Cobra III Improvements

[npcole]

This is special pleading in a way, because I love flying the Cobra III — especially in this anniversary year.

But the Cobra is currently a slightly irrational choice for late game players, especially given the changes that engineering brought to the game. It no longer has the highest boost speed (as it did when ED was launched, and feels just slightly crippled compared to other ships). I’d like to propose either of the following improvements.

- activation of the two extra utility mounts that are on the model but which can’t currently be used. This would let a cobra fly with 2 shield boosters and two of the other scanners that are in the game, which would make it much more viable for a range of missions.

- (more controversial) release a class of EPT engines that could be used by the Cobra and Viper III. This would make these two classic ships much more viable in the modern era.

I don’t think these two changes would upset game balance or make the Cobra OP — but it would make it a lot of fun and much more viable as a multi-role ship given all the other changes in the game.

 

[Arry]

Cobra is King.

if you want to keep pace with other engineered ships? Then take it to an engineer.

 

[npcole]

It is engineered!

 

[rekurzion]

other than the DBS which benefits from magic after being engineered only ships that can fit performance enhancing drives (which the viper III can fit) will outperform an engineered cobra.

 

[Azmuth Divarchchron]

Op is right, Cobra used to be the fastest ship in the game, but with enginners that title now belongs to the courier and the i-eagle.
I kinda wish the cobra remained the fastest ship in the game because both the eagle and the courier are glassy

 

[Crimson Echo]

Engineering really seems to benifit big ships much more than the typical small ship. From long range rails to beams etc it is very difficult to escape in a small ship(when attacked by a engineered big ship.)

I think the solution might be to buff small ship drives again, or make then nigh impossible to track with gimbals/turrets.

Edit: the in game rational could be palin or one of the other engineers reverse engineered the thargoid scout drives. The upgrade will be automaticaaly applied the drived of all PF ships of size x or smaller. All current efforts to scale thes new upgrades up for larger ships had failed. Or imply it get unstable is unsafe to scale up.

 

[metatheurgist]

Cobra is King.

A King Cobra ship would be pretty neat.

 

[Kenpachi85]

Engineering really seems to benifit big ships much more than the typical small ship. From long range rails to beams etc it is very difficult to escape in a small ship(when attacked by a engineered big ship.)

I think the solution might be to buff small ship drives again, or make then nigh impossible to track with gimbals/turrets.

Edit: the in game rational could be palin or one of the other engineers reverse engineered the thargoid scout drives. The upgrade will be automaticaaly applied the drived of all PF ships of size x or smaller. All current efforts to scale thes new upgrades up for larger ships had failed. Or imply it get unstable is unsafe to scale up.

Why do small ships deserve to be on a level playing field with larger much more expensive ships that take way more mats to engineer? Small ships already have the ability to stay in a large ships blindspot if engineered and flown correctly as is. Large combat ships have a firepower/defensive advantage but it's a EARNED advantage that took lots of credits and grinding for mats to obtain. Fixed weapons can be hard enough for some people to use and using them in a large ship is even harder.

If we nerfed gimbals/turrets on large ships you might as well remove them from the game altogether. Why put all that work in and risk a 20-40mil rebuy if a ship a tenth the cost and effort to engineer can blow you out of the water just as easily or even easier?

I love my old cobra mk3 though and wouldn't be against the idea of its engines getting a boost but nerfing large ships is a non starter for me.

 

[npcole]

No need to nerf large ships. Small ships are a lot of fun, but I think need a bit of tweaking for the modern game.

The Cobra will never have the punch of a larger combat ship — and that’s fine. But I’d like the utility slots to make it more “multi role” and I think a bit more speed would suit smaller ships generally.

 

[Lestat]

Maybe what you should work on is engineered wing setup. A few players in a wing Cobras could do you wonders against large ships. It would be fun.

 

[Brrokk]

Just the extra utility slots would be great. I still keep my Cobra and I like finding uses for it. It's a good low-rebuy option for planetary missions.

I claim rule 2 is "Never sell the Cobra".

 

[Kenpachi85]

Just the extra utility slots would be great. I still keep my Cobra and I like finding uses for it. It's a good low-rebuy option for planetary missions.

I claim rule 2 is "Never sell the Cobra".

I still have mine in my fleet and even my standard issue sidewinder, in fact I don't think I've ever sold any of my ships back. My old cobra is a rated and was going to engineer it for when I decide to get my feet wet in pvp soon. Figure I'll be dying a lot at first so better to start out in a cheap ship that I can easily replace a few hundred times if need be lol.