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[killtime101]

I like the fact that it makes beams deal hard flux, especially for high intensity lasers and tachyon lances. The range decrease doesn't seem to be that noticeable, plus it increases damage by a little bit. How is it in your experiences? Any more Niche uses you like for it? Is it a good hullmod for your beamer ships?

[Thaago]

Nay from me. The range cut is way too much.

[Amoebka]

The range penalty is far too crippling (especially since you lose advanced optics too), and most beams are too low DPS/slot to ever be reasonable assault weapons.

[SCC]

The range decreases so much that you are competing with regular hard flux energy weapons, which sucks because regular hard flux energy weapons have better DPS, similar efficiency and some other advantages on top of that (EMP for some, burst for others, good armour penetration).

[Network Pesci]

Normally my flagship is a Safety Overrides Aurora, but in my current modded playthrough (Xhan, Imperium, and Underworld) I've got an Underworld Aurora I've built as a High Scatter Amplifier boat with triple Phase Lances and one Rift Lance from the Heavily Shielded Cache.

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[Mishrak]

Big nay.

There's like one ship I can think of that actually utilizes HSA well (ai Tach Nova), beyond that it's a dead hullmod as far as I'm concerned.  The s-mod bonus does not justify using it either.

Mod ships are whatever.

[Amoebka]

It's "not terrible" on tac laser discoball Odyssey. Better range and marginally better flux efficiency than ir pulses, enough small mounts to offset low DPS, and PD can be relegated to fighters.

I don't think any other vanilla ships can use it at all, though.

[Thaago]

Would a Harbinger be able to use it well? Otoh, they have such high phase lance DPS that it almost doesn't matter if its soft or not, and the range cut puts it in more danger. Plus, OP cost.

[Mishrak]

Would a Harbinger be able to use it well? Otoh, they have such high phase lance DPS that it almost doesn't matter if its soft or not, and the range cut puts it in more danger. Plus, OP cost.

The question that has to be asked is: why would something like that just not use small energy weapons that are way more damaging?  HSA technically functions but is it ever better than anything else at all even a little?

[ubernoob]

Would a Harbinger be able to use it well? Otoh, they have such high phase lance DPS that it almost doesn't matter if its soft or not, and the range cut puts it in more danger. Plus, OP cost.

I have tried it, it is quite interesting to play around with however there are some problems that arise compared to Adv. Optics + Phase Lances.

DPS is significantly higher since 6x timeflow (with Phase Anchor) * 110% damage (115% S-mod) = 660% standard DPS (690% DPS S-mod), it's quite noticeable with the way modifiers stack (Entropy Amplifier and Target Analysis buffs are massive with HSA since they seem to stack multiplicatively) and you will one burst a lot more ships consistently even with defensive skills.


Main problem here is range : max range of HSA Phase Lances is 540 (400 after range reduction +15% from Gunnery Implants and +20% from ITU), the maximum range of Adv. Optics Phase Lances on Harbingers is 1010 (1250 with maximum Escort Package bonus of +40%). This is very important since what makes Phase Lance Harbingers so strong is great DPS and good speed with range - you can dodge most hits coming your way by the time phase cloak can be used again. Instant travel time also helps a lot with precision shooting sections at range (like deliberately targeting problematic weapon mounts or engines)

It depends on matchups, but a lot of scary things like Devastators, Chainguns and torpedoes are avoidable at 1000 range, but not so much at 500. But if you're fighting Luddic Church and Tri-Tachyon most of their high burst damage is avoidable.

[eert5rty7u8i9i7u6yrewqdef]

Tachyon-Lance Paragon is good with HSA, as it has still has 1200 range at base. (1000-200)/2+200 =600 * 2 = 1200. With a max of 1290, 1200+ 600*.15 (GI) = 1290.
I don't use it as mods showed me that any hardflux weapon that can hit through shields is disgustingly broken, and I want nothing to do with it. For reference, the max range of other capital energy weaponry is 1225. 700*1.75 (ITU+GI) = 1225

Other options are burst PD or tac laser Scarab, the former can actually kill ships with heavier armor but can't survive against end game threats due to its short range. The latter can survive but can only kill frigates and destroyers. The reason it works it time acceleration increases both the DPS and hit strength of beam weaponry.

[Nettle]

Tachyon-Lance Paragon is good with HSA, as it has still has 1200 range at base. (1000-200)/2+200 =600 * 2 = 1200. With a max of 1290, 1200+ 600*.15 (GI) = 1290.
I don't use it as mods showed me that any hardflux weapon that can hit through shields is disgustingly broken, and I want nothing to do with it. For reference, the max range of other capital energy weaponry is 1225. 700*1.75 (ITU+GI) = 1225

Interesting, but sounds rudimentary to needlers hard flux output.

Oh, I've read it as "phase lance" for some reason. My bad.

[Phenir]

Tachyon-Lance Paragon is good with HSA, as it has still has 1200 range at base. (1000-200)/2+200 =600 * 2 = 1200. With a max of 1290, 1200+ 600*.15 (GI) = 1290.
I don't use it as mods showed me that any hardflux weapon that can hit through shields is disgustingly broken, and I want nothing to do with it. For reference, the max range of other capital energy weaponry is 1225. 700*1.75 (ITU+GI) = 1225

You shouldn't compare it to other capitals using energy weapons, you should compare it other energy weapons on the paragon. 700 range energies on the paragon reach 1505 and have a lot more dps. Tachyon wins on hit strength though I think, and the shield piercing like you mentioned. So you give up close to 200 range and some (a lot compared to plasma cannon) dps for hit strength + emp.
I think it's not worth it. Tachyon is better off with the extra range so something that manages to get in that close needs to get further away before its safe. And if it's backpedaling, it has high flux meaning a tachyon or 2 can probably force it to drop shield/overload and take armor/hull damage.

Interesting, but sounds rudimentary to needlers hard flux output.

But needlers do nothing to armor/hull though, which the tachyon destroys. Not that it's competing against needlers anyway.

[Thaago]

...

Ooof, yeah, 540 range vs over 1000 is just so massive. With 6x damage they are punching through shields anyways (and allies can provide kinetic support as well).

[Brainwright]

The build for HSA is a bit strange compared to what most people do.  Max vents aren't terribly useful, you're basically putting aside Integrated Targeting Unit for High Scatter Amplifier and Hardened Shields.  You're not trying to poke at the shields, you're trying to tank and apply hard flux until they're maxed out.  Then you get a few good hits in before withdrawing to vent.

Not max vents, but you probably still need 3/4 and Resistant Flux Coils.  A ship that can run a Phase Lance and Ion Beam with HSA is probably a good combination.  They won't win the fight for you, but the combination is ruinous with a build that might otherwise seem underpowered.  An officer with Field Modulation will extend the effective amount of capacity you have for tanking damage.

You really want to be as flux efficient as possible, which is the opposite of a ballistic close range build.