So I've been doing a game as mid-line tech, and I guess I have feedback?
- I love the locomotive! But I'm loving the upcoming reduction in global fuel usage more. Most markets don't have enough fuel for me to go back to my home system (its about 1000-1500 units for the average 1-way trip) which probably makes sense lore-wise but its pretty dull gameplay, especially with the running costs of a 60-logistics fleet.
- The Archon looks & mounts weapons like an Expansions ship, but says its Core in the description. As a side note, it only really shines with medium energy weapons from a mod, since most vanilla front-line medium energy weapons are pretty blah. It would be unusable if I couldn't put flare launchers in the outriggers.
- I am unconvinced by the Kestrel. The Sunder has 2 other energy weapons besides the oversize that get the ship system bonus, but this doesn't, and you feel it - it never feels like a worthwile use of LP compared to another eagle, especially since I have to use the middle medium energy for PD or get punked by any bomber that wander my way; I do about the same damage in a Falcon, but with lots of cherries on top.
- The Alastor and Phalanx are great! I've always loved Expansion ships but the frigates were always blah. Well, the stock ones are still blah, but now I don't have to use them!
Still missing something fast for capping nav buoys and chasing after drams in pursuit though - I feel the need for a robberfly/seski/hound analogue.
P.S. I've yet to see the Storm Needler for sale anywhere, and I'm lvl 45 ...
The Archon is late Core. Take it up with Cycerin, I guess; he made it.
The Kestrel doesn't require as much in the way of logistics as most full cruisers. Furthermore, it packs a good punch; even with PD it has two medium energy turrets and a large ballistic doing the work of two large ballistic slots. Unlike the Vanguard, the Kestrel has the flux reserves to fire a large ballistic weapon at 2x speed continuously. This gets really nasty if you have a weapon that can chew through ships, like the Gauss Cannon, Hellbore, or Mjolnir. The main thing to remember is it has two medium missile mounts, so you can nuke a ship with Harpoons if it overloads, cripple the engines of ships with Salamanders, break open shields with Sabots, etc. I find it to be quite effective.
The Alastor is really quite fast. Remember, its top speed is about 25 higher overall than what's stated on the ship description because of the maneuvering jets.
No vanilla ship mounts the Storm Needler, so it rarely appears on markets. Same goes for the Gauss Cannon and Plasma Cannon.
