Ships Vulture Looking for a build critique.

[Melanthes]

I've recently rediscovered the Vulture as it was the first ship I flew after having grown out of the Sidewinder. This build is meant to be used in PvP, and I already did some fights with it until I popped as the rebuy is really tiny. I'm trying to utilize the evasiveness of the vulture with a biweave hybrid build, which is a bit low on energy, but since getting away isn't really high on my list, it doesn't worry me too much.

Anyway here is the build: https://s.orbis.zone/45k1

I'm currently working on getting APAs, because I think the "burst" capability of those might fit the manoeuvrability of the vulture better than the normal PAs.

My biggest challenge at the moment are long range builds, as the FSD takes some time to charge when someone wants to do a reversky fight. I also thought about trying efficient beams, as I'm used to aiming with fixed hitscan rather than PAs.

 

[Bigmaec]

You're going to run into problems against gimbal builds without chaff, as the efficient PAs propably won't keep your enemy under dispersal.
And TLB got nerfed with a cooldown, which makes going for APAs a bit moot.
Why the C rated life support?
And using the FSD not on priority makes it a candidate for faster boot sequence...

 

[Fett_Li]

I would alter you defences like this: https://s.orbis.zone/45m7

First of all, get deep plating on your composites. The chances of getting hit by rockets is not worth the extra 60 armour in my opinion. Secondly, I'd ditch out the SCB for another HRP. You can then also take with a Chaff Launcher as suggested by Bigmaec. The plus point for that is that you're not as squishy once your shields go down and you also do not face the risk of having them being cancelled. In a Vulture, you're probably quite likely able to avoid cancelling but better safe than sorry. Also, I'd go for thermal resistant shields as opposed to reinforced ones. In a Bi-Weave build, I think you really want to have the good broken regen rate. And remove the fuel scoop because HP. But that's a matter of taste.

All in all, my build gives you 200 more points of absolute defense points (sum of armour + shield MJ) including the SCB while having higher resistances accross the board. And it draws less power, so you only have to power down your Cargo Hatch. Alternatively, you could also go for Thermal Spread on your PP instead of Monstered.

 

[Melanthes]

First of all, thanks for the replies.
The C-rated life support was used, because the canopy breaks mostly around 20% hull and I didn't want an additional sword of Damocles hanging there (and the energy gained was too low to use it anywhere else). The gimbals are a problem, I've already noticed that and it looks like I might have to go that route. As for the APAs my line of thought was more motivated by the flight experience I had, since I was often able to circle someone very close and didn't get my shots out, because the PAs were still not ready for another shot. Although that might also be caused by my PA skills having completely eroded after flying the corvette all the time.
As for hull tanking the vulture I'm not sold on that. That was my original approach, which backfired as the module protection isn't really great with so little space. This lead to several module breakdowns when I was at 50% hull. I thought that the resistances would mitigate that risk a bit (I originally had them around 40%), but the effect seems to be rather minor. The regeneration is of course a bit worse with reinforced shields, but I switch the HD booster off when loosing the shields to give myself a better regeneration rate and ever so slightly better resistances. The deep plating makes sense, I'll see to that.

 

[fu9ar]

I never like to use only one kind of weapon on a ship. You are going to have trouble against small and quick targets. PACs are great for smashing big ships, but they are easy to dodge. Putting a laser weapon (whichever is your preference) with the PAC will increase your tactical flexibility and you won't really lose anything in the trade.

 

[Melanthes]

I guess lasers are something I will try anyway and I do have engineered beams lying around. I feel (I'm not certain though) that my time on target is higher than what I can utilise with the plasmas. That's why I want to get APAs. The evasiveness of smaller ships isn't that much of a problem. The Vulture can usually keep up, at least in regard to manouvering and avoiding the PAs below 600m is difficult even with a small ship, especially since everything smaller than the vulture doesn't need that many hits with the PAs anyway. Although that problem might resurface with the lower per shot damage of the APAs. I've also though about going full shield tank (Reinforced 4A shield and two shield cell banks gets about 2800mj if nothing is cancelled), but overcharging that already weak powerplant probably invites long range sniping even more. Has someone experience with the heat of an overcharged plant in the vulture?

 

[S0rkvild]

First of all, thanks for the replies.
The C-rated life support was used, because the canopy breaks mostly around 20% hull and I didn't want an additional sword of Damocles hanging there (and the energy gained was too low to use it anywhere else).

Canopy integrity has nothing to with the life support. Go D and in case of oxygen depletion you can always rely on synthesis, only make sure you you have materials.

PvP - Life support integrity?

Does it have anything to do with canopy durability (shared integrity)? I go lightweight all the way on A rated life support does it mean the canopy will become more susceptible to damage and be like "paper thin". Is there any way to make the canopy more durable?

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[Melanthes]

Thanks for replying. Yeah, I was aware of that. It was mainly about it not changing anything in regard to combat prowess or anything else. As I said the energy gain was too low and if it doesn't hurt, why downgrade it? Fiddling with synthesis while the ship is nearly gone seems a waste of time, if it's something that I can prevent for free.

 

[fu9ar]

When I fit a Vulture the first time, I used class A life support set to a low power priority so it would shut off whenever I popped hardpoints and I would fight in my Remlok.

 

[GeoJase]

When I fit a Vulture the first time, I used class A life support set to a low power priority so it would shut off whenever I popped hardpoints and I would fight in my Remlok.

Neat way around the power issues. I like!

 

[Voracity_T]

https://s.orbis.zone/4dz1 < Swhat I'd do, evasion is your best friend, more oomph on the op end and by extension higher turn rates and more lateral performance.

 

[S0rkvild]