Station and Complex Defense Fighters (Homed)

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Instruguey (13)

Posted 12 years ago.

I have collected many fighters since I started the present game I'm playing.
I've grouped same-variant/make fighters together, groups of 4 and 6 fighters, and 'homed' them at many of my Stations and Complexes for defense. Almost all of those 'homed' are M3's with a few M3+'s groupings.

I was looking to purchase a few dozen more fighters to 'home' at those Stations and Complexes that don't have fighter protection yet...and to upgrade some of the "lesser" armed/shielded fighters I have deployed.

Since I got my first one, I've always liked the Raider variant of the Nova fighter.
Decent shields, fast, good weapons load-out, and can launch a nice variety of missiles.
But I just watched 3 out of 4 Nova Raiders 'homed' at one of my Complexes get snuffed by 2 Pirate M3's and a pair of Pirate M4's.
***all were maxed with upgrades and shielding.
Load-outs were PRG and HEPT, and Tempest missile with missile fire prob set @ 25%***

So I've been looking at other fighters that have better shielding but still good weapons load-out and can carry a nice variety of missiles.

I'm eying the Argon Eclipse (M3+) and the Teladi Falcon Hauler (M3).
Both can carry a single 200MJ shield.
Speed of 130 and 132, respective, is OK against Pirate fighters.
Cargo space of 320 and 353 is great for weapons and missile loads.
Weapons load-out for both is very similar.

Cost varies great between the two, Eclipse @ 5.3M credits and Falcon Hauler @ 2.1M credits. But money isn't an issue. I have a few Billion credits available and a new Raptor M1 to dock my new purchases while I jump around and get them all upgraded and kitted out.

Right now, I think I will mix it up some--getting (near) equal numbers of both.
I'm going to deploy the same fighters to the same Stations/Complexes--not mixing them.

So, suggestion or opinions on these two?
Maybe another suggestion that has good shields that I haven't investigated?
Any fighters that you might suggest need to be "purchasable" as I don't yet have the PHQ yet for building my own.

It's not what someone has done..it's about what they are about to do!

yeni

Skillguey (7)

Posted 12 years ago.

First, did you happen to notice what actually killed your fighters? (missiles, mass drivers, heavy sustained fire of lasers, running low on laser power) Different things might need different solutions. If they were killed by one big missile hit, then maybe putting each with different weapons would make them fly a bit farther apart? (i.e. some with just PRG in front, others with the HEPTs, consider some EBC or PBE ships, maybe PBG if there's less traffic near you...) Also, Missile defense mosquitos is one thing I try to put on defense fighters, especially if they live at a base they can auto-resupply from. If money was an issue, I'd suggest Solanos with mass drivers Wink

M3+ that I'd consider : the Eclipse of course, the yaki Tenjin has the best buyavle shield recharge in a M3+ plus speed, the terran Cutlass has 150MW shields plus speed (if you can arm it), and i've always had a soft spot for the Chimera, though i haven't tried giving it to the AI. For the nonbuyables, remember the Medusa Prototype can use missiles no other fighter can fire (typhoon, hornet, firestorm).

as for M3s, Falcon Hauler, the Falcon Vanguard is similar to the Falcon Hauler, but has better shield and weapon recharge but under 100 speed. For better gun power than the Nova Raider plus more shields, I'd consider the Perseus Sentinel. Terran Scimitar has pretty good shields also, but again it's tough to arm it.

Hoping this helps Wink

SMITHY77

Fightguey (6)

Posted 12 years ago.

Agree on the Cutlass, but I am playing the Terran plot and I am trying to "buy local" so to speak.

Depends on the sector and how many gates too.

Equipping the Terrans isn't hard, just very, very expensive the way I do it. Buying 10 ships at once & equipping them out with the items I want, transferring them to one ship and then selling back the rest can net you 20 empc's/ 20anitmatter launchers/ 20 shockwave cannons, not to mention the shields, missiles n ammo if you supply the orbital base first before purchasing the ships in one go. You still have to pay for them but it makes for fast fully stocked Terran ships instead of sector trolling in the hopes a empc forge has finally made one.

Sinxar

Cruguey (18)

Posted 12 years ago.

Not sure if it would work but have you considered using Kestrels or another fast M5 or M4 that can mount all HEPTs? springblossoms might work equipped with the terran version of flak and max shield and speed. I put some nova raiders as the bouncers at my weed/booze plex and they all got ate by pirate m5s. in system they worked great but out of sector was a different story.

I found nearly any M3 as complex defense is just a waste of money especially falcons because they are so slow. the speed of the ship determines who shoots first. and as you know they fire all weapons in a single burst so a group of 3 pirate ships, say 2x Elite 1x Nova raider will one shot most M3+s. The nova raider might die vs 2x M3 defenders but the defenders will prolly die the next round of combat to the Elites.

I would like to try springblossoms but im playing AP atm so no way to really test it.

cjm3fl

Instruguey (13)

Posted 12 years ago.

Thanks guys for all the information.

A little more about my game...
I'm not on the best terms with the Terran yet.
They don't hate me. I'm just up to good trading relations with them at the moment.

Same with the Yaki.
We tolerate each other. We don't take pot-shots at each other but we don't sit down together for beers.

@ yeni: I was OOS when I those 3 Nova Raiders got dusted so I don't know what took them out. They went down pretty close together, time-wise, so I suspect it was missiles.
Mixing weapons load-out is something I hadn't thought about. A good point about that. I'll give that a try.

I've heard about using Mosquito missiles for missile defense.
I'm not sure how to go about making that happen. Does it take more then just loading Mosguitos as the onboard missile?
I always have the rear turret ordered for missile defense.

I have the Medusa Prototype. Once I finish the Plot and get the PHQ, it is one of the first things I will reverse-engineer. I'd love to have several of these docked with my Carriers.

@SMITHY77: as I mentioned, the Terran and I aren't the best of friends, yet. I'm playing as an Argon trader.
But I will be buying the same way you are...10 or 20 at a time then jumping to Getsu Fune for all the upgrades.

@ Sinxar: you bring up a good point about the M5 and M4's.
I'm already ahead of ya on the M6 deployment. I've been collecting a lot of these lately, offered at various stations--nicely equipped and many with Marines.
Too many, actually until I started to 'home' some of the faster ones at my Stations and Complexes.
I still need a couple more. This Complex were the Nova Raiders were at was one that doesn't have an M6 yet.

I'll re-think my defenses with pair of good M4's or M5's, some M3's, and an M6.
This should give some nice in-depth Station/Complex protection.

Question: If I 'home' the M4/M5's and the M6--would commanding the M3's to 'protect' the M6 make sure the fighters don't run off ahead of the M6 and get their asses kicked?
I have my 'homed' M6's equipped with anti-fighter weapons and Tempest missiles.

I use the faster M6's to 'home' with Stations/Complexes. Skirons, Hydras, Dragons, and Heavy Dragons.
I just to get a few more for complete coverage.

It's not what someone has done..it's about what they are about to do!

yeni

Skillguey (7)

Posted 12 years ago.

Missile Defense Mosquito needs the bonus pack, mosquitos in the cargo bay, and fight command 1 and 2, then you start it in one of the two Additional Command slots. There are 2 versions of the MDM, the second is for "convoy protection" meaning it will launch to protect other ships (I've only used the basic version so far, but it's one of Lucike's scripts, so ought to be pretty reliable.

Kirlack

Specoguey (14)

Posted 12 years ago.

MDM(C) works really really well. In my current DiD game I have a discoverer following me and my fighter wing with a hold full of Mossies just to give us an extra layer of protection. Now if I can just ensure he doesn't get wtfpwned by PBG fire....

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD

Roguey

Trueguey (22)

Posted 12 years ago.

I personally use Argon Eclipse's, as you get them with the 200MJ shield installed by default. Making them much easier to replace, when you lose a few. Only thing you need to get for them is some guns then.

Kirlack

Specoguey (14)

Posted 12 years ago.

I personally use Argon Eclipse's, as you get them with the 200MJ shield installed by default...
- Roguey

So does the Teladi falcon Hauler, and it's a whole 2m/s faster than the Eclipse! It's a great backup choice when hunting for heavily shielded M3 Smile

EDITED: removed line about the Hauler having no turret, since it clearly has a rear one....

*Kirlack slaps himself.*

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD

cjm3fl

Instruguey (13)

Posted 12 years ago.

I think I will mix it up and get a number of both Eclipse and Falcon Haulers.

I like Sinxar's idea about adding a few smaller craft.
I've also taken a look at the Argon Solano (M4).
Nice speed @ 210 m/s, 3 x 25mj shielding, will mount 6 PRG's, 5,000J for weapons, and enough cargo space (L) for some missiles.

It's not what someone has done..it's about what they are about to do!

yeni

Skillguey (7)

Posted 12 years ago.

Although, about the Solano, is 85J per second enough to handle PRGs?
If not, have you considered what 6 mass drivers per ship would do? (especially if you have a lot of them - i've been thinking about using 60-100 mass-d solanos for a major defensive force, lol)

Roguey

Trueguey (22)

Posted 12 years ago.

i've been thinking about using 60-100 mass-d solanos for a major defensive force, lol)
- yeni

Sounds like something worth trying on a M1.

cjm3fl

Instruguey (13)

Posted 12 years ago.

While the 85 j/s recharge isn't great, they won't be fighting big numbers of foes and wont' be alone for long.
I hope they will work in their rule as Interceptors.

With the 'missile fire probability' set at 50% and a load-out of Tempest, they should be able to hold their own until the 'homed' M3 fighters and the M6 join in.

Except for the large Pirate attacks in Gunne's Crusade, most of the Station/Complex attacks are done by 2 to 4 Pirate M4's and M3's.

It's not what someone has done..it's about what they are about to do!

RandomTank

RandomTank avatar

Assoguey (17)

Posted 11 years ago.

As much as I love using fighters as complex protectors, not much works better than couple of patrolling griffons covered in flak with MDM. 2000 Mosquitos means they don't really run out... But if I had to recommend, speed helps. A lot. So Solanos with mass drivers (or even IREs if you really want) are very good, supposing they have the same shielding as a nova... But kestrels are good as well; see if you can have the advanced one, it can mount EBCs..... on an M5...

I will be the one to take you down!

Kirlack

Specoguey (14)

Posted 11 years ago.

What advanced Kestrel? Last I checked there was no advanced kestrel in TC, unless you're playing AP, or your using some mods?

Madder than a Bastard on fathers day.
My DiDs: Peace(s) of Eight - Way of the Gun - Status: Online, A Xenon DiD

RandomTank

RandomTank avatar

Assoguey (17)

Posted 11 years ago.

It's in the M5 list, have a look on the TC ship list. I haven't seen one in game, but there again, I haven't been looking...

I will be the one to take you down!

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