Pretty different on my book...They look like this in update 15; immediately after exposing the petal:
Then, after it gets a bit less angry from doing that:
Here are some of my pictures from before the update, for what the mismatched comparisons are worth:
Are medium ships going to viable for AX for much longer?
- Thread starter tolm
- Start date
Yeh, doesn’t seem very obvious which one to aim for in the post-15 screenshots at all!
I recently 'bit the bullet' and built a Cutter for AX use...
So much armor, so many utilities - I love it!
...But I still have to re-outfit it depending on what I'm doing.
Maelstroms - Low Emission Powerplant, limpet controlers, AX missiles, no Guardian Tech but a small GHRP, Pulse Neutraliser...
General AX combat - Armored Powerplant, different limpet controllers, Shard Cannons, Shutdown Field Neutraliser...
Whats that? A Glaive? Let me just pop back to my carrier and re-outfit!
I actually don't mind so much (I love playing around with different builds) but yeah, a 'save loadout' option would be a big time saver!
So much armor, so many utilities - I love it!
...But I still have to re-outfit it depending on what I'm doing.
Maelstroms - Low Emission Powerplant, limpet controlers, AX missiles, no Guardian Tech but a small GHRP, Pulse Neutraliser...
General AX combat - Armored Powerplant, different limpet controllers, Shard Cannons, Shutdown Field Neutraliser...
Whats that? A Glaive? Let me just pop back to my carrier and re-outfit!
I actually don't mind so much (I love playing around with different builds) but yeah, a 'save loadout' option would be a big time saver!
I need to try my Cutter again … I had almost exclusively moved to that pre-15 as the shields prevented the “background” damage from Scouts whilst you focused on the Interceptors and I could run 2x AX MCs plus 3x Mod shards for a good balance against different Thargoid types.
Post-15 … the “Uber-Scouts” ripped my shields apart like butter and then the ship became useless as the entire SYS reserve was taken up trying to reboot shields, meaning neither heat sinks nor caustic sinks worked …
Maybe post-15.1 …
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Go shieldless!
Cutter can get ~8000 HP and still carry limpets and weapon stabilizers.
Still fast - and runs ice cold - give it try! o7
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It’s certainly an option: my AX FAS is shieldless!Go shieldless!
Cutter can get ~8000 HP and still carry limpets and weapon stabilizers.
Still fast - and runs ice cold - give it try! o7
CMDR Reggit - ship details | Elite:Dangerous | INARA
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In the beginning I did try shields against interceptors and I gave it up right away.
Almost as heavy as armour and HRPs, additional power meaning more heat, SYS drain, silent running off the table, either pitiful capacity or boosters taking utility slots, extended hitbox, all that to have it melted by lightning - which as a matter of fact can be useful in itself.
Bi-weaves could prove a little more useable as they rebuild in a blink without boosters, but the full pips+SYS drain leaving the entire ship disabled during that is a no-go to me.
Save the shields for humans, stack up 2-3 small and 1 big MRPs, all-you-can-eat engineered HRPs, and you'll have as much an impressive tanking capacity even on a medium ship, and without all the power-and-related hassle.
And when you're low on %, just boost away, land and repair - anyway you'll need to reload guns sometime.
Almost as heavy as armour and HRPs, additional power meaning more heat, SYS drain, silent running off the table, either pitiful capacity or boosters taking utility slots, extended hitbox, all that to have it melted by lightning - which as a matter of fact can be useful in itself.
Bi-weaves could prove a little more useable as they rebuild in a blink without boosters, but the full pips+SYS drain leaving the entire ship disabled during that is a no-go to me.
Save the shields for humans, stack up 2-3 small and 1 big MRPs, all-you-can-eat engineered HRPs, and you'll have as much an impressive tanking capacity even on a medium ship, and without all the power-and-related hassle.
And when you're low on %, just boost away, land and repair - anyway you'll need to reload guns sometime.
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Been thinking about taking my FAS out for a run outfitted with AX multi...
I always had shields prior to a few weeks ago.
Dropped shield and use fully engineered G5 HRP deep plating for my Krait II and is 4000Hull.
Rarely get killed post 15.01 (but I did give up after Super-Scouts from U15) except if I try to run from Glaives.
Fighting them, the HRP's and 2 MRP's just soak it all up.
I usually have to go for re-arm before Repair is even necessary in an AXCZ..
Dropped shield and use fully engineered G5 HRP deep plating for my Krait II and is 4000Hull.
Rarely get killed post 15.01 (but I did give up after Super-Scouts from U15) except if I try to run from Glaives.
Fighting them, the HRP's and 2 MRP's just soak it all up.
I usually have to go for re-arm before Repair is even necessary in an AXCZ..
I’ve done that - it’s decent (2x C3 + 2xC2) but the position of the C2s has always bothered me on the FAS for anything other than fixed weapons.
If going “Scouts only”, I’m not sure a Krait MkII with 5 EAX MCs can be beat! Not sure how such a ship would fare in a CZ against Interceptors, though?
I used to do that.
Then I reached a point where I had enough credits and materials to afford a separate Cutter for every role, and since I am more concerned about using all the paintjobs I have, I am always happy to buy one more, and outfit it in a different way.
I would love a "swap a pre-made" set up in one click, although the limit of 200 stored modules still feels too tight, so an entire new ship still feels better.
Is this where we find out that the "bloom effect reduced on festive cockpit lights" from the patch notes was the same effect also used to make Thargoids glow? 
OMG - this whole time we’ve been killing Christmas Trees!!Is this where we find out that the "bloom effect reduced on festive cockpit lights" from the patch notes was the same effect also used to make Thargoids glow?
Yep, tried with 2 Beams then just 1 Beam then back 2 all 5 EAXMCc - shreds Scouts in 3 secs!
I will stick to Scout Support in open in Invasion until all done again.
If CZ phase is too slow with Interceptors, I just exit and find another AXCZ and start up with Scouts, exit and SC and return for more Scouts.
- I only have 1-2 hours per day after work so cannot do complete CZs up to Hydras, although, when I did do it, it was very enjoyable 2 hours with 2 other Cmdrs, I was Scout support whilst they did the Interceptors and I tagged a few shots to get the Cr on each Interceptor!
- No idea of weapons or technique for Interceptors BTW - it seems like a 'black art' to me - every time I shoot at them with EAXMC's they go back up to 100% ???? EH????
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AX MCs are good at destroying hearts, but have difficulty against the Interceptors' armour because they have low breach damage (good at soft targets + bad at hard targets).
If you want to exert the hearts by destroying the armour, so that you can use the AX MCs to destroy the hearts, you need AX Missiles or Guardian Weapons that have higher breach damage (good at hard targets).
A four MC Krait is very viable for clopses and has no issues exerting hearts. Basilisks not so much. It might have been because I also had trouble keeping the distance closed, but when I tried it out I basically emptied out the complete mags of the MCs without exerting the first heart.
I run a mixed setup of two large MCs and two gauss cannons, which works very well.
What do you put in the middle: a TV Beam, Flak Launcher, or something else?
Mod Plasma Chargers exert hearts very well too. I have a Krait MkII with 1x L LR TV Beam + 2x L EN AX MCs + 2x Mod PCs. Works well soloing up to and including Basilisks.
Interesting … do you scan the Interceptor to target the hearts or use fixed MCs?
In that build I scan, since I use turreted EN AX MCs for the hearts.
Prior to Update 15, in my Guardian Weapons builds, I did not scan, since I use fixed and the hearts glowed when exerted.
Now, after Update 15, since Hearts do not glow anymore, I scan the Interceptor.