I'm considering upgrading to a blood dragon cruiser because I'm getting fed up of being chased around by cruisers/destroyers, BC and BS's because they think a gunboat will be an easy kill.
So, I need to know what people who have flown it think of it.
How's the turret layout, energy recharge, main gun damage/range, hitbox, handling, how well it flys through asteroid fields etc.
EDIT:
After some browsing, same questions about the Huntress.
I don't know about the BD cruiser, but I can tell you a few things about the Huntress from flying it in Open SP. It is AWFUL through the rocks, like a really big Bretonian gunboat. And though it has 12 turrets, only like two or three can fire aft. Not a great choice for a Phantom, though it certainly looks the part...though, I dunno. If you'll be flying with support, it'd be decent due to its forward firepower...but the BD cruiser has a main gun, which the Huntress lacks. However, Huntress has more armor and guns...BD cruiser only has 7 turrets. Huntress is also more agile.
For fleet engagements, the BD cruiser would probably do better. However, for intimidation factor, sheer forward firepower (gasp lookit alla dem shiney bolts comin' my way!), and rarity the Huntress might be a better choice.
Now, in spite of me not being able to provide a clear recommendation, I hope some of that info is at least useful.:P
My advice is to basically do what 13CK said. You get a cruiser and your just that much bigger a target. Its slow, average firepower, average armor, etc, etc.. You will die just that much quicker. Because our enemies (ie: BS spamming Hunters and Lunchbox spamming Corsairs floating in an ocean of BHG BCs) spam their lovable caps, just stick to bombers. You'll find the BD Bomber to be very good at dodging capships. You should be able to find quite a few GC and BD that will come help you. There are the NovaPG, GC, and quite a few independent BDs/GCs that you can call on to support you. I'll even come out on my Kiretsu bomber to come help you, though it usually means everyone and their dog comes running after my bounty, usually in as many capships as humanly possible.
But the last thing you want to do is put yourself in a big, slow, coffin with a pretty red 'Shoot Me' sign on it.
Well, to be fair, my advice was tempered with the idea that he wanted a cruiser. If you actually want something to counter all the caps, take their advice and get a bomber. It's tremendously satisfying when your fighter/bomber wing takes down multiple caps without even having to resupply.:P
Bombers are the best at taking out the big things. Really good.
And not only can you get around faster, and own the odd gunboat that comes your way. If you get a few mates together with their anti-capital bomber, you can take down 2 cruisers. And its more interactive, and your heart races faster when your turrets get blown off all the time.
Its fun! :cool:
"Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do."
Pete, as for the layout, come talk to me on skype.
As for the ship, make sure you've got some support when you take it out, it has tons of armor and firepower, espescialy that main cannon. But its a brick, and doesnt move like it should.
well, basicly thats what everyone blames the others in capships for. - its a spiral that ends with "too many capships"
but like so many said, bunch up with a friend or two and form up a bomberwing. or - avoid capital ships. when i m pirating, i simply cruise away the second i see anything of gunboat or bigger size heading towards me. - as a pirate, its not my job to fight triggerhappy opposing forces ( no, not even fighters ) - but i am there to terrorize traders - and i don t do anything else.
fighting warships happens to other people. - so unless your char is by his role fighting enemy combat vessels, there is no need to even deal with them much.
besides, cruisers are not really great - well, the BD cruiser is OK when your aim is good. - but at least you will realize that .... once you have a capital ship, you ll face a lot more smaller targets. - the perception changes ( not the enemies ) - and you cannot pirate anymore in a cruiser
but it really is about what your roleplay is and not who you want to defeat. if your roleplay suggests a cruiser - go for it. it must be allowed for blood dragons, or they wouldn t build their own.
as for other pirates - it makes little to no sense. - gaians for one are pirates, since you must not pirate in anything bigger than a gunboat ( that they don t even have or get by their allies [ corsairs wouldn t give them even a light figher and LWB is as poor as gaians ] ), there is nothing left about them.
so mind you "I'm getting fed up of being chased around by cruisers/destroyers, BC and BS's because they think a gunboat will be an easy kill." - may not be the best base for roleplay for a capship. - its the same reason so many independents are blamed for. ( they do it to me, i want to do it to them:mellow:)