Frag cannons - do they have a use?

[mattikake]

So I tried setting up my fdl with full double shot frags. Drag, incendiary's x2, corrosive and overcharged on the 3c. Ok I found out quickly that you don't need corrosive or incendiary to make a quick kill and while wasting a python in a few seconds is great, the problem is ammo.

The way I see it is I only have enough ammo for about 7 kills. I could stretch this to 10 if my flying was better but the ammo is prohibitively expensive to synthesize.

It seems that with pvp even 1-on-1 you probably don't have enough ammo period and with pve going into a cz is pointless because you don't have the ammo to affect a battle.

Do these have a use other than a few moments of glory or am I missing something?

Atm I've put my beams and multi's back on.

 

[Zannry]

The general opinion on the forums is to go with overcharged frags for ammo conservation. I'm still partial to double shot myself. My Krait mounts 3 pacifier frags and I can usually get about 36 kills per sortie when doing assassination and/or pirate massacre missions.

EDIT: added build for reference: https://s.orbis.zone/716w

 

[CMDR Slee Piboi]

Krait Mk2: All gimbal OC, one medium corrosive, one medium drag, the larges incendiary. Chaff isn't much of an issue when you're a volley of giant space shotguns at 300 meters. I've used this recipe both in PvE as well as PvP. Definitely good for more than seven npc kills before there's a need to rearm.

 

[Dillon Fallon]

I used a similar idea on my FdL, except I used a huge short range thermal conduit PA on there. With the low draw of the frags it's not bad on the pip management and with a bit of practice at hitting with it it does extend the life of the frags due to the big holes that puts in things, especially with the corrosive effect.

I went with high capacity g3 on the corrosive frag. G2 would have been fine for ammo, I just liked having 6 shots so I was always doing bursts of 3s.

 

[Nepeta Uchiha]

I only use Frags on short combat run builds. So get a couple kills and leave. Lasers and MC's for staying out for awhile.

 

[Screemonster]

My PvE krait runs four efficient gimballed beams and a single high-capacity corrosive gimballed frag. The beams do the brunt of the damage and I just tap the frag to apply corrosive every so often.

 

[mattikake]

I might have to try swapping all my fixed frags for gimblled. I went for max dps but didn't take into account my dodgy piloting skills! Part of my problem is I can't help but fire longer range shots than wait for the point blank moment. I need to stock up on mats again before i can try that.

I did consider a pa on the huge slot. At least I could still live with the urge to take some long range shots. But I guess there's no point setting up a long range plasma for higher shot speed. Or maybe there is, dunno.

 

[WeComeInPeace]

Gimballed frags, rapid fire / screening shell. Don't fire until the enemy is very close, and don't fire when chaff is in the air.

A FDL with frags only (a Frag-de-Lance) is great fun if you can find somewhere to use it, like a haz res close to a station for restocking ammo quickly. Frags used properly is one of the deadliest weapons in the game.

You need an agile ship, because you need to be very close, preferably tailing the opponent. Then nothing beats frags.

 

[Non Grata]

Hicap + screening shell for me (if you can land all 6 shots in quick succession). It only reduces the problem though, so personally prefer short range bursts with inertial impact.

 

[mattikake]

No double shot then?

Never tried screening shell. I never understood what "increasing effectiveness against munitions" means.

 

[Stinja]

...the problem is ammo.

That's because you're attacking ships with shields.
Apparently they're best used against cmdr explorers, traders and Fuel Rats - then you wont have ammo probems

 

[Non Grata]

No double shot then?

Never tried screening shell. I never understood what "increasing effectiveness against munitions" means.

Double shot doesn't have a good ratio between damage and capacity for me.

I think screening shell is meant to be useful against incoming torpedoes or something. But it also has the benefit of halving the reload time.

 

[Rubbernuke]

Frags are gank weapons, massive short range damage extending with Pacifiers but with low ammo pool.

 

[Nepeta Uchiha]

Never tried screening shell. I never understood what "increasing effectiveness against munitions" means.

Screening Shell doubles the pellet count per shot so it basically doubles your damage and is really the only experimental effect you should use on frag cannons.

 

[mattikake]

That's because you're attacking ships with shields.
Apparently they're best used against cmdr explorers, traders and Fuel Rats - then you wont have ammo probems

3 types of player I'd never try and kill.

I never saw a problem using them against shields. In most cases 1 or 2 point blank salvos removed shields (pve).

 

[mattikake]

Screening Shell doubles the pellet count per shot so it basically doubles your damage and is really the only experimental effect you should use on frag cannons.

I've been doing some reading since but this is the first I heard about pellet count and increased damage. I guess it's not a number you can see in the game, but more an effect you witness? Got any links/proof to that statement?

 

[Non Grata]

Screening Shell doubles the pellet count per shot so it basically doubles your damage and is really the only experimental effect you should use on frag cannons.

Does it?? If so I imagine it also halves the damage per pellet.

 

[CardioTherapy]

I have my favourite voucher and a FAS both with overcharged incendiary and screening shot frags. Fast kills but still need a lot of synthesis in pve. I use them from time to time for fun and for pirate assassination missions. For massacre missions I use corvette with vercharged multi cannons and long range beams. it can stay long time in a res or compromised nav beacon.