>Perhaps, if needed, the freighters could only be boosted to 400m/s speed, while the light fighters go clear up to 420, allowing them to hunt down any enemy craft.
This.
I'd prefer some boosting of LF weaponry and/or power core to make them more usable but your idea is better.
And this:
' Wrote:Exactly.
All capship fleet will move with cruise speed of a LF.
That IS the concern.
Is not even a problem, i see that as a good thing. Obviously a fleet with light fighter recon would move a bit faster inRP, as this recon would, for example, provide the better path between asteroids inRP or such. It will suddenly make LF a vital part of almost every fleet.
the problem is, if we dont somehow 'fix' the issue of catch-up speed in cruise, we'll see every trader and smuggler on the server looking for light fighters to help them move faster.
That would get more people into light fighters, but it'd also screw up the economy pretty bad.
' Wrote:the problem is, if we dont somehow 'fix' the issue of catch-up speed in cruise, we'll see every trader and smuggler on the server looking for light fighters to help them move faster.
That would get more people into light fighters, but it'd also screw up the economy pretty bad.
I don't think there will be much people around willing to care about +20% of speed in cruise when using the usual routes of "fly 2K - dock to lane - fly 1K - dock to JH - fly 1.5K - dock to lane- etc". I wouldn't care to use such LF even for big convoys. It just isnt worh it, its usually faster to move the whole way between dockable things in thruster.
When for smuggles it could be intersesting, they could use a freighter OR an LF buddy to move faster. Actually, i think adding one more type of escort - not the scouting but the one speeding up and bothering with the way while you can go and have tea in another room - is good.
I'd suggested new weapons specifically for light fighters (lawfuls, anyways) a while back, and it was turned down.
Perhaps since bombers no longer use fighter weapons it wont be an issue now, but I still dont think weapons are the answer. All fighter weapons need a slight buff, but light fighters are not meant to have heavy firepower - they need something else to benefit them as a ship class, not just something that will make them more like HF's and VHF's.
' Wrote:they need something else to benefit them as a ship class, not just something that will make them more like HF's and VHF's.
But that's the whole problem, they are to weak. So much so that nobody can see the benefit as anybody will be able to blow them up. That's why people are suggesting that they be buffed in a way that will make them more like a HF.
' Wrote:But that's the whole problem, they are to weak. So much so that nobody can see the benefit as anybody will be able to blow them up. That's why people are suggesting that they be buffed in a way that will make them more like a HF.
They're ideal support ships in groups. What the speed bonus does is allow them to disrupt fleeing enemies, so the LF's allies can catch up and bring the pain.
I see light fighters as interceptors; therefore I like the idea of giving them higher cruise speed. (Doesn't make sense vessels bigger/heavier can move as fast as they can.) I'd also like to see thier weaponry modified; not in a way that makes them super powerful. I'd use one to catch fleeing vessels and pin them until support can catch up. It is what they would do inRP anyways.
Frieghters; I have been mulling over getting a frieghter to smuggle in for awhile now. Problem is; smuggling is rather pointless because if you get caught you either a)die or b)loss the goods. There is no chance to run so why use a smaller vessel? I think transports are ooRP as smugglers but can you blame people? An increase in speed would indeed make it more attractive as smuggling ships. It would also make them more attractive as vessels used to move 'high value' items. By this I mean a weapon dealer using a freighter to deliver his goods to his customer or something similar.