Beam lasers - gimballed or fixed ?

F1Racer

F1Racer
See here's my thinking... If you're pretty well skilled then it seems fixed beams would be the way to go (assuming the topic is beam lasers), they cause more damage than their gimballed counterparts.
But.... the gimballed beams can stay on a target for longer because it doesn't need the ship right in front of it. So, doesn't extra time firing at the ship more than make up for it being less damaging than it's fixed counterpart ? It is not better to dish out slightly less damage but sustain the laser on the ship for longer ?

Just curious what others thought.
 

Julio Montega

Julio Montega
It depends on the ships and the chosen hardpoint you install the weapons on.
Regarding your eagle, gimballed weapons are predestined to be equipped on the bottom hardpoints,
they increase the area you can keep fire on the mark greatly.
They are covering the whole lower cockpit fov section, along with a zone on the top and every corner in the top.

Just my take on that;)
 

SpySat1

SpySat1
It's half "preference", half "right tool for the job".

Some ships have spread apart hard points set up where you have to be right up on a ship to even hit them with multiple fixed weapons. So if you're firing everything in a single volley, gimbals might be the way to go.

Personally I always try to fire fixed and just control when and how I fire. I love my fixed beams and dumbfire rockets. (which I've started calling "The Finger of God" and "DPS Box" respectively.
 

KillaALF

K
... and are immune to chaff. I've recently switched from 4 gimballed beams to fixed ones and would never go back to them.
 

aRtFuL

A
Beam imo you are better off using fixed.

Gimballed beam laser isn't good and goes everywhere. I'm just about to downgrade my ship back from Cobra because the 2 undermount hardpoints are terrible for beam lasers when up close (they are spread to far apart for fixed, and gimballed just dances around too much). It feels it is better off if I'm controlling them lasers myself.
 

Argus Leadhead

Argus Leadhead
SpySat1 said:
It's half "preference", half "right tool for the job".

Some ships have spread apart hard points set up where you have to be right up on a ship to even hit them with multiple fixed weapons. So if you're firing everything in a single volley, gimbals might be the way to go.

Personally I always try to fire fixed and just control when and how I fire. I love my fixed beams and dumbfire rockets. (which I've started calling "The Finger of God" and "DPS Box" respectively.
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I use the same setup on my eagle. I just wish the focused beam lasers were easier to find. I'd give one of my children for each one. I'm sure I've got lots, I dock at a lot of stations if you catch my drift. ;)

I'm sure there's little Leadheads running around stations all over the Milky Way.
 

anikaiful

anikaiful
Argus Leadhead said:
I'm sure there's little Leadheads running around stations all over the Milky Way.
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Lol :D

But yea, gimballed/fixed is dictated by two factors - your preferred (or just available) control method (and your aim), and how nimble your ship is vs your prey. I prefer gimballed - except in highly maneouverable ships.
 
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Samu

Samu
Whilst they usually have a worse range and do less damage, you can fire to hit more of the time as your ship doesn't have to be pointed directly at where you are aiming all of the time. This gives you more of a chance to focus on being out of the line of fire from the enemy.

Overall, I'd say they simply do more damage because of the increase in chance you have to fire them.
 

Ogidch

Ogidch
I prefer to use fixed and did so with ease when I flew an Adder, but now I fly a Cobra I have gimballed everything 2 class 2 multi-canons on top and 2 gimballed beams on the bottom.

If I used fixed lasers on the bottom mounts on the Cobra the spacing was too far apart, unless the enemy is way out in front. this is far worse for smaller ships, but even found when shooting at Asps 400-500m away I was only hitting the hull with one laser most of the time.
 

Argus Leadhead

Argus Leadhead
F1Racer said:
I hear Bixby Station in Styx has them (E1)
Also Beam Lasers Overcharged. I'm guessing that doesn't just mean they cost you too much :D

What are these two variants then ?
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I'll check it out tonight. Ample opportunity for a rampage through fed space on my way from Achenar! If it turns out they have them in Styx I guess I'll round up a few of the bast... uh... children for you.
 

Ldb477

L
Every time I try to upgrade my 8,600 credit gimballed burst lasers even to 76K gimballed beam lasers I end up going back. For some reason they just seem to have just the right amount of attack and accuracy, not to mention they don't burn up the weapon power nearly as much as any other energy weapon.
 

Ouiche

O
F1Racer said:
See here's my thinking... If you're pretty well skilled then it seems fixed beams would be the way to go (assuming the topic is beam lasers), they cause more damage than their gimballed counterparts.
But.... the gimballed beams can stay on a target for longer because it doesn't need the ship right in front of it. So, doesn't extra time firing at the ship more than make up for it being less damaging than it's fixed counterpart ? It is not better to dish out slightly less damage but sustain the laser on the ship for longer ?

Just curious what others thought.
Click to expand...

Fixed for me. Beams are effective against modules (but bad vs hull) and gimballed aren't accurate enough for that. During long sessions i try to avoid using my ammo based weapons (to save ammo for special targets / high bounty) and beams do a good job at finishing small / medium ship when you focus on the power generator. I find gimballed laser to struggle in that situation because it's spraying all over the target.
 
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