They technically have slightly more DPS than Multi-Cannons and slightly higher armor piercing value, but one miss throws that all out the window because of the slow rate of fire. Oh yeah, and it’s easier to miss because they have a lower shot speed, so your DPS will definitely be lower. Then there’s the fact that the shot speed is all over the board. Every different mount has a different shot speed, and every different class has a different shot speed, so you really can’t mix and match. Let’s say none of that bothers you and you have the perfect balance of skill and luck so you literally land every shot and you get that edge from slightly higher DPS... now you are out of ammo TWICE as fast as if you had multi-cannons. Seriously, I want to use cannons so bad, but there are so many reasons not to. Multi-Cannons are just better.
Cannons could certainly use a buff
- Thread starter Metal Angel
- Start date
Cannon have been buffed multiple times already. While they aren't great primary damage dealers, cannon have useful specials that multi-cannon do not, and specials that other weapons duplicate less well.
It's also not hard to synchronize cannon velocity by carefully selecting which mods you use, what levels you take those mods to, and what you pair them with. A medium force-shell cannon has the same projectile velocity as a PA and very similar velocity to a huge non-force shell cannon, for example. You can also use auto-tracking mounts on some of them if the projectile velocity is too out of sync with the rest of one's weapons.
It's also not hard to synchronize cannon velocity by carefully selecting which mods you use, what levels you take those mods to, and what you pair them with. A medium force-shell cannon has the same projectile velocity as a PA and very similar velocity to a huge non-force shell cannon, for example. You can also use auto-tracking mounts on some of them if the projectile velocity is too out of sync with the rest of one's weapons.
I have Corvette as yet not in service. I want two huge cannon, what do you recommend for engineering?
(And the other hardpoints)
I've had real success with cannon as weapons of opportunity. Generally, I will use at least one of my largest hard points for a cannon. Then fill the rest of my slots out with 'endurance' weapons. Most commonly Pulse Lasers. Use the lasers (they have no ammo restrictions) to down small targets and strip shields. Once my targets shields are down, I start dropping cannon rounds, to speed the explosion process up.
I use the Long Range mod, with Autoloader experimental effect. Those mods, combined with keeping my ship within close range of my target, serves well for long duration sortes into RES/CZ, and doesn't gimp me during Assassination missions.
I use the Long Range mod, with Autoloader experimental effect. Those mods, combined with keeping my ship within close range of my target, serves well for long duration sortes into RES/CZ, and doesn't gimp me during Assassination missions.
Who or what do you expect to be fighting?
It's absolutely foolish to balance weapons around their specials. They should be balanced against other weapons first, otherwise you get blunders like torps, which are nothing without their special.
While it's not the way I'd have done things, the fact of the matter is that's how the game we currently have works. Specials exist, are readily available, and cannot be ignored when talking about how weapons stack up in comparison to each other.
Honestly, huge cannon are pretty niche tools. The most compelling reasons to use them rather than PAs would be their low heat, low distributor draw, and ability to take a gimbaled variant (which can be useful for achieving convergence with other weapons, or against modules at close range, even if you are highly confident of your ability to aim fixed cannon).
Fixed huge cannon are essentially PAs that do kinetic damage rather than a mix of absolute, thermic, and kinetic. Effective DPS will be significantly lower against most shields and against anything with good hull resists. However, you can overcharge them and still be lower WEP and heat than efficient PA, which will make up much of the difference.
Rgarding specials, if you can deal with the low projectile velocity, while still landing shots, force shell huge cannon have a major effect on small and medium vessels, with even larger ones being adversely affected; autoloader is a nice option as it dramatically reduces the frequency of loading pauses; and dispersal field is handy against foes with auto tracking weapons. I'd probably avoid most of the other effects, without a specific need/plan for them.
It's hard to make broad/general recommendations, but to start out with, I'd suggest the fixed huge, OC5, autoloaders, combining them with some gimbaleded mediums that do solid thermic damage (incendiary MCs or beam lasers), utility smalls (a high cap corrosive MC turret + LR feedback rail), and probably a large long range thermal vent beam for damaging vessels that are out of effective range of the rest of your weapons.
This is exactly what I mean. If I’m going to mix different classes of cannons, I basically have to apply certain mods and xfx to get them balanced. Multicannons need none of this nonsense.
All we need is a new special effect.
Magnetic Cannon: As long as you aim in the right direction it will never miss
Except for the Anaconda, because some people say the hull is made out of magic fairy dust.
Magnetic Cannon: As long as you aim in the right direction it will never miss
Except for the Anaconda, because some people say the hull is made out of magic fairy dust.
Cannons are not bad... you can synchronize the projectile speeds of different classes by applying apropriate grades of long range mods. Also, their splash damage makes them especially useful against hull tank builds.
Tbh the biggest problem with cannons is that they are almost useless against NPCs, because of their superhuman ability to predict and dodge your shots in the very moment you pull the trigger. This becomes especially obvious when using gimballed cannons.
Tbh the biggest problem with cannons is that they are almost useless against NPCs, because of their superhuman ability to predict and dodge your shots in the very moment you pull the trigger. This becomes especially obvious when using gimballed cannons.
All cannons have ever needed is higher velocity.
Instead we got a lot of changes to them that continually miss the point...and we got Engineers, which offered velocity increases across the board and did nothing about the specific core flaw as pertains to cannons.
It's frustrating, to be certain; such a seemingly simple thing and yet it's just...never been successfully tended to.
Instead we got a lot of changes to them that continually miss the point...and we got Engineers, which offered velocity increases across the board and did nothing about the specific core flaw as pertains to cannons.
It's frustrating, to be certain; such a seemingly simple thing and yet it's just...never been successfully tended to.
Accurate. All the more reason I'm frustrated by how this situation has been not just unresolved but made worse, and I was foolish enough to believe there was a chance of that changing this year.
IMO cannons are fine, I use them regulary in PvP and sometimes PvE as well. Long Range mods are excellents combined with multicannons (OC) and still do good amounts of damage, especially when it comes to burst damage vs small targets.
However, I agree that they are a little limited due to their utterly low ammo pool. Top that up to around 200-250 and we'll be fine. Every tried a shock cannon? You run out of ammo before you can pierce prismatic shields ... with two large and fixed versions of them.
However, I agree that they are a little limited due to their utterly low ammo pool. Top that up to around 200-250 and we'll be fine. Every tried a shock cannon? You run out of ammo before you can pierce prismatic shields ... with two large and fixed versions of them.
^^^This.We just need more ammo.