High end fighters

[h347h]

Maybe, but if it does, it increases weapon recharge rate more. So I get more damage per heat (maybe) but I definitely make more heat too when I keep those weapons firing almost constantly.

You may never see me in PvP. I'm trying it out now... trying to try it out. There's nobody here.

I may not try PvP again, but if I do, you're probably right. I used that power arrangement against Anacondas in PvE.

Player A rank condas are on a totally different level than pve condas. Players make that mistake a lot.

 

[GluttonyFang]

Maybe, but if it does, it increases weapon recharge rate more. So I get more damage per heat (maybe) but I definitely make more heat too when I keep those weapons firing almost constantly.

Good that you're trying out PvP, but trust me, lack of energy in your weapon capacitor means extra heat gain. FD stated that themselves.

The only time when you should have your full pips in weapon is when you are confident you can take your enemy down before your own shield goes or recharging your capacitor when maneuvering and knowing that you won't likely be hit. Keeping an active eye on your capacitors is another thing you should always do, firing with no energy in your weapon capacitor is begging for heat.

Point being full pips into weapon if anything reduces the likelihood of overheating when compared to less pips if the exhaustion rate of the capacitor is the same for both scenarios.

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Player A rank condas are on a totally different level than pve condas. Players make that mistake a lot.

Basically the difference between a player grade A conda and an NPC elite conda is that the former pulls in reverse in blue zone and keeps full pips into systems at all times, tanks the opponent to death with its endless SCBs.

 

[Bortas]

In practice, the Python actually seems to take more shield damage, even though it's officially got fewer Megajoules in the shields. Not sure why.

Because it can power more shield boosters. 4x 0A is no problem. An FdL would have a hard time to use that many, unless you want to run without weapons.

That hardpoint is virtually useless against anything smaller than an Anaconda, and I thought 'Condas were bad for PvP anyway?

I wouldn't call an Anaconda bad for PvP... it's basically invincible in 1v1s for anything but another Anaconda, the only drawback is it can't hinder anything else from running away It's very useful as part of a combat wing, though.

 

[GluttonyFang]

Tried out PvP. I'm done now. Nobody came to challenge me. I managed to interdict two Cobras. One ran away; no catching Cobras with a Courier. The other one... I was going to LET him go. I told him to leave! I took one shot and his shields failed... he must have dropped them by accident somehow. Not even E1 shields are that weak, to go down to a single hit from a pair of c2 burst lasers... Are they?

But he was too proud. I told him he could go, when I realized his shields hadn't lasted a single hit, but he turned around and took a shot instead. This is bothering me. I suppose I should admire his pride, but I'm too busy wondering about his brains.

Ugh. Anyway, thanks for telling me how to PvP in my Conda, once I finish A-rating it. Until then, think I'll leave the Conda in Mobius. XD

Welp, now you know the pain of some of the Open players.

"I want PvP!"

No one is on, no worthy opponents are on.

"I'm done staring at the stars, logging off."

 

[Mohrgan]

I just plain avoid SCB's. I prefer Boosters. Another reason I am fodder in PvP. I'll like CQC more than open.

 

[chagnampra]

I like the FDL, but it is just too expensive as a single purpose ship. Ultimately, I traded mine in for a Python and spent another few million to make it combat-ready. The Python's multi-purpose nature makes it a preferable choice. The Vulture is priced just right, imho. Only consider an FDL if you have money to spare.

 

[Frenotx]

FDL flies almost identically to the Viper. Turn rate, acceleration, top speed, boost speed... It's pretty much the same. But, with twice the class 2 weapons and that Huge mount, you can do a lot of damage with it, and it shield tanks better than anything but the Conda. On paper anyway. In practice, the Python actually seems to take more shield damage, even though it's officially got fewer Megajoules in the shields. Not sure why. The first time I flew an FDL, I said, "Super Viper!"

It's a very tricky ship. Powerful, but easier to get beat than you'd think.

Edit: Don't count on doing what the previous poster said and one-shotting an Anaconda's powerplant. You do have to get through the shields first, and class 2 lasers are not the best for that, and besides that, hitting that powerplant square-on is really, really hard. I've done it a few times... but it always took me two square hits with that PA, not one. You seem to do about 60% damage per direct hit. Maybe there's some kind of rare 'critical hit' you can get that will one-shot it, but it must take more luck than I ever had; there's no way to guarantee it.

Also note: when 1.4 comes out, destroying the power plant will have only a small chance of destroying the ship, and it will otherwise function like any other system...

The reason the python seems to "take more damage" despite its shields being smaller is due to its ability to have lots SCBs.

 

[Poseidal]

Edit: Don't count on doing what the previous poster said and one-shotting an Anaconda's powerplant. You do have to get through the shields first, and class 2 lasers are not the best for that,

All lasers are 'equal' against shields, in terms of damage per energy of the same type.

The damage per second of them roughly goes like this:

Class 1 - 1
Class 2 - 1.5
Class 3 - 2.25

So a single class 3 does 2.25 the damage of the class 1, for four times the mass.

In terms of damage per energy against shield, all pulse lasers from class 1 to 3 will do the same damage as each other for the given energy of the capacitor. Set your weapons capacitor to zero pips, then empty a single class 1 pulse and it will do the same overall damage as once you empty it as with a single class 3 pulse, to our current knowledge.

Of course, hull damage values are different which is where the higher class weapons really get better.

 

[Io_Sys]

Y'know if you read the manual, it actually states that the WEP cap is for weapon cooling.
The more you know.

Honestly, the FDL seems able to fire 4 C2 bursts forever without overheating.
Now, Beams on the other hand... God.
Tried 4 Beams once. Never again. Must have been five, six seconds before I went over 100% heat. Even 2 beams and pulses seem to give me major heat problems.

Also that it overheats so easily when fuel scooping annoys the hell out of me after buying a Diamondback explorer for some exploration.
I mean seriously that thing runs at like 60% Heat when scooping near 400/s fuel.

 

[chagnampra]

Yeah, point there... but it is just so darn COOL...

I agree about the COOL factor! In fact, I bought the 2 skin packs for the FDL, just so I could play around with its look and feel even cooler. I understand that it's a luxury fighter, hence the price-point; so I won't rule out buying one again in the future, when I've got at least 100mill cr to spare.

 

[Mephane]

I've tried that too. I practically have to be touching them, the c4 cannon shot moves so slow. If I fire it from even *short* range, an Anaconda tends to change direction and avoid the shot without half trying.

Yeah, I have to use it more like a shotgun than an artillery cannon, not just on the FDL but in general.

 

[Poseidal]

Ha! Yeah, I'm in the same place. I have a Diamondback, Courier, Conda, and I'm about to pick up that Clipper; I'll get an FDL again later when I can maintain an A-rated battle Conda and Clipper at the same time and still fully kit one out.

Edit: Oh yeah, I'll need to buy one of whatever the Imp equivalent of the Corvette is. I'm not convinced about the 'Cutter'; I can't find any confirmation from the FD's so the Cutter may just be speculation that someone thought had moved into reality because of a rumor, and proceeded to make everyone else believe it...

Cutter is mentioned in a few of the novels. I think it was planned from quite early on and given as a future ship to the novelists (like the T7 and Vulture, which weren't in the game on release).

As for the FdL, I use the huge Plasma Accelerator., but that's just my style.

 

[Poseidal]

Novelists? So, you think that in order to get the Cutter, we have to have written a book?

Well... for me that's actually doable... just have to do it and sell it to FD I guess.

No, the Novelists were told of what shipswill be in the game, because they had to start writing the novels before release (or even the Alpha/Beta). There were some safe guesses (Cobra 3, Viper, Sidewinder, Asp, Anaconda), but they were given names of ships that weren't in previous Elite games like the Vulture, Type 7 and Imperial Cutter. One of the novelists happens to be Michael Brookes, who mentions the Imperial Cutter.

 

[Conde]

I have reached the point where I can afford to fit out a FDL. At the loss of my Dropship, but that is a small consideration. I am a Vulture fan. I love how nimble it is, and how I can basically fly the thrusters. What I'm after here is some comparison of the flight characteristics between these two ships.

I have the impression that the FDL is more like the Viper, than the Vulture. I never liked flying the Viper, so to save myself some searching, I'm not sure where I can find an FDL and it modules, I thought I'd ask for some comments, and insight.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Very interesting discussion! I prefer the Python myself as it hits the sweetspot of Firepower/Armour/Maneuverability IMHO. In case it hasn't been mentioned, you can always get every ship and every module as far as I can tell from Jameson Memorial, orbiting Founder's World in Shinrarta Dezhra system. Plus you get 10% discount!

 

[Zplintz]

I was afraid of that. Super Viper, huh? Well that puts the FDL off my list. I pretty much hated the Viper. Jousting is not my thing. I just heard that there will be a couple new Fed ships coming with 1.4. So, I'll just wait and see what turns up.

By the way, where did you hear about the sub-system targeting changes? I knew there was some issues there, but I hadn't seen anything concrete.

One of the Dev updates or at Lavecon (I think)