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Exploration Missions on Advanced: What Advantage Is It?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
So I flew into the Delta Volanis cluster today, with a Level 7 Lieutenant (tactical) and his crew. And I switched to Advanced in difficulty.

One of the missions put me against a group of Klingons on the ground (specifically, the 'the Klingons have invaded X world, save the colonists by taking out 5 groups of them). I engaged.

It was a slaughter, and not on our side. After the sixth team wipe, I gave up -- no tactic was working, and there were too many expensive injuries to keep going.

This is not why I'm posting. It seems like Exploration Klingons are far tougher than Episodic Klingons of the same level, and 'Advanced' in an exploration cluster plays closer to my experience of Elite in Episodic missions, but that's tuning and possibly my equipment talking.

My question is... what's the advantage of even playing on Advanced on the ground in Explorations.

In space, there's a clear advantage -- you get more points, and the drops are slightly better (only slightly, mind). But on the ground? Even taking out a Swordmaster still only nets you one skill point, and after taking down twenty-nine Klingons (or about 2.6 groups) with those aforementioned six team wipes, there had been the grand total of one -- 1 -- drop. And that was a small hypo.

What's the advantage? There seems to be no bump in skill points or bridge officer points -- if there is one, please give us numbers -- and I'm not willing to ascribe a complete lack of drops entirely to random chance. Are there supposed to be better drops? If so, what's the rough increase compared to normal? And is there any bump in Skillpoints intended for fighting on the ground on advanced?

If there is, I'll take the time to build up some cash, re-arm and rearmor and head back out and try again. If not, I don't see why I'd do exploration missions on anything but 'normal.'
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Same here.

    I created a new Tactical Officer and have been soloing on advance difficulty since the beginning. I did all the missions I could from my contacts in the Sirius and Regulus sectors. All was fine I could even say that I didn't noticed an increase in difficulty compared to the Engie I created 3 weeks ago who is already a Captain :eek:

    But I hit a wall when I did some ground exploration missions in the Delta Volanis cluster and Arucanis Arm. Both places are giving badges of the 1st order. The last mission I did, I must have died 6, 7 times getting several major injuries and a few critical distributed amongst my team. Only a few minor. As for Space combat all went well.

    I'm a Lt 8 and all my stuff, BOs included, is of MkII quality, the max I'm allowed to.

    As for loot since I started this officer... small hypos, a few Mk I consoles and weapons, the usual stuff. The only worth mentioning item I got was from an Aid The Planet mission where I got a Very Rare Halon Mk II console. Unfortunately it is of no use for me.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Kite the group (mobs) ..focus the bosses. (Swordmaster, Targ Handler) With them gone your task is much easier.

    Get a Vulcan officer with mindmeld.

    Make sure you are set up to both expliot and expose.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    ..focus the bosses. (Swordmaster, Targ Handler) With them gone your task is much easier.

    I totally agree and this is what I always do but this time it was pointless. But I did noticed a high amount of Crits inflicted to my team ranging in the 100+ damage and that while not being flanked.

    My BOs all have expose weapons and I do the exploit using a split beam weapon. It's a tactic that worked perfectly before, this time I just didn't had the time to do any serious damage, we were all dead in only 3 or 4 rounds of combat.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    You do know that the split beam was nerfed, right? ..it vaporises much less than it used to.

    I do both expose and exploit myself, and also give a sniper rifle to whichever boff will do the most damage with it. I use snipers for exploit and pulse rifles for expose. Have only lost a couple battles since the last fix on Tribble.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Bory, you said you're a Tactical. You should send in your crew ahead and sniper from a safe distance. Flanking really helps if they are focused on your BO's.


    BTW, the idea of the harder missions is both Challenge as well as better rate of Rare drops. So Risk vs Reward.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I have to agree with this.
    I was vs some kligons on a exploration mission on advanced. The standard klingons were alright but the sword masters were impossible. one salvo from his dual pistols and you were down to 10% health and no shield. and his shield was crazy tough as well. my whole team attacking just him could barely get his shields down.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Grecanis wrote: »
    You do know that the split beam was nerfed, right? ..it vaporises much less than it used to.

    I do both expose and exploit myself, and also give a sniper rifle to whichever boff will do the most damage with it. I use snipers for exploit and pulse rifles for expose. Have only lost a couple battles since the last fix on Tribble.

    LOL!Was split beam nerfed ?I didnt notice a difference at all and im still kickin out really good damage.I keep saying its the player not the gear.....
    Ive been using both expose and exploit since i started this game and my away team is also equipped the same way and has a variety of damage too.People cry nerf yet i stay the same.LMAO!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    The split beam's still a good weapon ..it just doesn't vaporize multiple targets as much as it used to.

    It's my second choice ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    You do know that the split beam was nerfed, right? ..it vaporises much less than it used to.

    Really? :eek:

    Strange 'cause I'm still able to vaporise 2 or 3 opponents at once, not on a regular basis but often enough that it's still advantageous over the single shot weapon I tried, sniper included.

    Now if the split beam weapon was vaporising more than that before I sure understand why they nerfed it. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Do an info check on these Swordmasters.

    I did a check on an Elite battleship and they have over 90,000 hull. Its reasonable to assume everything else is built on similar multipliers. If you dont have full purple fit and nothing left to do in the game, elite is for the future for you. Its a quick fix for bored people. I keep saying, there is no difficult in a video game. Once you know how to do it once, you know how to do it a thousand times. This will be the same for elite. It doesnt improve investment value in the game. It doesnt add new loot. It doesnt introduce new content.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    The sword master I was attacking though was only on the advanced level. Fair enough if i was on elite, I would need better gear but this was on advanced. I shouldn't need top level gear to beat advanced.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Ground trops are major pain. At RA5 Solo I have two shot more then once I am in 100% very rare gear.
    Will I got back never. With a group of people/players that are not that hard. May need new gear for Elite ground.
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