How/when to use Kill Warrant Scanner?

Legacy_LuckyLuke · Aug 10, 2015

Just added a shiny new KWS to my Cobra load out.

Due to it's high power consumption (20%), it tips my power consumption a bit over 120% now.

How do other commanders get around this? Do you have it switched off in modules? I've assigned it to priority 5 in modules, so that when my hard points are up it will disable automatically. Is this the right strategy? (Assuming that I can scan someone in super cruise for any bounties.)

Any tips on it's usage gratefully received

Thanks.

(p.s. sorry if this has been asked many times before, I did search but couldn't find anything specific regarding power management)

Jmanis · Aug 10, 2015

Whoa, what rating did you buy? A? You really don't need much more than rating D, as it only increases the range (for a rating D it's 3km,, that's the limit of most weapons systems as it is) for a fraction of the power reqs.

EUS · Aug 10, 2015

I run with a d or e rated in my vulture, as it sucks too much power otherwise.
Ideally, you want it to be able to be powered alongside your weapons.
Post your ship's link if you can (edshipyard, or coriolis).

tetra · Aug 10, 2015

Choose a D or E class one, A is pointless, only difference is range. You HAVE to have it powered when deployed, it won't scan in SC. When in normal space and with it assigned to a firegroup and with hard points deployed you then target a ship and hold the assigned fire button down to KWS the target. Takes 10 seconds to complete.

Legacy_LuckyLuke · Aug 10, 2015

Thanks for all the replies ... I guess I had a million credits spare so blew them on the highest rated KWS I could find

I'll try the lower class version and see how I go... Good to know it has to be used out of SC. I'll make some revisions and see how I go

Aewarin Jameson · Aug 10, 2015

Guess the 120% depends if that's weapons out or not as the 2 usually are different in terms of power consumption.

When I played I would set things like cargo scoop; fuel scoop; interdictor & frame shift drive; etc to level 2 (in the power plant management screen) and the rest to 1 so that you could overload your ship.

When you brought your guns online automatically things you didn't need would turn off, and if you needed to flee and supercruise you would have to put your guns away anyway

Legacy_LuckyLuke · Aug 10, 2015

EUS said:
I run with a d or e rated in my vulture, as it sucks too much power otherwise.
Ideally, you want it to be able to be powered alongside your weapons.
Post your ship's link if you can (edshipyard, or coriolis).

here is my current load out:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=702,4yH4yH7si7si0_g3we,316Q6Q6Q5K4s4s6k,0729ta7RA12G4xo0nE

The D-rated KWS works a treat now. I see I need to be a bit more choosy now when purchasing modules. Higher rated/more expensive doesn't always mean better!

i'm also thinking of ditching the shield booster in favour of a wake scanner. NPCs running away right before I make them go pop is getting really old... I assume with the wake scanner I'll be able to chase them down?

Though the shield booster is handy for when I accidentally fall into a wing of 6-7 anaconda's / vultures

furrycat · Aug 10, 2015

Long range scanners are nice in, eg, RES when you see targets in the distance. You can complete the scan before you even get into combat range. Of course they're no use if you can't power them.

With the posted build you could fit a B scanner by setting cargo hatch, FSD, interdictor and fuel scoop to the lowest priority. That would disable them when hardpoints were deployed but still allow you to use them with hardpoints retracted.

If you really wanted the A you could give it a higher priority than weapons and turn it on long enough to scan, then disable it to free up the weapons. In fact if you assigned a lower priority to all the weapons except one beam laser you could power that one laser and the scanner, freeing up the rest when the scanner was disabled.

Switching to D sensors would free up a chunk of power too. A sensors are nice to have but add mass and power draw for little real benefit.

Para Handy · Aug 10, 2015

Sell the docking computer.

Fit chaff (reduces hits from enemy gimbals and turrets) instead of shield booster.

Lots of power saved.

Also - target enemy subsystem to destroy them before they can jump out - Power Gen or Drive

Legacy_LuckyLuke · Aug 10, 2015

Lots of great tips. Thanks guys. Will have a play around later.

Yes, I always target the Drive first - buggers still manage to jump away though sometimes!