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Author Topic: High Scatter Amp Discussion  (Read 7595 times)

Space Cowboy

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High Scatter Amp Discussion
« on: April 04, 2021, 11:51:42 AM »

Has anyone found a viable build using the high scatter amp? So far I've tried it on a Fury with phase lances/ heavy burst lasers and it misses a lot and even when it connects it's underwhelming. I've also tried it with the same weapons on a Champion with unstable injector and in an evenly matched or harder fight it just gets melted before it can have much impact. It seems like an interesting mod so I'd love to find a way to use it.
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TaLaR

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2021, 11:57:22 AM »

Imo, pointless. At 500 range pretty much everything hits enemies anyway (against shielded frigates or larger) so beam accuracy is irrelevant, but beam flux efficiency and/or dps-per-OP efficiency is very low (after you take into account the hullmod as well).
IR pulse is just better at that range.
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Vind

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2021, 11:59:06 AM »

Maybe tachyon lances can do better with it. 1000 range is an overkill and half-range can be boosted with advanced optics. Also at 500 they will receive skill bonus.
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TaLaR

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2021, 12:03:58 PM »

TL doesn't have that high dps, flux efficiency or dps-per-OP efficiency. It's usefulness lies in ability to exploit any short term weakness from really far. Or just stack so many that soft flux doesn't matter, in case of Paragon/Radiant vs smaller target.
Similar story with HIL - even if it did hard flux, it's still a HE weapon.
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Daynen

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2021, 12:10:19 PM »

Currently running a sunder with it, though I need to find some proper medium beams for it.  With a bit of tuning and a built in mod or two, it works.  Having to get within 500 range is a little scary but don't doubt for a second that it'll put out the pressure.  I suspect this mod, or perhaps the skills that work with ranges, might be adjusted in a future patch.  They are a bit...stringent at the moment.  I wonder if upping the hullmod to, say, 60% range would make the difference?  Have to keep in mind the possibility of combining it with ITU and optics, of course; allowing beams to do hard flux at anywhere near 1000 range would be quite broken.

What if, instead of just hard flux, it did something else entirely?  What if it was true to its name and instead caused beams to scatter wider at range or split into multiple beams for more coverage?  That might add some interesting build choices...
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Midnight Kitsune

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2021, 12:11:05 PM »

While I do agree that the mod needs some SERIOUS drawbacks in order not to become stupid OP, having the beam range pretty much makes this mod useless, especially since it effects PD weapons as well. I wonder how a 25% range reduction would work and if it is possible to have half hard and half soft flux damage?
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SapphireSage

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2021, 12:17:25 PM »

Would it not do well with a graviton beam or two? 200 shield dps (or more with Energy Weaps/Targeting Analysis skills) as hard flux for a mere 75 f/s isn't the most bursty, but it could likely be very oppressive to go against in a more extended engagement for pure efficiency alone.
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Space Cowboy

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2021, 12:39:01 PM »

Hmm, I'll have to try some of the longer range beams with it next. I'll update my op after testing those. Haven't found any tachyon lances yet or I would have tried them but I'll go for some gravitons/ IR pulses. What shipss do you guys think would work best? Fury seems like the obvious choice to me but an Odyssey would be good too if I can find one.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2021, 12:40:59 PM by Space Cowboy »
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SapphireSage

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2021, 01:04:33 PM »

Hmm, thinking about it, I might like to try out a bunch of Graviton/Heavy blaster tempests with the mod and see they do as a swarm of hunter killers once I get more resources in what has now apparently turned into a phase + frigates playthrough.
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IonDragonX

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2021, 01:17:15 PM »

Would it not do well with a graviton beam or two? 200 shield dps (or more with Energy Weaps/Targeting Analysis skills) as hard flux for a mere 75 f/s isn't the most bursty, but it could likely be very oppressive to go against in a more extended engagement for pure efficiency alone.
Why not just buff the Graviton Beam with the effect?
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Arcagnello

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2021, 01:30:54 PM »

Has anyone found a viable build using the high scatter amp? So far I've tried it on a Fury with phase lances/ heavy burst lasers and it misses a lot and even when it connects it's underwhelming. I've also tried it with the same weapons on a Champion with unstable injector and in an evenly matched or harder fight it just gets melted before it can have much impact. It seems like an interesting mod so I'd love to find a way to use it.

I am ready to fully embrace the fact I'm probably going to be seen as a "Safety Override Elitist", but that is the one use I found with high scatter amplifier. Bring it on!

High scatter amplifier brings a niche use to beam weapons -that are intended for long range engagements-  on Overridden ships for them to become quite deadly at ultra short range.

The problem of this is that most high tech ships with a ton of energy mounts (like the Aurora wich has 7 smalls and 3 mediums all able to shoot forward) also have a very good amount of hybrid mounts, meaning they tend to gravitate a lot more on the very effective Sabot SRM/MRM + Heavy blaster&Ion Cannon combo.
I have superficially tested an Overridden Aurora (with SO integrated into it) and it is very, VERY potent when player driven, the problem sadly arises with the AI that really likes to stop firing beam weapons from time to time despite having enough dissipation to fire all weapons and keep shields up at the same time.

I will post the setup I'm using shortly for you guys to have fun with it!

P.S: I could see the Scarab superfrigade working very well with Amplifier and a full Tactical laser loadout, but I don't have my hands on one of those yet!
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Megas

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2021, 01:34:41 PM »

I tried it briefly with Tactical Lasers, and it is weak.  So much OP spent to emulate an energy Light Mortar.  Better to grab IR Pulse Lasers and shoot the target instead.

What I would like to try is Tachyon Lances for an unblockable attack, but I have not found everything I need to try the idea.
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Thaago

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2021, 01:36:20 PM »

Slightly off topic, but new IR pules are actually pretty nice, especially with enemy frigates being somewhat priority targets now. Armor penetration of an armadillo hurled by a six year old, but frigates don't have much armor anyways.
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Pushover

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2021, 01:48:34 PM »

I'm curious if there's some sort of SO Sunder build that works with HSA. 500 range isn't much more than 450, so you only lose a bit.
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RemnantAI

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Re: High Scatter Amp Discussion
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2021, 01:56:46 PM »

High Scatter is actually quite potent on Paladin, unfortunately since it is a beam and PD, the Paragon only gives it a 60% range bonus instead of 100%. Also AI saves charges, but it is definitely a weird set up with extended magazines.


I think High Scatter would be much more feasible if optics stacked and was not debuffed. A flat 200 range could work wonder. But with this version of the game ECM is spammed, so 50% range on top of 20% from enemy fleet is a nightmare. I love the mod, but between it and optics, you are paying too much and getting drawbacks as well.


Edit: It works well with phase lances, but skitterish attack AI manages to miss with the beams, which is crazy since beams really shouldn't miss...
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