T3 Strike is an offensive ship.

 

2. Hunt your enemy like a cheetah.

 

3. Assists are not kills. Tear your enemy apart.

 

~ Eudoxia

Edited November 2, 2015 by FlavivsAetivs

[nyghtrunner]

Interesting... Well, I guess this would be my 3, if I were to pick them myself.

 

1) My preferred T2 scout build is probably a bit different than most. I usually go for more of an endurance runner, with Booster Recharge over TT, and run Wingman as my only offensive. That allows me to use double turning, and not lose too much mobility by using Retros. In seriously Ion heavy environments, I will sometimes forego the turning, and use Booster Recharge, Regen Thrusters, and greater pool off of Retros. I like TT, but I can't stand being out of boosters, and just sort of figure, "It doesn't matter how accurate my shots are if I can't get into range to take them."

 

2) I've always been a bit of a bulldog. I have learned to embrace my inner ADD a bit, but I have been known to chase my targets to the end of the earth and only let go when one of us is space dust (for an encounter. I don't tunnel single people for an entire match, most times). Far more likely to do that in a more serious match, though, against people who know what they are doing. Honestly, there's almost nothing more satisfying than chasing someone through their team, letting defenders chase me while I go after my quarry, and finally bagging the kill then turning around to take on the 3 people who were chasing me. It's even more satisfying if I can take 1-2 of them out before seeking my exit, and actually getting away. I just love the high speed chase, especially through an obstacle course. "Follow me through THAT!"

 

3) Undisputed king of the Retrocide. I'm perfectly happy taking chances if I think it might give me an advantage, so I'll use Retros pretty much anywhere. "I guess I'll find out if there's enough room behind me!" Seriously, though, I can't fly a T2 Scout without Retros. I'm fine with PD on the T1, the T3, the T3 Strike, or the T3 GS, and I'm fine with BR on any other ship (maybe not the T1 Strike... but I don't fly that one much anymore), but my hands just react purely on instinct with Retros on the T2 anymore, and I will find myself BRing right into cliffs, or PDie-ing into satellites or whatever if I try it on the T2. And I have to admit, it's kind of thrilling to get those perfect Retros in places that you shouldn't Retro.

Edited November 2, 2015 by nyghtrunner

[Drakkolich]

1: I play for those seven bright letters at the end of a match that say Victory.

 

2: I embody the meta, I bring what I think is the best ship in the current game situation to win the game. (Barring really one sided matches where victory is assured then I play whatever)

 

3: Teamplay and Coordination is what makes the game fun for me. There is nothing like focusing down a high value threat with a wingman at your side, or peeling a target off a friend so he can keep firing at others, or tanking a satellite while your teammates are able to fire at the enemy defenders from odd angles so you can capture it.

[MaximilianPower]

I'll just list two:

 

1) I have no fear of death. In domination games specifically. As an example, I will take suicide runs at enemy beacons, knowing full well that a battlescout has me in his sights...if I can just get off one fully charged slug, I'm likely to take that beacon out, and then I'll respawn ready to get back into the action. Don't get me wrong - I don't LIKE to die - but I have zero qualms about it as long as the death is worthwhile. Similarly, in TDMs, if I can grab a DO I usually do die because I'm often out of position - but as long as I 1) keep the DO out of enemy hands, and 2) take at least 3 guys with me, I feel like it's worthwhile. This, incidentally, is probably why my KDR is garbage.

 

2) MOAR ION. I think I use ion more than most, and yes, perhaps I use it a little too much. But (again in doms) I feel like this is my best option to wreak havoc...clearing bomber poop, weakening enemies so my teammates have an easier time finishing them off.

[ShallowHal]

1) I tend to use multiple ships in the same match a lot. For example, at the start of a Domination match, I'm almost always in my tensor scout trying to cap satellites ASAP. Unfortunately, I'm a terrible offensive scout, so this usually means I usually end up dead soon. Then I usally transition to whatever bomber seems to be less in use - if there's a bunch of hyperspace beacons out there, then I'm in my healing bomber, if there aren't, I look to see which satellites we're assaulting and try to get a hyperspace beacon between the two or near the one with the most action.

 

2) I fly gunships sometimes, but I'm really not good at them at all.

 

3) I don't play for kills at all. Even with my gunships, I tend to spend most of my time trying to debuff other ships with ion railgun, so I tend to get more assists than kills. But in a Domination match, I'm usually the guy guarding the satellite with no action because that's not a job people generally want to do and it's a pretty crucial job if you care more about winning than stats.

 

Generally speaking, I'm more of a support guy than a killer and tend to gravitate towards those type of ships. I aim like a Stormtrooper.

[Bolo_Yeung]

1. EMP missile fanboy - got it equipped on any ship that can have it

2. Doogfight addict - even on GS. With mixed results - some kill-greedy scouts met a nasty surprise... some saved engine energy needed for chasing )

3. Have double missile GS in my hangar as one of main ships

[Ramalina]

1) Unofficial objectives. I tend to set weird priorities and fly with a focus on them. As examples: get Ion-Retro-Concussion kills on gunships, or get kills with Rocket Pods in turning dogfights, or kill all drones on B fast enough that none of the new players on my team get hit by any drone damage when within 15 km of B. "Screw victory, those railgun drones will not touch my noobs!" This does occasionally result in games where at the end I ask myself, "Wait, why did I think spending the whole match doing that was a good idea?"

 

 

2) Irrational love of flying strike fighters.

 

3) Overuse of Ion guns. I get kills with Ion Cannon and Ion Railgun, and it's not always just because I'm fooling around. My highest kill count on a GS was from a game where I forgot to check for missing components and was forced to use Slug only. It's a bit less pronounced on a strike, but I do consider Ion Cannons to be, "almost as good as BLCs except in those niche cases where they're better than BLCs."

 

 

All are probably an outgrowth of very support oriented tendencies when I play MMOs. Normally I heal, sometimes I tank, and I go pure DPS only for special occasions that involve desperately needed changes in group composition.

[NeverEvar]

In all ships i hear trumpet, which makes me an extremely offensive player

 

1) I tend to go into "charge!" modes, which ends up with me over stretching myself, asking myself...hmmm i had a team....ow...they are 20 klicks behind me....

 

2) In love being a good bait, especially on messas TDM(powerdive, disto for life!)

 

#) Not a bad of a bomber, but i really dislike that playstyle

[Archonitek]

1) Flank, Flank, Flank. you can't get hit if guns aren't pointed at you.

 

2) Same as Nemarus, i rarely use Distortion Field, mainly because he taught me the s2e converter and its the ship i usually whip out in tough matches.

 

3) Someone wants to joust me...

The other side of the map looks pretty interesting right now...

What's that? You've decided to fight someone else?

I guess I can come back and shoot your butt

Edited November 3, 2015 by Archonitek

[Lavaar]

1) Directional shields. If it is an option, I will use it. The switching of the arcs has become as central to my playstyle as pressing the F keys.

 

2) I don't like BLC's, and that's okay.

 

3) I love to joust.

[Zennan]

1. I frequently solo-queue. As a result, sometimes I end up being very sad xD

2. I like to play for the team -- does my gunship teammate need a defensive screen? Do I need to distract the opponents with an evasion scout? I don't mind dying if it means gaining an advantage for the team.

3. I am a chess player so I value B sats a lot in domination matches (Control the center, right?). I think it's easier to maneuver your offense and defense around the B sat.

[SeCKSEgai]

1. BLC

2. DF

3. Retro

 

Not exactly what I would use to break down my style, but those 3 components tend to dictate how I need to fly.

 

BLC = close range

DF = reliance on rng to mitigate damage

Retro = the use of retro offensively and defensively