Solution? It's called Mask Energy Signature 2, the cloak's underappretiated little brother. Now, granted, it does use up 1 BO slot, but it's most certainly worth it. Why? It allows you to do this: You don't have to worry about getting chased on sight when respawning (so long as you wait until Red Alert stops before respaawning), be able to escape really well, ambush the Kling not going back into battle with cloak on, and be all around stealthy around Tac and Eng commanders outside of 5 kilometers. Sci's can see you bright as day within 10km, but only if they're searching for you, and 90% of the time, they aren't, because they don't expect a Fed to have it. They, like most Feds, think it's "Soooo useless! Why would anyone want to use it?" Now, I think that a few people may back me up on the reasons that I listed for why it's not useless

. Now YOU can get the first strike, especially in FvF. In FvK, however, you must come to some sort of agreement as to how you would limit using it.
In FvF, a dedicated fleet/team using MES for training purposes for how to deal with the ambush/suprise tactics would be helpful (I hope some Klings are reading this), and giving tips for speccing accordingly for dealing with these tactics would also be helpful.
In FvK, it would be a very useful ability in C&H, for ambushing the decloaked Klings trying to take your captured areas. No more vulnerable Capture areas! It's also useful in Arena matches, when regrouping and moving your team. However, you should probably deactivate it when you get there, to prevent those tedious "U declok! No U decolk!" situations. If an Escort finds itself being focus-fired, then it should pack this, RSP, EM, and an Engine battery to fly out at top speed, while taking the hits, until you get waaay out of range, and Red Alert deactivates so you can use MES, and keep 'em guessing. No matter how good they are at detection, you simply CANNOT detect anyone cloaked at a distance further than 15km, even if you're the most uber-awesome detection Sci in the history of this game. It's simply not possible.
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i was just thinking the same thing, while a long time ago in a galaxy far far away it used to be awsome, now it barely hides you even in pve stuff. so either a klingon was messing with you hopeing youd keep using it or you're remembering old times
It has to be a troll, no one's that stupid. Right?
Right?
That doesn't mean that it doesn't suck at everything when the enemy expects you to use it, though. That's when I switch to my Tractor Beam equipped BO.
But Rock can occasionally beat Laser, you know.
The devs intentionally broke MES to make it the absolute worst skill you can possibly bring in the game. If the enemy could see you without MES, they will see you with MES. Testing has proven time and time again that the skill is completely useless beyond any potential value in pvp.
During the Open beta, it was the absolutely most amazing skill imaginable. It was an undetectible cloak that did not disable your shields and still enabled you to capture points, use friendly skills on allies, and all sorts of other extremely broken things.
Now this skill was so powerful that it completely dwarfed the klingon cloak in every way shape and form. Everyone brought it, it was that amazing of a skill - If MES wasn't stapled on your bar you were an idiot. There was an outrageous outcry from both feds and klinks about how stupid the skill was. As a result, it was the first skill nerfed by cryptic during the open beta.
Now MES is a complete joke, now matter how much you buff it you will get caught by the opponents well before you enter firing range. The enemy is largely ignoring you because you have MES up, they know it but they also know that your useless to the team while its up.
If you didn't play the open or closed beta you may not understand what exactly made it so stupidly powerful that it had to get nerfed into the ground, but it was. Do yourself a favor and take it off of your bar and pretend you never made this post. Trust me when I say you're probably going to be regretting it if you have to defend it in an arguement.
I suppose I'll replace it with Hazard Emitters now. In any case, thanks for the history of it that you gave me.
My fleet does pretty well in most FvK arena matches (the exception is GoD, but one day, one day we will emerge victorious :P). It's all about timing that first Sensor Scan. A quick scan of the player will often tell you if there is a carrier in the group (type "/who" into the chat bar), If there is a carrier, you can often use them as a marker of when to fire off your Sensor scan. If there is no carrier, it's a little trickier. Generaly, 30 secs to 1 min after the match starts you will be surrounded and they will be starting or soon will be attacking (the exception is GoD who are damn fast at getting over and opening the initial volley). Even after popping sensor scan, you need to fly around a little bit, it's only really good for 15 secs and for spotting things within 10 km. If you see a cloaked ship, you have a few options. Drop some torps on him, get in close for tractor beam or charged particle burst or fire off a gravity well from a distance. Sadly, tricobalt torperdoes won't work (
And knowing is half the battle.
BEWARE!