(12-01-2024, 01:33 PM)Haste Wrote: it simply means that you can ignore the vast majority of micro mechanics and focus entirely on good positional and tactical play
This is a take that, funnily enough, hasn't occurred yet to the monkey at the back of my head. You're not at all wrong in saying that, I really do suffer from focusing on all the minor details and forgetting about the really important things, and I do agree that this is a triumph of the current system, after all.
I should also note that I had completely erased STS and blindfire from my memory, and damn does remembering those things make me realize how stupid my post looks. I am so glad that they're gone and simply being reminded that they existed as mechanics makes me appreciate 5.0+ capship balance even more than what I already do.
Regarding support roles, FoeHammer's ideas are very solid.
I don't think the direction of a repair ship is something the community likes, neither do I think it's worth it to spend the time and effort to properly balance the current repair ship that's in the game as a remodel is likely mandatory. My take on the matter is to double down on weaponry that heals.
Think about how every class has access to specific weaponry in order to damage a POB; I'd argue it'll be an interesting mechanic to approach the matter in a similar way when it comes to healing, and I disagree with it needing to be a snub-only thing.
Why not give the ability for cruisers, battlecruisers and even battleships to swap out damaging turrets for healing turrets?
Of course, said healing turrets would need to be strong enough to even warrant using them as you're effectively giving yourself a handicap in any 1v1 scenario imaginable while at the same time screaming at an enemy fleet to focus you down first during any fleet engagement.
I think it's a fun idea to experiment with.
Of course, we can't mention support ships without mentioning missiles. Looking at you, Fab.
As much as I'm not exactly known to be a missile abuser (never really was, never really will be?) I can't deny that the idea of a battlecruiser that has all sorts of torpedoes on it that the mind can imagine is very inviting. Between missile silos, burst-fire missiles and even launchers that fire more than one missile per mouseclick I dare say there can be some very funny loadout options, at least thinking about the matter as a battlecruiser player.
And last but not least, I also can't speak about battlecruiser loadouts without mentioning primary slots; a matter that I've brought up in the playtesting chat as well, but I don't see why it shouldn't be posted here either.
I am very much not a fan of how severely limited player options are regarding battlecruiser prim mounts. What do we really have as options?
Anti-shield:
Pulse
Pulse Repeater
PPAC
The repeater is a very successful attempt at a codename that truly is just a variant version of the generic weapon it replaces. There is nothing different stat-wise between the two weapons that have virtually the same efficiency, same speeds and ranges. A perfect example of a balanced codename.
The PPAC, funnily enough, is more of a basic replacement rather than a pulse replacement. It functions amazingly against snubcraft, and I'm not even saying that while looking at everyone that swapped to PPACs since the basic weapon reworks as I've been a PPAC user since the day 5.0 released - and I was a PPAC user even up to one year before 5.0 released during the playtesting period for it. The PPACs always excelled at fighting off snubs and in my opinion where better than basics because they did energy damage whereas basics did not, back then. The PPACs also had virtually the same anti-torp effectiveness as basics, and they did all of that while also serving as completely fine anti-shield weaponry, especially against smaller ships that you couldn't land pulse hits on.
Anti-hull:
Basics
Melters
Unfortunately, that is all. I won't get into details on the Melters as I'll be honest I've never used them, but looking at them stat-wise they appear to be what the Pulse Repeater is to the Pulse; an effective replacement and another fine example of a balanced codename.
So what is the problem, then? Lack of options.
In the main battery and heavy department battlecruisers have more options than their slots would ever allow them to fit on, and yet in the primary department they have basics and codename basics. Aside from giving us a burst-fire, a multi-fire and a regular missile as prims, why not give us even more options?
Solaris gatling/dual gatling laser, BC prim edition
A battleship ion blaster equivalent with reduced effectiveness and damage, and maybe more range than the pulses we already have.
The equivalent of a shotgun like the already existing revenant/volley cannon/shard but as a prim.
Anyway I've spent like thirty minutes on this post and with how it looks so far it reminds me of that other entity I share part of my name with so I think it's smart to call it here. It's also probably getting long enough for people to actually read it.
I'll leave a very short final note to simply address the snub-part of Haste's response and say that I fully agree with all the points being made. My own personal experience from flying snubs in the current patch has shown that they're indeed a lot easier to fly and not be completely dominated in. I'm way happier with how they are now compared to what they were four years ago.
![[Image: Fmo5jq0.png]](https://i.imgur.com/Fmo5jq0.png)