DUST Search - Dedicated DS pilots.

Felix Faraday wrote:

It's very difficult.

Missile Installations will shoot at you half a map a way. Railgun tanks will sit in the redline and snipe at you where you can do almost nothing about them. FGs will eat 2/3rds of even a well-fitted DS in 1 shot, or straight up 1-shot lesser-fitted ones. Swarms will chase you all over the map. People on your own team will shot at you from Rail Installations just to watch you bounce around.

If you support ground attacks though, you can be very useful. If you see a few guys attacking an objective, hover over them and support them. If the guys on the ground switch to AV, then they get killed quickly by your ground guys. If they don't, you rain death on them. Just like a tank, if you run solo, you're a much easier target.

You need absolute map awareness though. Know where enemy installations are. Learn what their AI targetting range is. Pay attention to when the enemy is stealing one of your installations. Do flybys to monitor common tank snipe spots. Check building tops for Swarm carriers. Learn to recognize the glow of a FG charging up. etc. etc.

And you can't be stubborn, you have to know when to put the DS away. I played one game, there were 2 well-fitted FGs sitting on a mountain top happily firing away at everything. My DS got recalled for that game, and I did something else.

DSs need a buff, no doubt. And they aren't economically sustainable. And you won't be getting much WP. And blueberries won't want to get a ride from them. And RDVs will insta-pop you any chance they get. And And And...

But they *can* be useful and fun....


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Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 100	Posted - 2013.05.23 20:25:00 - [1] - Quote Fiasco Llana wrote: I'm talking no lifers or people that just play alot (no offense intended) Are dropships really that bad? It seems like if you were maxed out in dropships (say you're a armor assault ds pilot) and you had all your armor plates and PG and CPU armor hardeners, damage control. It would make some difference right? I fly a Myron at the moment but will be respeccing completely into dropships, not even going to choose a base class to start as. And I can last an entire match even with forges/railguns on the map. Are dropships really that bad or are people just complaining to be complaining? As a dropship pilot with most of my SP in them, the hardeners, both active and passive are well worth it. They make the difference between a proto tank one-shotting you, and them having to hit you 3-4 times to take you down. Your maneuverability is your defense and your offense. Use them. Find a team that will work with you, man your turrets, nullify anti-vehicle soldiers, and you will do fine. I am a pretty dedicated Dropship pilot, but it doesn't mean I don't have a life. Just saying.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 100	Posted - 2013.05.23 20:27:00 - [2] - Quote Moochie Cricket wrote: Proto dropship vs standard AV is balanced. Proto dropship vs advanced AV is possible if the pilot is very good. Proto dropship vs proto AV is a complete waste of isk. With the right speed boosters you can engage ground targets and gtfo rather quickly. The only problems I run into are the proto assault guns. They won't one shot me, but they can land a couple of hits on me even with my high speed. I am not complaining though, because if they weren't shooting at me, I would just park above them and faceroll their entire team for the duration of the match.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 21:50:00 - [3] - Quote Moochie Cricket wrote: Mary Sedillo wrote: Moochie Cricket wrote: Proto dropship vs standard AV is balanced. Proto dropship vs advanced AV is possible if the pilot is very good. Proto dropship vs proto AV is a complete waste of isk. With the right speed boosters you can engage ground targets and gtfo rather quickly. The only problems I run into are the proto assault guns. They won't one shot me, but they can land a couple of hits on me even with my high speed. I am not complaining though, because if they weren't shooting at me, I would just park above them and faceroll their entire team for the duration of the match. This means you must constantly be at high speed to avoid death. However, a dropship at high speeds is useless. You can't pick people up at high speeds and can't act as a gunship at high speeds. You didn't hear me correctly. You must learn how to enter engagements and how to pull out. You can't expect to survive staying engaged on ground targets 100 percent, and you will be very sad and useless if you stay 100 percent moving and out of combat.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 21:54:00 - [4] - Quote Finding that balance between engaging the enemy and dodging fire is what differentiates the lower skilled pilots and those that will face roll the enemy.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:01:00 - [5] - Quote Felix Faraday wrote: It's very difficult. Missile Installations will shoot at you half a map a way. Railgun tanks will sit in the redline and snipe at you where you can do almost nothing about them. FGs will eat 2/3rds of even a well-fitted DS in 1 shot, or straight up 1-shot lesser-fitted ones. Swarms will chase you all over the map. People on your own team will shot at you from Rail Installations just to watch you bounce around. If you support ground attacks though, you can be very useful. If you see a few guys attacking an objective, hover over them and support them. If the guys on the ground switch to AV, then they get killed quickly by your ground guys. If they don't, you rain death on them. Just like a tank, if you run solo, you're a much easier target. You need absolute map awareness though. Know where enemy installations are. Learn what their AI targetting range is. Pay attention to when the enemy is stealing one of your installations. Do flybys to monitor common tank snipe spots. Check building tops for Swarm carriers. Learn to recognize the glow of a FG charging up. etc. etc. And you can't be stubborn, you have to know when to put the DS away. I played one game, there were 2 well-fitted FGs sitting on a mountain top happily firing away at everything. My DS got recalled for that game, and I did something else. DSs need a buff, no doubt. And they aren't economically sustainable. And you won't be getting much WP. And blueberries won't want to get a ride from them. And RDVs will insta-pop you any chance they get. And And And... But they can be useful and fun.... Each of those problems can be dealt with by just being aware. If you are playing Caldari Dropships, you will laugh in the face of missile damage, but rail/forge guns will hurt you. They are pricey and for a reason. They are deadly and effective craft that shouldn't be able to be spammable or they lose their value, in my opinion. Many good corporations will fund your dropship losses. If they are not, find one that will. If you have skill, you will be funded. Good flying!
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:03:00 - [6] - Quote DUST Fiend wrote: Maxed out logistics ship with nothing but tank, costs like 1.3M, and still drops like a fly to all kinds of things, mostly forge guns and rail guns though. Or me crashing into the ground trying to do some crazy maneuver trying to avoid said weapons If you don't spec out of dropships with this respec, then you're doing it wrong. No, you are just a fail dropship. If you want to do crazy maneuvers, go assault. If you have a squad who watches your back, go logistics. THINK. but one less fail pilot gives me less competition for the ISKies. :)
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:08:00 - [7] - Quote I wouldn't mind a buff though. Then I could truly be invincible and god mode in the sky.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:13:00 - [8] - Quote DUST Fiend wrote: Mary Sedillo wrote: No, you are just a fail dropship. If you want to do crazy maneuvers, go assault. If you have a squad who watches your back, go logistics. THINK. but one less fail pilot gives me less competition for the ISKies. :) Whatever you say buddy. The last line of your post proves that I am right and you are painfully wrong. My forge gun will be primed for your sad little coffin soon enough That is if you can hit me. I have a very well fit gallente assault, and you will NOT one shot me. 3 shots, with a proto, more with lower tier. Consider that I am NOT running solo, and forge guns are easy to spot, my Assault groundpounding buddies will kill you, if I do not circle strafe pound you down to dust. For every Swarm Launcher or Forge gunner, that is one less Tactical AR hitting my friends on the ground. Even dodging your fire helps my ground bound buddies.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:18:00 - [9] - Quote )[/quote] Whatever you say buddy. The last line of your post proves that I am right and you are painfully wrong. My forge gun will be primed for your sad little coffin soon enough [/quote] The last one does nothing of the sort. The weak pilots are getting filtered out, and the strong will be the only ones flying and being contracted into PC battles. You can call it a sad little coffin, but this 'sad little coffin' will be the last thing you see before I send you to hell.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:21:00 - [10] - Quote DUST Fiend wrote: Mary Sedillo wrote: That is if you can hit me. I have a very well fit gallente assault, and you will NOT one shot me. 3 shots, with a proto, more with lower tier. Consider that I am NOT running solo, and forge guns are easy to spot, my Assault groundpounding buddies will kill you, if I do not circle strafe pound you down to dust. For every Swarm Launcher or Forge gunner, that is one less Tactical AR hitting my friends on the ground. Even dodging your fire helps my ground bound buddies. Good luck avoiding my breach, you aren't the only one that rolls with a squad BAHAHAHA Breach has a slower rate of fire and you will need to hit me more than once to take me down, even with your increased damage potential.

Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:22:00 - [11] - Quote Roll Assault FG if you want to take out a Dropship. Higher ROF and good damage potential can really devastate us. Thats just my perspective on it. I have never lost a DS to a Breach but I have lost them to Assaults FGs.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 102	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:25:00 - [12] - Quote DUST Fiend wrote: Mary Sedillo wrote: Roll Assault FG if you want to take out a Dropship. Higher ROF and good damage potential can really devastate us. Thats just my perspective on it. I have never lost a DS to a Breach but I have lost them to Assaults FGs. I've been flying and forge gunning for a year, Breach is where it's at. Surprise alpha with the follow up on the recovery. I will make it rain dropships until CCP finally fixes forge guns and makes dropships worth flying again You may eat slow-flying noobs with them, but with experienced, well fit dropships like myself, we will shrug your damage off, fly out of range, and repair while cooldowns come back.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 105	Posted - 2013.05.23 22:29:00 - [13] - Quote DUST Fiend wrote: I appreciate your enthusiasm. May it serve you well as you're yelling BAIL BAIL BAIL!!! Hah, I almost never have to scream it. The last 20 matches, only lost 2, one to an RDV spawn, and the other to that weird glitch tile that floats above the ground. I've been hit by every type of AV, and while they hurt, they won't kill me easily. Newbs, yes, you will up. Not myself.
Mary Sedillo XERCORE E X T E R M I N A T U S 105	Posted - 2013.05.23 23:10:00 - [14] - Quote It doesn't hurt that Gallente Dropships tend to fair better than Caldari Dropships under Forge Gun fire.