I have a class 4 c power plant and class 3 a power distributor. I swapped out 2 class 2 f gimballed pulse lasers and 2 class 1 gimballed burst lasers. 86000 cr setup for the pulse/burst lasers and 280000 for the beam lasers. Man the beam lasers suck. Its beam laser god dammit, and why do they cost 280000 if they are much badder than a weapon setup for 86000? And the gimbaled beam lasers wingle around like the tracking system is malfunctioning. Even a class 1 beam laser should be better than pulse lasers if it cost 70000 over twice the price. I almost had problems killing an Adder because of the bad tracking and overheating. I still think its unbalanced. Who wants to use beam lasers if they suck...
Tried 4 Class 1 gimballed Beam lasers on Cobra.
- Thread starter W4rSkuLL
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Gimballed beams are pretty rubbish. Fixed beams are good if you can manage the heat and power. The most popular Cobra loadouts add multicannons into the mix. Gimballed Multis are much better
Beam lasers are sometimes better than pulse.
Pulse lasers are sometimes better than beam.
Burst lasers are always middle of the road.
Different situations and ships call for different weaponry. It's not just that one is better and one is worse - each has strengths and weaknesses.
With respect, if that were true, they would all cost exactly the same.
Why?
A formula 1 racer is better for certain things than a semi truck, and a semi truck is better for other things than a formula 1 racer. They have very different price points.
Elite is not a game where bigger price tag = unilaterally better.
Try using one gimbaled beam and the rest multi-cannons of choice. I have found one C2 beam will drain the capacitor VERY slowly, so I feel like I do more damage over time than with 2xC2 or more C1 because of downtime from shooting.
1xC2 beam and 3 x multicannons and no heat build-up. You can kill elite anaconda ships from the assassination missions with this setup (chaff and point defense).
1xC2 beam and 3 x multicannons and no heat build-up. You can kill elite anaconda ships from the assassination missions with this setup (chaff and point defense).
I wonder what sensors you are using if you are having tracking problems with the gimbal? THAT is what tracks the target, not the grade of the gimballed weapon. Put the top sensors in there and you will see very quick tracks to target.
I run 2 - top level gimballed beams on the medium hard point (500k each), 1 gimballed multi cannon and a 16 missle dumbfire rack on the small hard points. The entire ship is A-rated and I have a lot of success with that config...blowing through elite pythons and anacondas is very doable.
However, use whatever you have the most success with. Everyone's play style is a bit different.
Of course, just because you can fit it, does not always mean it's better. There are other factors invovled. power/cooling/mass/etc
It's just the outfit I have found works pretty damn swell. Depends on what kind of ship you want I suppose.
Gimballed beams are ineffective unless your target is flying in a straight line, even then they wander a little. Lasers are good against shields but less effective against hulls which is why a multi-cannon, pulse/burst laser combo is common.
Something to bear in mind for your cobra 3, the bottom mounts (the class 1s) cannot fire in the top half of your screen. Mount multicannons there and the situation is worse as they need to lead the target so have to gimbal further. If you go for laser/multi put your lasers in the class 1 slot and multi cannons in the class 2.
All gimbals wander, it's just noticeable with the sustained fire of beams.
The thing to consider with lasers especially is they all share the same cooling resource, the longer you want to sustain fire, the less lasers you want to stack. 4 beams being one of the hottest.
Cost wise, they are a higher dps weapon than pulse or burst. And have the unique role of being the only continuous fire weapon. Price is right
Ultimately twenty scissors, still won't beat one rock
The thing to consider with lasers especially is they all share the same cooling resource, the longer you want to sustain fire, the less lasers you want to stack. 4 beams being one of the hottest.
Cost wise, they are a higher dps weapon than pulse or burst. And have the unique role of being the only continuous fire weapon. Price is right
Ultimately twenty scissors, still won't beat one rock
Gimbal beam lasers have proven effective in close encounters.
I tested the fixed and gimbal.
1. With fixed you need precision, hand + mouse. + For all this you have to be careful with controlling your spacecraft.
2. With gimbal you don't need precision, hand + mouse. And you have relaxed controlling upon your spacecraft. In close distance betwean you and enemy, gimbal beam laser become fixed, and you can destroy faster subsystems of enemy ship.
I was noob before too, but this is not a shame. We don't have knowledge of all universe, even of the world. We learn.
I tested the fixed and gimbal.
1. With fixed you need precision, hand + mouse. + For all this you have to be careful with controlling your spacecraft.
2. With gimbal you don't need precision, hand + mouse. And you have relaxed controlling upon your spacecraft. In close distance betwean you and enemy, gimbal beam laser become fixed, and you can destroy faster subsystems of enemy ship.
I was noob before too, but this is not a shame. We don't have knowledge of all universe, even of the world. We learn.
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That's because with 100% accuracy, Beams are better.