I can't believe they're getting even more HP with Charlie. One or two swarm volleys and bam! they hit the afterburner, then come back after four seconds and resume slaughtering everything with their missile turrets.

If dropships are so good - why dont you nerds start flying them?

Vehicle controls are weird and vehicle costs are too steep for me. Plus, 100% of my SP is invested in infantry skills. Why effectively start over my training?

PSH, one or two swarm volleys. Try 4 or 5, boost away, or kill the swarm launcher and continue to pillage the red dots below. That's how it typically works.

If you're talking militia, then no. The five sets would kill us. Each set does approximately 700 damage. On my fit, I have about 2800 shields, and also a light booster. We're going to do the math here.

Keep in mind these are estimates, but I've been flying for quite a while, they're quite close

700x4=2800, this would effectively wipe our shields out, even with our natural resistance to explosives.

Now on to the fifth set, which would be our killing blow.

They do 220 base damage, multiply that by four:

220x4=880 Now to add in the explosive bonus that guy gets to our measly armor.

880x .2=176

880+176=1056

That amount right there is more than enough to take out our armor and kill us. You were honestly quite broad with your statement (no offense), so I'm going to assume that these swarms synched shots on said pilot. And in all honesty, if five people with no SP into swarms hate you enough to do that, I figure they deserve to kill you.

If dropships are so good - why dont you nerds start flying them?

they're pretty squishy when i 3-shot them with my assault forge, and 4 shot them with their hardener on

Because apparently they are insta win mobiles that never die and just own own own. Seems like using an alt for dropships is your way to easy street, friend.

they're pretty squishy when i 3-shot them with my assault forge, and 4 shot them with their hardener on

they're pretty squishy when i 3-shot them with my assault forge, and 4 shot them with their hardener on

If dropships are so good - why dont you nerds start flying them?

You are missing something here.

The complex shield hardener on my fit namely.

So the swarms do 2800 *.2(Natural shield resistance) = 560
Then 2800 - 560 = 2240

2240 * .4(hardener resistance) = 896

2240 - 896 = 1344 per volley, so no it won't wipe out my shields. Math isn't perfect but provides an approx.

I'm also using a shield extender (heavy advanced). Not home atm so I can't tell you what that puts my shield HP at, but at the very least I can nearly tank a full set of swarm volleys (proto), and easily tank a set from anything less than proto.

Decided to get serious about dropshipin. So I made a fit that mirrors the same idea as my tank fits (with advice from DDB's resident ADS pilot). Shields FOTM, stacking HP, with a single hardener. Afterburner is a no brainer.

After playing around with it several matches, along with another VERY good DS pilot (not to mention testing out that skill stacking thing), WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THINKS PYTHONS ARE SQUISHY. It just isn't as true as some make it out to be.

Agreed that in comparison to the incubus, they are much squishier. But in my testing against against AV, namely a certain proto assault forge gun, I found that a lot of the "Pythons are too squishy" are simply untrue and baseless. Sure I lost a couple, but managed to take a LOT of damage, and certainly dish it back out. And the only time I lose them is when 2 forgers, and tones of swarmers, gang up on me.

I mean seriously people, do you make these claims because of multiple AV driving you away?? I quite literally ate 3 AFG shots, ending in the eventual death of said forge gunner. Of which he asks, "How were you tanking that".

Magic, that's how.

This is the damage model for Militia swarms as they come out the box, no skills at all vs the best ADS there are in charlie

And this is the Best ADS vs proto swarms prof 3 in charlie.

TLDR : 5-6 volleys to kill with proto swarms and average skills. Remember this is the best of the best dropships.

The best swarmer vs the best dropship is 4 hits to kill an Incubus. 5 for a python. We have to watch this one carefully. There is a good chance dropships may be OP. If so we need to stop it quickly. But remember they melt to forges, tanks and turrets plus other dropships. There is more to consider here than swarms.

You gots some graphs for forges? I would like to see that as well.

4 to 5 volleys to kill? That's barely anything!

Jeez, next thing you know, 2 shots is alot, even though swarmers are guaranteed 3 hits...

Vehicle controls are weird and vehicle costs are too steep for me. Plus, 100% of my SP is invested in infantry skills. Why effectively start over my training?

You gots some graphs for forges? I would like to see that as well.

4-5 Volleys is 10.1-11.5s without skills, and 7.06-8.11s with max skills. Without skills, an ADS Pilot can escape 5 times before you actually kill it, and with max skills the ADS can escape 3 times before you actually kill it.

Given how the average human reaction time is 215ms, if you consider that to be "barely anything" your either 20.5x or 14x slower than the average human. In that case, I'd suggest seeking immediate help.

edit: Any Dropship with an Afterburner can easily evade the 3rd shot, and with Pythons you can evade the 2nd shot assuming your mildly competent

And swarmers are guaranteed 3 shots and will continue to be after thier inevitable range buff, glad shield dropships are getting buffed, completely ridiculous 4 shots to kill,

Bolded part, completely irrelevant, pythons have to sacrifice a high slot to fit one, and would have to flee if any damage is taken.

And swarmers are guaranteed 3 shots and will continue to be after thier inevitable range buff, glad shield dropships are getting buffed, completely ridiculous 4 shots to kill, and no vehicle in this game is required to use a heavy hp mod, incubus? I never fit plates, maddie? Nope, armor lav? Nope.

And pythons don't start moving fast enough right away.


Did I mention the fact that swarms make your aim bad? Or the fact that after 3 shots your hp is nothing? 1 clip of swarms doesn't take that long to empty.