Osprey - good for what?

[EGO_Aut]

Easy enough to compare. How many graviton shots can an Osprey and Jian eat?

Neither can eat enough to matter. The extra 2 turrets on the Jian matter more. Especially since it is a tactically bad decision to take ships that would be using this tactic within graviton range in the first place. They should only be getting shot by s and m ships.

It does actually. I've lost a Falx to a glancing shot when it was docked before. Well, a few shots maybe, it might have ate some extra before I noticed.
So being able to absorb some damage is very valuable. Otherwise the number of turrets on that Osprey would be more valuable than the 0 of a dead ship.
And should only be is some famous last words. Unless you're going against VIG in which case I guess the Jian would be better since more guns is more valuable there.

Jian/Cerberus S. ~38.500 vs Osprey S. ~59.500 HP vs Cobra ~42.500 HP

[Imperial Good]

The Osprey is good for selling to NPCs. You get one or two for free from storylines which can net you a few million if stripped and sold. It is also good to sell passively to TEL and MIN since they frequently die and so replacements need to be ordered (more money for you).

[gorgofdoom]

What are they good for? Here’s a very capable & flexible fleet that relies on them heavily:

Take 12 osprey. They each carry 17-21 drones for a total 204-252 drones (if using unit capacity mods)

Put them into a fast carrier like Zeus E. It’s 12 M’s launch in about 45 seconds iirc.

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

Now add 24 bombers to the mix. The drones won’t do much damage (in comparison) but they will draw 10x the enemy fire compared to these bombers.

The only downside is we’re now fielding 289 ships. Maybe lag, but the spectacle is worth it imo.

[Imperial Good]

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

For the few seconds it lasts before the ospreys suicide into anti capital turrets.

[sh1pman]

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

For the few seconds it lasts before the ospreys suicide into anti capital turrets.

If only we had an engagement range setting… Bombers, carriers and drone carriers could have their combat effectiveness completely overhauled.

[Raptor34]

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

For the few seconds it lasts before the ospreys suicide into anti capital turrets.

If only we had an engagement range setting… Bombers, carriers and drone carriers could have their combat effectiveness completely overhauled.

Yeah. Though it would also render lone destroyers completely useless then.
No fighter escort? No flight.

[gorgofdoom]

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

For the few seconds it lasts before the ospreys suicide into anti capital turrets.

They don't when using coordinated attack. Turn off automatic release and use the sliders to position them. this allows setting engagement range, at least for turrets & drone launchers.

It looks really cool when moving and placing laser towers with osprey at the same time.... but it's a lot of clicking.

Edit: sliders might be locked behind /thereshallbewings

(i don't know how to turn it off ROFL)

[Raptor34]

Now we have a massive fleet of defense drones & frigates that can travel at 4-9km/s depending on mods.

For the few seconds it lasts before the ospreys suicide into anti capital turrets.

They don't when using coordinated attack. Turn off automatic release and use the sliders to position them. this allows setting engagement range, at least for turrets & drone launchers.

It looks really cool when moving and placing laser towers with osprey at the same time.... but it's a lot of clicking.

Edit: sliders might be locked behind /thereshallbewings

(i don't know how to turn it off ROFL)

Huh. Is that still around? I thought all it does is a script editor.

[Gavrushka]

I use them as traders for defence stations, but mainly because I realised they just weren't great in a fight and I had some spares, but little cash. - I think they'd be a little more useful if they had their storage increased slightly and then be more a hybrid trader/fighter. In general, I wish there were more hybrids...

[Wargear]

I use the abandoned one to patrol my shipyard although even after an overhaul with Terran shields and split mk4 engines it has a hard time getting out of its own way. Sure would be nice if egosoft would allow the blast mortar on M class ships.

[dholmstr]

A really poor answer is "they work on a carrier as a turret battery", both ship classes. Why does it need to be like that? "The ship is awsome when it's parked and does not fly but add more HP/turrets to another ship" really? Please tell me that's not your best use of a ship.

[chew-ie]

Please tell me that's not your best use of a ship.

But it is The whole M class is basically useless as part of a fleet. Both the drone boats as well as the gun ships - the moment they undock they are toast IF a capital ship targets them. Fighters usually survive longer due to them being more agile and faster - but even they eventually die. Only numbers can protect them, and for that the M class is too expensive. Sure, if you can build them yourself, some disadvantages shift - but that is not the point when discussing the general usefullness of a ship.

As a playership they can be helpful for some moments. I personally prefer flying a L tradeship into combat over a M class vessel anytime because of the better shielding and more firepower.

[jlehtone]

I personally prefer flying a L tradeship into combat over a M class vessel anytime because of the better shielding and more firepower.

I fly Split Dragon Raider. Its speciality is to fly away from combat (just like Katana). On the L-class that is not so rosy after engines go kaboom.

However, like you did point out, the playership, the player fleet, and NPC fleets have quite different requirements. The playership handles in very unique way. How many of you has same fleet setup as the NPC factions use?

Oh, I did forgot the fourth class of ships: the enemy. What is good in your ship might not be good in enemy. Are Osprey a "good" enemy?

[Alan Phipps]

"Are Osprey a "good" enemy?" Sometimes they are not even a "good" ally. Like when they torpedo to death my helpless and unshielded boarding target with my marines onboard. It's funny how they can be so effective just when you don't want them to be.

[grapedog]

Please tell me that's not your best use of a ship.

But it is The whole M class is basically useless as part of a fleet. Both the drone boats as well as the gun ships - the moment they undock they are toast IF a capital ship targets them. Fighters usually survive longer due to them being more agile and faster - but even they eventually die. Only numbers can protect them, and for that the M class is too expensive. Sure, if you can build them yourself, some disadvantages shift - but that is not the point when discussing the general usefullness of a ship.

As a playership they can be helpful for some moments. I personally prefer flying a L tradeship into combat over a M class vessel anytime because of the better shielding and more firepower.

I find Ms best used as defense for my fleet. They stay back and attack any incoming fighters and corvettes the enemy is sending. Pairer with an aux or carrier, they do very well in cleaning up drones and fighters quite quickly.

I also like them as kha'ak clean up crews...3 or 4 fast Ms can take out a kha'ak swarm pretty effectively, and their speed allows them to be in position quickly. I usually leave 3 or 4 packs of Ms in kha'ak sector targets until I get around to cleaning out the hives and installations.

[Nanook]

...
I find Ms best used as defense for my fleet. They stay back and attack any incoming fighters and corvettes the enemy is sending. Pairer with an aux or carrier, they do very well in cleaning up drones and fighters quite quickly.

I also like them as kha'ak clean up crews...3 or 4 fast Ms can take out a kha'ak swarm pretty effectively, and their speed allows them to be in position quickly. I usually leave 3 or 4 packs of Ms in kha'ak sector targets until I get around to cleaning out the hives and installations.

We were discussing the Teladi Osprey, I believe, and that M ain't fast.

[grapedog]

...
I find Ms best used as defense for my fleet. They stay back and attack any incoming fighters and corvettes the enemy is sending. Pairer with an aux or carrier, they do very well in cleaning up drones and fighters quite quickly.

I also like them as kha'ak clean up crews...3 or 4 fast Ms can take out a kha'ak swarm pretty effectively, and their speed allows them to be in position quickly. I usually leave 3 or 4 packs of Ms in kha'ak sector targets until I get around to cleaning out the hives and installations.

We were discussing the Teladi Osprey, I believe, and that M ain't fast.

Oh, I agree... I don't use the osprey at all for that reason. I was just addressing a previous question as to what purpose Ms can serve in general.

I tried the Ospreys once, and no... Not a fan.

[af_2017]

I remember I used fleet of ten of them all with beams to protect pisition in Void against waves of M, S xenon ships.

[Gavrushka]

I remember I used fleet of ten of them all with beams to protect pisition in Void against waves of M, S xenon ships.

One of my favourite memories from the X series was watching a group of my Ospreys in X2 take down a pirate station. Back then you could have lots of screens showing different ships and actions, and it was pretty mesmerising to watch. It can't be far short of twenty years ago! Nostalgia...

And sorry for wandering, Alan!

[apm0SPE]

I am form Chinese X4 community and I have seen a caster run a few test on M class ship. The result actually turns out Osprey is a good choice if you want a defensive M class both IS and OOS.

The test runs on all ship have similar loadout(eg, same weapon, shield and engine), pilot with 5-start pilot. Sentinel variant if it is applicable. The test is run in vanilla with cheat menu.

IS test is every other 20 M class ships against 20 Dragon. The results are:

Osprey won with 11 left.
Kuraokami won with 9 left.
Cerberus won with 6 left.

Peregrine lost, with 9 Dragons were destroyed.
Gorgon lost, with 8 Dragons were destroyed.
Katana lost, with 6 Dragons were destroyed.
Falx lost, with 5 Dragons were destroyed.
Jian/Cobra/Minotaur lost, with 4 Dragons were destroyed.
Nemesis lost, with 4 Dragons were destroyed.

Well since IS is kinda chaotic, unpredictable and maybe more unrealistic (since most M ships defending L non-military ship is OOS I suppose). The caster also runs test in OOS, which is more reliable IMO.

The OOS test is every 20 M class ship against 50 P. The results are:

Osprey won with 20 left.
Cerberus won with 19 left.
Cobra won with 19 left.
Gorgon won with 16 let.

Dragon lost, with 23 Ps were destroyed.
Falx lost, with9 Ps were destroyed.
Nemesis lost, with 8 Ps were destroyed.
Peregrine lost, with 7 Ps were destroyed.
Kuraokami, with 4 Ps were destroyed.
Minotaur lost, with 3 Ps were destroyed.
Katana/Falx lost, with 1 Ps were destroyed.

I cant post the link without permission from the caster but I could ask if someone is interested.
Those tests may be not ideal but it seems that the Osprey is something interesting IMO.