Kallas Hallytyr
Skullbreakers
401
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Posted - 2014.02.17 23:45:00 -
[1] - Quote
Numnutz, I hear you on gunner fits. I've had much success with the following carrying two competent gunners:
Python
Basic Shield Hardener (only Basic/Enhanced, because my fitting skills are not maxed yet)
Enhanced Shield Hardener
Basic Afterburner
Enhanced PG Upgrade
3x AT-1 Missiles
I run with AT-1 Missiles to keep the cost down, because in a pub-match venue I would rather lose less ISK. An AT-1 is 24k ISK versus the XT-1's 106k ISK: it's a very large jump in cost for what amounts to a ~30 HP direct and splash damage increase!
Relevant Skills: I have Caldari ADS 4, Shield Fitting 2, Missile Fitting 2.
I run the best Hardeners I can (because Cooldown is very important) and the Afterburner is amazing: it requires skill and some pretty intense reflexes to AB away when getting shot at by a Railgun, but it possible to evade the second shot (though it's hard.) Primarily, the vehicle is fit up to operate like you describe: drop in on an area, unload your missiles and use Hardeners to sustain damage then AB to rapidly move/redeploy.
I've not played with a large enough squad to comment on dropping players to different places, but I definitely see the merit: dropships are incredibly valuable when utilised as transports and the Python with guns makes for a very effective transport, combining speed and firepower when dropping mercs. I have, however, had experience playing taxi to give a squad-mate positional advantage (sniper, forge gunner, etc) and a dropship is incredibly useful.
As far as solo-flying is concerned, my primary fit is:
Python
Complex Shield Hardener
Complex Shield Hardener
Enhanced Afterburner
Missile Ammo Capacity (or empty)
1x AT-1 Missile
I started to use Afterburners after playing several times alongside Mobius Wyvern, who explained his reasoning. After trying them out repeatedly, I found much merit in the use: speed is much more effective at surviving the insanely high power shots of railguns than an extra ~1000 shields. Railguns will go through your buffer too fast anyway and evading at high speeds will make target acquisition that much harder.
A Militia Railgun (1450 HP/shot) with a single damage mod (up to 1885 HP/shot) will do make a Python with a Complex Shield Extender (2873 Shields/960 Armour) will be down to 1177 Shields after the first hit, assuming damage profiles are working correctly (ie, -10% versus Shields.) Assuming you activate your Hardener in time (which is reasonable) the second shot will almost drop your shields and the third would be the killshot: with a single Hardener, you have only thirty seconds (at max Engine Core Cal.) of time to survive in the line of fire.
While the Afterburner fit has less buffer and cannot afford to take the first hit before activating Hardener, it has a much greater ability to evade the follow up shots, thus allowing it to recharge it's shields and get actual combat time in under either one or both Hardeners. Two Hardeners activated is, I believe, roughly an 80% damage reduction. This means that when aware of a Railgun's threat, you can activate both Hardeners as you drop on the enemy and reduced even double damage-modded Particle Cannon shots down to doing just over a third of your Shields, instead of doing roughly half damage.
The Booster is really the kicker: with good reflexes a pilot will usually be able to kick one module into life after the first Railgun shot lands. If this is your Booster, you have gotten roughly 1100 shields back, but will then get smacked for substantially more than that by the following shot. If your first module is your Hardener, your shields will be incredibly low after the second shot (if not entirely depleted.) The main issue I have, personally, with the Extender/Booster/Hardener set-up is that you must recover from the kinetic impulse effects of AV fire with standard manoeuvrability: while the Python's handling is excellent for Dropships, it is often insufficient when facing such high power shots. If an Afterburner is fitted, instead of worrying about multiple module activations and regaining control under normal power, you have to activate a single module and make like a tree.
But, a lot of that is my opinion. I did originally use the Ex/B/H set-up, then I moved to an Ex/H/H set-up, but eventually I have found that the AB/H/H set-up to be superior in general, regardless of gunner presence. |