Azure Nebula Rescue Tactics

reginamala78

Given how the number of Marks rewarded for this mission is based on how intelligently the mission is run, it seems that pooling tactics to figure out what works best would give us some standards (instead of the haphazardness of the average pug) for higher scores and ultimately fewer farming runs. It worked for STF tactics after all.

The four main approaches I've run into:

Tactic 1
Everyone splits up to go be heroic at a seperate point while someone AFKs at the spawn point. Sadly this seems the most common setup. Low scores and exploding PCs. Ugh.

Tactic 2
Everyone bunches into one group, going point to point one at a time. Positives: this has the advantage of absolutely flattening the defenders and takes only 10 seconds to take out all four tractor beams. Negatives: excess firepower is wasted especially on the low-value defenders, lots of travel time, and only rescuing one ship at a time.

Tactic 3
Breaking into two groups, trying to distribute evenly when mixing escorts, cruisers, and sci ships. One group handles the north and west spawn points, the other south and east, so as to minimize travel distances and thus time wasted. Roll into one spawn, kill defenders, free ship, then run to the second and repeat. By the time the group is finished with point 2 and looking for their next target, point 1 should be just respawning. My personal high-score using this one is 31 points (not bragging, just using as a metric), so its my preferred tactic if possible.

Tactic 4
I've seen a few people suggest a setup similar to #3, but instead of killing the defenders, one ship aggos and tanks while the other takes out the tractor beams. If you're well-coordinated and driving a properly-equipped ship then I can certainly see this working well, but if you're not built for the role then this can end badly. Tanking in a BoP isn't much fun after all. Premade maybe, or for a group formed and planned in a chat channel, but when pugging probably easier to just kill everything.

I'm just kinda throwing ideas out here. Other people have better ones, I'd love to hear it. Pugs randomness is irritating and I'd love for the community to develop a standard or two.

psycoticvulcan

I usually do #4. The other team members move in and engage the Tholians, while I slip in behind and disable the tractor beams. The only real downside is that the Tholian Cruisers and Battleships all have Fire at Will, and it only takes one unlucky hit to force you to restart the disable.

coldicephoenix

When I'm on my eng (Fleet Vorcha .. one smexy ship thats never let me down in game thus far) I prefer tactic 4. Best one tbh. I aggro the tholians and draw them away while the rest of team quickly disables the tractor beams. Once the ship is freed, the tholians warp away as well.


When Im on my KDF tac (B'rel BoP) I wait till someone else gets aggro and sneak in and free the ships as quickly as I can without getting hit. B'rel BoP cloak for the win!

Tac4 is best for quick turnaround as you dont have to kill all the ships before releasing the romulans

reginamala78

The problem with #4 is that

1: I'd like for people to actually tell me that I'm bait, in which case I'm going to launch my attack very different, rather than charging in expecting backup only to find I don't have any

2: I don't want to be stuck depending on other people, when most people are undependable. "Just kill stuff in a matching pattern" is a lot more reliable than having to trust some random idiot.

coldicephoenix

reginamala78 wrote: »

The problem with #4 is that

1: I'd like for people to actually tell me that I'm bait, in which case I'm going to launch my attack very different, rather than charging in expecting backup only to find I don't have any

2: I don't want to be stuck depending on other people, when most people are undependable. "Just kill stuff in a matching pattern" is a lot more reliable than having to trust some random idiot.

Well yea, that kinda comes with PuGs I guess... but on an off chance you do get a good group #4 works brilliantly.

theraven2378

psycoticvulcan wrote: »

I usually do #4. The other team members move in and engage the Tholians, while I slip in behind and disable the tractor beams. The only real downside is that the Tholian Cruisers and Battleships all have Fire at Will, and it only takes one unlucky hit to force you to restart the disable.

I prefer the most efficient approach, this one works very well

markhawkman

High value targets, especially scimitars, are hard when you don't have the whole team. The lowest value targets are soloable. I usually end up with option 5. Variable aggro based on the value of the available targets. If it's a scimitar, peeps dogpile it. Raptors... one person will handle it while the rest do something else.... unless there isn't another target.

coldicephoenix

markhawkman wrote: »

High value targets, especially scimitars, are hard when you don't have the whole team. The lowest value targets are soloable. I usually end up with option 5. Variable aggro based on the value of the available targets. If it's a scimitar, peeps dogpile it. Raptors... one person will handle it while the rest do something else.... unless there isn't another target.

The Scimmys are where KDF ships (or the defiant) shine!

If I see another KDF player I tell him to stay cloaked while I tank the Big TRIBBLE tholian ship and draw him away along with his armada. In the meantime the cloaked teamie de-cloaks and disables the tractors. This way we don't have to get the tholian ship down as he then just warps away after freeing the Scimmy!

markhawkman

I suppose that works nicely.... OOH!!! I just had a scary thought... Maybe now Feds have a use for the "Mask Energy Signature" Boff skill.... It works like cloaking and any ship can have it.

Or perhaps not. hard to say....

cotp0maurafey

Does anyone know how to make larger captured ships spawn faster? That would be very helpful.

rezking

cotp0maurafey wrote: »

Does anyone know how to make larger captured ships spawn faster? That would be very helpful.

I think that part is random.
Until today, I saw a Scimitar less than 5 times since S7 started.
I rescued 2 earlier and they were side by side at the start of the run.

EDIT: I think there was even a 3rd Scim but I wasn't involved with it's rescue...I was freeing a DDDDD'deridex.

markhawkman

there is one way.... annihilate the lower spawns to trigger more new spawns.

doubleohnine

#3 is the safest bet. But when pugging, I'll wait and see if someone tries to go lonewolf first (because I dont want to be that guy) and also if he's going after a higher value target, then I'll run with him while the other three ships go after the easy 1 pointers over and over :rolleyes:

eve1964

Since the object of this mission is to rescue the Rihannsu (No, I won't call them Romulans) ships and NOT to destroy as many Tholians as you can, it seems to me that the strategy that should be employed would be:

Divide into two groups. Each group needs a TANK and a deactivator. Obviously one group will have an extra person to help the tank.

Tank engages Tholians and pulls them AWAY from the asteroid. AWAY not towards because the person deactivating the tractor beams isn't fighting, nor do you want them to. Every time they get shot you are wasting seconds that could be used down the line.

Rihannsu ship is free, move on to next.

The idea that you should be killing Tholians is wrong headed. It its NOT the objective. Wasting time killing all, or most, of the Tholians to get at the tractor beams is not productive timewise.

Just some thoughts,

Eve

hroothvitnir

Well Issue #1 with any strategy is that there is a max reward ceiling. Or if the next reward tier is there is stupid high as I have been in a match thats freed 6 scims and several other large ships and still got the 18/22 reward.

Best tactic is good DPS and duo. Anything less than a tholian dreadnaught is clearable in under 40 solo and as a team 20 seconds so all falls into joke category as far as tactics there just wipe em and start on tractors.

As far as the dreadnaught goes, well its dread slow and incapable of turning, Have one guy go over and TBR it away and he can then go back free and work on the tractors. I've actually pulled it off with just grav wells + Doff and VM. You just wait till a second GW spawns then VM the dread, it gets dragged 2 km away you pick its far turn point go there and free the scim before it gets back. This isnt as reliable as just shoving it away with repulsors though.

But its all sorta pointles as even a half baked team of cruisers and an afker can still get max point easy.

nandospc

Tbr strategy works as well. Split the group in 2-3, all the ships with tbr, the sci ones with tbr3 is better, escorts with tbr1 if possible, repulse the enemy at 15km from the target*, disable tarctors and go on.
Works fine in a fleet job.

* or more with high aux setting power

milanvorius

Really you can easily solo this mission for most of the ships. If you position yourself well, just under the ship you can free the tractors and not fire a shot. It is tricky and once you find a spot free a ship reverse impulse for a couple seconds and wait till the next to spawn then advance in slowly. If you get everyone doing this and the high dps or tank to aggro help with Scimitar in case there is a fire fight then you can clear them as soon as they spawn.

ANother thing if you have a pair engaging then you dont have to move at the same time. Say a pairing had a sci and escort, after all baddies dead the escort can lower one tractor till they get full impulse then move out, sci can finish job while escort softens up next objective.

Similar for partners: one ship pulls away from baddies, at low impulse toward the next objective (you can cover a lot of ground during the fight). Ship two lowers the tractors. Once tractors down then ship 2 max impulse to next target, aggro and move tholians away. Ship one having regained full impulse then sneaks into backfield and grabs tractors.