Ever use a python?

I did ask for the reason for the buff. I have yet to take a python out by myself with swarms, and I can do it if I land 3-4 with my Proto assault FG.

If I team up with someone they go down quick.

We're of half a mind to hold back a little bit on the Dropship HP buff, but there will be at least some extra HP for the Caldari dropships to help close the gap in EHP between them and the Gallente dropships.

If swarm vs dropship combat looks better after this change, we can look into things like increasing swarm speed and reducing swarm maneuverability. Just don't want to change too many moving parts at once. Things like an EM swarm launcher (same damage, flipped damage profile) and the anti-dropship (faster missiles) would also be on the table if these changes improve things.

Weapons for dropships are a bit of a different topic, though we are making changes to the small blaster. Details for that will come in another topic, so I would ask you put your discussion there or in a new thread.

(And again, I'm not CCP Rattati! )

And your swarms shouldn't be super effective at killing a shuekd shield-based vehicle.

Hey guys

So for Hotfix Charlie, we're looking at changing Swarm Launchers. Primary focus on this is to reduce the difference in power between tiers. We're also slightly pulling back their damage at prototype levels to compensate for the increase in damage they had from their original incarnation when combined with Minmatar Commandos. Damage with a Minmatar Commando is still higher than old swarms without the damage bonus from the dropsuit. Difference at most between current prototype damage and new prototype damage is less than 100 damage (2x Complex Damage Mods, Minmatar Commando, max skills). Standard and Advanced both have an increase in base damage.

So, onto the numbers!

Firstly, all swarm launchers at all tiers will now fire 4 missiles.

Missile damage will now increase with tier. Damage is now 260/286/312 per missile. This has the double effect of eliminating any lingering issues with swarms being unable to break shield recharge and lessens the effects of physical impacts against dropships at higher levels.

Additionally, Dropships are getting some buffs. This is not the full extent of changes we would want to make to dropships, so we may come back in the future and either reverse these or add more. This change also helps narrow the EHP gap between armor and shield dropships.

All Caldari Dropships are getting 600 more base shield HP.
All Gallente Dropships are getting 100 more base armor HP.

At this stage there are no changes to the flight performance, lock on time or reload time to swarms. We are however increasing the base amount of ammo they carry from 6 to 10. (11 to 15 with max skills). Note that does does not affect the nanite cost for rearming from a nanohive.

There is a spreadsheet we've been working with, but be warned, it's messy and confusing and prone to breaking. If you're brave, you can find it here.

Please remember that like everything else, this isn't set in stone, and we're looking to hear your feedback on these proposed changes

Well, I 3 shot pythons all day, forges.

And your swarms shouldn't be super effective at killing a shuekd vehicle.

Very good, and finally, my python will actually not get instagibbed or get 3 shotted by forges...

-1 for this post.
We need to have the swarms fast AND clumsy - so that with skillful maneuvering they can overshoot and therefore maybe miss.

Also, currently swarms can be evaded by terrain and buildings. Only bad thing is that sometimes swarms still bend around corners...

Why are Swarm Launchers being nerfed, while Dropships being buffed at the same time?

Unless of course, they're being nerfed in preparation of a Damage Modifier buff?

Basically you can run a Basic swarm launcher with lv5 proficiency and do almost as well as a proto swarm launcher with 0 efficiency, basically making it so that you can run the much cheaper basic variant, and with high skills, can perform very well anti-AV with minimum ISK loss

I think armor reps are gonna have to go back up to near Pre-Alpha/Bravo levels for Armor vehicles to be effective again after this...

Hey guys

So for Hotfix Charlie, we're looking at changing Swarm Launchers. Primary focus on this is to reduce the difference in power between tiers. We're also slightly pulling back their damage at prototype levels to compensate for the increase in damage they had from their original incarnation when combined with Minmatar Commandos. Damage with a Minmatar Commando is still higher than old swarms without the damage bonus from the dropsuit. Difference at most between current prototype damage and new prototype damage is less than 100 damage (2x Complex Damage Mods, Minmatar Commando, max skills). Standard and Advanced both have an increase in base damage.

So, onto the numbers!

Firstly, all swarm launchers at all tiers will now fire 4 missiles.

Missile damage will now increase with tier. Damage is now 260/286/312 per missile. This has the double effect of eliminating any lingering issues with swarms being unable to break shield recharge and lessens the effects of physical impacts against dropships at higher levels.

Additionally, Dropships are getting some buffs. This is not the full extent of changes we would want to make to dropships, so we may come back in the future and either reverse these or add more. This change also helps narrow the EHP gap between armor and shield dropships.

All Caldari Dropships are getting 600 more base shield HP.
All Gallente Dropships are getting 100 more base armor HP.

At this stage there are no changes to the flight performance, lock on time or reload time to swarms. We are however increasing the base amount of ammo they carry from 6 to 10. (11 to 15 with max skills). Note that does does not affect the nanite cost for rearming from a nanohive.

There is a spreadsheet we've been working with, but be warned, it's messy and confusing and prone to breaking. If you're brave, you can find it here.

Please remember that like everything else, this isn't set in stone, and we're looking to hear your feedback on these proposed changes

Swarms are area denial for a dropship, and the best way to keep one at bay with a forge friend. Try using team work and see how fast a python goes down. It's like you scrubs think one person should be equal to one vehicle. Your suit and wepon can't do everything this is abteam based game.

Its like you scrubs think one vehicle should be equal to an entire team.

Just don't want to change too many moving parts at once.

And your swarms shouldn't be super effective at killing a shuekd vehicle.

I'm not speaking from my own experience but rather an Assault dropship pilot I know, and according to him Pythons are already better than Incubi.

The extra HP they gain isn't worth the mobility loss at all, couple that with how the only AV that can reliably hit a dropship is anti armor and that Pythons get the best turret, and Incubi are already quite bad.
The only good part is that they don't get knocked around as much from swarms but that's being reduced.