Welcome to GSF 5.5. Changes and change discussion.

[FlavivsAetivs]

One of the reasons this was very true in past iterations of the game is that there was an enormous power differential between the ship classes and the various ships within them... and new players were given two of the weakest / easiest to destroy as their beginner ships. The T1F and T1S were both really, really easy to kill stock and had very little firepower.

 

Now, the stock T1F is far better equipped to compete in match #1. The improvements to the Strike Fighter frame are significant. Concussion Missile is far easier to lock and land. Heavy Laser Cannon hits harder. Rapid Fire Lasers are good now. Quick Charge Shield is vastly improved. Pubside starts with Hydro Spanner default, which is now an excellent Crew Skill. This is how it always ought to have been, but better late than never. It's a durable, offensively capable ship. Great for learning on.

 

Perhaps I would share your view of Bombers as a 'learning ship' if I hadn't seen so many Bomber pilots ignore all tenets of piloting and just plod in a straight line to a hole or satellite and sit there, motionless, for the rest of the match. Bombers have always been a primary target for any sensible team to take out, it's just been the case for a (long) while now that players don't bother learning how to actually do that, and so prior to 5.5, Bombers could stack with ease and required little effort to earn CXP on for those disinclined to actually participate.

 

 

I solo queue a vast majority of the time. This is an issue with people not bothering to learn basic tactics, not a deficiency of the class.

 

 

I don't think it should be 'easy' to play Bomber, but it also shouldn't be impossible. It now requires a better sense of how to respond to attackers and where to reposition, how to move, etc... at least, it does in the event that the other team knows how to deal with Bombers, and I have seen plenty of matches where that is not the case despite the overflowing toolbox.

 

 

I've played a fair number of matches in the T3F since the patch, and I think it's in very good shape. Some of its builds aren't going to put up the offensive numbers the other two Strike Fighters can, but its utility skills make up for that.

 

Run it with Repair Probes, Power Dive, and Hydro Spanner and it is exceptionally tough to kill. Either Proton Torpedo or EMP Missile work really well on that build to give it teeth. RFL is a fine laser choice. That's a really solid Domination build.

 

- Despon

 

I'll have to check out Hydrospanner, I didn't realize the buff to it was as good as it apparently is.

[Alzim]

I'm not sure if you're the only person in the galaxy flying Ion missile, but it's definitely possible.

 

As far as primaries go, you have two basic choices on the Pike if your gunnery is a bit weak.

 

HLCs with range capacitor are probably the most common choice. You can hit out to about 8.5 km, they have a very high accuracy rating at long range, and a target at long range moves across your screen more slowly than a target moving at the same flight speed at a closer range does, so it's easier to center and keep the mouse over the target at longer ranges. You can also get armor piercing and shield piercing upgrades, both of which are very nice.

 

Quads have a wider arc and a lower tracking penalty, so at ranges of say 5 km or less, they'll generally have an easier time of hitting moving targets for a given level pilot skill compared to HLCs, because they're more forgiving of the target not being centered when you shoot. They have great DPS and a tiny bit of shield piercing. They use up energy pretty fast though and by being close to targets you have to expose yourself to more enemy fire so it's a bit more risky in terms of getting shot down.

 

TLDR version: HLCs if you want to shoot at long range, Quads if you shoot a lot at medium or close range. LLCs only if you've got really good aim.

 

Thank you for your insights. I'll use HLCs for now and then maybe switch one day to the other two guns and give them a try (as my aim and skill generally increases).