Equipping Boreas M2

[Semris]

Hello.

Today I will be buying my first M2 - Boreas from OTAS. I would like some advices concerning weapons. I have no clue how much energy these weapons drain or how good they are in reality.

My idea is this:

Turret 1 - 8 slots
6x PPC
2x CFA

Turret 2 - 8 slots
8x PPC
(seems there is no good anti-fighter option on this turret)

Turret 3 - 8 slots
6x PPC
2x FAA

Turret 4 - 8 slots
8x PPC
(seems there is no good anti-fighter option on this turret)

Turret 5 - 4 slots
2x Ion pulse generator
2x CFA

Turret 6 - 4 slots
2x Ion pulse generator
2x CFA

Maybe add some Ion cannons instead of PPCs?

I want to fly in solo M2, without any support. So it should work against small and big ships alike. Also I would hate to have problems with laser energy.

I'm asking because I will as soon as I'm certain about this built complexes to produce weapons for my future M2.

Thanks for advices.

[Lord of Nothing]

Mixing weapon types on a turret- VERY bad idea.
For example, mixing PPC and CFA, the turret will have PPC turn rate, and the CFA will fire as soon as the PPC's do- far outside CFA range.

[Xander Cade]

Actually, that may not be the case anymore, though it certainly used to be. My Panther has PALC and IBL in both side turrets and the IBL ONLY fire when the target is in range. I noticed this while fighting a Khaak Destroyer and the PALC turned out to be excellent at preventing the Destroyer's Shields from regenerating while I was running away. I was watching from outsider the ship and the IBLs stopped firing long before the PALCs did. Oddly enough, I've also tagged fighters with IBLs from the side turrets so I'm assuming the turrets have the PALC turn rate. Or it might just be a fluke and it only works like this when PALC are involved.

[Catra]

was watching from outside the ship and the IBLs stopped firing long before the PALCs did.

PALCs have a (much) longer range than the IBL does

[TwilightWalker]

Doesn't that only reinforce his comment?

[Kryten]

Mine goes like this

front - 8 ppc
right - 8 Ibls
left - 8 Ibls
back - 8 Ibls
top - 4 faa
bottom - 4 faa

This is for in sector fighting, for oos it would probably be ppc in all the ibl turrets.l havent' come accross anything yet that it wasn't a match for.

[Semris]

Mine goes like this

front - 8 ppc
right - 8 Ibls
left - 8 Ibls
back - 8 Ibls
top - 4 faa
bottom - 4 faa

This is for in sector fighting, for oos it would probably be ppc in all the ibl turrets.l havent' come accross anything yet that it wasn't a match for.

I thought bomb launchers in general are useless? Well maybe they might be good against big ships, just that they never hit my opponents when I was having them in M6. Hmmmm. I play 2.12 version btw, if there could be any difference with 2.5.

Maybe I should just not compare Ibls with Fbls!

But... You cannot buy Ibls (checked web) and you cannot buy the forge. So it's out of question for me. I'm horrible in boarding.

[Xander Cade]

Don't blaspheme!! IBLs are far from useless!

Actually, I believe you are confusing IBL (Incendiary Bomb Launcher) with FBL (Fragmentation Bomb Launcher).

And yes, Catra is reinforcing my point. It used to be that if you had weapons with a mixed range in a Turret they would all fire at once. The PALC has ~6km range while the IBL has ~5km and the IBLs on my Panther stop firing when they are out of range while the PALCs keep going.

[Kryten]

I play the same version, and I never fly my own cap ships so the ai has to do it, I don't worry about fighters, what are they going to do to a boreas

When I command my boreas to attack a capital ship, there's only one outcome, dead capital ship, the 8ppc have done the job before any of the other turrets get to do anything serious.

My M7panter has 8 IBLs in its front turrets and it can take out a Kha'ak destroyer on a head to head, I'd say that is very useful....

[Semris]

I play the same version, and I never fly my own cap ships so the ai has to do it, I don't worry about fighters, what are they going to do to a boreas

When I command my boreas to attack a capital ship, there's only one outcome, dead capital ship, the 8ppc have done the job before any of the other turrets get to do anything serious.

My M7panter has 8 IBLs in its front turrets and it can take out a Kha'ak destroyer on a head to head, I'd say that is very useful....

Ok.

I think I will go for your setup, except exchanging IBLs for PPC. I cannot get IBLs.

Actually, I believe you are confusing IBL (Incendiary Bomb Launcher) with FBL (Fragmentation Bomb Launcher).

Very truth.


PS: I edited my post above after you two responded, got bit slow (well sitting in job).

[Xander Cade]

There's three IBL Forges.

Spoiler

Show

Two in Weaver's Tempest and one in Loomankakakastrativarius' Legacy

You can buy them, so long as you have good rep or can hack the station. They need supplies though so until you can supply them somehow they just sit there not doing a lot.

[garv222]

I've read it's possible to capture a TL while it's en-route to build a new forge. For example, destroy both IBL forges that the yaki own and then keep an eye on the sector for TL's. I guess it's worth consider doing this if you're on bad terms with the yaki and have no interest in getting on their good side.

[perkint]

There was a discussion recently about whether anyone had ever managed to board a TL with an IBL forge on board, and the only responses were that no one had. Lots of people (most famously N-S) had got PBG forges, but no one admitted they had managed to get an IBL forge.

Which is a shame, since I don't care about PBGs (too short range) but IBLs I would really like my own forge. Altho I currently have plenty from nuking pirate and Xenon ships, but a continued supply would be nice

Tim

[Semris]

Will PPC everywhere except two turrets with CFA be problem energy wise?

If not, then I will simply equip those. IBLs are too much of a bother. Cannot buy forge, cannot land these bases (no idea about hacking, landing, buying, suplying production) and I'm planning big boarding tries for weekend (around 70 5 starts soldiers ready for suicide ), but so far no success.

[OniGanon]

Destroyers don't usually have a problem with energy unless they have every turret firing.

[Gazz]

IBL are inferior to PPC in every possible way.
The only reason to use IBL is if that's your only "heavy" laser.

[Bobucles]

IBLs cost more than PPC.
They do less damage than PPC.
They have less range than PPC.
They have weaker charged shots than PPC.
They use more energy than PPC.
Don't use IBLs when a destroyer can use PPC!

Try to treat turrets as a single weapon. They do not work well with a mix of weapons, unless those guns are very similar (flak/destroyer/corvette guns). That being said, just about every destroyer follows this setup:

Front Turret: Biggest guns. Can't use smaller guns.
Left/right Turret: Big guns. Can use smaller guns.
Back Turret: Medium guns. The Boreas can use destroyer class weapons here.
Top/Bottom Turret: Frigate guns. The Boreas can use the heavy-frigate IBL.

Destroyer class weapons are very large, very energy efficient, and can be used on primarily on destroyers:
Photon Pulse Cannon
Ion Cannon (Boron/Argon)
Gauss Cannon
Point Singularity Projector (Terran)
Fill your primary weapon slots with these. Various frigates can also use a few of these guns for special roles.

Frigate class weapons are typically good for escorts. They are high speed, very accurate, and will mess up fighters:
Flak Artillery Array
Cluster Flak Array (Argon)
Phased Shockwave Generator (Paranid)
Starburst Shockwave Cannon (Terran)
Fill your top and bottom turrets with these. It also makes a good choice for the back turret, being amazing at missile defense.

The Incendiary Bomb launcher is not a destroyer class weapon. It is too small and too easily replaced by the other guns. It is best considered a heavy-frigate weapon, giving frigates just enough power to threaten other capital ships.

[Xander Cade]

PPC costs more than IBL.

But if that's a factor that matters you can't really afford to be flying a M2 in the first place.

[AL'42]

IBL are inferior to PPC in every possible way.
The only reason to use IBL is if that's your only "heavy" laser.

PPC = Fluffy white blobs = boring

IBL = Flaming balls of fire = wonderful spectacle

The fun element overrides all the negatives 10:1

[Semris]

Good news. Will equip PPC as planned. I alredy built another complex in Argon Prime (starts to be pretty lagging flying there) to provide PPCs and CFAs, now it's time to buy the ship itself.