My Python costs 1.3M ISK. In order to gain money, I need to keep it around for 6 matches straight and average 250,000 ISK for those matches. I can pull off 3 matches, but 6 is asking a bit much. My cash supply is dwindling.

See here's the other thing. You don't always have to use that python. Why not get in a Myron with all your advanced, proto shield hardeners and stuff and that would lower the cost drastically.

And with all that maneuverability of the ADS, put boosters on it and that reduces the amount of time it takes to get away/hit flight ceiling.

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?

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.

See here's the other thing. You don't always have to use that python. Why not get in a Myron with all your advanced, proto shield hardeners and stuff and that would lower the cost drastically.

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.

I finally got to fly the ADS yesterday an enemy called one in I killed him and hacked it, I was so excited I never saw that RDV about 7seconds after take off. Or maybe I didn't see it because the damn thing uncloaked at the exact moment of impact.

See, I don't get the surprise RDV's, I get the RDV's that gives you two seconds to let your fate sink but not quite enough tiger out the way.

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.

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....

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. :)

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.

)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.

Good luck avoiding my breach, you aren't the only one that rolls with a squad

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

I appreciate your enthusiasm. May it serve you well as you're yelling BAIL BAIL BAIL!!!

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.

A question Mary, how long have you been flying? And what exactly do you do to support your team?

And one last question, have you ever been hit by a proto forge gun with the user using damage mods? Cause you wouldn't be making fun of the breach if you have.

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.

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?

To be fair, it IS meant to be AV for a reason, it would be a waste to focus on AV if it was not effective against vehicles.
Not to mention it'd be a bit OP if even what's meant to take them down didn't do well against it.

Remember, its not just about learning to be a good pilot, good strategy is needed for flying as well.

Some stuff to keep in mind for Dropship pilots:
- Remember, piloting a Dropship does not mean you can just go solo and win, Dropships need a team as much as ground units.
- Basic warfare rule: The higher you fly, the more vulnerable you are, the more of the ground you can see, the better and easier the ground units can see you, don't try to just fly above everything and expect to be safe, Dropships need to use cover as much as ground units do.
- AV weapons work against ground units too, not just ships, having an AV player in your squad can increase your chances to keep your ship the entire match.
If there are blasters/ tanks trying to shoot you down, get your teammates to take them down, Attack Installations usually take 3 militia Swarm shots, even with a reload after the 2nd. (4 if you give them some time to regen shields.)
Tanks will usually run away when hit by them, if not at least will take the attention away form you as they try to get them instead.
- If no teammates/ squad available you may want to create an AV fit, when under attack reach a rooftop if possible or some other safe point to recall your ship until the threat is taken care of.
- As the match starts, try to get your team to destroy as many non-CRU Installations, no/ less installations means less chance of a red hacking them to use against you or quickly switch to an AV fit to take you out, especially the enemy red-line ones if in Skirm/ Dom.
- Dropship side turrets are extremely useful, getting a teammate to shoot at an AV red can buy you enough time to escape, if you're luck he might even take him out.
Not not mention it makes it extra easy to take out enemy Dropships.
- No risks, if you've got 2 swarms and a FG shooting you, get your gunners on them and escape/ go behind cover or out of range until someone takes care of them, don't try to risk some crazy maneuver unless you're fully ready to give up that ship.
If no one's available, go hide and recall your ship.
- Study your enemy, BE your enemy, you'll learn how to best counter AV attacks if you try them yourself.
I highly encourage any pilot to have an alt that specializes as an AV unit, that way you'll learn how to take down ships, and thus how to avoid/ counter such.

I'm claiming to be a "Dropship pro" tho not a newbie either, just sharing some stuff I've been taught by others and learned as I've flown, crashed, been shot down, have shot down, and studied others fly and shoot down plenty Dropship, all which have helped me survive a lot better while piloting, you'd be surprised how many just ignore everything after they learn how to control the ship well enough.

Mind you, even with all the precautions, one's still going to get shot down here and there, no build really is (or should be) invincible, but it should help somewhat.

Hopefully this helps some pilots out there.
(Or hopefully I'm corrected if I've made any mistakes, don't want to be spreading bad tips.)

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.

Again with these Gallente idiots.
Why are we, the proud Minmatar race, aligned with such lying, pretentious, profligates?

I've concluded that you must be a pawn of the Federation that wants to keep the dropships weak because you know the Caldari would rip you apart in this sky.

Well played Lap dog.

You Gallenteans always try to act like you know something but you really don't have the slightest clue.
Good thing you're in a university, you Gallente twack.

No I heard you just fine. I know everything there is to know about dropships and the different ways to fly them. The only dropship I have not flown is the gallente assault dropship so I am curious about your fitting. Speed boosters take up alot of pg away from your tank so Im guessing you run away alot to repair. Running away that much makes you useless. Congratulations on never losing your dropship because you are such an awesome pilot. A quick glance at your stats tells me how much of an asset you are to the team. You have a .89 w/l ratio, which proves that your method of flying does nothing for the team.