Powerplay Faction: Zachary Hudson I found it fun to Undermine again

[JacoTheBad]

Just wanted to say, I finaly went undermining under the new AI conditions. Brought my Anaconda & had more fun then I ever have while doing that task.

Sometimes I actually had to turn tail & run.. How flippen cool is that! I only ever go as far as 100-200 merits anyway, that way I can get myself the bounty bonuses.

Enjoyed that one more then I ever have before![up]

 

[JacoTheBad]

I am apparently; however, rather alone in this

 

[SHEPR0N]

Well I do agree that the new AI as made the undermining activity itself more challenging and fun.

But it also severely influenced the rate at which merits can be required from it. There are new imbalances due to power related security levels (before 2.1 it didn't really matter if you were undermining in an Anarchy or High Sec system due to harmless cops, now on the other hand...). The PP ships themselves are also tougher / less stupid, upping the time it takes to kill one. If you used to undermine on your own the new system (combined with cops and bounty hunting stalkers) will make merit gain too slow to be still viable to seriously acquire merits in reasonable time (be it just to get to higher ranks or help the power out). Wings were always the better way to undermine, but now they seem mandatory.

Undermining as a PP mechanic is just too nerfed to do its job right now imo. Some powers (including Hudson) rely heavily on undermining to either attack others or defend themselves from hostile expansions. Opposition of expansions with it is very hard right now, be it against cargo powers with enough Cutters or the big combat powers (just look at the millions of combat expansion merits that were made last cycle and the comparably laughable amount of undermining in the same week). Getting enough undermining pressure on a power to put them into turmoil seems also pretty hard right now as long as they just fortify enough.

 

[JacoTheBad]

I can totally see someone who was grinding it out for a higher rank all by themselves feeling like they have been cut off all of a sudden. I only do it alone & the 100-200 merits took longer then usual, but came in a still rather short period of time.

... Yeah wings are required for any higher rank now most likely, and the need to kill them so dang fast does prb require wings more as well... I was using my well kitted Conda so was able to still melt the smaller ships supper fast.

 

[Arkadi]

You are not alone! [hotas] Underminig is more fun to me now too. Even more so when doing it in a wing. New AI makes it a game and not "auto-win pew pew" as it was. It IS great to play the undermining game now.

Only thing worrying me is the possible unbalance for powerplay that comes from the "more difficult combat" in terms of trade ethos vs combat ethos and generally undermining not being able to cancel massfortification anymore and the resulting CC surpluss this might produce.

If I had to choose between interesting AI - combat (what we have now) and balanced Powerplay (what we had kind of pre 2.1/1.6) it would be hard decision to make for me. But fortunatly I am not the type of person caring if the glass is half full or half empty. I think the glass will be filled in time and we can have both - interesting and challanging combat AND a userfriendly, well documented and balanced powerplay that will not obstruct gameplay of the sim-enthusiasts and peaceful spacefarers - but will still be engaging for those players who want to play with others and like a strategical competitive gameplay with some comabt involved - if we only give Devs a chance and some time.

Nevertheless I appreciate the efforts of some groups and enthusiats to idnetify the problems with the actual state of this part of the game and discuss the best possible direction it could take for most of the interested playerbase very much. This discussion is most needed and vital for a community driven game like this I think.

EDIT: tltr: basically what SHEPR0N sayed

 

[Thalion Solarstorm]

Undermining Rocks my Sock's now Hell of Fun - tho Gol and i found another fun meritish Action today. Poke me ingame Arkadi - maybe later in the evening

Cheers!

 

[Othniel]

I agree with Shepron... it is nerfed. If you don't care about making rank 5, then maybe it can be fun- but to me it is REALLY ANNOYING. I have dropped from the undermining scene altogether and have joined Aisling Duval in order to get my Prismatic shields and also to source materials/data/cargo for engineers. I'LL BE BACK THOUGH!

Its a game- it shouldn't be so frustrating.. I purchased an Anaconda to get around the bubble without wasting time in my Corvette. I have succeeded in modifying quite a bit of my systems. Now, my Corvette can jump 16.5 LY (without added armor), can boost to 318, and has 2185 shields, but still not satisfied...

I also know I don't ever want an Anaconda again. It handled small ships pretty good because of the two large and two med hardpoints on the deck, but constantly overheated in protracted combat and I would run out of heatsinks quick. It would get it's butt handed to it by an Elite FAS (and above) every time... And vs. an Elite Anaconda? poor Condie need the sys authority to help. the biggest contributors to this are poor shielding (even though the same module and 5 boosters in my Corvette protects almost 40% better) and weak Shield Cell rechargers. I don't know how many times I had to Combat log due to NPCs.. lol!