PVE Cutter 2.3 Multicrew - Loadout Thoughts?

[rockswift]

Hello,

I would like to get some feedback from CMDRs that use railguns and from 2.3 beta testers.
My proposed Cutter load out for multicrew is the following:
https://eddp.co/u/xweigRPj

Top side will be fully turreted, 2xc3 burst lasers (Efficient Scrambled Spec) & 2xc2 burst lasers also efficient.

Ideally I would like to be self sufficient with ammo, so I've been considering Imperial Hammers for the guns which I'll be in-charge of.
The two medium hard points under the Cutter have a close central alignment and could potentially work very nicely with railguns.

Any thoughts on this?

To offset the heat build-up I plan to use either a fixed or gimballed huge efficient beam with thermal vent.
Again, any thoughts on fixed over gimballed? ... I'm thinking that fixed would act as a nice laser sight for the imperial hammers to align upon, plus I'd probably be only engaging at close ranges with the beam and larger targets.

Looks like 2.3 shield booster nerf isn't going live, so heavy resistance stacked SB will remain alongside the bi-weaves.

 

[biohazard15]

Railguns are quite useless in PVE, unless you really, really, REALLY like that sort of Sammarc-branded "challenge".

You should try long-range turrets instead of efficient. 5km range + no damage falloff + no jitter if controlled by player makes them extremely effective. Problem is, Cutter isn't really good for anything but efficient weapons due to its C7 distributor, so you might want to take Conda or Vette.

 

[StiTch]

Railguns are quite useless in PVE, unless you really, really, REALLY like that sort of Sammarc-branded "challenge".

You should try long-range turrets instead of efficient. 5km range + no damage falloff + no jitter if controlled by player makes them extremely effective. Problem is, Cutter isn't really good for anything but efficient weapons due to its C7 distributor, so you might want to take Conda or Vette.

iCutter has the strongest hardpoint layout for turrets. It's the only thing the layout IS good for.

 

[rockswift]

Railguns are quite useless in PVE, unless you really, really, REALLY like that sort of Sammarc-branded "challenge".

You should try long-range turrets instead of efficient. 5km range + no damage falloff + no jitter if controlled by player makes them extremely effective. Problem is, Cutter isn't really good for anything but efficient weapons due to its C7 distributor, so you might want to take Conda or Vette.

Yeah I have been experimenting with long range and focused.
They are extremely strong on the cutter as gimballed weapons, can really compensate nicely for the lack of the Cutters agility.

However for the purpose of a turret they just seem a waste, since you wont have any issues at all aligning target from 5km out!

Emphasis here is on efficient weapons for gunner to use, maintaining fast recharge for firing the alpha weapons.

 

[L.S Algir]

Personnally I would try ( and will try ) something like that for the Cutter Multi Crew : 4 beam c2 turrets with long range ( grade 1 or 2 is enough I think) then 2 C3 gimballed MC and 1 C4 gimb MC (rapid fire on this one) .

So with turrets up and down you can concentrate at facing the foes with your MCs while your crew mate will have a 360° turrets ability . His goal is to remove ennemies shields or burn small ships , then you'll pop out the remaining resistants with your MCs .

 

[rockswift]

Personnally I would try ( and will try ) something like that for the Cutter Multi Crew : 4 beam c2 turrets with long range ( grade 1 or 2 is enough I think) then 2 C3 gimballed MC and 1 C4 gimb MC (rapid fire on this one) .

So with turrets up and down you can concentrate at facing the foes with your MCs while your crew mate will have a 360° turrets ability . His goal is to remove ennemies shields or burn small ships , then you'll pop out the remaining resistants with your MCs .

Had this exact build recently (efficient instead of the long range on the beam). I think the long range x4 would probably be too much draw.

Worked okay and the rapid fire mod on the huge MC spun up quite fast... issue is (for me), getting quite bored of MCs and hate dependency on ammo.
It was actually my back-up plan for 2.3 if the shield nerfs went live, with efficient mod it would have allowed 4/0/2 gameplay for stronger shields.

 

[StiTch]

Personnally I would try ( and will try ) something like that for the Cutter Multi Crew : 4 beam c2 turrets with long range ( grade 1 or 2 is enough I think) then 2 C3 gimballed MC and 1 C4 gimb MC (rapid fire on this one) .

So with turrets up and down you can concentrate at facing the foes with your MCs while your crew mate will have a 360° turrets ability . His goal is to remove ennemies shields or burn small ships , then you'll pop out the remaining resistants with your MCs .

Come on, if the pilot doesn't even have to worry about most of his firing any more, the least he can do is keep an enemy ship literally anywhere above it where the top turrets can hit. The iCutter is slow to pitch, not stationary.

OP, depending on your ability/preference, try something like either 2xC2/2xC3 turreted pulses on top (long range or efficient) or if you want to make the turrets the centerpiece of your pew-pew, three efficient beams and one C2 efficient pulse so you can put scramble spectrum on there.

Beams have a longer range by default so definitely want efficient, but you'll need to take advantage of your extra pip to keep them firing.

 

[rockswift]

Just for ~fun~ Ran a full efficient beam loadout last night on Cutter (2 turret beams on top, rest gimballed).
Was actually pretty effective when engaging at close range, with my SLF finishing off kills.

Managed to kill majority of targets in CZ python and lower in 1-2 dist bar.

Smaller targets just melted.

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Come on, if the pilot doesn't even have to worry about most of his firing any more, the least he can do is keep an enemy ship literally anywhere above it where the top turrets can hit. The iCutter is slow to pitch, not stationary.

OP, depending on your ability/preference, try something like either 2xC2/2xC3 turreted pulses on top (long range or efficient) or if you want to make the turrets the centerpiece of your pew-pew, three efficient beams and one C2 efficient pulse so you can put scramble spectrum on there.

Beams have a longer range by default so definitely want efficient, but you'll need to take advantage of your extra pip to keep them firing.

Exactly my mind-set. I'm figuring that having less to concentrate on will free up my attention for larger alpha strikes... be it plasma accelerator / railguns etc. Plus it makes life more entertaining!

 

[Gunnet]

I have a pair of long range IHammers on my Cutter's C2 chin hardpoints. They work great. The heat is only of minimal concern now, and with 2.3 it will get even better. They're not as close together as they might seem though, I've seen my shots go either side of a small ship before.

There's no reason to use a gimballed hitscan weapon in the C4 slot with IHammers in the C2s. You're going to be aiming directly at the targets anyway, so you might as well take the damage and stability.

 

[rockswift]

I have a pair of long range IHammers on my Cutter's C2 chin hardpoints. They work great. The heat is only of minimal concern now, and with 2.3 it will get even better. They're not as close together as they might seem though, I've seen my shots go either side of a small ship before.

There's no reason to use a gimballed hitscan weapon in the C4 slot with IHammers in the C2s. You're going to be aiming directly at the targets anyway, so you might as well take the damage and stability.

Excellent, this is what I wanted to hear!
Are you using g5 DDs / OC PP etc? just trying to gauge your thermal-load.

Would be nice to retain regeneration seq on my huge beam for wing combat, rather than switching to thermal vent.

 

[StiTch]

Would be nice to retain regeneration seq on my huge beam for wing combat, rather than switching to thermal vent.

You're in the iCutter. They should be trying to heal you

 

[Gunnet]

Excellent, this is what I wanted to hear!
Are you using g5 DDs / OC PP etc? just trying to gauge your thermal-load.

Would be nice to retain regeneration seq on my huge beam for wing combat, rather than switching to thermal vent.

G5 DDs with 78.2% thermal load and G1 OC PP with 4.8% efficiency, one of my IHammers has -12.8% thermal load as well. With 4 pips to weapons so my capacitor stays full I can hold the trigger down for 4-5 firing cycles and hit ~95% heat. After that I only have to pace the shots out a little to keep the heat under control.

In practice the natural pacing of shots for aiming tends to make heat a non-issue.

Of course, I don't have several laser turrets firing at the same time. If I were in your position I would be concerned about the combined power draw draining the weapons capacitor far enough that the low charge heat penalty made the IHammers impractical. They get very toasty indeed if you fire them at low charge.

 

[rockswift]

G5 DDs with 78.2% thermal load and G1 OC PP with 4.8% efficiency, one of my IHammers has -12.8% thermal load as well. With 4 pips to weapons so my capacitor stays full I can hold the trigger down for 4-5 firing cycles and hit ~95% heat. After that I only have to pace the shots out a little to keep the heat under control.

In practice the natural pacing of shots for aiming tends to make heat a non-issue.

Of course, I don't have several laser turrets firing at the same time. If I were in your position I would be concerned about the combined power draw draining the weapons capacitor far enough that the low charge heat penalty made the IHammers impractical. They get very toasty indeed if you fire them at low charge.

Hmm, I reckon i'll get very toasty indeed with my g5 OC PP then...
Maybe I should revisit huge MC again instead... is that what you're running in the huge HP?

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You're in the iCutter. They should be trying to heal you

Makes me feel all good inside when I help heal up random commanders in an combat zone.
But yeah, screw that

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Plan on flying with Fuel Rat on stand-by? Or just not leaving inhabited space? You're missing a gas cap.

 

[rockswift]

Will switch in a fuel tank for the cargo rack! ...

They massively noticeable on fuel drain then? Not modded plasma slugs before.. I guess I just envisioned they'd be more sustainable than MCs

 

[Gunnet]

Hmm, I reckon i'll get very toasty indeed with my g5 OC PP then...
Maybe I should revisit huge MC again instead... is that what you're running in the huge HP?

I haven't settled on what to put in the C4 permanently. An efficient PA or fixed cannon is the most fun, but seriously hurts DPS by taking the IHammers off target. A pulse or burst laser lacks punch, while a beam is too energy hungry without efficient, in which case it lacks range.

I have tried it with a gimballed multi too. It's easily the most effective companion to the IHammers, particularly with corrosive. I'm kind of resisting using it because I was trying to make an all fixed no multi build, but for maximum effectiveness I'd definitely recommend just getting the gimballed multi.

Edit: Mine have plasma slug too. The fuel use is definitely noticeable, but the Cutter's standard 64t tank lasts me for ages. And it's much less hassle to duck out for some quick fuel scooping than to go to a station for ammo.

 

[StiTch]

Makes me feel all good inside when I help heal up random commanders in an combat zone.
But yeah, screw that

Uhoh, I'm pulling people to the dark side again...

Definitely heal randomers if that is your thing Just maybe not from the C4 point on your iCutter

 

[rockswift]

I haven't settled on what to put in the C4 permanently. An efficient PA or fixed cannon is the most fun, but seriously hurts DPS by taking the IHammers off target. A pulse or burst laser lacks punch, while a beam is too energy hungry without efficient, in which case it lacks range.

I have tried it with a gimballed multi too. It's easily the most effective companion to the IHammers, particularly with corrosive. I'm kind of resisting using it because I was trying to make an all fixed no multi build, but for maximum effectiveness I'd definitely recommend just getting the gimballed multi.

Edit: Mine have plasma slug too. The fuel use is definitely noticeable, but the Cutter's standard 64t tank lasts me for ages. And it's much less hassle to duck out for some quick fuel scooping than to go to a station for ammo.

Efficient PA ... now that sounds interesting. Difficult to time? would have normally gone for Focused to increase shot speed.
Definitely going to experiment with the Hammers, whether that's with a fixed beam / MC / PA time will tell....
Thank you for the input!

 

[DarnellJenkins]

I've been thinking about this for months for my Cutter. I'm currently trying out sturdy MC turrets on my nacelles(one with corrosive), Efficient Pulse turrets in my larges, 1 packhound with g5 increased ammo and 1 imperial hammer efficient on the chin with a huge gimballed MC overcharged to finish it off.

Im not convinced the armor penetration bonus from sturdy is helping, will probably change it to OC or efficient. Flying it solo it just feels weak compared to my past load-outs without turrets. The things we do to fly with random strangers/friends...

This is going to be a pure Multi-Crew ship. I really wish large Multi Cannons existed, i would love to switch them around on this loadout.

 

[Gunnet]

Efficient PA ... now that sounds interesting. Difficult to time? would have normally gone for Focused to increase shot speed.
Definitely going to experiment with the Hammers, whether that's with a fixed beam / MC / PA time will tell....
Thank you for the input!

I had focused for the projectile speed when I was using C3 PAs on the top hardpoints. After using both I honestly don't think it makes all that much difference on a Cutter. The less manoeuvrable medium ships and all the large ships are easy to hit with stock speed, and you just don't have enough control over range and positioning against a small or agile ship to reliably hit them either way.

Good luck with the experimentation