All Torpedos Forward on Escort

holyslev

I'm toying with this right now on my advanced escort, but it doesn't seem to be working. I'm planning to get an armitage class when I hit RA, but wanted to work out a proper build before I got there. Is it viable to have 4 forward torpedos, or is it better to do 2 forward with 2 dual heavies. (My rear mount is three tetryon turrets for extra damage in any direction.)

pottsey5g

It might not be the best but it is viable. Use x2 beta attack pattern to lower hull resistance then either use x3 plasma and x1 harpeng or 4 trans torps with torp spread or high yield. Stick mines in rear and if any tac BO slots left disposal patterns. Make sure you have the projectile doffs.

holyslev

What would be the better loadout for an armitage class than (both forward and rear)?

cosmoscola

holyslev wrote: »

I'm toying with this right now on my advanced escort, but it doesn't seem to be working. I'm planning to get an armitage class when I hit RA, but wanted to work out a proper build before I got there. Is it viable to have 4 forward torpedos, or is it better to do 2 forward with 2 dual heavies. (My rear mount is three tetryon turrets for extra damage in any direction.)

I?m using the Armitage now as a very capable torpedo ship. My buid is two quantum launchers forward, with two dual heavy tetryon beam banks.
Aft i have one tetryon beam array, and I alternete between two rear torpedo launchers and one launcher and a quantum mine launcher. I have several DOFFs assigned to torpedo cooldown, so I can basicly chuck out torpedoes all the time. Along with high yeild III and torpedo spread, it?s pretty cool. When used with the point defense photon console, also pretty deadly. All tactical consoles consists of quantum boosts. It works great

flekh

Usual setups for all escort'ish ships (and the Armitage is an Escort) is either:
4xDual Heavy Cannons (or Dual Cannons, or 2 of each), 3xTurret, or
3xDual Heavy Cannons (or Dual Cannons, or 1 DHC/2DC), 1x Torpedo, 3xTurret

These are simply the best way to use any Escort's potential for high dps.


Not that a torpedo boat can't work. It can. But it really needs some effort to pull off.
Most important: three very rare Projectile Duty Officers to reduce cooldowns on torpedo skills.
Second most important: a collection of high damage-per-volley torpedo launchers.

There's basically three approaches to this:
#1 is using all transphasic torpedos (usually the Rapid Reload ones from the Breen quest-line) to directly go for the hull. This version can be quite effective in PvP and moderately useful for solo content and Fleet events.
#2 is using combinations of Tricobalt, Harg'peng plus more conservative Quantum or Plasma launchers to brute force your way through shields and exploit stripped shields. This version is more suited for STFs, as these feature lots of high-HP/no-shield stationary targets.
#3 is a variation on #2, using a single Dual Beam Bank with Beam Overload 3 to punch through shields, in addition to the Tricobalt, Harg'peng and Quantum/Plasma launcher. Not as high dps as the #2 version, but a lot better suited for solo and PvP content.

Rear weapons for a Torpedo boat are either Mines or Turrets - though going Turrets means you actually have to divert some energy to your weapon systems (actually: max power to weapons, or they'll just be ineffective) while the pure-kinetic versions can go all-shields-and-engines, making them pretty tanky and mobile. Same problem with the BO version. A good supply of Weapon Batteries can help with that though.

Bridge Officer abilities: Attack Pattern Beta x2, Torpedo High Yield x2, plus the usual Tactical Teams to keep you alive. Cannon Rapid Fire, Torpedo Spreads or Dispersal Patterns to fill the remaining slots.

Make sure to use all your tactical console slots for kinetic damage consoles.

The Armitage has the advantage of having fighter pets to strip shields, which helps a lot when you're having to solo - in group content, you can often rely on others to strip shields and just use your torpedos to quickly finish off targets.

Which leads to the last very important point: Combat Awareness.
You need tp be able to quickly find vulnerable targets and move into their weakened or stripped shield arcs. Or you'll end up being pretty useless. Even trasphasic torpedoes lose a lot of effectiveness if you're constantly hitting shields.
If you do it right though, you can carry your weight.

'Hope this helps.

insanerandomnes

I prefer energy setups now too torp focused ones. But I know when I used my armitage as a missile boat, and when I tried the B'Rel retrofit on my klingon, I discovered that a fourth torp is pointless, at least for photons, because it never fires. Get triple purple projectile doffs, and you can get away with two photons. combine that with dual heavies and turrets in the back and you've got a shredder ship. I even ran with dual photons in the back too, firepower was greatly increased.

And watching 72 photons fly from your ship with torp spread 3 and torpedo point defense system is epic.

sfccrash

flekh wrote: »

Usual setups for all escort'ish ships (and the Armitage is an Escort) is either:
4xDual Heavy Cannons (or Dual Cannons, or 2 of each), 3xTurret, or
3xDual Heavy Cannons (or Dual Cannons, or 1 DHC/2DC), 1x Torpedo, 3xTurret

Actually what the OP wants to do is Viable too. 2x DHC, 2x Torps, 3 Turrets

I'm currently running this setup and nothing has survived long.
First torp is Mk12 Tricobalt, 2nd is Quantum.
My DHCs with the turrets chew threw all but a very well played oddy's shields. And the tricobalt I hold onto for a high yield 3 attack at near point blank range around 3-1k.
The quantums I spam off as often as possible.

Boff skills in my armitage.
TT1 x2, Torp spread 1, scatter 1, cannon rapid 1, high yield 3, beta 3.

Alternate setup I had was,
TT1x2, high yield 1, rapid 1, beta 1 , high yield 3, Omega 3

Both worked to my crazy flight and battle style. The quantums offset the long reload time of the Tricobalt.