Looking at the Anvil Asgard

[Richard Bong]

I melted some FPS gear and have some store credits. I was considering using the credits to CCU my Redeemer to an Asgard. There is no hurry, since I'm not getting a special price. In fact I'll probably wait until the next time around, if I decide to do it.

I know I can't base it on flight or combat performance now, because if you aren't in an Interceptor, a Mark II Hornet, or certain light fighters you're in a bad place for both.

I should probably have something smaller than my Liberator for cargo and ground vehicle capacity in order to do ground based bounty hunting, eventually.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Shadow Reaper]

It’s an impressive ship. I like how homey it feels. I think it matters how many people in your group. The Andromeda does not get enough luvs and is heavy competition. Especially if you have someone to man the Andromeda’s lower turret, it will do much better Close Air Support, it can take more beating, way better missile pack, way, way more shielding, can be stealthier and the snub is welcome if again, you have the crew.

My ever bias is as you know, small signature. The Asgard has an 9% nerf to EM and IR that makes it slightly easier to see if you are running cold, and that can make some difference. It is probably less difference than the missiles and shields. In the current iteration, S3 shields are a huge bounce in power.

Also, note the Asgard has dedicated S3 missiles. I much prefer the quad S2 missile launchers on the Andromeda. They lock closer, fly faster and hit harder if you load Rattlers.

I like the Asgard a lot but in practical terms, I’m not sure it beats the Andromeda. With the dinner table retracted it feels big inside.

 

[Mudhawk]

Ah well. Back at Invictus I played around with my brand-new Starlancer TAC.
Nice big ship. Has all the amenities I'd ever want on a long track across the stars.
Then came Anvil Day and I TESTed the Valkyrie.
Five minutes after the log-off of that session my TAC turned into a femal warrior with a winged helmet screeching Wagner arias...
Such is love at first sight.
I like the flight model (feels heavy but agile enough).
I like the VTOL (pelt the bunker with your turret from above).
Love the side doors (Can be used as entry no problem)
From my perspective it's a Cutlass Black MAX. (And I love my Cutty too)
Those 6 S3s for a nice pattern too. Like a triangle with the pilot in the middle.
As for practicality, you can park an URSA Medivac vertically in the back and still load a tonk as well. Take THAT Andromeda...
PS: The Andromeda would win in a 1x1 versus a Valkyrie. No doubt about that. But as long as Mr. Bong's job ain't duelling he can't go wrong with the Anvil Valyrie.
I know I fly mine more than I do my Phoenix Emerald.
And that one's got a stocked bar!

 

[Thalstan]

I am going to say it this way....

If you are on the fence and don't mind either waiting a bit, or paying a bit more, then I would wait.

Right now, the Asgard is in a really good place. Some might even argue that it's in too good a place. I am one of those. It's big, it's powerful, and it has a lot of pilot controlled guns. CIG has gone out of their way to remove single player powerhouse ships. Maybe their have realized that these ships are what attract customers, but I suspect that as soon as the sale ends, and the window to return the Asgard for real money instead of credits, we will see a large NERF bat swinging at it hard.

Maybe it will recover some of its intended glory, but what we see today is probably not going to last. Just seen CIG do that to ships way too often after the initial release.

 

[Ayeteeone]

CIG has gone out of their way to remove single player powerhouse ships.

Very true with the possible exception of the Constellations, and the restoration of the Corsair to a pilot-controlled weapons platform.

@Richard Bong With the last round of nerfs to the Redeemer I CCU'd mine to the aesthetically more appealing Valkyrie at IAE last year. I genuinely don't know what role either ship is intended to fill for players now, but the Valk was useful for bringing a Nursa to the party. The handful of buffs it's had leading up to the release of the Asgard were quite welcome and have turned the ship into one I use now.

The Asgard leans into that with more cargo space and lower crew numbers, and is a blast to fly. The space in the back allows for all kinds of silly configuations, especially if you are a loot goblin of any particular flavor. The ONE thing it lacks, and became painfully apparent within minutes of using it, is the top turret. Even in PvE you will need to push into the dogfight or have a friend flying cover behind you. So while I agree with @Thalstan that it's probably going to see some 'adjustment', to survive it's role it needs to keep most of the current agility.

Having said that, if I'd known to wait longer then upgrading the Redeemer to the Asgard would have been an easy choice. If you've got 5 players in a group then there are MANY better ways for them to kit up than the turrets on the 'deemer, and the Asgard allows a lot of options. Whether those options are useful to what YOU want to do is really the question imo.

 

[Thalstan]

Very true with the possible exception of the Constellations, and the restoration of the Corsair to a pilot-controlled weapons platform.

@Richard Bong With the last round of nerfs to the Redeemer I CCU'd mine to the aesthetically more appealing Valkyrie at IAE last year. I genuinely don't know what role either ship is intended to fill for players now, but the Valk was useful for bringing a Nursa to the party. The handful of buffs it's had leading up to the release of the Asgard were quite welcome and have turned the ship into one I use now.

The Asgard leans into that with more cargo space and lower crew numbers, and is a blast to fly. The space in the back allows for all kinds of silly configuations, especially if you are a loot goblin of any particular flavor. The ONE thing it lacks, and became painfully apparent within minutes of using it, is the top turret. Even in PvE you will need to push into the dogfight or have a friend flying cover behind you. So while I agree with @Thalstan that it's probably going to see some 'adjustment', to survive it's role it needs to keep most of the current agility.

Having said that, if I'd known to wait longer then upgrading the Redeemer to the Asgard would have been an easy choice. If you've got 5 players in a group then there are MANY better ways for them to kit up than the turrets on the 'deemer, and the Asgard allows a lot of options. Whether those options are useful to what YOU want to do is really the question imo.

Actually, if you have a always available ship to CCU from to the Asgard, that might be the best thing to do. A Token plus a CCU so you get get that LTI.

 

[Daak Gelrin]

I have nothing but positive vibes for the Asgard. It's just the right size for daily use, and not too big and heavy feeling.

That said, I say the nerf hammer will come for it after it's sale is up, but I don't think it will be too heavy handed.

My guess would be it will get a bit of an agility nerf, but still be able to maneuver decent with a lighter hand on the stick. (she'll just like to sway a bit less than a connie's big ass)

It's no dogfighter nor should it be, but as a small cargo/vehicle dropship it needs to be able to be "flown" into tight spots reliably. Can't be a bull in a china shop with small landing tolerances.

Go for CCU, I say.

 

[FZD]

If you are on the fence and don't mind either waiting a bit, or paying a bit more, then I would wait.

I suspect that as soon as the sale ends, and the window to return the Asgard for real money instead of credits, we will see a large NERF bat swinging at it hard.

That said, I say the nerf hammer will come for it after it's sale is up, but I don't think it will be too heavy handed.

I think @Thalstan and @Daak Gelrin bring up a good point. CIG likes to always present the latest and greatest to drive up the sales, and then nerf them later to balance them.
It's not about "if" it gets nerfed, it's about "when" it gets nerfed, most likely within the next 6 months.

So I'd grab the CCU, but would not apply it until we see what it looks like post-nerf.

 

[Richard Bong]

It’s an impressive ship. I like how homey it feels. I think it matters how many people in your group. The Andromeda does not get enough luvs and is heavy competition. Especially if you have someone to man the Andromeda’s lower turret, it will do much better Close Air Support, it can take more beating, way better missile pack, way, way more shielding, can be stealthier and the snub is welcome if again, you have the crew.

My ever bias is as you know, small signature. The Asgard has an 9% nerf to EM and IR that makes it slightly easier to see if you are running cold, and that can make some difference. It is probably less difference than the missiles and shields. In the current iteration, S3 shields are a huge bounce in power.

Also, note the Asgard has dedicated S3 missiles. I much prefer the quad S2 missile launchers on the Andromeda. They lock closer, fly faster and hit harder if you load Rattlers.

I like the Asgard a lot but in practical terms, I’m not sure it beats the Andromeda. With the dinner table retracted it feels big inside.

Can't go from a Redeemer to an Andromeda.
An Andromeda can't carry prisoner pods plus an Ursa.
As much as I want to like the Connies, I just don't.

 

[Richard Bong]

Actually, if you have a always available ship to CCU from to the Asgard, that might be the best thing to do. A Token plus a CCU so you get get that LTI.

The Deemer started life as an MSR in a LTI Scoundrel Pack.

 

[Richard Bong]

Very true with the possible exception of the Constellations, and the restoration of the Corsair to a pilot-controlled weapons platform.

@Richard Bong With the last round of nerfs to the Redeemer I CCU'd mine to the aesthetically more appealing Valkyrie at IAE last year. I genuinely don't know what role either ship is intended to fill for players now, but the Valk was useful for bringing a Nursa to the party. The handful of buffs it's had leading up to the release of the Asgard were quite welcome and have turned the ship into one I use now.

The Asgard leans into that with more cargo space and lower crew numbers, and is a blast to fly. The space in the back allows for all kinds of silly configuations, especially if you are a loot goblin of any particular flavor. The ONE thing it lacks, and became painfully apparent within minutes of using it, is the top turret. Even in PvE you will need to push into the dogfight or have a friend flying cover behind you. So while I agree with @Thalstan that it's probably going to see some 'adjustment', to survive it's role it needs to keep most of the current agility.

Having said that, if I'd known to wait longer then upgrading the Redeemer to the Asgard would have been an easy choice. If you've got 5 players in a group then there are MANY better ways for them to kit up than the turrets on the 'deemer, and the Asgard allows a lot of options. Whether those options are useful to what YOU want to do is really the question imo.

Now, I prefer the Deemer aesthetics to the flying brick that is the Valkyrie/Asgard. The Redeemer currently fills a hole in my fleet between the crew of 3 Zeus Mk II MR and the crew 6-7 Retaliator. I don't want to go too far up in price range in case CIG finally gets around to the next two tiers of Bounty Hunting ships.