Best Fighter for M/K?

[Neophite108]

So, with a lot of good fighters out there, I'm wondering which to head for. I'm using a mouse and keyboard setup, so I kinda prefer gimbaled weapons.

So far I think the F7C-M is the best choice, because you get 2xS3s, 2xS2s, and 2xS1s, as well as eight missiles. The Sabre looks amazing, but if you gimbal the weapons, you're left with 4xS2s.

Any thoughts?

 

[Beerjerker]

So, with a lot of good fighters out there, I'm wondering which to head for. I'm using a mouse and keyboard setup, so I kinda prefer gimbaled weapons.

So far I think the F7C-M is the best choice, because you get 2xS3s, 2xS2s, and 2xS1s, as well as eight missiles. The Sabre looks amazing, but if you gimbal the weapons, you're left with 4xS2s.

Any thoughts?

Those 2xS3s would be fixed and the 2xS1s could be swapped out for 1xS2 which (currently) is far better. So Super Horny is 5xs2s (gimballed) vs. Sabre's 4xS2s (gimballed).
I would encourage you to fly them both while they are free to fly (until 17th I think) because they handle very differently. Though the new flight model is due to change things, maybe drastically, you can still get a good idea of how they are intending them to be. Sabre feels much lighter and is much faster, but Hornet is slower and can take several hits.
This thread https://testsquadron.com/threads/pimped-your-spaceship-lets-share-information.7421/ you will probably enjoy.

 

[I_MIKE_I]

I think fighters will undergo a mayor rebalancing "soon".

A Ship you might want to look at, too could be the Buccaneer, which I'd imagine to be fairly nimble compared to it's firepower.

They also (slightly) updated it's statpage recently. It now shows that it has 3x S1 Shields - whatever one can expect from that.


The big question is how effective Fighters will be when the Speeds go down. I mean... it's not unthinkable to have a Taurus come out on top against many fighters.

 

[Michael]

I think fighters will undergo a mayor rebalancing "soon".

The big question is how effective Fighters will be when the Speeds go down. I mean... it's not unthinkable to have a Taurus come out on top against many fighters.

I would definitly wait for the new speed changes. If you have to much money, well buy them all. ^^
As a M/K user i like to fly ungimbaled, at least in agile ships. And i think the advantage of better ship control / manovering for Joystick users might vanish a little bit more, with those changes. Also other control methods might become viable in the future, like Track IR or VR googles as control method for gimbaled weapons.
My most feared enemy is usally the sabre atm. This might also be because of some issues with this ship.
Also might want to consider what the future application of your ship might be. Atm, in AC, SH and Sabre are usally at the top, but the strategic and flying possibilitys are very limited there. I made some nice annoying hit and run tactics with the delta in PU which i couldn't do in AC. (When those unguided missiles hit, they hit hard)
I think a pack of deltas maybe could do more damage in a short time, than a pack of SHs or Sabres.

 

[Floating Cloud]

The advice above pretty much covers it. One point that wasn't mentioned regarding the Sabre is that the shields are apparently bugged at the moment,and when fixed will presumably significantly reduce the craft's survivability. That, in conjunction with the imminent speed reductions will make the Sabre everyone's favourite (glass cannon) punchbag... or so I suspect.

If there is a ship that you like the look of but don't want to commit to it fully at this time then one option is to buy an upgrade now from a closely priced (and always purchasable) ship. When the Sabre/Superhornet are no longer available you will still be able to purchase them by getting that intermediate ship first. Melt whichever CCU you end up not using. We're also expecting the usual annual ship sale in November, so you could just sit back and wait for that. We should have a better idea of the 'best ship' by then.

 

[Beerjerker]

The advice above pretty much covers it. One point that wasn't mentioned regarding the Sabre is that the shields are apparently bugged at the moment,and when fixed will presumably significantly reduce the craft's survivability. That, in conjunction with the imminent speed reductions will make the Sabre everyone's favourite (glass cannon) punchbag... or so I suspect.

If there is a ship that you like the look of but don't want to commit to it fully at this time then one option is to buy an upgrade now from a closely priced (and always purchasable) ship. When the Sabre/Superhornet are no longer available you will still be able to purchase them by getting that intermediate ship first. Melt whichever CCU you end up not using. We're also expecting the usual annual ship sale in November, so you could just sit back and wait for that. We should have a better idea of the 'best ship' by then.

Good advice. I got a SH this sale but also got a $0 CCU to Freelancer MIS and will probably sit on it until the MIS comes out.

 

[DeepDrum]

The Sabre is cool and at present it gives me ther best scores in vanduul storm and the like but the Hornets are still closer to my heart.
Hornets are much faster to get in and out of which is crucial to complete missions before getting blown away. There are No falling through the floor bugs on the Hornet at this point.
My score with the Hornets are very close to my Sabre scores. My personal preference is the SH over the Sabre though, especially for missions.
I Loved the SH I rented with REC.
They are both free fly this week. Try them out.
To earn aEUC, I find the Hornet series the best.
To earn REC, I find the Sabre wins by a nose, especially in places when it is everyone for him/herself but the hornets do just fine in other areas.
All in all the Hornets and Sabres are the most glitchless I have found to date.

 

[Texelis]

I usually use the SH. It's a beast, with M/K it's almost cheating, haha.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I think if you really like flying gimballed you should at least try the Vanguard. That bird is going to have constant work in the 'verse, since it can go anywhere. Both the sabre and SuperHornet need carriers, so there are lots of places they won't be flying. "Long Range has lots of benefits, but very few pilots like to fly gimballed, so the Vanguard has few takers. Even though the more nimble fighters have an advantage, if what you're doing is honing your skills for in the PU, I can tell you Vanguard pilots are going to be in high demand. I plan to hire 5-6 myself.

And think of the extensions in your gameplay--4 Vanguard variants each of which can do things no other fighter can do. There are good reasons Squadron 42 is based on Vanguard activity.

 

[DeepDrum]

I fit the Vangard Warden in between the Sabre and Hornet. My AC scores reflect this too.
The Vangard has potential for surte and works well. Again, hard to get in and out of though.

 

[I_MIKE_I]

I definetely would not recommend the Vanguard. It's just too slow for a Fighter.

In AC this isn't much of a thing, but in the PU it's gonna get slaughtered unless they change it drastically.

 

[marcsand2]

I fit the Vangard Warden in between the Sabre and Hornet. My AC scores reflect this too.
The Vangard has potential for surte and works well. Again, hard to get in and out of though.

Practical I agree, theoretical I don't. The Sabre has way too strong shields, the Vanguard is too weak for its size. The Hornet is a close combat dogfighter, the Sabre has its stealth and should be more like a hit and run fighter, depending on its stealth and speed to avoid fire instead of its super shields, the Vanguard is like a P38 Lightning, a long range interceptor or fighter bomber.

I definetely would not recommend the Vanguard. It's just too slow for a Fighter.

In AC this isn't much of a thing, but in the PU it's gonna get slaughtered unless they change it drastically.

Too slow for a fighter is the wrong phrase, too sluggish for a dogfighter would be more precise ;)

 

[Printimus]

I personally use the Super Hornet with gimballed badgers all around. Things go boom very quickly while using M/K.

 

[DeepDrum]

Practical I agree, theoretical I don't. The Sabre has way too strong shields, the Vanguard is too weak for its size. The Hornet is a close combat dogfighter, the Sabre has its stealth and should be more like a hit and run fighter, depending on its stealth and speed to avoid fire instead of its super shields, the Vanguard is like a P38 Lightning, a long range interceptor or fighter bomber.


Too slow for a fighter is the wrong phrase, too sluggish for a dogfighter would be more precise ;)

Good points.

 

[DeepDrum]

The sabre seems so far above anything else in AC that it should have it's own section.
If someday they made AC ship specific I.E. Hornets against Hornets, Super Hornets against Super Hornets etc. then AC could get fun again.
I beleive the Sabres have ruined AC. Can we get the AC players back?
Get rid of the second body that spawns in the cockpit every time I respawn and get the radar fixed and AC.
I want my own Super Hornet someday but it's way down on my priority list.

 

[marcsand2]

Super Hornets against Super Hornets etc.

Nooooo, thats no fun anymore. I tried that once, its a slugfest. Delta vs SH was more fun. A M50 vs SH also would be very interesting, the SH pilot will get very frustrated :p

 

[DeepDrum]

Point well taken. Now that I am awake, I see the logic in it.
I am just kind of dissappointed they took my missles away (and the mounting place) in my Tracker.
I am just Super Hornet/Sabre Fodder now.

 

[marcsand2]

Point well taken. Now that I am awake, I see the logic in it.
I am just kind of dissappointed they took my missles away (and the mounting place) in my Tracker.
I am just Super Hornet/Sabre Fodder now.

The Hornet Tracker and Super Hornet are too close, the slugging match will be won by the ship with the best armor, although.......
I did a slugging match SH vs SH, both fixed weapons, the match was decided by the third guy that joined.
I did a second match SH vs Delta, also both fixed, The SH couldn't hit me enough, the Delta hit plenty but not heavy, the match was decided by the third guy that joined.
A few days ago I did a third match, SH vs Delta, Delta fixed. The SH hit me with S2 weapons so I assume gimballed. The SH won because we both hit plenty but the SH has the better armor and the Delta didn't had the advantage of staying out of reach of the weapons.

 

[Grimm_Reaper]

Gimbal or ungimballed doesn't really matter at the level of a fighter. You have enough agility and control with a M/Kb that you can just choose a higher DPS and slug it out

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I am just kind of dissappointed they took my missles away (and the mounting place) in my Tracker.

Have you ever put void armor on the tracker? I am curoous about the mixture between the Ghost nd tracker and whether such a thing is possible.

Gimbal or ungimballed doesn't really matter at the level of a fighter. You have enough agility and control with a M/Kb that you can just choose a higher DPS and slug it out

Unless you're flying a Vanguard.

Does anyone know what rigs and setups the top five pilots are flying?