it's not the railguns they should be looking at it's the dmg mods which they are nerfing anyway

I think you guys are all seriously over-estimating the defensive stats of Assault Dropships, especially considering that they're going to be buffing Swarm Launchers in 1.8, and probably -finally- addressing the poor, neglected Plasma Cannon.

If they improve Swarms and make the Plasma Cannon into a viable AV weapon, that combined with the new buffs to Commando suits will likely result in a lot more AV being readily available, and Assault Dropships being far more vulnerable.

Now that doesn't concern me too much as long as I don't have to pay as much as I earn in a single match just to use the asset I invested so many skillpoints into.

And tanks cost less? Even after the damage mods and railguns are addressed?

I think you guys need to realize that an ADS isn't the same no-barrier-to-entry vehicle that an HAV is.

Yes, but that isn't going to remain the case. Like I said, CCP Remnant made a post about a month back where he said they're "unsatisfied with the current state of Light AV vs Vehicles".

As well, that's a bit of an exaggeration. I've so far lost 3 Pythons to some really good AV players luring me down to lower altitude, and then using the kinetic impact of multiple Swarm launchers to throw me into buildings or hills.

More than you can even earn in one match?

Also, realize that running the vehicle without such gear guarantees that you'll lose it to AV. Complex Hardeners are almost a necessity, especially for a Python pilot.

Show me on the clone where the assault dropship touched you.

No sh!t bro. Every dropship I bring onto the field I expect to loose, I learned that a long time ago. Its probably the only thing that has kept me sane. The difference between a prototype suit and a prototype dropship is this, a basic suit can still be effective with a basic weapon. A python requires atleast adv level equipment just to survive, and you have to survive if you want to make isk, because if you loose one dropship a game you will go bankrupt by the end of the week. My 15 pythons must last me a minimum of 30 games for me to break even and that's if me and my crew are top of the boards every game.

They don't have to be as cheap as tanks, but they shouldn't cost so much more. Have you ever tried being a gunner on a python? I fit prototype turrets because when we come in on a run we have little time to get kills and get out, I need as much fire as I can so I'm not sitting in one place for a rail or forge. The gunners I have flown with for months can predict the motion of my dropship and place the shots they need to for us to get out. Blueberry gunners can barley kill 2 guys in the time my gunner's would kill or suppress 5. Adv turrets are still good but for those who are dedicated dropship pilots, that couple percentages make the difference between life and sudden death.

From what I have learned, I fly the best dropship I can so there is a better chance of it coming back, even if the chance is very low. If I just fit my pythons with std and adv mods and turrets it would still cost me 400k or up, only it would be shot down a lot easier by av. If one or two of my proto fit pythons come back then they might survive two and then I have paid it off. The better equipment allows me to stay in the fight for 10 more seconds before I have to leave, that's a potential 3 kills, no man left behind, or distraction for my team, potentially more isk which I sorely need. If I'm not in the fight, or doing something useful then I'm making scraps, prototype gear is the only ones that are really effective for dropships. That is if your a dedicated pilot and your dropship is how you make money. Most of my sp is in dropships 7 or 8 mil. So my dropship is my money maker, but its also my isk sink. If it wasn't so much of a sink then I might have one or two dropships extra and can restock my suits without dipping into the money for dropships.