Military grade composite - worth it?

[Thales]

I finally managed to buy those military grade composites for my Python.

I was hoping that these would allow me to keep on fighting even when my shields were down by giving a substantial boost to my hull.

However, I am not so convinced...

I have a grade 4 reinforced 6A shield generator with two grade 3 heavy duty shield boosters. I grudgingly left my resistance improved shield booster in the hangar as a kill warrant scanner seems to be very lucrative. So my shields do hold out for quite long.

But when they went down recently, I think against a FAS or a Fer de Lance (but I might be mistaken) when their hull was already down to 30% or so, my hull eventually was down at around 20-30% by the time I finally killed them. For some reason other ships' hulls seem to be much stronger. Maybe it is because of their firepower (I have two medium multi-cannons, and two medium and one large laser, but it seems to take forever to wear other large ships down... I was hoping for the same for my ship! Will military grade composites improve much if engineered? Or are they not worth the trade off in jump range after all?

 

[timbero]

I finally managed to buy those military grade composites for my Python.

I was hoping that these would allow me to keep on fighting even when my shields were down by giving a substantial boost to my hull.

However, I am not so convinced...

I have a grade 4 reinforced 6A shield generator with two grade 3 heavy duty shield boosters. I grudgingly left my resistance improved shield booster in the hangar as a kill warrant scanner seems to be very lucrative. So my shields do hold out for quite long.

But when they went down recently, I think against a FAS or a Fer de Lance (but I might be mistaken) when their hull was already down to 30% or so, my hull eventually was down at around 20-30% by the time I finally killed them. For some reason other ships' hulls seem to be much stronger. Maybe it is because of their firepower (I have two medium multi-cannons, and two medium and one large laser, but it seems to take forever to wear other large ships down... I was hoping for the same for my ship! Will military grade composites improve much if engineered? Or are they not worth the trade off in jump range after all?

I think of Military Grade as having 2 papers thick armor instead of 1, you probably still want to get the hell out of there, especially if you have weak modules.

 

[goemon]

why are you running medium hardpoints in large slots? 2 large MC on a python greatly improve take down ... and if you plan on fighting without shields, you want pointdefence.

anyway, i personally think it differs a lot from ship to ship. ships with a great hull get more of bulkheads, while ships with a low hull, which are better suited for HRP. ships with a good shield get more of shield and scb.

i run my python for that reason without bulkheads. it has a large hitbox. moduls are very exposed it has good shields. i fit a class 6 scb (or mire) when i take it into battle.

on the other hand, my DBS (small shields, good hull) runs with military bulkheads, HRP and a bi-weave generator.

 

[Siranui]

You're taking ages to kill stuff because you have your hull-damaging weapons (MCs) in only two smaller slots. Smaller weapons are less effective against heavier hulls.

It would be more effective to have your lasers as class 2 and use the large slot(s) for multicannon.

Also, military hull is good at protecting the hull, but it doesn't armour your thrusters and the like. It only protects the hull. If you plan on a lot of hull tanking, then B class or armoured modules are worth considering.

 

[Thales]

Sorry, my mistake. I meant two large Multicannons and one large laser and two medium ones.

 

[Siranui]

In that case, other good ways of lowering Time To Kill are targeting the powerplant of larger ships and close the distance so that your guns aren't getting the damage fall off from longer ranges.

Also: A corrosive multicannon. [yesnod]

 

[Thales]

Hmmm, thank you! However, I only open fire when nearby (at least <1000 m).

I have tried aiming at the powerplant with Anacondas, but I ended up destroying the Anaconda before the power plant was at 0%! Maybe I'm doing something wrong...?

 

[White Shark]

Military Grade armour is trash and not worthy to be called "Military".

I have far better results with Mirrored. I think this is because most NPCs use lasers.

 

[Siranui]

Hmmm, thank you! However, I only open fire when nearby (at least <1000 m).

I have tried aiming at the powerplant with Anacondas, but I ended up destroying the Anaconda before the power plant was at 0%! Maybe I'm doing something wrong...?

It just means that you're not hitting the plant enough. Watch the target and observe when it's PP is taking damage. Try and then repeat that aspect of attack. You get to know where various vessel's PP is positioned.

 

[Thales]

Military Grade armour is trash and not worthy to be called "Military".

I have far better results with Mirrored. I think this is because most NPCs use lasers.

I was wondering whether this is true - It obviously depends on what the most common attack of NPCs is.

 

[jasonbarron]

Don't forget to get your armor modded, too. G3 lightweight is my advice. And don't think of it as a something that allows you to stick around and keep on keeping on after your shields drop, look at it like something that gives you a few more precious seconds to run away. Very much worth it, if you understand its limitations.

 

[Unhappyhour]

Unless you're in the federal ship trio, you'll never want to be in a fight when your shields are down. You'll run the risk of your modules being damaged and having a series of malfunctions, which can lead into rebuy screen. Even if you don't, you'll bound to be unlucky eventually. AI ships are very good with rail guns and missiles, I recently had to bail out of fight with deadly Diamondback Scout that had two rail guns and two missiles, while flying Diamondback Explorer.

 

[Macy]

I find the military grade composite adds too much extra mass. It ruins boost speed and jump range. For how often my shields go down, it ain't worth it.

 

[goemon]

Military Grade armour is trash and not worthy to be called "Military".

I have far better results with Mirrored. I think this is because most NPCs use lasers.

yes, with a good shield - n npc that gets your good shield down, most probably runs thermal weapons. if not railguns.

 

[timbero]

Military Grade armour is trash and not worthy to be called "Military".

I have far better results with Mirrored. I think this is because most NPCs use lasers.

Is it still the case that mirrored and reactive increases module damage taken or have they changed it? This is the main reason for me not using it.

 

[jasonbarron]

yes, with a good shield - n npc that gets your good shield down, most probably runs thermal weapons. if not railguns.

Against NPC's, sure. Against CMDR's, I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Jarvi Locke]

Once your shields are gone every ship is vulnerable to a critical hit from a missile, its time to get out of dodge. For those random battles with a single npc pirate i still carry it while mission running, but now you have made me consider if its really of much worth.

I think the choice of heavy duty boosters rather than resistance enhanced should be the real question. Heavy duty seems like a great idea but the added weight and increase in regen times is massive.

 

[tomalus]

military armor is good,you can also mod heavy armor to make it more tanky. If mass is a problem for speed, there is dirty drives thrusters to compensate.

military unmoded +0 thermal resist -20 kinetic resist -40 explosive
mirrored +50 thermal -75 kinetic -50 explosive

you will get crushed by kinetic dmg with mirrored also mirrored cost 140mil its bad

 

[Flimley]

With out a doubt it will help enormously. Check the stats compared to standard light armour. And how much longer you last once your shields drop.

Flimley

 

[Lucius-Darcia]

I for myself decide per ship if i take it.
On the Python? Totally worth it! Even with heavy duty grade 5 engineering it isn't too heavy to be a huge disadvantage. You can really stay longer in combat and don't have to worry too much about damage, mostly missiles will first take out your hardpoints and utilitys. But than it's definitly time to run. Also module damage is something that still happens, repairs also get much more expensive as the rebuy itself too.

But....if your grade 4 shields with 3 boosters get down, then you should better look out for new tactics since the military grade won't help you here.
Yes i know....it sounds like "git gud" and i don't like it. But i wear 6C bi-weaves on my python with grade 5 mod and only 1 single booster and i think i know how hard your shields should be.
Take care to have 4 pips on shields, at an 1 vs 1 battle this shields shouldn't pop down the military armor is only helpful if you are short before finishing the battle or better for running. But take care of your thrusters if you need to run and place a Point Defense at the rear end. You won't regret it if you go for hull.