Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Abradolf Lincler]

Back when the apogee was good, I loved to use  the autopulse with extended ammo, and I could tear through ships at long range. Now that I can't do that I've tried out the high intensity laser since it still has long range, and seems to do a decent job, but it just isn't as fun to use. Which one do you think is better?

[Megas]

HIL needs something else to put hard flux on shields or else it is of little use.  HIL is great for Sunder and Paragon with Needlers or HVD.  For Apogee or Odyssey without support, not so much.

[Dri]

I'm actually rolling a noncombat character right now (I have zero points in Combat and fighter skills) and only have Gunnery Implants and that Power Grid skill maxed in Technology.

With that in mind I've taken to piloting a Sunder with a very high flux pool and an Autopulse Laser beefed up with Expanded Magazines hullmod. I fly around soaking up missiles/bomber runs and pick out a juicy target to pop the Sunder's High Energy Focus ship system on, unleashing a stream of hot laser death upon my victim! With HEF active and a full stream of 30 lasers striking the target, I can overload or even outright kill most things!

Works great and makes me feel like I'm sort of an assassin, stalking for my next victim to obliterate. Honestly, I'd like to get a hold of a Plasma Cannon and see how that works...

[Thaago]

My vote is on autopulse because I love doing exactly what Dri just described .

With extended magazines, I actually think it takes multiple plasma volleys to match the damage spike that autopulse can dish out. And I dunno if a Sunder has the flux to handle a plasma cannon.

[Megas]

The main benefit of plasma cannon on Sunder is combination of power and shot range (after fading is considered).

The one useful niche build is plasma cannon and Safety Override combo.  Plasma cannon has long fade time, giving it much more than 450-something range, despite extra range hitting only for soft flux.  I do not know if that is still possible.

I like needler, ion beam, and HIL combo, though Tachyon Lance plus other weapons may be a bit more effective.

[Abradolf Lincler]

Currently I have two graviton beams providing kinetic damage, but there is a tachyon lance for sale so I might try that out.

edit, while trying out the beam weapons, it came to light that the autopulse was the only weapon(besides missiles) providing hard flux damage, which means I will probably stick with it.

[Philder]

They have different uses, and in fact are pretty much opposite uses. One is effective against shields, the other against armor. One is for medium-short range, the other is long.

As far as Apogee loadouts go, you're pretty much only going to want to go 2xHeavy Blaster with the Autopulse, and Pulses or Gravitons with HIL, depending on whether you're piloting it or not, or maybe Heavy Blasters as well if you're going SO. Add a Squall launcher for the ultimate punch against big targets.

If you want a bit more fun out of your HIL, get yourself an IPDAI, set HIL to autofire, and strafe fighters and missiles with your deathbeam.

Personally I'd like to try Pulse and IR Pulse Lasers with Tachyon beam and MIRV. I'd also give the HIL to a Sunder, instead, paired with Gravitons and as many range and speed mods as I can fit.

And for those wondering, Autopulse and Plasma reach the same amount of damage done after 4 seconds, after which Plasma pulls ahead. With Extended Mags, 6 seconds. This is only against Shields, however. Depending on the level of armor, the Plasma Cannon can be over 3 times more effective.

[Voyager I]

The HIL does a lot of damage to armor at good range with perfect accuracy, but I don't like it on the Sunder because it can't mount anything to break through shields in a reasonable timeframe while preserving its range advantage.  Gravitons by themselves just don't work fast enough for you to be a decisive element to a battle, so your best option ends up being Light Needlers, and if you're going to get that close you might as well just rock an Autopulse to hit for hard flux and have crazy burst damage with HEF.

You need some kind of medium+ ballistic slot to really get the most out of a HIL, and that's not exactly a common combination.

[Philder]

@Voyager_I, I meant give it to an AI Sunder and use them as HE damage support. Have your other ships equipped with kinetic. The reason for gravitons is so your AI Sunder stays at super long range and can survive against cruisers and even capitols. It's less flux wasteful than Ion Beams, and allows the Sunder to effectively take out fighters and frigates at range.

[Megas]

Light Needler is the only acceptable option for HIL or Tachyon Sunder.  800 range is not shabby.

[Abradolf Lincler]

I have my apogee set up with a MIRV and Tachyon lance, and its pretty nice, I also have missile racks for extra destruction, it works out pretty well.