Its official. Eclipse wingmen suck.

[DarthVodka]

So there I was last night, in New Income. Had just set up a double drone factory complex. A time consuming process, 50% of which was spent dropping factories, the other half batting off pirate Falcon Vanguards and other assorted nasties that had been pouring in from Ceo's Doubt to trouble my poor Mammoth ever since he arrived there.

I was just about done with my fighting quota, the complex was finished and my Mammoth had jumped out to the relative calm of home, Montalaar. "What the hell, let someone else do some work" I thought, so I sent the two Eclipses I had docked on my M7 off to fight a couple of stragglers. Put the target cam on and sat back to watch with my cup of tea. It was only a small group of pirates consisting of one falcon vanguard, a buster variant - I forget which - and a buzzard hauler.

So what happens? A bloody five minute battle resulting in the loss of one eclipse and the other one, victorious (due to what looked suspiciously like a freak accident) but with only 5% hull remaining.

I now have a pair of LXs docked on my M7 instead.

[xeon_1]

lol my stock nova with 2 ahepts and 6 bpac's and a pac in the turret can take on more when the ai is flying it

[celeborn74]

I used to fly the m7 with a chimera and eclipse...then realized I was only using the chimera, as it did everything the eclipse did and more...so I sold it and currently have the starburst there as a toy until I find something else I want (I don't use wingmen to help me in normal combat...just personal pride. So my docked ships need to be ones I'll jump in and use.)

[DarthVodka]

Must admit I don't usually use wingmen either. Most of the time the Eclipses were just used as cargo tanks for illegals picked up from pirates. Well, that and the fact they made the M7 look nicer

[Peacedog52]

For my "Fuel Tank" LX wingmen, I use them for a couple of things.

I keep them armed with Ahept/Bhept/BPac, depending on targets, but still rarely use them.

In thier cargo hold, I keep: 40 E-cells, 2 Jumpdrive Kits, 1 Advanced Sattelite, 2 Fighter Drones, 5 Silkworms, 5 Hornets. The 40 E-cells means I can instantly order the pair of them to jump up to 7 sectors away to assist anything that might be needed.

Both have Transporter Device, Jumpdrives, Frieght Transporter Upgrade (from LV's script).

I mainly use them for dogfighting or complex building now, or as extra storage from killing K's and J's.

[geoff]

Looks like you found a small pallace of wisdom there Darth, dont carry stuff just because it looks good.

geoff

[DarthVodka]

Thats what I keep telling the missus! However if she can spend all day shopping for a handbag, then I can spend all day accessorizing my M7.

[Mazer]

i will sometimes use one or two wingmen just becuase its fun. i find that any more than two and they will hit eachother in battles...

[bobingabout]

maybe you just fitted the eclipse out wrong... 4 AHEPTs and 4 APACs, with 2 BPAC turrets set on "Defend Ship" works well for me. then again, i drive 1 M7, with 3 M7 wingmen, with 4 docked eclipses and 4 docked LXs, where the LXs are equipt with 4 AHEPTs and 4 APBEs, and the wingmen M7s are equipt with 12 BHEPTs and 6 AHEPTs. My M7 carries 10 BHEPTs, 6 AHEPTs, 6 BPACs, 2 Mass Drivers, 2 ION Disruptors, 2 GPSGs, 2 BPSGs a tractor beam and a mobile drilling system. i generally have 4 BHEPTs and 2 BPACs on the forward guns, with either ION Disruptors or Mass drivers, atleast 1 BHEPT on the 2 farward turrets, often with either a second BHEPT, BPAC or GPSG, and on the rear turrets, atleast 1 AHEPT, with some combination of 2 other AHEPTs, a BPAC and a BPSG, not forgetting tractor beam and/or MDS when needed.

with the 4 AHEPTs and 4 APACs and 2 BPAC turrets, it seems to often take out M3s and M4s. the LX is better at the M5s, but i prefer driving an eclipse over an LX.

[DarthVodka]

The weapons and turret commands were fine. Mixture of HEPT/PAC/CIG and missile defence. I think its the huge surface area thats a problem.