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Beam Question
azaral
Member Posts: 18 Arc User
What is the maximum number of beams I can fire on a broad side at one time without causing overlap in the cycle time.
I know I have read 3 photons is the optimal for torps without causing overlaps but I have not seen any other definative statements about other weapons and their cool downs.
I know I have read 3 photons is the optimal for torps without causing overlaps but I have not seen any other definative statements about other weapons and their cool downs.
Post edited by azaral on
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unless your rare or very rare Projectile officers proc a lot.....
Actually Beam Arrays and Dual Beam banks have firing Sequences just like Cannons. You will find each weapon, even on auto fire shoots in specific sequences. When the sequence is over all of that weapons power drops back into the power slot, so in truth you do not loose enough to compensate for, unless you use a special Bridge officer power.
For instance, You have 8 beams on a ship, on auto fire, it looks like all are shooting, but if you look at the damage and your power consumption you will find only 4 to 6 are really shooting at a time. What occurs is the beams, lets say front and back, begin swapping out. Since they are the same weapon type, one group drops to cooldown the other picks right up shooting so there is no loss in damage output.
Now many run Beam boats, with 8 beams of equal type, and use FAW (Fire at Will) bridge officer power, this allows all the beam weapons to fire, and is a very effective damage output in a nest of cruisers. Some instances I do not recommend its use, but it is effective regardless.
On torpedoes, all torpedoes share a common global cool down so they can not fire back to back. The exception to this rule is the Rapid Fire Transphasic Torpedo.
I tested a torpedo boat just recently and found while two photons work ok with each other, you can place a third, but the drop off, due to the global timers drops the firing sequence out of order and the DPS suffers.
I test several variations and found that a good setup with proper sequencing, meaning not waiting on a global timer, is the following
RF Transphasic Torpedo, Photon Torpedo, RF Transphasic Torpedo, (add your big hitter torp here, or weapon of your choice for the fourth slot)
you can add Duty officers that shorten the timers but even without them the fire pattern becomes the following
RF Torp, 1 second, Photon torp, 1 second, RF Torp, 1 second, Photon torp, etc so forth...
Question is what build are your looking to do? and for what vessel?
I use BFAW alot and have done so since my first build. I can link my builds from the academy when I get home from work.
I find that I like the double tac team approach and also really prefer broad side play or carrier strike tactics over the nose on cannon approach.
I have a Brel I am working on that is a sci officer torp boat that I also enjoy.
Cannon escorts just feel to much like an airplane not a warship.
the Rapid Fire Transphasic Torpedo has no global cool down. It fires one right after the other with no pauses according to how many you have lined up. Its drawback is its lack of hitting power.
As such, I have the following...
*this where the pattern begins Photon, RTF, Photon, RTF... etc... Now vs a 3 Photon torp set....
- 1001: Photon1,
- 1002: FIRST PAUSE
- 1003: Photon 2, photon1 2 second
- 1004: SECOND PAUSE, photon1 1 second, photon2 3 seconds
- 1005: Photon 3, photon1 waiting in firing line, photon2 2 seconds
- 1006: THIRD PAUSE, Photon1 still waiting to fire, Photon2 1 second, photon3 3 seconds
- 1007: Photon1 Fires (after in waiting in line for 2 seconds), Photon2 waiting to fire,
photon3 2 seconds...** notice how the torps begin backing up here in this sequence.
the above is just how the game mechanic does the firing, not how it should be, just how it is. Now the unknown factor in this is the DOFF that buff this. With the global cooldown STILL only allows the above for the 3 photon set, regardless of the DOFF proc, the RFT/Photon begins to shine as the RTF does not suffer the Global cooldown and begins that rapid firing it is design for. If the DOFF proc hits it, it fires immediately, no pause.
Now the RF Transphasic has been addressed with a increase from 20% shield penetration to 40%. I plan to test this out some on my escort and see if I can get a good damage for it through shields. The torp will still be very lack luster when a shield is down however, so this is only part of a solution. The torp itself needs a bit of a buff in its overall damage capacity, but due to the above game mechanic, is that a good move??
Do not know, from tests, it helps it out better on the initial attack, its balance is that it still is lackluster in straight hull damage, even console buffed.
I use a Photon Torp due to its quick charge time so it mixes in well with the transphasic's. Still you can use 2 photon's and 1 transphasic, or mix in a hard hitting Quantum in the mix. completely up to personal play style. I have not found a right or wrong way to make a good torpedo boat, save for 3 torps of the same type loose DPS just due to timer recharge issues.
Sounds like you got the basics of it, Do not be afraid to experiment some. Also ask questions, tons of good folks here on the forums to help you.
Engy captain with full Eff crew
Command Cruiser so + 10 shields and weapons
The captains skill tree is entirely matching that of the dragon dreadnaught posted in the forums.
4 x Disruptor console
2 x Shield Cap Consoles
Borg Console
Netronium Alloy
FPS Flow Regulator
Plasmatic Leech
8 x Disrutopr Plasma Hybride Arrays
Red Mater Cap
Subspace Thingy
Commander Eng
EPtS1 / RVSP 1 / EPtS 3/ AtSIF III
Lt. Commander Tac
TT 1 / ATB 1 / BFaW III
Lt. Tac
TT 1 / BO 2
Lt. Sci
HE 1 / TSS 2
Ens. Eng
EPtW 1
Understand that build does not make you a glass ship by any means, just means do not expect to remain at 100% health vs a pure breed tanker like myself. Half my cruisers are set to be support/healers, you hit one of those in a pvp, yeah... your wasting your time, find an easier target. Just gimp their engines and keep them out of the fight with holds/scrambles, target subsystem engines and attack the rest of the team.
His build is a decent attack build. Give it a whirl and see if it fits what you are trying to do. Just be mindful, for his build to work the best, your have to be aggressive to make it really shine.
Take anti-proton, you crit. That's 50% standard crit severity + 20% crit severity or a minimum extra 123 damage, instantly. These are the only beams who's bonuses can be further buffed by your gear.
The assimilated console inherently improves this beams procs % and damage. All accuracy modifiers improve your crit severity and damage in general. And any time your opponent is moving slowly increases accuracy, which increases crit severity, resulting in more damage. Attack Patten Alpha also increases crit chance. Borg antiproton beam arrays come with an improved hit chance.
What does all this mean? You're critH buffs can ensure you crit on 5%+ of your attacks. Which means you'll be criting way more often than you will through other procs. And anything that adds to crit severity increases the power of the beams proc. Cut out the middle men procs and stick with the beam that does what it's supposed to do best, hurt stuff.
I'm a Tac officer that has never touched a cannon.
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=CV_1587
BB
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=KDHBB_1587
Torp
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=TorpBoP_1587