Imperial Cutter firing arcs with all Turret loadout

[Scoob]

Hey all,

So, I outfitted a lightweight Cutter built for Cargo and Jump Range. Weapon-wise it has three C3 Pulse Laser Turrets with G4 Long-Range mod applied, plus four C2 Pulse Laser Turrets with a G4 Rapid Fire mod applied. I'd only tested this in combat briefly, but it seemed ok, bar a weird RoF issue where my C2 Pulse Lasers were firing at the normal rate...just a blip though.

Anyway, I'm doing a CG and so far hadn't been interdicted despite a few "Tasty Cargo" type messages. So, this time when I got such a message, rather than just jumping to my next location, I throttled back and waited in Super Cruise to give the NPC time to interdict me. Which he did.

I submitted and immediately targetted the NPC (an FDL) and deployed my weapons - said NPC was behind me at this time. He was well within range of my Long Range Pulses and very quickly within useful range of my Rapid Fire Pulses. However, try as I might my turrets simply refused to fire. They were fully deployed and set to attack my Target (the NPC) - I use turrets a lot so I know how they work - yet they simply would not engage. During this time, the Plasma-equipped FDL got a few good shots on my shield (SCB + Heat Sink needed) before finally over-shooting me. Still, my Turrets point blank refused to fire and the little turret tracking dots remained pointing forwards. I double-checked that the game hadn't reset my Turrets for Forward Fire Only but, no, they were set to "Attack Target" exactly as I'd left them.

At this point, with my shields draining again (I only have 6C Bi-weaves, so they cannot take constant punishment) I had no choice but to pop some more power to Engines and boost away. Gaining some distance, my shields began to recover naturally. Once they we charged - with the NPC FDL still chasing, and in range of my long-range (but not firing) Pulse Laser Turrets - I turned around to try again. Only with the FDL visibly within my FoV did my turrets actually start shooting and, once the FDL went off my screen, they stopped again.

So, my question, are the Cutters firing arcs when fully equipped with turrets really this terrible? I mean, with the FDL behind me none of my turrets fired. Nor did they when the FDL initially over-shot. Only when the FDL was within my line of sight, did my turrets fire at all. Obviously the entire point of my loadout is to work around the Cutters abysmal manoeuvrability, but if the firing arc of the turrets can only hit things in my straight-ahead FoV, then I may was well use gimballed weapons.

Is this the same experience others are seeing with the Cutter or have I perhaps had some sort of bug? I have had turret firing issues before where they simply refused to work....until they suddenly started working of their own accord again - this was in my Anaconda - but I've not experienced this bug again for months.

Any feedback welcome.

Note: to be clear, the turrets were fully deployed, set to "Attack Target" and my weapons energy was full. Additionally I have my long-range and rapid-fire turrets set to Trigger fire button and thumb fire button respectively, yet neither worked until the FDL passed within my front-facing FoV. As I cannot see any of the turrets from the cockpit, like I can in the Anaconda, I'm not sure they were working at all. I did consider going external view, but with the NPC FDL chewing through my shields I didn't really want to be faffing about.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

Make sure you have turrets set to FIRE AT WILL in the Functions section.

 

[MAUXUS]

I have alternating pulses and beams on the wings (1 pulse above left wing, 1 beam above right wing, 1 beam below left wing, 1 pulse below right wing) and MCs in front. it's a deadly combo against NPCs. They keep firing at the target no matter where it is (except right behind I guess but for that I have a SLF). When target is in front the Cutter shreds it in seconds (except if it's an anaconda, it takes a little longer). All lasers and MCs are G5 efficient, PD is G5 charge enhanced, if I remember correctly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvuGXp0r0_U

 

[Scoob]

Make sure you have turrets set to FIRE AT WILL in the Functions section.

I prefer "Target Only" to ensure concentrated fire if there are multiple targets - it's always worked really well for me in the past. My Anaconda in configured this way, as is my Corvette - bar the main Fixed Beams.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

I forgot to mention that The Cutter is a highly "overrated" combat ship. The Corvette puts it to shame in every single category of combat proficiency.

I use my Cutter as a high capacity cargo carrier, which is really what it is best suited for. I have tried pretty much every combat loadout you can name on that ship over the last 18 months and none of them compare to a properly kitted out Corvette.

These days my Cutter flies without a single weapon mounted.

 

[GG7]

I prefer "Target Only" to ensure concentrated fire if there are multiple targets - it's always worked really well for me in the past. My Anaconda in configured this way, as is my Corvette - bar the main Fixed Beams.

Scoob.

Well that is why you are not getting the fire rates you are expecting. The worst possible choice for an all turret Cutter.

Based on your original post, the majority of your turrets are blocked from the line of fire at any given time, and prevented from firing when they do have a shot since you have Fire at Will turned off.

Your call, but you are getting precisely the results I would expect from using "the wrong" turret setting for what you want your turrets to do.

 

[IceFire122]

I prefer "Target Only" to ensure concentrated fire if there are multiple targets - it's always worked really well for me in the past. My Anaconda in configured this way, as is my Corvette - bar the main Fixed Beams.
Scoob.

Just to be on the safe side: You did assign the Target-only turrets to a fire group, activated the group and press the trigger?
I guess yes, as you have turret experience, but sometimes simple things are forgotten...

 

[Scoob]

I have alternating pulses and beams on the wings (1 pulse above left wing, 1 beam above right wing, 1 beam below left wing, 1 pulse below right wing) and MCs in front. it's a deadly combo against NPCs. They keep firing at the target no matter where it is (except right behind I guess but for that I have a SLF). When target is in front the Cutter shreds it in seconds (except if it's an anaconda, it takes a little longer). All lasers and MCs are G5 efficient, PD is G5 charge enhanced, if I remember correctly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvuGXp0r0_U

So, what you're saying is that at least some of my turrets should have been engaged at all times? When you turn away - I'm watching your video as I type - I can certain hear yours continuing to fire. Mine simply did not. Must be some sort of bug. I'm going to try another cargo run and allow myself to be interdicted again to see if it was a one-off ... well, not quite one-off as it did happen once before, as I mentioned.

Scoob

Just to be on the safe side: You did assign the Target-only turrets to a fire group, activated the group and press the trigger?
I guess yes, as you have turret experience, but sometimes simple things are forgotten...

Always worth doing a sanity check, but yes, I have things assigned to a Fire Group - I just have the one with Primary and Secondary triggers configured. The Turrets did fire when the FDL was within my front-facing (not using VR) line of sight, so I suspected firing arc were poor. Sounding more like a bug tho.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

Really surprised at the lack of knowledge regarding proper turret use/settings in this thread so far.

 

[CentrumSilver]

That does like a bug Scoob, my cutter is all turreted MC's and i have them set to fire at will, never have had an issue, maybe try out different firing commands in the right panel to see if maybe they are ALL bugged? My Corvette has the same firing setup and it as well has no issues.

Hope you get it straightened out CMDR, i know the feeling when things dont go your way when you need them to.

p.s.--- just came back to correct myself, i have all my guns to Fire-at-Will on both my Corvette and Cutter.

 

[Scoob]

Really surprised at the lack of knowledge regarding proper turret use/settings in this thread so far.

Care to elaborate?

I've had great success with turrets over multiple ships, yet this stood out as a very weird issue, hence my question regarding the Cutters firing arcs. MAUXUS's video suggests that my turrets should be able to engage fine when the target isn't on-screen though.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

Care to elaborate?

I've had great success with turrets over multiple ships, yet this stood out as a very weird issue, hence my question regarding the Cutters firing arcs. MAUXUS's video suggests that my turrets should be able to engage fine when the target isn't on-screen though.

Scoob.

You asked for advice and I gave you some. Your setting is WRONG for the Cutter. It doesn't matter if that worked on your other ships. The Cutter has a lot of blind spots in its weapon load out. Using anything other than Fire At Will for turrets on that ship is going to deliver mediocre results.

Precisely the results you were complaining about in your opening post.

If you want to blow off the advice of someone who obviously knows far more about this than anyone else in the this thread so far, be my guest!

I only wonder why you bothered posting this thread in the first place, when you are arguing with the advice provided?

Whatever.

Have fun!

 

[Scoob]

Well that is why you are not getting the fire rates you are expecting. The worst possible choice for an all turret Cutter.

Based on your original post, the majority of your turrets are blocked from the line of fire at any given time, and prevented from firing when they do have a shot since you have Fire at Will turned off.

Your call, but you are getting precisely the results I would expect from using "the wrong" turret setting for what you want your turrets to do.

Sorry, I'm lagging behind on my responses.

My experience, using "Target Only" in my Anaconda, and for the turrets in my Corvette are the following:

I lock onto a target. I tap my Turret fire button once and all turrets assigned to that group fire at the target while they have LoS until it's dead. If a given Turrets LoS is broken, then it'll start firing again the moment it regains it.

My Anaconda is all turrets, my Corvette is two fixed Huge Beams (Primary) and various turrets (Secondary) so I'll often shoot with my Primaries - and usually that's it for the target - then tap my Secondary Fire button and the turrets open up - ideal for more nimble ships or just if I'm lazy

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

Rather than argue with good advice, why don't you change your Turret setting to Fire at Will, and let the difference hit you in the face like a 2 x 4?

 

[Scoob]

You asked for advice and I gave you some. Your setting is WRONG for the Cutter. It doesn't matter if that worked on your other ships. The Cutter has a lot of blind spots in its weapon load out. Using anything other than Fire At Will for turrets on that ship is going to deliver mediocre results.

Precisely the results you were complaining about in your opening post.

If you want to blow off the advice of someone who obviously knows far more about this than anyone else in the this thread so far, be my guest!

I only wonder why you bothered posting this thread in the first place, when you are arguing with the advice provided?

Whatever.

Have fun!

Ok, ok it wasn't my intent to offend...I just got a bit behind and missed your post.

So, the Cutter has blind spots - good to know - however, when there is just one target - as in my situation - how do the "Target Only" and "Fire at Will" settings differ? I mean, each turret should attempt to fire on the single target when it has a firing solution in either mode right? Or is there something "Fire at Will" does differently?

Sure, if I was actively engaged with multiple targets, Fire at Will might be the best way to go unless I wanted to preserve my weapons capacitor for the biggest threat. I don't really want to run out of weapons energy with my turrets engaging ships that cannot crack my shields, making me unable to fire my primaries at the main threat for example.

My Cutter is not a combat build by any stretch of the imagination, but it should be able to handle a single ship when interdicted. It did, quite quickly with that FDL once my turrets started working. However, I fear it'd deplete it's weapons energy too quickly if actively engaging several ships at once. For example, if I had two attackers, using "Target Only" would ensure that one of those attackers will be quickly dead. However, "Fire at Will" might see me with two, albeit damaged, attackers for a longer time period - a time period where my shields are dropping and my weapons energy depleting. Obviously this is subject to my ability to manoeuvre to engaging my primary target.

So, while "Fire at Will" might be the best option if you want your ship to be shooting at multiple targets at once, surely "Target Only" is the best if you want to save your weapons capacitor for that one target, the one you consider the highest threat?

All that said, I'm very much convinced that my issue is a bug. I mean, weapons failing to fire at all until I'd boosted away and come back, then only seeming to fire when the target was right in front of me, doesn't seem right. I did have something similar with my Anaconda once. I took it into combat and the guns deployed but failed to fire on any targets - that was irrespective of "Target Only" or "Fire at Will" being selected. Certainly a bug.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

It is rare that your ship will be firing at multiple targets at the same time. Fire at Will simply gives your turrets "permission" to fire on your target (s) when they have a clear shot. 9 times out of 10, they will be firing at your primary target, since you rarely have more than a "single" primary target to deal with in any given combat encounter anyway.

As I said before... All one needs to do is switch their Turret Control over to Fire At Will in the Functions menu and do a couple of combat missions or whatever. The hit rate difference should be obvious within 30 seconds of engagement.

I run Fire at Will for all my ships, including my A Rated/G5 maxed Corvette. Once you understand how FD designed the turrets to work, it should become pretty obvious that "Fire at Will" is the best setting for turrets overall.

As for your "BUG" theory... I am somewhat dubious considering how much I use turrets in the game of a daily basis and with a variety of ships. I have never run into this "Fail to fire" issue I see referred to in the forums pretty often. I personally chalk all these reports up to "pilot error".

 

[Scoob]

It is rare that your ship will be firing at multiple targets at the same time. Fire at Will simply gives your turrets "permission" to fire on your target (s) when they have a clear shot. 9 times out of 10, they will be firing at your primary target, since you rarely have more than a "single primary target to deal with in any given combat encounter anyway.

I run Fire at Will for all my ships, including my A Rated/G5 maxed Corvette. Once you understand how FD designed the turrets to work, it should become pretty obvious that "Fire at Will" is the best setting for turrets overall. My combat rank is proof.

Ok, that's good to know. Thanks. With a non-combat build, as my Cutter is, weapons capacity isn't so great (Engineered, but still D-Rated) so my concern was diluting my firepower and ending up with, for example, two damaged but still attacking foes. I'm more than happy to test the modes...I have on other ships but personally found that "Target Only" appeared to be more efficient for killing the ship I was after.

Have just left the station, so will allow myself to be interdicted again and flip between the firing modes. With a single attacker, I'm not worried about spreading the damage so to speak.

Scoob.

 

[GG7]

Ok, that's good to know. Thanks. With a non-combat build, as my Cutter is, weapons capacity isn't so great (Engineered, but still D-Rated) so my concern was diluting my firepower and ending up with, for example, two damaged but still attacking foes. I'm more than happy to test the modes...I have on other ships but personally found that "Target Only" appeared to be more efficient for killing the ship I was after.

Have just left the station, so will allow myself to be interdicted again and flip between the firing modes. With a single attacker, I'm not worried about spreading the damage so to speak.

Scoob.

I wouldn't worry about dilution of fire from your turrets. You will be ranking up damage points on a constant basis instead of only when your turrets have the same line of fire that you do from your cockpit view.

There is no difference between Target Only and Fire At Will when your turret has a shot under both arguments. The problem is, Target Only removes well over 50% of your turret's firing opportunities for no logical reason. (Horrible choice)

The Cutter has a pretty thick skin, so you would have to be a pretty lame pilot to loose your ship over combat damage from a single ship encounter. My advice would be to high wake if you can't outrun something like an Elite Conda or Corvette.

As I mentioned, the "SuperTanker" maneuvering speeds of the Cutter even with an 8A thruster module pretty much turned me off any serious combat focused excursions. This was after I still took the time to A rate and G5 engineer a variety of weapon load outs for the ship.

In the end, the maneuvering speed of the ship was just too slow. The T-10 is a far more capable combat platform than the Cutter ever will be. I own TWO of those, but only one Cutter.

 

[Scoob]

As for your "BUG" theory... I am somewhat dubious considering how much I use turrets in the game of a daily basis and with a variety of ships. I have never run into this "Fail to fire" issue I see referred to in the forums pretty often. I personally chalk all these reports up to "pilot error".

Perhaps I did something wrong, but I've used turrets a lot too. For them to deploy but then apparently fail to track the target is....odd. To be clear, I've had this just once/I] before and cycling through the firing modes did not help. However, then it just started working during my next encounter.

Didn't get interdicted this run....will try again.

Scoob.

 

[Scoob]

The Cutter has a pretty thick skin, so you would have to be a pretty lame pilot to loose your ship over combat damage from a single ship encounter. My advice would be to high wake if you can't outrun something like an Elite Conda or Corvette.

As I mentioned, the "SuperTanker" maneuvering speeds of the Cutter even with an 8A thruster module pretty much turned me off any serious combat focused excursions. This was after I still took the time to A rate and G5 engineer a variety of weapon load outs for the ship.

In the end, the maneuvering speed of the ship was just too slow. The T-10 is a far more capable combat platform than the Cutter ever will be. I own TWO of those, but only one Cutter.

I'm still pretty new to the Cutter, I literally bought it my last session and turned it into a long-range hauler. I've not actually taken hull damage in it yet, so no direct experience on how tough it is in that regard. I will do a full A-Rated build - I have plenty of cash - but my challenge (to myself) with this build was jump range, I thought 20/29ly Laden / Unladen was pretty good...had to G4 FSD though as forgot I'd burnt through my materials with the Corvette.

Yeah, the thing is pretty horrendous when it comes to manoeuvring, I'm light, but D-Rated Thrusters. Still quite fast though, all things considered. Even my average G3 Dirty Drives roll lets me boost to 390. I really need to unlock more Engineers though. Might do that post CG.

Heh, I actually debated getting the T10 before the Cutter, but, correct me if I'm wrong, the Cutter does make the better long-range trade ship with mild Engineering.

Scoob.