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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Author Topic: Just strange...  (Read 4524 times)

Thaago

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Just strange...
« on: October 26, 2014, 01:44:02 PM »

With the missile changes and the introduction of the (D) ships in pirate fleets, I think the Buffalo Mk II is easily the most dangerous pirate ship. Especially against frigates - the other enemy "combat" destroyers are easy prey as long as you can take down their shields. Meanwhile, a single BMII will ruin your day with its lrm's and salamanders.

This new patch has brought strange, strange times.
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kazi

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2014, 02:40:22 PM »

Yeah the MkIIs are actually quite scary now that missiles are better. I won't disclose how many times one has killed me. Also Condors are not total pushovers anymore, a wing or two of fighters nearby + those LRMs makes it VERY difficult to take them out with a frigate.
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DeltaV_11.2

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2014, 04:17:23 PM »

The thing is that Bufallo Mk II isn't different from how it was, nor are the fighter swarms launched by the condors. But all other pirate ships are much, much weaker now. Before fighting pirate cruisers was a huge risk, but D variant cruisers are hardly a match for a good destroyer. Same pretty much goes for the lower classes.
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Gothars

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2014, 04:40:56 PM »

Another factor are the front shields on Lasher and Wolf, which make them more vulnerable against the MkII's Salamanders. And the generally worse availability of top tier ships. But yeah, it really is a strange change, and it happened completely without a direct Buffalo buff.
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Megas

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2014, 06:02:53 PM »

Also, PD lasers and variants are military grade weapons.  Player will not get them immediately.  In addition, Salamanders are too fast for tactical lasers (with PD hullmod) to track.
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Aereto

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2014, 09:59:02 PM »

Sounds like I should fire my Harpoons the moment I see the MKII on tac range and locked it... flare launchers, I know, but firing all 6 should be enough to stop it.

If not, I'll let the Afflictor do the greetings.
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Hotshot3434

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2014, 01:05:17 PM »

Out of all the pirate ships I have attacked the Buffalo is the most frustrating and difficult to destroy. The once glorified pinata of loot has become a menace to frigates and destroyers everywhere.
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Cosmitz

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2014, 01:52:49 PM »

I really wish i'd have a few days to actually get past just installing the new version, but the missile changes i'm reading here scare me. They were the bane of my frigate warring days which i often overextended with a large fleet of hunter-killer high burn frigs.

Can i still just grab a Tempest and go to town?
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Aeson

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2014, 02:21:24 PM »

Can i still just grab a Tempest and go to town?
If you can find one and outfit it, yes.


On the topic of Buffalo IIs, I'll only say this: if you can force Buffalo IIs into a one-on-one fight with a frigate or a destroyer, rather than allowing them to act as a supporting artillery unit, they remain as easily handled as ever - dive in, fire a couple missiles and shells at close range into its face, full reverse away. The problem is when they're acting with supporting ships that keep you from focusing your shields and maneuvers to deal with the missiles effectively. Wolves and Lashers, despite losing their omni shields in favor of (in my opinion) significantly worse frontal shields, remain more than capable of handling Buffalo IIs on their own even if they lack PD weapons, if they're free to use full reverse thrust to deal with Salamanders (full reverse when the Salamander is coming in from in front of a Wolf or Lasher tends to cause the missile to hit the part of the ship covered by the shields). The problem is getting the combat situation into something where your frigate flagship can focus on the Buffalo II and draw its fire away from the other ships in your fleet that are dealing with any screening ships.
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Aereto

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2014, 05:42:08 PM »

Can i still just grab a Tempest and go to town?

What Aeson said.
If you can find one and outfit it, yes.

I'll add that you might have to get one from the black market if your faction relation is not a good one. It happened with the Afflictor, but I have yet to see a Monitor in any faction, military or black market. I highly value them for shield defense/distraction.
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Midnight Kitsune

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2014, 10:31:53 PM »

...but I have yet to see a Monitor in any faction, military or black market. I highly value them for shield defense/distraction.
From what I have heard, the Monitor is the second rarest frig or even ship in the game, next to the Hyperion
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Aereto

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2014, 11:10:09 AM »

...but I have yet to see a Monitor in any faction, military or black market. I highly value them for shield defense/distraction.
From what I have heard, the Monitor is the second rarest frig or even ship in the game, next to the Hyperion
Oh... nuts. Second rarest frigate... and to think getting an Afflictor is a blessing, especially in a black market.  :o
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cardgame

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2014, 01:38:50 PM »

I have two or three available in the tri-tech military market in one of my games.
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bills6693

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Re: Just strange...
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2014, 07:15:03 AM »

I have found it to be annoying but not to difficult to kill, if it is alone. With friends, it is much harder. (that is, when you are a lone frigate).

I use a wolf with a graviton and 3 tactical lasers, with optics and range boosts. You get in range of it, then move backwards, keeping the range the same. The key thing is, those salamanders don't seem to be able to deal with ships moving backwards - the missile goes round the back, overshoots and hits your shield.  And with the range boosts, you can do this from some distance away, allowing you to kill it with impunity.

However when it has a few friends - even 1-2 other frigates - it makes it much harder. If you are trying to kill the frigates, the missiles are so annoying (especially because the salamanders get you since you're not moving backwards the whole time). If you go for the buffalo, the other frigates may flank you.
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