Crusader Ares - Stats live

[Knusum]

The stats just became available. The ship comes in two versions.

1) Ion - 1 S7 laser, 4 x S5 missiles, 3 x S3 shields and 2 x S2 powerplants
2) Inferno 1 S7 Ballistic Gatling gun, 4 x S5 missiles, 2 x S2 shields + Hvy armor and 1 x S2 power plant.

They are not yet flyable

 

[Bambooza]

Wow. Not sure how they are going to balance it but it sure is a beauty.

 

[maynard]

Wow. Not sure how they are going to balance it but it sure is a beauty.

you balance it by making the oversized gun slow-tracking

hitting a maneuverable, well piloted ship becomes almost impossible

edit: but ships that can survive a single more than one hit are fair game

another balancing option is to make it a glass cannon

 

[Bambooza]

you balance it by making the oversized gun slow-tracking

hitting a maneuverable, well piloted ship becomes almost impossible

but ships that can survive a single hit are fair game

I was just thinking this is another ship that will eat the Constellation for breakfast followed by the BeerFarer, Caterpillar, and Hercules. Not sure how it compares with the Eclipse against ships like the Hammerhead, Polaris, and Idris. But if it fits in the Polaris it's going to be sweet and I fully expect the Kraken to have a number of these ready.

 

[Cugino83]

I was just thinking this is another ship that will eat the Constellation for breakfast followed by the BeerFarer, Caterpillar, and Hercules. Not sure how it compares with the Eclipse against ships like the Hammerhead, Polaris, and Idris. But if it fits in the Polaris it's going to be sweet and I fully expect the Kraken to have a number of these ready.

Not sure for the Polaris and the Idris, but the Inferno looks like it has the firepower to take down an Hammerhead alone if it can avoid most of the turret fire.
Keep also in mind the future component system where you can destroy single component of the ship and wrack it without blow it up and theintroduction of different tipe of ammunition, like explosive round, AP, atc.... In that logic the Inferno variant will have a freaking destructive potential.

Not sure about the Ion one: that looks more suitable to snipe smaller ship form disant or make an hole into capital size shield to allow torpedo boat to do their job.

 

[DirectorGunner]

Best value deal if you're going to get them. $355 for both

 

[Tei]

Not sure for the Polaris and the Idris, but the Inferno looks like it has the firepower to take down an Hammerhead alone if it can avoid most of the turret fire.
Keep also in mind the future component system where you can destroy single component of the ship and wrack it without blow it up and theintroduction of different tipe of ammunition, like explosive round, AP, atc.... In that logic the Inferno variant will have a freaking destructive potential.

Not sure about the Ion one: that looks more suitable to snipe smaller ship form disant or make an hole into capital size shield to allow torpedo boat to do their job.

Taking into account that guns will be fixed, Ion kinda makes more sense if you want to target smaller, more nimble ships, because of high alpha damage.
As stated in brochure it will be ~38 rounds/minute so it will be high alpha damage (might be in par with similar s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, which have alpha dmg of 2750), while ballistic gun on Inferno is gatling gun with ~1900 rounds/minute, therefore very small alpha dmg (if similar dps as s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, then it would be ~55 alpha damage).
I guess it will not matter on big targets, but if you want to go for smaller ships, damaging with gatlings might be harder than with laser.

 

[FZD]

Taking into account that guns will be fixed, Ion kinda makes more sense if you want to target smaller, more nimble ships, because of high alpha damage.
As stated in brochure it will be ~38 rounds/minute so it will be high alpha damage (might be in par with similar s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, which have alpha dmg of 2750), while ballistic gun on Inferno is gatling gun with ~1900 rounds/minute, therefore very small alpha dmg (if similar dps as s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, then it would be ~55 alpha damage).
I guess it will not matter on big targets, but if you want to go for smaller ships, damaging with gatlings might be harder than with laser.

Well, all the gatling rounds that miss are just ~60dmg wasted.
Every Laser cannon round that misses is ~2750dmg wasted.

If you want to take out small targets, I think firstly, ballistics is the way to go, and secondly, gatling. Saturate area and eventually that nimble ship will lose a thruster or two, possibly one of the engines, and it's suddenly lot less nimble. Or scatter guns, flak cannons, etc. area saturation weapons.

 

[Sky Captain]

Ares Ion and Area Inferno concept link for reference: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/17379-Crusader-Ares

Cool ships. What a heavy fighter ought to be able to do I think. I'm assuming it will be a laggard for maneuverability to balance its forward fire power.

Kinda wonder if we might see a Super Ares with two big guns one day, lol.

 

[Tei]

Well, all the gatling rounds that miss are just ~60dmg wasted.
Every Laser cannon round that misses is ~2750dmg wasted.

If you want to take out small targets, I think firstly, ballistics is the way to go, and secondly, gatling. Saturate area and eventually that nimble ship will lose a thruster or two, possibly one of the engines, and it's suddenly lot less nimble. Or scatter guns, flak cannons, etc. area saturation weapons.

True, but with laser cannon you need to stay on pip just for when you shoot, instead continuing to be at it most of time like with gatlings.

 

[FZD]

True, but with laser cannon you need to stay on pip just for when you shoot, instead continuing to be at it most of time like with gatlings.

Yeah, but even if you're on pip, they might just make a slight course alteration causing you to miss.
Besides, anything better shielded than a Drake Buccaneer / Anvil Hornet F7C, and you'll need 2 hits within 20 seconds to damage them. Whereas if you had a ballistic weapon, you'd at least do 50% of the damage.

 

[Grimm_Reaper]

They both have the same M sized armor with the inferno being a little more reinforced. I honestly wouldn't pay much attention to this stat unless the 2 were light vs heavy armor and not the same size. The 3 shields to me makes a lot more difference along with other components.

Gatling is nice on a fast nimble fighter that can keep up with its target due to its shorter range compared to a laser. Laser however can be spammed from a distance which makes the ion far better in my opinion. Armor shredding is awesome on a capital so gatling definitely has its use but for everything else I'd take the Ion over the inferno.

 

[Blind Owl]

Best value deal if you're going to get them. $355 for both
View attachment 14605

Gaaaaaaa, I wish I had $355 to drop on these!! Dammit I can't decide which one I like best

 

[Knusum]

They both have the same M sized armor with the inferno being a little more reinforced. I honestly wouldn't pay much attention to this stat unless the 2 were light vs heavy armor and not the same size. The 3 shields to me makes a lot more difference along with other components.

Gatling is nice on a fast nimble fighter that can keep up with its target due to its shorter range compared to a laser. Laser however can be spammed from a distance which makes the ion far better in my opinion. Armor shredding is awesome on a capital so gatling definitely has its use but for everything else I'd take the Ion over the inferno.

Counterpoint: BRRRRRRRT! :)

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Counterpoint: BRRRRRRRT! :)

BRRRRRRRRR-

I see an Arse gatling being a bit like this:

View: https://youtu.be/9oi0IJv5M2k?t=148


It's fairly accurate to what I expect actually, the dice I expect to denote Luck and Chance, the blindfolded dudes the actual firing of such a device and the end result being the dazed target wondering just what happened after the ammo runs out in a few seconds.

 

[Nightlane]

Best value deal if you're going to get them. $355 for both
View attachment 14605

I got one of these as well! :-)

Taking into account that guns will be fixed, Ion kinda makes more sense if you want to target smaller, more nimble ships, because of high alpha damage.
As stated in brochure it will be ~38 rounds/minute so it will be high alpha damage (might be in par with similar s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, which have alpha dmg of 2750), while ballistic gun on Inferno is gatling gun with ~1900 rounds/minute, therefore very small alpha dmg (if similar dps as s7 M9A Laser Autocannon, then it would be ~55 alpha damage).
I guess it will not matter on big targets, but if you want to go for smaller ships, damaging with gatlings might be harder than with laser.

Usually, for noobs like me, it is the contrary, slow firing heavy damage weapons are harder to use than fast low damage weapons.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I still don't see anything that says if this handles like a Arrow, or an Eclipse, and it makes ALL the difference.

 

[Thalstan]

you balance it by making the oversized gun slow-tracking

hitting a maneuverable, well piloted ship becomes almost impossible

edit: but ships that can survive a single more than one hit are fair game

another balancing option is to make it a glass cannon

2 or 3 medium shields and medium armor make it one of the toughest medium sized ships out there. It will be far from a glass cannon. These are designed to be hit by cap ship weapons several times before popping. if you are a medium ship or larger, you are prey for this ship...especially at long range Where it can hit you, but you can’t hit it. The only shipsthat can out range it right now are the eclipse and the retaliator.

 

[maynard]

2 or 3 medium shields and medium armor make it one of the toughest medium sized ships out there. It will be far from a glass cannon. These are designed to be hit by cap ship weapons several times before popping. if you are a medium ship or larger, you are prey for this ship...especially at long range Where it can hit you, but you can’t hit it. The only shipsthat can out range it right now are the eclipse and the retaliator.

sounds OP to me

we should expect a balancing pass, eh?

 

[Cugino83]

2 or 3 medium shields and medium armor make it one of the toughest medium sized ships out there. It will be far from a glass cannon. These are designed to be hit by cap ship weapons several times before popping. if you are a medium ship or larger, you are prey for this ship...especially at long range Where it can hit you, but you can’t hit it. The only shipsthat can out range it right now are the eclipse and the retaliator.

Err maybe not a capital size weapon but I agree that they are build to resist the punch of several captial ship's turrets, and that means S4-S5 weapon array.
This and the added engagement distance (a S7 weapon should have more range then a S4-S5) should grant a fair survaivability of this medium fighter..