Caps are effective for fleet support. If everything and their mother is targeting your cruiser, center some flaks on it's perimiter, and have your gunboats move in for close support. Flaks are great for breaking up a fighter swarm in the open, and being dumbfire proximity charges, box strafing doesn't help against them. 2 flak launchers is all a heavy ship needs for this. Most funny are the fighters that also start crapping mines once the enemy shields go down. Flaks detonate those, with funny results. Same deal for a fighter swarm chasing a gunboat... few flaks targeted at the gunboat generally has good effects.
Personally I tend to find fighters the biggest threat on the battlefield in balanced fleet engagements. Defeat them, and your own smalls should be able to dominate the caps by pinning them in place while your own heavies move in for the kill. Drawing enemy snubs into the range of an anti-snub capital platform and quickly disposing of them (double razor comes to mind) can often win an engagement.
Wide awake in a world that sleeps, enduring thoughts, enduring scenes. The knowledge of what is yet to come.
From a time when all seems lost, from a dead man to a world, without restraint, unafraid and free.
Mostly retired Discovery member. May still visit from time to time.
A good group > everything except another good group.
I figure it's worth pointing out that the tactics being discussed here are exactly what makes a group good in one way, Kaze.
Anyway, back on topic. Fighters can take out bombers over time, but they can't do it instantly. A better counter for bombers is gunboats or a few Solaris mounted on your battleships.
Well what about light fighters? A group of good lf cand preaty much eat everithing except cap ships.(note that the pilots must be damn crazy and damn good)
