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[Nanostrike]

Im after some practicle recomendations for doing a ballistics based run through. It seems like since I did my first ballistics run through back when campaign fist started that it simply cant do much at all for a simple reason: Almost all ballistic based craft are slow and ballistic weaponry are short ranged. I cant kill a smeggen hound with my laseher cause the bugger just wont come into my range and my autocannons are doing buggerall against his armor. When I get a lucky missile hit that dosnt die to his PD the bugger runs away and I cant do anything at all.

This is a HUGE problem with the game itself right now.  The Short-Ranged Ballistics are largely useless due to how slow most Ballistic craft are.



However, as for your problem...you said you're using all Kinetics.  Of course you're gonna have trouble taking something out.

Kinetics are anti-shield
High Explosive are anti-armor/hull

You've gotta take down their shields with Kinetics, then switch to High Explosive for the serious damage.  Once you have the armor busted, you can go back to Kinetics, as they do full damage against the hull, but crap against armor.


The "Kinetics are OP" argument has some layers to it, really.  They're only OP in very specific situations (Broadsword Fighter MGs).

[Temjin]

In the very early game, against pirate scouts (Hounds, Lashers, etc.) Salamanders are your friend. They can pin a Hound down long enough to land a few solid blows.

[Catra]

This is a HUGE problem with the game itself right now.  The Short-Ranged Ballistics are largely useless due to how slow most Ballistic craft are.

the speeds of the ships are fine, its how painfully slow the autocannon and assault gun(and their medium/heavy variants) bullets are, as they need -very- good aiming in order to land, which is probably why they are getting their bullet speed buffed next patch. =P

However, as for your problem...you said you're using all Kinetics.  Of course you're gonna have trouble taking something out.

Kinetics are anti-shield
High Explosive are anti-armor/hull

no, poster said they are using all ballistics, not all kinetics

In the very early game, against pirate scouts (Hounds, Lashers, etc.) Salamanders are your friend. They can pin a Hound down long enough to land a few solid blows.

thats only if they can catch the hound in a position where they just dont drift off faster than you =P which is generally the case, against another lasher salamanders really arent needed.

[Temjin]

It takes some skill, but I love the early-game one-on-two and one-on-one frigate battles in Starfarer. It's very possible (Salamanders are my magic bullet) but very difficult.

Salamanders are great against enemy Lashers too, since they're fast enough to avoid PD and the Lasher either has to rotate its shield back to protect its engines or take a big hit to the back which will probably leave it with a flameout.

[Dreyven]

Against a Hound you have to use the turn around trick...
turn around and face away from the hound, this will lower your thread and the hound will hapily come closer

[Kommodore Krieg]

I use ballistics only about 90% of the time, because I find them to be far more deadly than energy weapons.  

First, you can't run 100% kinetic.  Don't ever do this, regardless of what you've read.  You will ping off armor and do no damage.  You need a balanced between kinetic guns to drop shields, and then missiles/HE guns to pound the armor.  

Second, you need to utilize your small mounts effectively, because your medium mounts will be used for flak 90% of the time, depending on the ship and how many med mounts you have available.  Small mounts should be used for railguns, autocannons, light assault guns, and so on.  There are some exceptions to this, like on the enforcer where you have plenty of med mounts.  

Third, integrated targeting unit is very important, especially on cruisers and up.  You don't need speed because your railguns are overloading his shields from so far away that he can't even return fire without using missiles, which you are immune to from all your flak.  Once his shields are down and he is overloaded or venting, you can either close in or just drop him with missiles.  Expanded missile racks is very effective to this end, as are Integrated targeting unit + Hellbores, Heavy Maulers, and Hephaestus AG (get expanded mags if you are going to use the latter).

I've never had any problems bringing my guns to bear using my low tech only fleets.  Early game, just use a the Hound to fight other Hounds, or a wing of fighters.  Throw a Hyper velocity driver on your hound and laugh at the assault gun hounds which can't even get near you.  That said, I prefer a lasher with railguns and missiles.

[Cryten]

Thanks for the intelligent recommendations I appreciate it. I will retry the railgun harpoon method later today and hopefully break out of the hard starting point and grab myself a wing of thunders. If that doesnt work Ill try the salamanders. Im looking forward to trying out a medium slot ballistics where you start getting the real pounders of the ballistic class.

[JDCollie]

I've been using heavy machine guns to positive effect on my first Enforcer class destroyer.  5x heavy machine guns, 4x Salamander missiles, and augmented engines seem to be a pretty potent combination.

[Flare]

(get expanded mags if you are going to use the latter).

I rarely find myself running out on even the lower ammunition count HE turrets when I use them effectively. All you really need is one or two and a few shots from each to remove the armor from all but the strongest ships in order to deal effective damage.