question for ship customizations

[=DeadShot=]

With this new DLC it was added some new ship components. Like Starhawk bombers, Wraith fighters . I was wondering if any of those are better than torpedoes? And if it worth to get two both the bombers and fighters or just one of them. Or should I keep doing my ship torpedoes and skip the fighters/bombers.
What people recommend?

[Balekai]

They don't use the same slots. Fighters and Bombers use those unused Arsenal slots. Well one was unused and the other one was your Maintenance Deck, which adds +10 Hull. Same goes for the Flak Ammo.

Janus Arldari Torpedoes anyways are always worth it and pretty much best in slot + a top end long/medium range lance weapon. Since the bombers seem to have a bug that doesn't allow you to switch back to the torpedoes during combat, you should avoid them if you have those torpedoes because the Bombers are a bit hard to use. They have to get really close to bomb enemy ships like a torpedo, while being VERY slow. At least until the swap bug or whatever is changed/fixed. It might have been with yesterday's patch.

The fighters however do allow you to switch back and forth with torpedoes. They have two squadrons at a time as well and a great short ranged attack. They're perfect for distant Janus torpedo spam and just combat in general, by acting like a better version of the Escort ship x2 (they can actually take many shots and evade them being small ships).

I don't think you could fully replace the function of torpedoes. Fighters don't do as much damage and only move like 6 squares. That said, they can move in a good arc and stop whenever they feel like it to end a turn I believe. They are a must have for a close combat ship build and make that a lot more viable if you do drop torpedoes and decide to mix it up a bit.

[=DeadShot=]

The fighters don't let you switch back to torpedoes after you use them. So you cannot use both fighters and torpedoes in the same turn. Also I test you can use only once per turn.

[Gaius]

Originally posted by =DeadShot=:

The fighters don't let you switch back to torpedoes after you use them. So you cannot use both fighters and torpedoes in the same turn. Also I test you can use only once per turn.

Oh yeah, there is the opportunity cost, and also the ability to launch multiple torps allow you to launch multiple strike craft.

I still don't have bombers, but the fighters are pretty good - not only they instakill other strike craft but they also can do some decent damage if they hit smaller ships or damaged shields, without being destroyed too, but torps are better against large ships with their shields up.

[=DeadShot=]

Originally posted by Gaius:

Originally posted by =DeadShot=:

The fighters don't let you switch back to torpedoes after you use them. So you cannot use both fighters and torpedoes in the same turn. Also I test you can use only once per turn.

Oh yeah, there is the opportunity cost, and also the ability to launch multiple torps allow you to launch multiple strike craft.

I still don't have bombers, but the fighters are pretty good - not only they instakill other strike craft but they also can do some decent damage if they hit smaller ships or damaged shields, without being destroyed too, but torps are better against large ships with their shields up.

For me it was pretty easy to kite with torpedoes and hit from long range with fully kitted ship. Any battle. So was wondering if it worth it or if I loose ship killing power by using fighters/bombers.

[Balekai]

Originally posted by =DeadShot=:

The fighters don't let you switch back to torpedoes after you use them. So you cannot use both fighters and torpedoes in the same turn. Also I test you can use only once per turn.

This is incorrect. I was testing last night again and this is how it works (for now):

First of all you can use Torpedoes at will then switch to fighters/bombers anytime. Janus torpedoes that you can use every turn at least, will not restrict switching to bombers/fighters. I could have 2 torpedoes up at a time in testing then switch (can't have 3 and summon a fighter/bomber because the old one will epxlode by that point :D ).

Also you can only use one bomber, fighter or torpedo in a turn. After that any of the abilities are locked down until next turn.

If you have then switched and maxed out Squadrons for Bomber (allows only 1 squadron) or fighters (allows 2 squadrons), then you can no longer switch back to Torpedoes or the other fighter/bomber type.

Thus if you switch to bomber first, you can never switch to anything else until the bomber dies i'm guessing (didn't test that).

You can switch back to Torpedoes or a Bomber, if you use switch to Starfghters first but don't use second squadron. You can also use a fighter, switch to torpedo, then switch back and use fighter, then get locked out of torpedoes.

Essentially the possibilities are:

- 1 bomber first, no torpedo or fighter use thereafter.
- 2 fighters first, no torpedoes or bomber use thereafter.
- 1 Fighter first, then switch to torpedoes, you can use torpedoes normally without restriction.
- 1 Fighter first, then use a Bomber, nothing thereafter.

This all suggests to me that there's a bug with full squad bombers/fighters incorrectly disabling the switch toggle once maxed out. It doesn't make sense especially fighters/bombers block each other as well. We are using different slots here.

Edit:

Originally posted by =DeadShot=:

Originally posted by Gaius:

Oh yeah, there is the opportunity cost, and also the ability to launch multiple torps allow you to launch multiple strike craft.

I still don't have bombers, but the fighters are pretty good - not only they instakill other strike craft but they also can do some decent damage if they hit smaller ships or damaged shields, without being destroyed too, but torps are better against large ships with their shields up.

For me it was pretty easy to kite with torpedoes and hit from long range with fully kitted ship. Any battle. So was wondering if it worth it or if I loose ship killing power by using fighters/bombers.

Not really. You're going to take a lot more damage compared to taking none kiting with Torpedoes, Medium/Long Range Lances and taking pot shots with Macro Cannons here and there. If you want to make sure you can farm yellow/orange warp jumps to max reputation with Factions, then you don't want to be using all your scrap on hull repairs. As a side note, the best way to meta reputation maxing is to give Explorators and Kasballica mostly or only the unlimited Mechanicus Creations from colony grenade/kits, then farm warp jumps for guns/weapons/armour for Drussians and Pirates rep (while giving these latter factions more priority with valuable cargo they can accept).

Anyways that said, I think you should have more than enough scrap unless you take dozens or low hundreds of scrap to fix your hull every battle. And the new Fighters/Bombers should make it a lot easier to avoid damage acting as new better Escort Ship(s).

I would still say kiting, spamming Janus Torpedoes, then finishing off ships with long range Lance or Warp Waves is still the best way to go. Why take any damage at all to hull when you don't have to? :p

Plus as mentioned above, you can still use 1 starfighter and switch back to using torpedoes. so Kiting should even be better as we now have an infinite Escort Ship, that can be used to distract and keep enemies in one place while we do shorter kiting maneuvers.

[dgresevfan]

I hereby request an upgrade to put additional pipe organs on the ship. Two is insufficient.

[=DeadShot=]

Originally posted by dgresevfan:

I hereby request an upgrade to put additional pipe organs on the ship. Two is insufficient.

What are the pipe organs and how do you put them?
Tested :
1. You cannot launch in the same turn with the same torpedo tube both torpedo and fighters or bombers.
2. The fighters were better than the bombers. It is possible for bombers to stay and resupply in the field and do not need to be launched after their turn limits end. The fighters just return to ship after their turns limit is reached and need to be relaunched.

[dgresevfan]

Originally posted by =DeadShot=:

Originally posted by dgresevfan:

I hereby request an upgrade to put additional pipe organs on the ship. Two is insufficient.

What are the pipe organs and how do you put them?

I was joking. But a pipe organ is a musical instrument. There's one of them in the astropath choir area pretending to be cogitator, and there's one (that you can play) in the Rogue Trader's rooms.

[Traveler]

Do you have to buy bombers separate from installing the Bomber Deck? I installed it but there is no option to launch them in combat (torps work normally).

[Balekai]

Originally posted by Traveler:

Do you have to buy bombers separate from installing the Bomber Deck? I installed it but there is no option to launch them in combat (torps work normally).

Above where your torpedo icon there should be a new horizontal line with I think some type of sorrow on it. That's the toggle to bring up the option to switch to bomber.s or Fighters. Flak does a similar thing with a Macro Cannon slot I believe.