Ok, let's imagine such a module can be coded. What stats would it need to have?
After that, imagine you're a cloak user. How would you perform a cloak ambush or escape through a cloak with such module present on the field.
How would you prevent other party from ambushing or escaping from you if you would have such a module.
Just run detailed simulations in your mind, regarding abovementioned questions, with both snubs and/or caps, using your in-game experience. (if you're experienced in certain field, it won't be hard at all. But please mention if you lack experience in small or large scale snub combat, or small/large scale cap combat)
Okay, if you want to know about my own experience, I used a cloaking pirate Waran regularly to terrorize traders and lawfuls in Liberty. I've also used a cloaking Border Worlds Transport. I recently sold that cloak because I didn't use it and the market is clearly headed in a certain direction.
Cloaking snubs are not a problem. Cloaking capships are debatably a problem. Why are cloaking transports a problem? They are sacrificing profit for safety. They could do this by cruising 20k out of plane, it is just perhaps on a more extreme level.
JinX, sorry, I didn't mean to sound offensive. But most of the people out there won't make even a single post.
(03-20-2013, 04:03 PM)Ingenious Wrote: Okay, if you want to know about my own experience, I used a cloaking pirate Waran regularly to terrorize traders and lawfuls in Liberty. I've also used a cloaking Border Worlds Transport. I recently sold that cloak because I didn't use it and the market is clearly headed in a certain direction.
Cloaking snubs are not a problem. Cloaking capships are debatably a problem. Why are cloaking transports a problem? They are sacrificing profit for safety. They could do this by cruising 20k out of plane, it is just perhaps on a more extreme level.
Cloaking transports are considered a problem in eyes of those who have been trolled by them, or tried to catch a pirate with a heavy cloak and 2600 units of MOX. That's possible, but requires a gank/uncloaking BS with HMs.
As for the rest, you said yourself that you, mostly, fly snubs. As a, basically, cap-only player, I've (and other teammates, that mostly/only use caps) never perceived cloaked capital ships of opposing force as something unbeatable. Yes, it required to add certain corrections into our tactics and a little more coordination, but that's it.
There's absolutely no balance problems regarding cloaking devices in cap vs. cap group combat, including light vs. heavy battleship instances. Both of those subclasses, when using a cloak, receive certain highly-efficient tactics that give them an upper hand over their adversary - and then it's all about proper timing, positioning on the battlefield and coordination. (Well, Capital Group fights are always more RTS like, that FPS)
What plays a significant role here, though, is availability of MOX fuel. Without MOX, you cannot use a cloak for both ambush and escaping, you have to make a choice. As such, factions without access to MOX are at certain disadvantage here. (but that mostly affects Corsairs, Outcasts, Kusari and Sigma inhabitants. Liberty MOX is positioned at significant distance from the core systems, but is still reachable. Gallic players just blatantly steal it from LD-14.)
I can also imagine that players who refuse/cannot bring capital ships on the field, would have a harder time scoring a blue message against the cloaked capital ship, IF it's located somewhere close to the Jumphole/Jumpgates.
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But then again, snubcraft are already at a good advantage due to FL game mechanics. Let's put it this way. Is there anything a group of snubs can't accomplish? They had a hard time killing a cloaking cap near JH/JG, or just a cloaked cap (battleship class. Cruiser's cloak doesnt last for long.) if they're very unlucky - they can only force them to fly away. That was the only thing they couldnt do. Now they can. Is there anything a group of caps can't accomplish? They couldn't kill snubs, if snubs decide to fly away. And they still can't. They could, but anymore can't escape from the fight once pinned down by CD, and if they encounter group of nova bombers, they can't survive at all (anymore, after cloak changes) - last sentence applies to battleships, mainly.
If cloaking transports are the kernel of the issue, then why not address that problem specifically, instead of screwing over everyone else and horribly disrupting the market à la Ben Bernanke?