FDL - PVE 3rd time lucky?

[GunnerBill]

I've had a love hate relationship with the FDL, frankly I'd love to still run a FAS but since 2.1 I've found I need the at least 3 large hard points for lasers to take down the shields on the bigger bounty targets.

Which means I'm running an Anaconda with some Grade 3 mods: https://coriolis.io/outfit/anaconda...o==.CwBjYRhAmW9iinMcNBmcQ===?bn=RT War Conda

And this is fine, from a PVE point of view it's a good fight, enough rotation to get firing windows on the Vipers and Eagles and plenty of firepower to take down most targets including wings (maybe not 2 Clippers and a Gunship) but hey!

Anyway it's a full on experience, lots of boosting/FAOFF etc but for some reason not terribly satisfying.

I do like a manoeuvrable ship.

So:

Vulture- not enough C3 hardpoints.
FAS - not enough C3 hardpoints.
FGS - Not agile enough
FDS - Not agile enough
FGS - poor agility but plenty of hardpoints (multicannon build)
Python - not enough utility slots for good shield tanking build.

FDL... So I was thinking of something like this as a base (pre-Engineer): https://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_l....AwRj4yrI.Aw4RlAmbrMGY5IsIA===?bn=2.1 PVE FDL

Thoughts, because I am a bit stumped!???

P.S, so yes I've already had 2 FDL's and got rid of both of them because they never seemed quite right.

 

[goemon]

" I need the at least 3 large hard points for lasers to take down the shields"

no damage penalty against shields ... which means: 3 large = 4,5 medium = 9 small.

 

[GJ51]

My Python has 1500mj shields. Plenty strong so far...

4 Burst lasers and a huge mc works very nicely on an fdl.

Anything you fly now pretty much isn't going to feel right unless you do some modding

 

[GunnerBill]

My Python has 1500mj shields. Plenty strong so far...

4 Burst lasers and a huge mc works very nicely on an fdl.

Anything you fly now pretty much isn't going to feel right unless you do some modding

I' gonna try that FDL with bursts

1500 MJ's?

How so, must be modded right?

 

[digitalscream]

What the...?

Seriously, even a vanilla pulse + beam Vulture with bi-weaves and a couple of shield boosters is more than a match for any NPC out there. Use fixed weapons for extra kick, and head off to an Engineer to make the ship totally badass.

If you can't take out an NPC with C3 beam and C3 pulse, I'm sorry to say that you need to work on your scrapping skills. My sorta-fished-out Vulture hasn't encountered a single NPC (Corvette, Anaconda, Cutter or FAS) at Elite level that I couldn't handle, and I'm definitely not the greatest of pilots.

Here's a handy hint - when you're fighting a big-ish ship at close range in a Vulture and you've got their shields low enough that they fire SCBs, just flick 4 pips into SYS and boost straight at them. Shields down, no muss, no fuss.

 

[GJ51]

I' gonna try that FDL with bursts

1500 MJ's?

How so, must be modded right?

For sure. A fully G5 modded Python is the current must have ship in this environ.

Mine boosts to 415 and has upgrade power plant and distributor as well. Works fine in a CZ or any PvE setting.

The perfect mission runner as well getting over 20LY max jump range, about 18 fully laden with up to 120 cargo.

I also have a trader weaponless build that's faster and has way better jump range.

It just works so we getting the whole Engineers thing done, I can't imagine being without at least one.

FDL - you might have to do an G1 power plant upgrade, not sure, but bursts bring down shields pretty fast and then add the mc to kill the hull. I haven't flow mine for a while, but if the 4 bursts plus mc drain the cap too fast, just makr a second fire group with mc + the center bursts. Should be fine with good pip mgmt.

 

[Mohrgan]

My FAS is getting the job done. I had to dump the MC's. They have good constant damage, but some well timed burst damage can make a difference. I don't know what load out you were using but, try 1x c3 Burst, and 2x c2 Pulse on the bottom, and a c3 PA. or Cannon on top. This set up has been working pretty well for me.

Maybe it's not a different ship you need but, a look at it's fit may be in order.

 

[GunnerBill]

What the...?

Seriously, even a vanilla pulse + beam Vulture with bi-weaves and a couple of shield boosters is more than a match for any NPC out there. Use fixed weapons for extra kick, and head off to an Engineer to make the ship totally badass.

If you can't take out an NPC with C3 beam and C3 pulse, I'm sorry to say that you need to work on your scrapping skills. My sorta-fished-out Vulture hasn't encountered a single NPC (Corvette, Anaconda, Cutter or FAS) at Elite level that I couldn't handle, and I'm definitely not the greatest of pilots.

Here's a handy hint - when you're fighting a big-ish ship at close range in a Vulture and you've got their shields low enough that they fire SCBs, just flick 4 pips into SYS and boost straight at them. Shields down, no muss, no fuss.

...........................

Your post - yeah I know that. But I am too old for actual sport, I am looking for something basically unfair (in my favour) whilst flattering my obviously poor skills.

Sort of like a middle aged bloke getting a Porsche.

 

[Notwyn]

I run 4x Pulse (modded efficient weapon) and a "Huge" MC (modded overcharge) on FDL which seems to do well for me. I've tried the Beam/4x MC build as well and it works OK but I prefer pulses. I'd say try both before modding.

 

[digitalscream]

Yeah whatever, sorry but whatever.

Well, that was insightful.

EDIT: In case you missed the point of what I'm saying...you seem to be treating every ship in the same way, and differentiating by hardpoint count. It's far more nuanced than that; if you try to fly a FDL the way you'd fly a FAS, you'll never get the most out of it. Similarly, if you try to fly a Vulture in the same was as a FAS or FDL, it's no wonder you can't take down NPC shields with it. You probably won't with a FDL either.

 

[sicksuntzu]

Try a full grade 5 mutli cannon build, is what i use on my conda, with corrsive and incendiary, small mc turrets 2 medium mc turrets. most small ships die before they have a chance to get behind me, big ships die real fast, took it to a haz res last night for the first time since doing it up and everything just died, only down side i could see was the ammo and having to stop to go buy some more.

 

[CMDR Cknarf]

Twin large multis and twin PAs on an FAS will change your life.

Shields? What shields?

 

[GunnerBill]

Well, that was insightful.

EDIT: In case you missed the point of what I'm saying...you seem to be treating every ship in the same way, and differentiating by hardpoint count. It's far more nuanced than that; if you try to fly a FDL the way you'd fly a FAS, you'll never get the most out of it. Similarly, if you try to fly a Vulture in the same was as a FAS or FDL, it's no wonder you can't take down NPC shields with it. You probably won't with a FDL either.

Dude there's only so much writing I can do at a time, sorry but nuances are beyond my literary skills, perhaps I should have gone to the same school of awesomeness you did, ED Grade A, Nuances Grade A.

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Twin large multis and twin PAs on an FAS will change your life.

Shields? What shields?

I've never got the hang of PA's. My skill limit is right at point and shoot. Rails were OK, obviously lasers but PA's seem to me like throwing paper aeroplanes!

 

[Mangal Oemie]

I fly a completely unmodded FdL with fixed Huge Beam and 4 x multicannons, 3 shield boosters for BH, 4 for the CZ, and 2 PDs and mil. bulkheads.

Love it. Takes a while to learn to fly, though. But absolutely merciless. Also ran a 4 x cannons load out (strictly BH), and you can disable a big ship in about 10 secs, if you start on the right angle. (strip shields, 3-4 salvos to the PP, done. The rest is just 4 pips to weapons after to make the disabled ship explode)

Absolutely no need to engineer mod anything, unless you want to make it a PvP ship. In fact, any mod will make NPCs even easier to kill, so if you want a little challenge in NPC combat, don't mod.

 

[CMDR Cknarf]

I used to avoid PAs too, until I saw the damage my buddies were doing with them. I wasn't very good with them at first, but once I got the hang of it... man.

I only use them when they're up close, trying to PA someone 2km away or something is a total hail mary. I have trouble hitting small ships with any sort of consistency, but up against a slow mover like a Python, or even a 'Conda, it's game over. It's hard to miss a 'Conda with one of those, let alone two of them lol.

My first positive PA experience was on an Imperial Eagle. Was even better on the DBS, with its excellent hardpoint placement. I killed a lot of big NPCs with that thing.

 

[GunnerBill]

I used to avoid PAs too, until I saw the damage my buddies were doing with them. I wasn't very good with them at first, but once I got the hang of it... man.

I only use them when they're up close, trying to PA someone 2km away or something is a total hail mary. I have trouble hitting small ships with any sort of consistency, but up against a slow mover like a Python, or even a 'Conda, it's game over. It's hard to miss a 'Conda with one of those, let alone two of them lol.

My first positive PA experience was on an Imperial Eagle. Was even better on the DBS, with its excellent hardpoint placement. I killed a lot of big NPCs with that thing.

I've put Focused Pulses in the C4 and C3's slots on my Annie. Hitting Eagles at 4.5 km is rather amusing. With the right rolls I am UP on DPS and being able to engage that far out as you close in is a big advantage (for any ship).