[TC] Collecting Oppinions on Lasers for M2s

[rafaelskywalker]

Hello,

After some years playing reunion and 1.5 in TC, for the first time I've aquired an M2 (A Boreas)
So, I have a fair understanding of the Smaller ships' weapons, but almost zero of the big ship's ones, hence I would like to know what can you tell me about the Big weapons, which ones you prefer and how they work.
I know that the flak ones are goot to kill the little bugs buzzing around, but still there are two of them, and also heard of the Photon cannon, and thats about all.
Thanks in advance

[Shootist]

Hello,

After some years playing reunion and 1.5 in TC, for the first time I've aquired an M2 (A Boreas)
So, I have a fair understanding of the Smaller ships' weapons, but almost zero of the big ship's ones, hence I would like to know what can you tell me about the Big weapons, which ones you prefer and how they work.
I know that the flak ones are goot to kill the little bugs buzzing around, but still there are two of them, and also heard of the Photon cannon, and thats about all.
Thanks in advance

Good mains (GC, PPC, IBL) The first is ammo based and uses little energy. The second and third can be overcharged and use lots of energy.

Good secondaries (CFA, FFA)

Specials (Tractor Beam)

[NeverSnake]

Ion Cannons, Photon Pulse Cannons, Incendiary Bomb Launchers, Point Singularity Projectors and Gauss Cannons are all super-HEPTs/CIGs with great range, damage and energy efficiency but somewhat slow moving bullets. Ions do lots of shield damage but not much hull damage, IBLs can be fitted in spots others can't, gauss cannons use ammo instead of energy, and PSPs are the terran version that fire fewer but more damaging shots.

Some of these weapons can fire a charged up shot by holding down the fire button.

Then you've got Flaks, Starburst Shockwave Cannons and Cluster Flaks. They're short range instant weapons, as effective at swatting stuff as khaak lasers. Flaks only hit what they're aimed at, cluster flaks have multiple explosions around their target. SSCs are the terran version of flaks and identical in behavior.

Finally you've got PSGs which are capship-only weapons in TC, but you're probably familiar with them if you've played reunion.

A few ships have Phased Array Laser Cannon and Plasma Beam Cannon slots but apart from a single crate of PALCs that sometimes spawns they're not in the game. These are beam weapons like the khaak's lasers but their low damage and effective range means they're only really suitable for anti-fighter duty.

[Kryten]

Considering the threat then you should outfit the boreas as follows

front 8 x PPC
right 8 x PPC
left 8 x PPC
Back 8 x PPC
up 4 x C-Flaks/FFA
down 4 x C-Flaks/FFA

Unless you have a specialised use for your M2 then the above loadout is the most efficient, especially for OOS combat. If you like weapons that need amunition then be prepared for maintenance, I'd hate to run out of ammo when going up against a K

[StarTroll]

Considering the threat then you should outfit the boreas as follows

front 8 x PPC
right 8 x PPC
left 8 x PPC
Back 8 x PPC
up 4 x C-Flaks/FFA
down 4 x C-Flaks/FFA

Unless you have a specialised use for your M2 then the above loadout is the most efficient, especially for OOS combat. If you like weapons that need amunition then be prepared for maintenance, I'd hate to run out of ammo when going up against a K

if for OOS replace the up and down CFA and FAA by IBLs.

[rafaelskywalker]

if for OOS replace the up and down CFA and FAA by IBLs.

By OOS you mean that IBLs are more efficient than flak stuff but has high probability to damage allies when IS, or what?

[sleepy_head]

There is no danger of friendly fire in OOS. And even in IS the flak/cluster flaki is tight enough that it is rather unlikely to hit friendlies compared to other aoe weapons like the plasma burst generators and phased shockwave generators.

[StarTroll]

OOS means Out Of Sector, any sector you're not in, there is no collision, no friendly fire, all fights start at 3km and the weapon energy does not count, the basics of OOS fights are based on pure maths, you should read / have a look here

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=275357

Basically you want the biggest weapon avaiable for your ship, and in case of the Boreas, it can fit IBL on top and bottom turrets, so they are preferrable for OOS fights, since it packs a greater punch than CFA and FAA.

[Flaming Blastclaw]

Front: PPC - target capitals

Left/Right: 4 PPC, 4 IonC - target capitals

Up/Down: Cluster flak or normal flak - target fighters

Back: 4 CIG, 4 IPG or ISR - target all enemies

[Stryke11]

I just took my first Boreas into Xenon sector 101 (near Nopelios) and all three Kha'ak sectors. I had PPC all in the front, CFA's on top and bottom, and gauss cannons ( 8 ) on each side. I didn't have anything in the back.

I murdered everything. It's not invincible (my shields were down to 30% after the final Kha'ak sector), but as my first M2 all I can say is wow.

Some things I noticed - gauss cannon ammo takes a lot of cargo space. However, it didn't engage much. I tried to present my sides to the capital ships (Kha'ak M2 and M1, Xenon Q and their M1, Xenon Shipyard, Kha'ak Station) and they eventually fired, but the range left a little to be desired. Is there enough energy on the ship to have PPC's everywhere but top and bottom? Is that just an OOS setup? Also, in this thread it says alternately PPC in the back or CIGx4 ISRx4. Energy wise, how can the ship handle that? IS, you don't normally have your back to serious threats, so I know it's 8 whole slots, but wouldn't a smaller energy efficient missile killing weapon be preferable?

Also, in this set up I killed fighters but slowly. I tried to give my guns the best angles by rolling the whole time to keep fighters out of safe spots. I used external view and when it hit 'em it whacked 'em, but it didn't fire enough to make me feel comfortable if say I was attacked by a squad of M3's. Occasionally my PPC's would fire at fighters (I had it set on attack my target) and occasionally it would hit. That was entertaining.

I was deciding between PPC and IonC's and went with PPC (I like to equip ships the way their designers intended, and only Boron and Argon ships can use IonC's, right?) Would it have been different/better had I gone with IonC's? Maybe I'll save those for my eventual Boron M2.

[StarTroll]

I just took my first Boreas into Xenon sector 101 (near Nopelios) and all three Kha'ak sectors. I had PPC all in the front, CFA's on top and bottom, and gauss cannons ( 8 ) on each side. I didn't have anything in the back.

I murdered everything. It's not invincible (my shields were down to 30% after the final Kha'ak sector), but as my first M2 all I can say is wow.

Some things I noticed - gauss cannon ammo takes a lot of cargo space. However, it didn't engage much. I tried to present my sides to the capital ships (Kha'ak M2 and M1, Xenon Q and their M1, Xenon Shipyard, Kha'ak Station) and they eventually fired, but the range left a little to be desired. Is there enough energy on the ship to have PPC's everywhere but top and bottom? Is that just an OOS setup? Also, in this thread it says alternately PPC in the back or CIGx4 ISRx4. Energy wise, how can the ship handle that? IS, you don't normally have your back to serious threats, so I know it's 8 whole slots, but wouldn't a smaller energy efficient missile killing weapon be preferable?

Also, in this set up I killed fighters but slowly. I tried to give my guns the best angles by rolling the whole time to keep fighters out of safe spots. I used external view and when it hit 'em it whacked 'em, but it didn't fire enough to make me feel comfortable if say I was attacked by a squad of M3's. Occasionally my PPC's would fire at fighters (I had it set on attack my target) and occasionally it would hit. That was entertaining.

I was deciding between PPC and IonC's and went with PPC (I like to equip ships the way their designers intended, and only Boron and Argon ships can use IonC's, right? Would it have been different/better had I gone with IonC's? Maybe I'll save those for my eventual Boron M2.

The Boreas boasts a good amount of energy, but not that great to be ablr to fire continuously all guns whith an anti capship setting.

If we are to compare PPC, IC; GC and IBL we obtain :
#Shield damage : IC > PPC > IBL > GC
#Hull damage : GC > PPC > IBL > IC
#Weapon velovity : IC >GC > PPC > IBL
#Range : PPC > IBL = IC > GC
#Enegy consumption (from lowest to largest) : GC > IBL > PPC > IC

Note that the IC is a shield shredder while the GC is a hull shredder, PPC and IBL are all-rounders.

FAAs require a direct hit to inflict damage since their flak effect is next to none, but is stronger in all aspects than CFAs.
CFAs is a bit weaker then FAAs but can deal real flak effect upon delivery, making it a good anti swarm weapon, and allowing for missing hits to still deal some damage.

In the back for IS use we usually use some quick firing weapons with low energy consumption mainly for missile defence, and for OOS use give it the biggest gun avaiable, in the Boreas's case it is the IBL, but most ships would be one-shotted anyway with a full anti-capship weapon loadout anyway.