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Author Topic: How to deal with phase ships?  (Read 3299 times)

DraMaFlo

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How to deal with phase ships?
« on: June 20, 2021, 02:09:35 AM »

So in my first playthrough I went full high tech with lots of Tempests and Omens and a Harbinger but after exploring a couple dozen systems i got fed up with all those new-fangled energy beams and phasers and decided to go back to the good old low tech.

So i got a Hegemony Enforcer SO braaaper, a Condor, some Luddic Path Lashers and after saving some money a Hegemony Dominator.
While fitting it up i tested her in the simulation against other cruisers and did pretty well, except against the DOOM.
The Doom just mined me to death and i couldn't do anything.

Is that how it's supposed to go or am i missing anything?

Here's my dominator if anyone cares
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SCC

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2021, 02:17:58 AM »

Where is your point defence?

Grievous69

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2021, 02:20:32 AM »

Unfortunately a single Dominator can't do a thing vs phase ships, any for that matter, especially vs Doom that is 10 DP more expensive. To deal with phase ships you need fast hitting weapons, like beams or something with super fast rate of fire. Fighters also help to overwhelm them once they're forced to get out of phase.

Anyways your example is the best possible scenario for that Doom and worst for yourself. You never want to 1v1 a phase ship in a low tech ship.
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DraMaFlo

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2021, 02:38:25 AM »

Where is your point defence?
I had no idea that if it doesn't say point defense it won't attack bombs lol.
Should i go for vulcans or something else

Unfortunately a single Dominator can't do a thing vs phase ships, any for that matter, especially vs Doom that is 10 DP more expensive. To deal with phase ships you need fast hitting weapons, like beams or something with super fast rate of fire. Fighters also help to overwhelm them once they're forced to get out of phase.

Anyways your example is the best possible scenario for that Doom and worst for yourself. You never want to 1v1 a phase ship in a low tech ship.
So you need a whole fleet do deal with them?
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Yunru

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2021, 02:43:27 AM »

So you need a whole fleet do deal with them?
Need? No. But a whole fleet is the best defense in general, as you deny them space to unphase.

Grievous69

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2021, 02:45:05 AM »

So you need a whole fleet do deal with them?
Usually yes. There are some ships that hard counter them tho, like the Harbinger, another phase ship. Its special ability overloads the targeted ship and that's the only way in the game to force a phase ship out of phase. I'm sure there are more example of decent counter but yeah just don't try to solo Dooms in the future lmao.
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KDR_11k

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2021, 03:06:49 AM »

Generally you win against a phase ship when it runs out of flux capacity before leaving your weapon range. Fast ships that chase after it and keep it in range or surrounding it with heavies/covering so much range with your guns that the phase ship can't cleanly get in and out before being forced to surface. Yeah, a Dominator probably won't pull that off.

I had no idea that if it doesn't say point defense it won't attack bombs lol.

Or with the Point Defense AI hullmod all small ballistics and energy weapons will target projectiles.
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dreamdancer

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2021, 04:22:20 AM »

I equipped a Dominator with 2 Devastators, 2 HVDs and all Vulcans in the small slots; no hullmods, vents/caps maxed. It won with 0 damage against the simulator Doom on autopilot.

Of course, officers can make Dooms much, much scarier with increased mine/missile hit points, higher mine range / spam rate from Systems Expertise and double movement speed.
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Harmful Mechanic

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2021, 09:39:24 PM »

A midline fleet with a lot of turreted beams can be excellent; the deadly trio of LRPD Lasers, Ion Beams, and High-Intensity Lasers, spammed across your small/medium/large energy slots and backed up with Swarmer missiles and Ion Cannon fighters like the Claw and Thunder, will efficiently shut down most phase ships.
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Deshara

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2021, 11:27:25 PM »

same thing that beats everything else; fast ships with long ranged guns, so the phase ship cant get back out of their range before dropping out of phase & taking hits
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WeiTuLo

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2021, 07:57:14 AM »

An officered Heron with 3 Wasps will reliably kill the simulation Doom. In actual battles, if you control the battlespace or if there is not too much flak, you can get even better performance. Officered Afflictors can do really well in duels vs other phase ships as well. Chasing Dooms with an SO Assault Chaingun Hammerhead works great as well. Just fill where they may decloak with HE shells, and they will fear unphasing until they have no other choice. Then they die.
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Sollaire

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #11 on: June 24, 2021, 09:33:46 AM »

I'm assuming you mean the campaign phase fleet. You poor bastard, there is little if anything a low tech lineup can do to match them point for point. Unless you are able to overwhelm them numerically.
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Linnis

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2021, 12:31:08 PM »

I'm assuming you mean the campaign phase fleet. You poor bastard, there is little if anything a low tech lineup can do to match them point for point. Unless you are able to overwhelm them numerically.

I beat that with mostly low tech by ordering my whole fleet to huddle in a corner while i distracted the enemy with a frigate till everything ran out of CR...
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qwerty4429

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Re: How to deal with phase ships?
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2021, 11:40:24 AM »

Several tips to beat phases:
- They run out of CR quicker, so if you want to counter bounty hunter phase fleet you can build ships which are very durable and also have long peak performance time.
- HIL is your friend
- Ions are powerful in disabling their engines
- LRMs make phases go mad and fly around scared

I like your build because it has some good ideas. Mortars can shoot down bombs, but need PD hullmod. However, it is best to use midline (peak perfomance + balance) or high tech (good 360 shields), low tech wont do for reasons other people said. Use ships which are faster and more maneuverable - like Aurora, it was a good phase killer for me.
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