Print

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

[Sunfire]

So I know how everyone hates the brawler as a starting ship, I do too, but if you include a brawler in a fleet it is actually really good. I have had success with a double heavy mg and double harpoon with extra ammo on both. This combo can bring down lashes and condors very quickly, and just about anything else with a shield. Also using light escort gives the needed fire defense, but the brawler is surprisingly maneuverable and you can eat missiles with your shields if you fly it well. Thoughts? Rage? Disdain?

[icepick37]

Every ship has it's pros and cons. I have found fun in every single ship in the game. People who are mean to a certain ship are just unwilling or unable to find the sweet spot. Not saying every ship is for everyone, though, haha.

I have had a lot of fun soloing the brawler. It's one of the hardest ships to solo for sure. I haven't much tried it in a fleet. I usually lose it while soloing it. X[

[factotum]

Correct Brawler usage: sell at station, buy Lasher. 

[Thaago]

I agree that Brawlers make decent support ships - if you've ever been fighting in an Aurora and had to vent flux while one is around, you have a bad day They require other ships to give them opportunity however - as a solo ship they are laughable.

[icepick37]

I agree that Brawlers make decent support ships - if you've ever been fighting in an Aurora and had to vent flux while one is around, you have a bad day They require other ships to give them opportunity however - as a solo ship they are laughable.

Laughable is a good way to put it. 

It's most fun to kill buffaloes with them.  If you plant your self the appropriate distance from them there's nothing they can do but die. Can't run. And even taking your engines out won't help when you are directly in front of them unloading explosive death.

I have taken out a pair of hounds before, though. Try that one. Not easy.

[Thaago]

Seriously, 2 hounds in a brawler?

That just... wow. I do not think I could do that. Well done!

[Nanostrike]

It's biggest weakness is that the poor Brawler constantly has it's butt hanging out in the breeze for missiles and fighters to hit.  I usually take so much engine damage that, in addition to the slow speed, I can never catch anything.

However, if you use it as part of a fleet, like you said, it can excel.

It's two medium Ballistics give it a LOT of versatility that most folks overlook.  Everyone just slaps the dual Assault Chainguns there and figures that's it.

It can fit some awesome shield-destroying weaponry there easily.  Heavy MGs, Heavy Needlers, and probably my favorite, Hypervelocity Drivers.  A Brawler with dual Hypervelocity Drivers is a beast.  And the other two slots are universal, so you can fit beams, missiles, or additional ballistics.

The problem is survivability.  Like I said, any attacks from behind screw you over and almost every ship in the game can disengage from you at will due to the Brawler's low speed.

[icepick37]

The trick is using your annhilators as area denial and I probably had auxiliary thrusters, because you gotta be able to turn fast, haha.

[Faiter119]

Im actually using the brawler now and i found a setup that is really beast. 2 hypervelocity guns, and the universal slot you put frag bomb bays in. Yep you heard right, frag bomb bays. They provide an really good anty missile shield if dropped on top of you and kill most fighters if dropped when they are on top of you. And the frags do massive damage to hull. My new favorite starting ship.

[Sunfire]

I will have to try the two hypervelocity gun setup, it will cost more but it should be worth it.

[Psycho Society]

Salamander missiles devour brawlers alive. With some fleet support they can hit pretty hard though.

[VikingHaag]

Salamander missiles devour brawlers alive. With some fleet support they can hit pretty hard though.

A brawler with wasp wing escort.
Hard hitting strike vessel with personal PD escort.
With 2 heavy maulers and sabots i can take out destoyers easily as long as the wasp intercepts missiles and fighters.

[harrumph]

Thing is, for one FP more than a Brawler + a Wasp wing (and less cash), you could field a Hammerhead. Same speed, same medium mounts, better in every other respect except maneuverability. I think the Brawler needs a little tweak somewhere—more speed, a better shield, or maybe just a few extra OP.

[Nanostrike]

Thing is, for one FP more than a Brawler + a Wasp wing (and less cash), you could field a Hammerhead. Same speed, same medium mounts, better in every other respect except maneuverability. I think the Brawler needs a little tweak somewhere—more speed, a better shield, or maybe just a few extra OP.

Yep.  The Hammerhead is basically a Brawler + Wasp Wing all in one.

Actually, though, building Strike Variant Brawlers ALMOST works.  I still think they're way too slow and that rear vulnerability is cripping, but with twin Torpedos and some hard hitting HE weaponry, they can do a lot of damage really fast for a Frigate.

[ArthropodOfDoom]

I HAVE THE SOLUTION TO THE BRAWLER'S AWFULNESS.

PUT 2 ENERGY TURRETS ON THE BACK.

If we made it like the Hyperion, everything would be PERFECT.
Or maybe 2 ballistic slots, if you want to keep it low-tech.