Dogfighter Conundrum

[NapalmX]

Need some thoughts on dogfighters. I never seriously considered a dedicated fighter so I picked up a Reliant Tana to fill that slot just in case (looks cool, space in the rear for cargo/third player, missiles). Please no recommendations for the Avenger. Never liked the look of it even though it does kick butt.

I'm thinking of either 1. Keep the Tana. 2. CCU to a Sabre. 3.Unmelt my Buccaneer.

I've 5 ships total and don't want to add, just tweak what I have.
Freelancer
Tana
Sen
Cutlass Black
Herald

Thanks, guys.

 

[MikeNificent]

The reliants are kind of a novelty for me. Look neato, but that's about it. If you already have a Lancer, the minimal cargo capacity in the reliant is covered and the load out isn't really much for fighting. If it were me, I would ditch the reliant and get a fighter (sabre, hornet, whatever floats your boat).

 

[BenjiMac]

It's a great query you pose.

I love a good hornet myself, but am tempted by a sabre. I hear the Vanguard is great too and I expect the bucc to be something special.

hopefully a more sober and knowledgable TESTie can point both of us in the right direction..

 

[Black Sunder]

I was a big proponent of the Reliant but after flying one, and I may try it again, I can't for the life of me like it. I'm sure its a good ship but it can't fight worth a damn even 2 AI pirates. Upgrade to a Hornet if you want the staying power or the Sabre like you said.

 

[BenjiMac]

anyone know if the superhornet will be on the boxing day sale?

 

[Carlos Spicyweiner]

CCU your Tana for a F7C Hornet and a flashfire mount. Start renting guns to try.

 

[BenjiMac]

I hear we will standardise at some level in the future, my aim is to make sure I have something that fits into a standard yellowjacket patrol.

 

[Blind Owl]

Napalm. You have a nice fleet. A really nice fleet. Everything soloable, and a good spread of usage with science, exploration, multipurpose and hauling covered.

Ditch the Tana, or CCU it. Depending on how you fight will dictate what you should get. I thought I hated the Super Hornet and loved the Sabre, but soon found that my play style was much more suited to the SH.

If you're a tanky fighter and want to be able to take some hits. Go SH. The Sabre is a beast as well, but for more of a zoom and boom tactics style. Hit hard, dance away, come back for more. Or so I hear.

Now keep in mind, this is all before they changed the flight mechanics. I haven't got to fly yet, but it may be completely different. If you have any rec, rent one or both of the ships you're looking at, and take them into AC to test them out.

anyone know if the superhornet will be on the boxing day sale?

Yes, it sure will be.

 

[Pander]

Just now pick up as many free CCUs as you can,

with speed changes in 2.6 and balance to the saber shield recharge bug it will be a while before we know whats best for what you need

Vangaurd will have more boost so it may become a top dog fighter if it can boom and zoom more than others ships and a really good range very versatile but expensive

Super hornet is your all rounder with an extra seat that may give you the edge having a second person but limited range also very tanky

Sabre will be a stealth fighter but again limited range and after fix fragile

Bucc will have a good range nearly matching the herald so may be more useful because you have a herald just hire an npc to fly the herald or bucc and have a nice little recon fleet

It really depends on what you want to do and playstyle

 

[Bigcracker]

I just want to say, After playing on the PTU the Hornet Wildfire is pretty damn good. I like it more than the Sabre and I love the Sabre. It feels more than just a different loadout of an F7C.

 

[BUTUZ]

To be honest for the money the F7C hornet is the best you can get, spend some REC on a flashfire mount and a Size 4 weapon and hey presto, boom boom boom.

 

[BenjiMac]

excluding the SH, any general preference? I used to like the ghost but Im sure it has a disadvantage in combat that I missed.

the wildfire did catch my eye but also considering the comet, vanguard warden and the SH.

 

[marcsand2]

I never seriously considered a dedicated fighter so I picked up a Reliant Tana to fill that slot just in case (looks cool, space in the rear for cargo/third player, missiles)

If would go for the Hornet or Super Hornet. If you want to fight, install a ball turret or specialty mount, if you want to transport small quantity, install the Stor-All Big Box, if you want to schout, install the ball radar replacement.

 

[Blind Owl]

Just now pick up as many free CCUs as you can,

with speed changes in 2.6 and balance to the saber shield recharge bug it will be a while before we know whats best for what you need

Vangaurd will have more boost so it may become a top dog fighter if it can boom and zoom more than others ships and a really good range very versatile but expensive

Super hornet is your all rounder with an extra seat that may give you the edge having a second person but limited range also very tanky

Sabre will be a stealth fighter but again limited range and after fix fragile

Bucc will have a good range nearly matching the herald so may be more useful because you have a herald just hire an npc to fly the herald or bucc and have a nice little recon fleet

It really depends on what you want to do and playstyle

Great breakdown. I'm excited to try out the new flight mechanics.

You mentioned extended range on the Bucky? I must have missed that. Can you expand on that for me? I was going to ditch the Bucky, but I may keep it if this holds true.

 

[Crymsan]

I have a similar quandary i.e. got most areas that I want covered but lack a dedicated fighter to at least knock around AC. The cutlass black will be well armed and is currently what I use (well I have a blue but you get the same loaner) switching the weopon's of course. With the up gunning it must loose something i.e. durability or handling or both. I have a buccaneer which isn't expensive but also isn't out and probably wont be a top draw fighter. Balance is ongoing of course but supposedly the normal hornet can get close to the super hornet (which makes it good value) when its upgraded (kind of like the wildfire), and anything sabre. The Vanguard is supposed to be good but I think that would compare more with the cutlass.

Personally I would pick on looks as long as a ship is good enough!

 

[Pander]

Great breakdown. I'm excited to try out the new flight mechanics.

You mentioned extended range on the Bucky? I must have missed that. Can you expand on that for me? I was going to ditch the Bucky, but I may keep it if this holds true.

No problem Mate,

From the buccy q&a

What will the fuel capacity/travel distance be like with those large engines?
It’ll be flexible. If you’ve loaded out the Buccaneer specifically for the furthest possible range, you definitely should be able to match the distance of a Herald, though a Herald will probably reach the destinations first for its speed. On the other hand, if you’ve decided to run a much more ballistic-heavy loadout, you’ll actively be giving up some of the maximum fuel capacity to bring along the ammunition for your weapons.

Its going to be a versatile platform as all drake ships are speed agility and a good amount of firepower with a good degree of customization.

The downsides are that the weapons are on the wings so losing them will deplete your firepower if it doesn't out right kill

Its a nice balance of a ship and could be a top dog fighter out in the verse because of the range,
You don't need to go toe to toe with hornets if your convoy of heralds and cutlass out range them but when you do fight you have the speed and firepower to bat them off and get the important stuff out of there ( a fighting retreat) if you need it

Versatility will be the most important stat in this game imo!

 

[Blind Owl]

No problem Mate,

From the buccy q&a

What will the fuel capacity/travel distance be like with those large engines?
It’ll be flexible. If you’ve loaded out the Buccaneer specifically for the furthest possible range, you definitely should be able to match the distance of a Herald, though a Herald will probably reach the destinations first for its speed. On the other hand, if you’ve decided to run a much more ballistic-heavy loadout, you’ll actively be giving up some of the maximum fuel capacity to bring along the ammunition for your weapons.

Its going to be a versatile platform as all drake ships are speed agility and a good amount of firepower with a good degree of customization.

The downsides are that the weapons are on the wings so losing them will deplete your firepower if it doesn't out right kill

Its a nice balance of a ship and could be a top dog fighter out in the verse because of the range,
You don't need to go toe to toe with hornets if your convoy of heralds and cutlass out range them but when you do fight you have the speed and firepower to bat them off and get the important stuff out of there ( a fighting retreat) if you need it

Versatility will be the most important stat in this game imo!

Well Fuck me. I need to read more. Damn real life getting in the way of SC. Ha.

I loved the Bucky the minute she hit concept. Bought her straight away, no hesitation. But as I learned more about myself, I realized I was a "tanky" fighter. Tenacious. If I have you in my sights, I will not disengage. I will shoot until you're dead (or I am)...regardless of the hits I'm taking.

This made me start second guessing my Bucky. And to this day I am still second guessing my Bucky. I'm not a good glass cannon guy. I love everything about her, but I just don't know if she's the right fit for me...
Kinda like this chick I met once. Fun as Fuck. But not the one I should've taken home to mom...ever.

 

[Blind Owl]

No problem Mate,

From the buccy q&a

What will the fuel capacity/travel distance be like with those large engines?
It’ll be flexible. If you’ve loaded out the Buccaneer specifically for the furthest possible range, you definitely should be able to match the distance of a Herald, though a Herald will probably reach the destinations first for its speed. On the other hand, if you’ve decided to run a much more ballistic-heavy loadout, you’ll actively be giving up some of the maximum fuel capacity to bring along the ammunition for your weapons.

Its going to be a versatile platform as all drake ships are speed agility and a good amount of firepower with a good degree of customization.

The downsides are that the weapons are on the wings so losing them will deplete your firepower if it doesn't out right kill

Its a nice balance of a ship and could be a top dog fighter out in the verse because of the range,
You don't need to go toe to toe with hornets if your convoy of heralds and cutlass out range them but when you do fight you have the speed and firepower to bat them off and get the important stuff out of there ( a fighting retreat) if you need it

Versatility will be the most important stat in this game imo!

Also, strong concur on the versatility. That is why I love Drake. My most beloved ships are those that I can use to fill many hats.

 

[BenjiMac]

Well Fuck me. I need to read more. Damn real life getting in the way of SC. Ha.

I loved the Bucky the minute she hit concept. Bought her straight away, no hesitation. But as I learned more about myself, I realized I was a "tanky" fighter. Tenacious. If I have you in my sights, I will not disengage. I will shoot until you're dead (or I am)...regardless of the hits I'm taking.

This made me start second guessing my Bucky. And to this day I am still second guessing my Bucky. I'm not a good glass cannon guy. I love everything about her, but I just don't know if she's the right fit for me...
Kinda like this chick I met once. Fun as Fuck. But not the one I should've taken home to mom...ever.

man, I can relate. in my younger days, there was a real sizzler way too hot for the likes of me, but she was always high on ketamine and used to throw glasses at my friend's heads so that explains a lot.

 

[The Razgriz]

Howdy! Figure I'll toss my 0.02 in, for what it's worth. WARNING: minor rant incoming...

The short version: Try out the Aegis Gladius.

The long version: I see a lot of fellas tossing around Hornets and Sabers, which I have nothing against. Personally, I love both of them. The Saber is one of the reasons that I originally looked into SC. And I could preach about the Hornet's virtues for days. But, no other (dogfighting) ship has made me feel the same as the Gladius. The Saber has a nice standard loadout and the shields are wicked, but it's expensive, unadaptable, and a bit uncontrollable in tight spaces. And the Hornet is like a work truck. It gets you there, it gets the job done, and it gets you home. Nothing more. Nothing less. The Gladius, however, flies like you're strapped to the back of a pissed-off weasel that's tweaking on crystal meth. If you try to turn at full throttle, or God forbid with the afterburners, the G-forces will kill you dead. Sure, the standard loadout might not be the greatest, but you can fix that. The shields may be weak, and the armor almost non-existant, but you can compensate with the mobility. Fly at 75% throttle, and save the top-end + afterburners for evasive actions. The Gladius is a great ship the gets a bad rep because many folks consider it a "starter ship" and act like they might catch leprosy from looking at it.

And again, I have nothing against the Saber or the Hornet. I own most of their respective lineups. Just figured the little guy deserved a shout-out.