Get an F8C Lightning for FREE!

[wmk]

Went to a bunker. Got mine in the first lootbox.....like literally the first box next to the elevator lol.

CIG REALLY wants us to splash the cash.

Not necessarily -- I spent few hours before I found a ticket. Cleared a bunker -- couldn't find any; checked 4 outposts, searched literally all pockets -- no luck. Finally, I found it in the last loot box in the last building of the 5th outpost. A lot of people report the same. I think the loot box drop probability algorithm makes sure the tickets are not spawned everywhere.

That said, CIG needs money, so I wouldn't expect them to be rare : )

-----------------------
I took F8C for a test flight and it's pretty cool; I'm not going to buy it though. #NoCashTillPyro

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I hope that they make all of these F8Cs gained during this event non-transferable so that all the funds gained will help fund the making of the games instead of lining the pockets of scalpers that turn around & sell them for astronomical prices compared to what they paid for them.

Welcome to test, don't forget to pop an introduction in the New Members area so we can get to know you! :-)

 

[Thalstan]

I hope that they make all of these F8Cs gained during this event non-transferable so that all the funds gained will help fund the making of the games instead of lining the pockets of scalpers that turn around & sell them for astronomical prices compared to what they paid for them.

They cannot be gifted, CCUed to, or from the looks of it, CCUed from.

 

[Talonsbane]

They encourage PvP to mask the killing they will be making during this event depending on how much they sell the Gold Ticket obtained versions for. Personally, I hope that they make all of these F8Cs gained during this event non-transferable so that all the funds gained will help fund the making of the games instead of lining the pockets of scalpers that turn around & sell them for astronomical prices compared to what they paid for them.

I hope that they make all of these F8Cs gained during this event non-transferable so that all the funds gained will help fund the making of the games instead of lining the pockets of scalpers that turn around & sell them for astronomical prices compared to what they paid for them.

Hi, welcome to TEST Squadron. Looks like you liked or agree with what I said earlier. I hope that you're having a wonderful experience with Star Citizen.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Well I kept my Sentinel and my Starfarer, but melted the Star-G CCU which I was just sitting on but can buy back, a few other things I can buy back later and one thing I can't (CCU'd-to Nova, will still be able to put that back together again), and paid out a dizzying FIVE WHOLE BUCKS and now have an F8c which gets the honour of joining my game-package Aurora LN in bing the only ships I have without LTI.

A non-LTI F8? Must be the rarest ship in the 'Verse right now. Will I live to regret not getting Lifetime Insurance? Well I'll live either way, so it'll be fine won't it... won't it?

 

[Bambooza]

I must be shit for finding golden tickets. 2 days. over 20 bunk missions and not a single ticket in boxs, on corpses, or even in their pants and shirts.

I did end up spending some hard time at klescher due to trying to be a brain surgan on a guard. Found that SC is still as buggy as ever with elevators that drop you into space, or towards the center of the world. Ships that blow up in mid air. Ramps that play the audio of going down but don't let you out of the ship. Suffocating with the helmet on,. But amazing enough only 1 30k and lots of stuff littered the ground around the bunkers from ships to gear to bodies. AI that just stand around (makes for easy grabbing armor and guns without even having to prep before any missions) I was pleasantly surprised with many of the ship MFD's now correctly alined with the ship art.

 

[Aramsolari]

I must be shit for finding golden tickets. 2 days. over 20 bunk missions and not a single ticket in boxs, on corpses, or even in their pants and shirts.

Gotta go to quieter servers. I found mine at a bunker during a mission on Hurston.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I must be shit for finding golden tickets. 2 days. over 20 bunk missions and not a single ticket in boxs, on corpses, or even in their pants and shirts.

D'oh!

The first Aid Shelter I tried on Daymar had one.

Perhaps give the aid shelters on little-visited moons a try, I think Crusader will give you better luck as fewer people like flying out of Orison as a home base - you can't play with your ground vehicles there and I have a pain in the ass landing because the hangar complex is super hard to find unless you know what it looks like and the landing marker spawns 5000m from the hangar until you practically fly over it, at which point it ports to where it should be.

 

[Mastersan]

So, since the beginning of the event I did countless bunker missions, boarding action in progress missions, search for missing crew missions. Nothing.

I've been checking out the shelters, outposts, research facilities, and farms. Nothing.

Until today I've checked Rayari Anvik Research Outpost on Calliope.

And in one of the boxes I've found it. I've finally found the golden ticket

So, I've rushed to the conveniently located New Babbage and claimed it:

The ship looks great:

And I've immediately exercised my right to crash it well, it accelerates really well, but it doesn't break equally well (actually it did break into pieces quite well), but at least I've TEST'ed it's acceleration and deceleration.


Then I've TEST'ed it combat performance.

Following the ship's Q&A I've purchased a number of 1 size up Deadbolt cannons to make it full fixed loadout. After all, doing all the PvP missions while searching for the ticket did bring me nearly 500k aUEC. But, a bug or a feature, the game said I'm unable to change the ships components. I even can't access any of my ship's components, as "changes are pending".

Then I've tried to access it in Arena Commander - it's not there.

So, I've proceeded with doing some combat missions in the 'Verse.


Some observations:

• It accelerates fast, but deceleration takes time, so be careful not to crash it.
• It's pitch rate is very high, so definitely a strength in combat. However, I've read that it's a bug with F7C, where the pitch rate is set way too high, so maybe it's the same with F8C.
• The roll is sluggish in comparison the F8A (stolen during the Invictus event, link:
  View: https://youtu.be/fGE2Q6KgEcA
  ).
• The engine sound seems buggy (see the above video).
• The Badgers (S2 repeaters) don't have much ammo and take a while to recharge if you keep the power balance to neutral (33% to all systems).
• The ballistics (Tarantulas) have slower rounds, so trying to hit a target in a dynamic fight with all weapons is challenging - most of the time you either hit with one or the other weapon group. So, potentially you need to equip it with weapons of the same type.
• This is quite different from Vanguard for example, where you can use the energy weapons as usual, and put a single fixed size 5 ballistic, e.g. Deadbolt, so that you can melt the shields and then do a single (or 2) precision shot(s). In F8C the use of energy and ballistics appear to be challenging.
• The firepower seems to be odd, not sure a bug or a feature. Taking out small targets like Buccaneer or M50 is no problem, equally no problem is taking out the monitors in Destroy Monitors missions. But taking down even something like Prospector seems to take many rounds of ballistics and a few full recharges of energy repeaters.
• Comparing to how F7C-M performs with fully gimbaled loadout F8C seems to perform worse as the Hornet can hit the target with both energy and ballistics at the same time, but it runs out of ballistic ammo pretty quickly. You can alternate energy and ballistic, but ideally you want both weapon groups hitting the target. Of cause, since it's a heavy fighter, it has larger shields etc.
• F8C ballistic ammo runs out pretty quick, but this seems to be a common thing in the current meta.

Anther thought, IMHO, It feels under-powered for the most feared, most powerful heavy fighter:

• If you remember the old lore, the Anvil Lightning was in competition with Aegis Sabre (Medium Fighter) to replace the Anvil F7A Hornet (Medium Fighter). The Lightning has won the competition, so Aegis started selling the Sabre to civilians and the Lightning became the F8A. So, really, this was supposed to be a Medium Fighter, and if it was, the the civilian version would be adequately powered and be a better version of Super Hornet. If you recall, F7C-M Super Hornet originally had all components 1 size up from the regular Hornet and a larger hull. It's shield was also a Quadrant version, as opposed to Front-Back version on normal hornets. So, with the current state of affairs the F7C-M would have shared the features of the current F8C.
• According to ship's Q&A the loadout can't be converted to fixed with 1 size up guns. Top/Bottom are S2 gimbaled and Wings are S3 fixed.
• It also looks odd when you compare its firepower with other heavy fighters. Using DPS Calculator for default loadout Burst/Sustained fire: F8C (3,858/2,871) half fixed half gimbaled, Vanguard Hoplite (3,672/3,672) fully fixed (4,828/4,828) + 1,240 from turret if manned (so ~6k or double the F8C), Ares Inferno (4,740/4,740), Ares Ion (3,850/2,663), Scorpius with manned turret (3,600/1,742) all gimbaled.
• Compared to F7C-M Super Hornet: default loadout Burst/Sustained fire is (2,763/1,863) and fully fixed loadout is (3,766/3,766).

Should you buy it, IMHO?

• If you have the money and buying it is no big deal, then sure, otherwise,
• In the current state, probably not, despite the urge and temptation.
• It's pricey.
• It doesn't have any interior (like e.g. Vanguad) and it's not really compensated for the lack of it.
• It's a single seater (unlike e.g. Vanguard, Scorpuis or Super Hornet) and can't e.g. shoot back when an enemy is on your 6. It's turret is a fancy gimbal, not a full remote turret (from ship's Q&A).
• In the current state it flys well, but it's a bit difficult to realise its firepower potential in the fight due to the need of juggling gimbaled and fixed guns.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

So, since the beginning of the event I did countless bunker missions, boarding action in progress missions, search for missing crew missions. Nothing.

I've been checking out the shelters, outposts, research facilities, and farms. Nothing.

Until today I've checked Rayari Anvik Research Outpost on Calliope.

View attachment 24933



And in one of the boxes I've found it. I've finally found the golden ticket

View attachment 24934




So, I've rushed to the conveniently located New Babbage and claimed it:

View attachment 24935


The ship looks great:

View attachment 24936


And I've immediately exercised my right to crash it well, it accelerates really well, but it doesn't break equally well (actually it did break into pieces quite well), but at least I've TEST'ed it's acceleration and deceleration.


Then I've TEST'ed it combat performance.

Following the ship's Q&A I've purchased a number of 1 size up Deadbolt cannons to make it full fixed loadout. After all, doing all the PvP missions while searching for the ticket did bring me nearly 500k aUEC. But, a bug or a feature, the game said I'm unable to change the ships components. I even can't access any of my ship's components, as "changes are pending".

Then I've tried to access it in Arena Commander - it's not there.

So, I've proceeded with doing some combat missions in the 'Verse.


Some observations:

• It accelerates fast, but deceleration takes time, so be careful not to crash it.
• It's pitch rate is very high, so definitely a strength in combat. However, I've read that it's a bug with F7C, where the pitch rate is set way too high, so maybe it's the same with F8C.
• The roll is sluggish in comparison the F8A (stolen during the Invictus event, link:
  View: https://youtu.be/fGE2Q6KgEcA
  ).
• The engine sound seems buggy (see the above video).
• The Badgers (S2 repeaters) don't have much ammo and take a while to recharge if you keep the power balance to neutral (33% to all systems).
• The ballistics (Tarantulas) have slower rounds, so trying to hit a target in a dynamic fight with all weapons is challenging - most of the time you either hit with one or the other weapon group. So, potentially you need to equip it with weapons of the same type.
• This is quite different from Vanguard for example, where you can use the energy weapons as usual, and put a single fixed size 5 ballistic, e.g. Deadbolt, so that you can melt the shields and then do a single (or 2) precision shot(s). In F8C the use of energy and ballistics appear to be challenging.
• The firepower seems to be odd, not sure a bug or a feature. Taking out small targets like Buccaneer or M50 is no problem, equally no problem is taking out the monitors in Destroy Monitors missions. But taking down even something like Prospector seems to take many rounds of ballistics and a few full recharges of energy repeaters.
• Comparing to how F7C-M performs with fully gimbaled loadout F8C seems to perform worse as the Hornet can hit the target with both energy and ballistics at the same time, but it runs out of ballistic ammo pretty quickly. You can alternate energy and ballistic, but ideally you want both weapon groups hitting the target. Of cause, since it's a heavy fighter, it has larger shields etc.
• F8C ballistic ammo runs out pretty quick, but this seems to be a common thing in the current meta.

Anther thought, IMHO, It feels under-powered for the most feared, most powerful heavy fighter:

• If you remember the old lore, the Anvil Lightning was in competition with Aegis Sabre (Medium Fighter) to replace the Anvil F7A Hornet (Medium Fighter). The Lightning has won the competition, so Aegis started selling the Sabre to civilians and the Lightning became the F8A. So, really, this was supposed to be a Medium Fighter, and if it was, the the civilian version would be adequately powered and be a better version of Super Hornet. If you recall, F7C-M Super Hornet originally had all components 1 size up from the regular Hornet and a larger hull. It's shield was also a Quadrant version, as opposed to Front-Back version on normal hornets. So, with the current state of affairs the F7C-M would have shared the features of the current F8C.
• According to ship's Q&A the loadout can't be converted to fixed with 1 size up guns. Top/Bottom are S2 gimbaled and Wings are S3 fixed.
• It also looks odd when you compare its firepower with other heavy fighters. Using DPS Calculator for default loadout Burst/Sustained fire: F8C (3,858/2,871) half fixed half gimbaled, Vanguard Hoplite (3,672/3,672) fully fixed (4,828/4,828) + 1,240 from turret if manned (so ~6k or double the F8C), Ares Inferno (4,740/4,740), Ares Ion (3,850/2,663), Scorpius with manned turret (3,600/1,742) all gimbaled.
• Compared to F7C-M Super Hornet: default loadout Burst/Sustained fire is (2,763/1,863) and fully fixed loadout is (3,766/3,766).

Should you buy it, IMHO?

• If you have the money and buying it is no big deal, then sure, otherwise,
• In the current state, probably not, despite the urge and temptation.
• It's pricey.
• It doesn't have any interior (like e.g. Vanguad) and it's not really compensated for the lack of it.
• It's a single seater (unlike e.g. Vanguard, Scorpuis or Super Hornet) and can't e.g. shoot back when an enemy is on your 6. It's turret is a fancy gimbal, not a full remote turret (from ship's Q&A).
• In the current state it flys well, but it's a bit difficult to realise its firepower potential in the fight due to the need of juggling gimbaled and fixed guns.

Glorious!

I went and grabbed a bunch of Distortion repeaters because I'm a lover not a fighter, but have not yet fit them - which hardpoints are the ones you can size up on? I thought the s2 undersides (not on the wings) were special mounts which can't remove the gimbal on? If I can get 4x s3 RR-XJ's on the thing I'll be a very happy space cadet!

 

[Mastersan]

Glorious!

I went and grabbed a bunch of Distortion repeaters because I'm a lover not a fighter, but have not yet fit them - which hardpoints are the ones you can size up on? I thought the s2 undersides (not on the wings) were special mounts which can't remove the gimbal on? If I can get 4x s3 RR-XJ's on the thing I'll be a very happy space cadet!

It appears you can't size up any guns on it, which is quite unfortunate, IMHO. You seem to be able to size down. There is this video, link below, where they have 10 Badger repeaters (S2). So, it looks like they replaced S3 gimbaled with 2 X S2 gimbaled. They also seem to play Pirate Swarm. Not sure if it's PTU or Live. The Ship Q&A says F8C has S2 on the top (turret) and bottom gimbaled, and wing mounts are fixed.

Note, in the below video, in this build they only have 31 rounds/charges per each gun, which isn't much IMHO. A Badger has 400 DPS burst and 153 DPS sustained, so 10 of them give 4,000 burst and 1,530 sustained damage.This looks good, and he quickly pops the targets, but has its downsides. Note how quickly he is out of ammo. If your shields are under fire and you are maneuvering your recharge rate will drop. Small guns mean less range.

To be fare, pirate swarm's targets are somewhat squishy compared to the 'Verse. You can pop them equally quick with F7C, for example.

And, in the below video they say CIG is already nerfing the F8C in the PTU, which is sad, given the players' efforts with the tickets hunt and the price of it.

View: https://youtu.be/3V7pfROdyrg

 

[Mio Fujii]

Got my F8C lightning through the concierge, so I guess, technically, I got it for free since I didn't, and wasn't planning on, paying for one. Even though I have picked up several combat ships, I know I am not going to be a good combat pilot and the ships I have bought were more niche ships, like bombers, stealth fighters and interdictors.

 

[Mastersan]

Got my F8C lightning through the concierge, so I guess, technically, I got it for free since I didn't, and wasn't planning on, paying for one. Even though I have picked up several combat ships, I know I am not going to be a good combat pilot and the ships I have bought were more niche ships, like bombers, stealth fighters and interdictors.

Probably not really for "free", as to get to the level of concierge that grants you the F8C you would have provided a considerable donation. So, gifting the F8C as a "thank you" for the level of support you have provided is nice.

A question: since your F8C is not rental, are you able to use it in Arena Commander, and are you able to change its components? If so, are you able to put a 1 size up guns on it?

 

[Mio Fujii]

The odd thing I noticed is that the ship doesn't show up in my account hangar. Not sure if I need to have the ship delivered and stored for it to show up or if it is some kind of permanent "in game" ship. I would imagine that anything that can be done with the "gold ticket" ships (after you use the ability to buy one from the online ship store) can be done with that one as well.

 

[Mastersan]

The odd thing I noticed is that the ship doesn't show up in my account hangar. Not sure if I need to have the ship delivered and stored for it to show up or if it is some kind of permanent "in game" ship. I would imagine that anything that can be done with the "gold ticket" ships (after you use the ability to buy one from the online ship store) can be done with that one as well.

This is odd indeed. Have you tried having it delivered in game?

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

It appears you can't size up any guns on it, which is quite unfortunate, IMHO. You seem to be able to size down. There is this video, link below, where they have 10 Badger repeaters (S2). So, it looks like they replaced S3 gimbaled with 2 X S2 gimbaled. They also seem to play Pirate Swarm. Not sure if it's PTU or Live. The Ship Q&A says F8C has S2 on the top (turret) and bottom gimbaled, and wing mounts are fixed.

Note, in the below video, in this build they only have 31 rounds/charges per each gun, which isn't much IMHO. A Badger has 400 DPS burst and 153 DPS sustained, so 10 of them give 4,000 burst and 1,530 sustained damage.This looks good, and he quickly pops the targets, but has its downsides. Note how quickly he is out of ammo. If your shields are under fire and you are maneuvering your recharge rate will drop. Small guns mean less range.

To be fare, pirate swarm's targets are somewhat squishy compared to the 'Verse. You can pop them equally quick with F7C, for example.

And, in the below video they say CIG is already nerfing the F8C in the PTU, which is sad, given the players' efforts with the tickets hunt and the price of it.

View: https://youtu.be/3V7pfROdyrg

Ahhh, neat, I'll Chuck a couple of Panthers on the wings and move a pair of Bulldogs there too and put the DR-XJs on the gimbals. Get close running the distortions dry then open up with the firepower of a Saber on a target with no shields until those go dry. If it isn't down by then.... Run away!

 

[Mastersan]

Ahhh, neat, I'll Chuck a couple of Panthers on the wings and move a pair of Bulldogs there too and put the DR-XJs on the gimbals. Get close running the distortions dry then open up with the firepower of a Saber on a target with no shields until those go dry. If it isn't down by then.... Run away!

This might be a pretty good idea: have distortion cannons gimbaled so you can lock them on target and deplete its shields and potentially knock its power out. Then finish a potentially immobilised target with S3 repeaters.

I've tried this on my F7C-M where I've put a pair of S2 suckerpunch and the rest were repeaters. To my surprise I've found that suckerpunches don't seem to be working as well as they did in earlier game versions, so it was faster and easier to not use distortion cannons. You will have more distortion firepower though, so worth TEST'ing

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

This might be a pretty good idea: have distortion cannons gimbaled so you can lock them on target and deplete its shields and potentially knock its power out. Then finish a potentially immobilised target with S3 repeaters.

I've tried this on my F7C-M where I've put a pair of S2 suckerpunch and the rest were repeaters. To my surprise I've found that suckerpunches don't seem to be working as well as they did in earlier game versions, so it was faster and easier to not use distortion cannons. You will have more distortion firepower though, so worth TEST'ing

Yeah since like patch 2.6 or whatever it was when the C-788 Combine cannon shells didn't register hits and the shots passed right through the target I've only ever used repeaters/gattlings as you can trial and error the hit box. Used to be a Tarantula Mk3 guy before that.

Distortions also leaves the option of non-lethal too, which I like because killing is bad and stuff.

 

[Talonsbane]

Probably not really for "free", as to get to the level of concierge that grants you the F8C you would have provided a considerable donation. So, gifting the F8C as a "thank you" for the level of support you have provided is nice.

A question: since your F8C is not rental, are you able to use it in Arena Commander, and are you able to change its components? If so, are you able to put a 1 size up guns on it?

I received my F8C's through backing & both of them are able to be used in AC. Also, I've done the switch to 10x S2 weapons in AC on my F8C Exec. So that is confirmed.

 

[Mastersan]

Yeah since like patch 2.6 or whatever it was when the C-788 Combine cannon shells didn't register hits and the shots passed right through the target I've only ever used repeaters/gattlings as you can trial and error the hit box. Used to be a Tarantula Mk3 guy before that.

Distortions also leaves the option of non-lethal too, which I like because killing is bad and stuff.

Non-lethal is also good for bounties or pirating to not destroy the target, so definitely useful.

I received my F8C's through backing & both of them are able to be used in AC. Also, I've done the switch to 10x S2 weapons in AC on my F8C Exec. So that is confirmed.

Ok, thanks for TEST'ing this. Maybe a bug or a feature with the rented F8C, which I'm unable to use in AC or change components.