On 2009-02-24 13:56, Carns wrote:
We had this same conversation at the end of 1.481.

The problem is that everyone says they want only a couple of dreads per side, and a field of smaller ships. However, every one of them want to be the dread driver, and the other people be in the smaller ships.

If the goal is to make Dreads a fleet ship, not a solo pwnship, and to make fleets of dreads less than optimal, then the aswer is the same now as it was then-

Reduce Dread turning dramatically. Speed them up in the straight line, increase acceleration, whatever. But a destroyer at 600gu should be able to remain behind a lone dread forever...

Next, revisit weapon arcs. Because of their large size, dread weapons are mostly single arc coverage, with a few having two arcs (side front, side back). The perponderance of dread weaponry should be forward facing. As the ships get smaller, they should get better arc coverage.

Add a randomizer in jump destination. The smaller ships are more accurate, the largest end up somewhere inside a 1000gu radius circle.

These three changes set the stage. The largest vessels become viable only with fleet coverage, with a focus on long range heavy firepower... as close battles can too easily move out of dread arc coverage. Close jumping cannot be relied upon to boom and zoom. However, this provides no reason to be in a smaller ship.

The reason that Frigate and Destroyer guns are so much less powerful is that they are dual purpose. Their guns should have a pulse shield effect when fired at/near missiles and fighters. Dreads, having reduced arc coverage, the general inability to out manuver or swing an arc into line, will require vessels to provide PD for them.

Make Point Defense a pres gathering activity. It doesn't have to give much per kill, but it does give the smaller vessels something to do, and in an intense battle, the sheer volume will add up as swiftly as repair. The dreads need them to be near to keep other small vessels from camping their exhaust, and to provide missile deffense. The small vessels can remain under the protective guns of the larger vessels, and not simply race in and hope for the best as they must now. Finally, the dreads remain their lethality and ability to ignore smaller vessels, at least in the short term of the battle.

On 2009-02-25 15:17, Carns wrote:
While I stand by my previous assertions on how to "fix" the problem, there is a bandaid that simply limits the number of dreads artificially, instead of making the smaller vessels more appealing or required.


Tie ship selection to fleets.

People not in fleets can pilot up to destroyers, Rank and Badges permitting.
Fleets with 1 to 4 active subscriptions remain the same.
Fleets with 5 active subscriptions allow the highest prestige account to fly a cruiser, Rank and Badges permitting.
Fleets with 8 active subscriptions gain an additional cruiser, Rank and Badges permitting.
Fleets with 10 active subscriptions allow the highest prestige account to fly a dread or station, Rank and Badges permitting.
Repeat for larger fleets.

Thus, a fleet with 28 subscribed members of Grand Admiral rank...
The two with the highest prestige total would could fly dreads or stations.
The people with the third through the eighth Highest pres count (6 total) could fly Cruisers.
The rest of the twenty subscribed players would be restricted to Destroyers and Support vessels.

If they gained two more players, then the third highest would gain the ability to fly dreads. The Cruisers would shift down, allowing the ninth highest a Cruiser, and the total number of Destroyers and Support vessels would be 21.



It's not elegant. It does allow someone to pay for 10 subscriptions and fly a Dread. However, that might not be a bad thing. However, it is important that only active subscriptions be counted. It has the added bonus of giving the players who have been here the longest, with presumably the highest Prestige totals, a vested interest in new player recruitment and retention.

On 2009-02-25 18:16, killer2472 wrote:
Dessies, along with cruisers and frigates, are deadly when used properly
Smaller ships are meant to be able to use their numbers and speed to take on dreads, thus combating the "dreadspace" problem. I was a part of one such group tonight, 4-5 of us, all flying missle picket or gunboat dessies, that, along with an EAD, took down a hive even when said hive had a mandible for cover. That right there is an example of how the game is intended to be played, by using tactics and planning as opposed to sheer brute force, to negate the opposing ships' strengths and exploit their weaknesses. You just have to learn to use different tactics than you would for a one on one evenly-matched duel. Dessies just can't take the pounding that an EAD can.

Anyways, I'll stop talking before I get too far off topic.
Just my two cents, make of it what you will.

On 2009-02-25 18:16, killer2472 wrote:
Dessies, along with cruisers and frigates, are deadly when used properly
Smaller ships are meant to be able to use their numbers and speed to take on dreads, thus combating the "dreadspace" problem. I was a part of one such group tonight, 4-5 of us, all flying missle picket or gunboat dessies, that, along with an EAD, took down a hive even when said hive had a mandible for cover. That right there is an example of how the game is intended to be played, by using tactics and planning as opposed to sheer brute force, to negate the opposing ships' strengths and exploit their weaknesses. You just have to learn to use different tactics than you would for a one on one evenly-matched duel. Dessies just can't take the pounding that an EAD can.

Anyways, I'll stop talking before I get too far off topic.
Just my two cents, make of it what you will.

On 2009-02-25 17:55, Sensitivity{Sensitivity} wrote:
The problem with dreads being that they have absurd HP values and can hit small ships consistently with a high volume of fire.