Fighters and Bombers

[Crisco]

Can't equip them on ships.... I have the modules availible to select but all the circles grey out and it won't let me put them on any ship. Something I'm missing?

[ashbery76]

Only support ships allow them.

[Sekhriat]

I'm not certain about Small support (Because I didn't try on them) but Coordinator (Medium Support) and Carrier are the only ship that I'm sure can use them. Be sure to look your ship for the Fighter/Bomber symbol in the circle to know if they can or can't equip them.

[Mateo | XlV]

Only carriers can equip them if Im correct

[Sublustris]

Carriers and Coordinators

[wm.j.olson]

Need to research the capability. The largest ships, carrier enabled, will have slots, but without the necessary research for fighters/bombers, those will be greyed out, although they can be filled with other weapons.

[Crisco]

Yeah I researched the fighter/bomber techs. I was in the middle of researching Coordinaters when my game got stuck loading a battle and before I restarted I posted this. So, yes, fighters, and bombers can only be equipped on Coordinators or Carriers.

Bit disapointed by them though. The first battle I used them in they were so slow they made a beautiful combined attack (fighters straffing while the bombers swooped in) on a ship the had benn destroyed about 30 seconds before they got there. With as slow as they are and with my normal fitting of missles with a few guns winning every battle, I'm not sure I see the need for the fighters and bombers....

[wm.j.olson]

Crisco,
Yeah I researched the fighter/bomber techs.


What you said. Perhaps this last patch fixed some of this. The whole point of having fighters/bombers is their ability to get to the target quickly. As is, they're useless.

[Tekel1959]

I dont think early engagement is the point at all. Their value is as a platform/force multiplier.

Even with full range and immediate availability, kinetic damage is back loaded, and we dont know when they are deployed and we dont know the range of their kinetic weapons.

Some delay in deploying the additional platforms would be reasonable. The damage output would also be reasonably biased to later in the engagement, especially if they do not have full kinetic range. They are not munitions, nor are they faster than a speeding bullet.

I have been romping with the kinetic nerf in this build, not sure how much can be attributed to the new F/B loadouts.

[Cryo]

Not sure if this applies to you but the basic Ark hull has one squadron slot as well

[Crisco]

It doesn't do much good to be a force multiplier if the ship you launched from is destroyed before you engage the enemy because the enemy smartly chose weapons instead of slothcraft.... Just sayin'.

[Tekel1959]

I have to agree that the slots are better used for weapons.

[Sagara Sousuke]

Can fighters attack bombers?

[Sublustris]

Yes, it's one of their prime roles. Battle tactic you choose affects what portion of fighter squadrons stays for defence, rest fly to attack opposing fighters or ships.

[Aidanya]

Fighters are actually really bad versus other ships. countering bombers is pretty much their only use. (granted they do some dmg to ships but not a lot).

Bombers are usefull. They are effective at all ranges (but they have some travel time at the start). And their dps is nearly double over beam weapons (also effecitve at all ranges). Not counting the 150% modifierer vs large ships (carriers and behemoths).

Their best uses are against factions and ships that have less attack slots than you. As fighters do counter them pretty well. But since fighers dont really deal any dmg back you can essencially trade weapon slots. You take bombers to force your enemy to spend a weapon slot on fighters.
Sophons and unfallen both have little attack slots on their bigger ships compared to other races.