According to the information on the BUKs the frame is the same and the changes from one version to the next are included in the "Combination Kit" (Or is it pack, I forget). For the Sentinel, Warden and Harbinger (maybe the Hoplite) with the kits, one Vanguard equals all Vanguards.
So for...
The Deadbolt 5 has 60 secomds of Ammo (70 shots). Unless the target is one of the really tough ships I'm not using more than 3 Rounds per target. That takes the MVSA capacitors to 37 shots until recharge is needed, so i'm almost always doing burst damage.
Of course when I was in the Army, on...
Against most targets, when using the 4 MVSA load out, you don't have to sustain very long with good trigger discipline.
My loadout of 4xMVSA and a Deadbolt 5 gives me 2425 Alpha, 3145 DPS sustained and 4204 dps burst.
The MVSA alone do 999 dps sustained and 2014 burst.
Now if your target is...
Yes, that I knew. Which means they damage shields but do no physical damage. Laser cannons damage shields too, but, based on the numbers, much faster. Then Laser cannons do physical damage.
At this point, it doesn't really matter. The stock components do everything just fine, and the only increase that matters is take the shields to A class.
That gives me quad shots, though I have been firing 2-3 per shot. Sometimes the Dominators lock when the Tempests will not and vice versa.
Edited to add: It is no longer one missile per rail.
Properly flown, with good timing, a Hawk can kill many light fighters in one pass. It can also strip the shields from a Vanguard in one pass.
As one of the few ships that we know will be able to take live bounties, it would be a good long term choice. It is supposed to be designed to be a gun...
I haven't played enough 3.16 to get back to ERT yet. In 3.14 and 3.15 one in 3 torps from my Eclipse would fly off in a random direction. A torp is about aUEC3500. But when you reload you pay for 3 torps regardless of how many you need.
Changes in 3.16:
In 3.16 the AI targeting has improved so...
The Galadreen and Attrition both have the same velocity as the MVSA. (Not the GVSR). If you use proper trigger discipline with the size 5 Cannon, a fight against 4 escorts and a primary target uses less than 20 of the 70 rounds.
A size 9 one shots a Hammerhead with the shields up.
The problem you can run into is the ERT group missions aren't always 3 Hammerheads. The Ecliplise isn't really useful against a Hurricane or Vanguard.
The EMP is a placeholder for "EMP charges" whatever that means. So the Sentinel is intended to have some kind of EMP capability.
Note that in crowded space an EMP causes friendly fire incidents. My Hawk has earned me an occassional Crime Stat.
I have a Warden with a Sentinel BUK.
I've been running my Warden with MVSA in the nose and the size 5 Ballistic Cannon under the nose. 8 Dominators and 8 Tempests.
Put the MVSA on group 0 with the cannon on group 1.
4200 burst DPS after you melt the shields a bit with the lasers.
Things just tend to go splat.
I don't know that I would say "boycott."
My better half and I both have accounts.
At the end of 2021 this is our Combined Fleet.
Our road map for Q1
For Q2
Q3
And Q4
We decided to cancel the roadmap and discard all of the cards.
:)