Advice On Galaxy Retrofit Build

latiasracer · October 2012

Hello, finally got around to getting a t6 ship. Picked this one because i''m an engineer and - It's the Enterprise!

Here's my current build:

However, i was hoping for some advice. Genrally the ship preforms ok, but doesn't really do that much damage and is absolutely hopeless against the borg (Once any shield is down, the entire ships going down).

Although an engineer, this is my first cruiser O.o so i would apreciate some advice on how to make it...die less and kill more!

-Thanks

futurepastnow · October 2012

1) Replace the DBB with another Phaser Beam Array. Then replace two of the torps with two more Phaser Beam Arrays. That'll give you an optimal six-beam broadside. Standardize on one energy type and get another Phaser Relay. Or pick a different energy type, whatever, just keep them all the same.

2) Lose the RCS Accelerators. You're never going to give that ship a decent turn rate, so don't bother trying. Replace them with, probably, neutronium alloy consoles.

3) Keep your shields up, then. Put a couple of Field Generator consoles on. Cycle two copies of EPTS to keep your shield power and resistance high. Use Tac Team's automated redistribution early and often. Since you can only have two tactical powers on that ship, I recommend just TT1 + two conn officer doffs (at least blue quality) who decrease its recharge time. Your second tac power is a matter of preference, but I'd use APB1.

latiasracer · October 2012

futurepastnow wrote: »

1) Replace the DBB with another Phaser Beam Array. Then replace two of the torps with two more Phaser Beam Arrays. That'll give you an optimal six-beam broadside. Standardize on one energy type and get another Phaser Relay. Or pick a different energy type, whatever, just keep them all the same.

2) Lose the RCS Accelerators. You're never going to give that ship a decent turn rate, so don't bother trying. Replace them with, probably, neutronium alloy consoles.

3) Keep your shields up, then. Put a couple of Field Generator consoles on. Cycle two copies of EPTS to keep your shield power and resistance high. Use Tac Team's automated redistribution early and often. Since you can only have two tactical powers on that ship, I recommend just TT1 + two conn officer doffs (at least blue quality) who decrease its recharge time. Your second tac power is a matter of preference, but I'd use APB1.

1.) Ok, the primary reason i've only 3 phaser arrays is because i always assumed going full beams would cause a massive power drain, but thanks anyway i'll give it ago. But i'll think i'll keep the photon launcher, because they frequently land criticals and do a good deal of damage.

2.) True that!

3.)Alright, i'll give that ago too

Cheers!

(Futher suggestions are still welcome, i'd like to try a multitude of setups)

starfish1701 · October 2012

This is my build. I don't know if it's any good, it seems to work for me, but I should say I don't do much damage... but I know you can't be a tank and do damage.

Tactical Team 1
Fire at Will 2 (Which I may change to an attack pattern).

Power to Weapons 1
Auxiliary to Structural 2
Engineering Team 3

Power to Shields 1
Reverse Shield Polarity 1
Power to Sheilds 3
Directed Energy Modulation 3

Hazard Emitters 1
Transfer Shield Strength 2

Power to Weapons 1

I have 7 beams and 1 photon launcher

Borg set with MACO sheild.

I cycle the Power to Shields and also the Power to Weapons to keep the beam power up, but if I am requiring more defence, I forget the weapon BOFF powers and concentrate on cycling the 2 Power to Shields.

Hope that helps.

(And if anyone wants to comment... please do! I will take any advice.)

janetza · October 2012

Your tac. consoles are not good. Put 2 Blue XI phaser consoles, they are cheap of exchange.
You also have no eng. consoles, put Ablative, Tetraburnium and Monotanium consoles. If you don't have lot of EC, buy blue MKXI versions, they are good.
Your sci. console, the 3rd one, is useless, put one more shield console.

I see you already got maco shields and deflector, so you should have some EDCs. Buy Assimilated engines and play Assimilation mission for assim. console.

You could use Shield Distribution/ Projectile and other DOFFs on active space duty.

Post above got a decent BO layout.

hereticknight085 · October 2012

My advice would be to ditch the Galaxy-R and go with a better cruiser. However if you MUST use that ship, I would say use the following build for maximum damage:

3 BAs 1 Torp Fore AND Aft

Shields: MACO/Borg
Deflector: MACO/Borg
Engine: Borg

Devices:
Subspace Field Modulator, Deuterium Surplus, Red Matter Capacitor (if you have it), Engine Battery

Tac Consoles:
Whatever Energy Type the BAs are (preferably mk XI blue or better, those are pretty cheap to come by on the exchange (except AP), and you can craft em if you really need to)

Engi Consoles:
Saucer Sep Module, remaining slots, put Neutronium Alloy (again, mk XI blue or better)

Sci Consoles:
Assimilated Module, remaining slots Field Generators (again, mk XI blue or better)

Now the bit with the Shields and Deflector? Well that's easy to explain. If you want the Borg Hull proc only, run the MACO Shields and Deflector with the Borg Engines (add in the assimilated module and you'll have the 2 piece set bonus). If you want the shield proc too, Borg Engines and Deflector (add in module, gives you 3 piece set bonus), and MACO shields. And if for some odd reason you want the assimilated tractor beam and your ship to glow green, go with the full borg set.

BOff setup:
Lt. Tac: TT1, BFAW2/APB1/TS2

Cmdr Engi: EPtS1, EPtW2, ET3, Aux2SIF3

LtCmdr Engi: EPtS1, Aux2Bat1, RSP2/Aux2Damp

Ensign Engi: ET1

Lt. Sci: HE1, TSS2 OR TSS1, HE2

DOff:
Conn Officer (purple)x2 (Tactical Team and Buff CD red)
Technician (purple)x1
Damage Control Engineer (purple)x1
Warp Core Engineer (purple)x1

Now for how to use this setup. I basically optimized your limited damage potential with the abilities and tactical consoles available on that ship. Let's face it, the Galaxy Class ships are horrible when it comes to damage output, and since every engi power seems to put every other engi power on CD, the fact you have 3 engi BOffs (ew...) is kind of more of a problem than a good thing.

Naturally half of my listed abilities put the other half on CD (engi), so it's entirely situational as to how you use them. TT1 should be up almost 24/7, BUT ONLY AS LONG AS YOU ARE UNDER ATTACK. If what you're shooting at it is targeting someone else (which is likely due to your low damage output, even with saucer sep) then you don't blow your TT, instead focus on healing whatever is under attack with your TSS, HE, and ET. Aux2SIF is a good quick heal for someone who needs it, and it boosts their damage resistance as well. HOWEVER you also have aux2bat for when you need a little more power to everything else and don't have to heal anything at that time, and Aux2damp for when you need to hoof a little faster and be a tad more nimble than your fat rear normally is. Also it's good torp defense. Lastly, you have your RSP2 as an OH TRIBBLE button that you only mash when you are getting whacked by everything and it's mother and you don't have TT1 + EPtS up.

Also I gave you two sets of EPtS1 so you can keep that buff constantly up, with an EPtW just in case you wanted to buff your damage for a time. But those two should be up almost constantly, which is possible due to the Damage Control DOff I had in place. Also the warp core engineer gives you the possibility of turning even a measly EPtX1 into something stronger than the same EPtX3 (the only catch there being that warp core engis are fkin expensive as hell on the exchange). HE is a big HoT for self use or as a gift to someone else, and TSS is a Shield HoT for either yourself or someone else.

Your tactical abilities are self-explanatory (and alas you only have 2), but I'll just say that APB1 is for 1v1 encounters/big heavy targets, and the BFAW (if you should choose to use it) is just to make lots of noise and get everything to hit you so other more tactically inclined craft can peel them off of you one by one. Which is where your neutronium comes in. That is your defense. That is your shield. That is what keeps you from getting nova'd. Combine that with the 2x field generator (blue mk XI will give you +35% shield cap), you can get your shields up to easily over 10k per facing. So that's 10k shields, and 40k hull, with your hull at roughly 38% resists to everything, you're one tanky SoB (frankly all that ship is good for, no offence).

And the saucer sep is in there for when you need some amusement/get bored with being slow, cumbersome, and unable to do much damage. Hit that, and all of a sudden your lady gets new wings, turns much better, has more damage output, but loses a little of that tankiness.

As for gameplay? That's user's choice. I would recommend you go in and tank everything, and don't expect to get any kills or even do that much damage. Make a lot of noise of course, but your damage output is severely limited by the fact you only have a Lt Tac with 2 tac consoles. Also, you'll be kinda not that great in PvP. Just an FYI. But you will have a lot of survivability, so if you get focused, don't panic. Just remember to keep your TT and EPtS going, and use RSF if you really start to get hammered. Also throw in TSS to add to your beefiness, and you'll be fine. And remember, you have an OH TRIBBLE button in the form of RSP2. Combine that with TSS and you'll get shields that won't go down, instead will get healed, even while you're getting smacked. And if you really need it, you have miracle worker, which is basically an EPtS3 combined with an ET3. Clears all engi debuffs, restores all downed subsystems, BIG shield heal, and moderate hull heal. And a 5 minute cd (go figure).

But I will say this again. You're probably better off getting a different ship. Current meta combined with the massive number of shared CDs on engi powers makes the Galaxy-R not a good ship at all. Tbh, I would have said save your zen and get a regent or one of the oddy's, since they have a far more versatile and balanced BOff layout, and are far more tactically inclined (esp the regent and tac oddy). But since you seem to like the Galaxy Class (I am rather fond of her myself), try out this build, see if it works.

vetteguy904 · October 2012

I agree with most of the above, except I would keep the DBB and have four BA aft. that still givs you 6 broadside and a good forward punch. if you use BOL2, then the DBB can shatter a shield, allowing the torp to get through to the bare hull. also with saucer seper, the DBB is useful since you get a much better turning starship

hereticknight085 · October 2012

Still say you shouldn't use this ship. Period.

thesaxlad · October 2012

In my view as an engineer you should be running 8 beams, as we have the luxury of eps transfer, nadion inversion and batterys, whereas a tac flying this machine doesnt.

It also means you can load all of one dmg type into the tact consoles, rather than having to add a photon console in there too

Just my thoughts

zabonam · October 2012

Kudos on sticking with it despite the ship's limitations. Always nice seeing varity in STFs.

yreodred · October 2012

One of my Characters (tac) still flys a Galaxy -R too.
Before you just copy any build think about what you expect to do with your ship.

I use this ship mainly for soloplay or STFs (normal).
It is not intended to heal others, or provide huge amount of support. This ship is not an escort nanny. :P

U.S.S. STARDUST II

Weapons Front:
3x Polarized Disruptor Beam Array
1x Quantum torpedo Launcher (180 degrees)

Weapons Aft:
3x Polarized Disruptor Beam Array
1x Hargh Peng Torpedo Launcher

Deflector: Borg
Impulse Engine: Borg
Shield: MACO

Devices:
Red Matter Capacitor, Deuterium Surplus, Engine Battery, Subspace Field Modulator

Consoles:
Engineering: Neutronium Alloy MK XII, Ablative Armor MK XII, Saucer Seperation
Science: Borg Assimilated cosole, Field generator, Isometric charge
Tactical: 2x Disruptor Induction Coil MK XII

BOFF
Tac: FAW1, Torp Spread 2
Engineering: EptW 1, EptS 2, Eject Warp Plasma 2, Aux to Struct 3
Engineering: EptW 1, EptS 2, Directed Energy Mod 2
Engineering: Engineering team 1 (* don't know what else

)
Science: TSS1, Hazard 2

DOFF
2x CONN (evasive)
2x Energy Weapons (special Beam attacks)
Warp Core engineer

* At least this slot should become a universal one IMO.

Tactics:
Since i am mostly on my own i don't have to act as nanny for other ships, i can fully focus on keep myself alive and to do damage on my enemies.
I cycle 2x EptW1 and 2x EptS 2 so i almost have constant 125 Weapons and 125 shield energy. To be honest, for most enemies in PvE i don't need Tactical Team. So i can maximize the damage potential of that ship.
When a battle starts i fire "attack pattern Alpha", FAW, TS and of course EptW (in alteration with EptS, whichevers cooldown is finished).

I start Evasive maneuvers and Eject warp plasma to nail the enemy ship on one place , do a flyby and fire the Hargh Peng on it (i have set this one to auto fire, just as all beam arrays).
Once it is fired, i turn my ship and start fireing boardsides. As soon as the enemies shield collapse i fire the Quantums with Torp Spead and the enemiy is history.

When fighting a bigger number of enemies just look where the biggest concentration is, fire "Evasive Maneuvers" + "Attack Pattern Alpha" + "red Matter capacitor" (you can use a Aux battery in exchange too), Activate "eject warp Plasma" and do a flyby on them. After that, fire the Isometric charge and don't forget to show them your rear so the Hargh Peng can do it's work. After that, just start doing Boardsides and fire the Quantums when the situation allowes it.
BTW: i play on elite difficulty and it works very well. You won't even have to seperate the ship all the time.

I hope this was helpful.

I hope my english is understandable, since most of the time i find it difficult to find the right words in my native language.

latiasracer · October 2012

hereticknight085 wrote: »

Still say you shouldn't use this ship. Period.

Aha, this isn't a question of wanting a neccicarily good ship - Otherwise i would have definitely gone for something else.

It's a matter of principle, because it's the Enterprise!

But i thankyou for your advice in the above post, and i'll try out what you reccomend.

Also : It's not actually that bad when the saucer section is decoupled, it moves just as quickly as my Akira class

latiasracer · October 2012

thesaxlad wrote: »

In my view as an engineer you should be running 8 beams, as we have the luxury of eps transfer, nadion inversion and batterys, whereas a tac flying this machine doesnt.

It also means you can load all of one dmg type into the tact consoles, rather than having to add a photon console in there too

Just my thoughts

Hmm, interesting. I'll give this ago to. I have lots of unspent EDC's, i'll pick up some more phaser arrays

ortsim · October 2012

I primarily play engineer and fly cruisers, but the Galaxy-X and Chimaera are my faves. This is my primary layout on a cruiser used for general PvE play:

Fore: 3x Beam Array (personally, the polarized tetryon are nice for the proc rate, but phasers are a classic), 1x Torpedo (I like quantum for the cooldown vs damage)

Aft: 3x Beam Array, 1x Mine (I like chroniton mines for the slowing effect)

Deflector: Aegis for Defense, or Breen for the EPS bonus

Engines: Aegis for Defense, or Breen for the EPS bonus

Shield: Aegis for Defense, or Jem'Hadar, or other shield with resistances

Devices: I use a shield battery, subspace field modulator, scorpion fighters, and a weapons battery

Eng Consoles: Saucer Sep, Neutronium Alloy x3

Sci Consoles: Field Generator x3

Tactical Console: Energy Type x2

Here is a possible skill build if you're wanting to go for a more attack based one:
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/index.php?build=ortsimh2_0

The warp core improvements and performance skills are pretty nice, but you don't usually want to put the system performances up to rank nine because the benefit is minimal (I did for weapon performance for the EPtW 3).

Ship power:

Weapons: Secondary (the performance skill will boost this, as will EPtW, so set it fairly high)

Shield: Priority (set it high enough that EPtS will set your power to 125)

Engines: Minimum (combat engines and performance skills should make it barely noticable since cruisers broadside)

Aux: Everything else (to boost abilities)

whamhammer1 · October 2012

latiasracer wrote: »

Hello, finally got around to getting a t6 ship. Picked this one because i''m an engineer and - It's the Enterprise!

Here's my current build:

However, i was hoping for some advice. Genrally the ship preforms ok, but doesn't really do that much damage and is absolutely hopeless against the borg (Once any shield is down, the entire ships going down).

Although an engineer, this is my first cruiser O.o so i would apreciate some advice on how to make it...die less and kill more!

-Thanks

My first question is, what is the main concept that you want your ship to do?

PvP? PvE? DPS ship? Tank?

Are you spending most time in saucer sep'? If so, I wouldn't use so many RCS consoles and then the DBB makes sense.

I would keep with one energy type and use tac consoles to buff that particular energy.

I would also use one torp' type (on in front, one in rear)

I'm not sure what the mine is really going to do for you

I'd make sure that I had the shield capacity science console, not the shield regen' console (I mix the looks of them up).

For consoles, once you found what you are happy with, be sure and get the highest level and rarity you can afford.

Im not sure what that console in the middle of science is, so I can't comment on its effectiveness. But you do have a bunch of the "gimmick" consoles, maybe too many, maybe not.

My 'R is with a Tac Joined Trill that I use for Tanking, moderate DPS, (with the saucer separated). I'm running around 18' turn rate (w/o saucer) , I have a 5 BA broadside. One 180 torp in front, one 90 in the rear. It does pretty well. I especially works well in Starbase Blockade and other Fleet Mark missions.

stofsk · October 2012

whamhammer1 wrote: »

My 'R is with a Tac Joined Trill that I use for Tanking, moderate DPS, (with the saucer separated). I'm running around 18' turn rate (w/o saucer) , I have a 5 BA broadside. One 180 torp in front, one 90 in the rear. It does pretty well. I especially works well in Starbase Blockade and other Fleet Mark missions.

Can you provide more details on your build? I am giving serious thought into making a tac character with the Galaxy-R as my endgame ship.

whamhammer1 · October 2012

stofsk wrote: »

Can you provide more details on your build? I am giving serious thought into making a tac character with the Galaxy-R as my endgame ship.

Sure can, mind you that I spend most of my time saucer sep'd.

Weapons:
Front
2x MK XII Anti-Proton Beam Arrays [Borg]
1x Mk XII Anti-Proton Dual Beam Bank [Borg]
1x 180' Q' Torp Launcher (from the Regent)

Rear
3x Mk XII Anti-Proton Beam Arrays [Borg]
1x Mk XII Q'Topr' launcer [Borg]

Running All Borg equip , except for Maco MK XII Shields

Consoles:
Engineer
2x Neutronium Mk XII (blue)
1x Saucer Seperation Console
1x Graviton Pulse Generator

Science
2x Field Generator Mk XI (blue)
1x Borg Console

Tactical
2x Antiproton Mag Reuglator Mk XI (blue)

Power levels:

Weapons: 125
Shields: 73
Engines 58
Aux' 51

Boffs
Tacical Lt: HTY1, BO2
Eng Cmdr: EPTS1, Aux ID1, ET3, DEM3
Eng lt Cmdr, : ET1, EPTS2, AB1
Eng Ensign : EPTE1
Science LT: HE1, TSS2

DOFFS
2x Blue Conn (EM time reduction)
1x Grenn Technicia (reduced time for boff abilities)
1xPurple Exocomp (battery buffs)
1x Green Maintenance Engineer (Reduced time for ET buffs )

dontdrunkimshoot · October 2012

a VERY advanced galaxy R build.

http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showpost.php?p=6234871&postcount=171

so far the best, most damage dealing galaxy R i think is possible to make in game, because thats probably what you all want to use it for right?

whamhammer1 · October 2012

dontdrunkimshoot wrote: »

a VERY advanced galaxy R build.

http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showpost.php?p=6234871&postcount=171

so far the best, most damage dealing galaxy R i think is possible to make in game, because thats probably what you all want to use it for right?

Do you spend most time with the the saucer on? With no RCS and saucer sep'd I have an 18.X turn rate, which is pretty good.

The only problem I have with the 4 single cannon/ 4 turret combo is it doesn't have a killing blow to it, otherwise its one of my favorite set-ups for a fire support cruiser.

dontdrunkimshoot · October 2012

whamhammer1 wrote: »

Do you spend most time with the the saucer on? With no RCS and saucer sep'd I have an 18.X turn rate, which is pretty good.

The only problem I have with the 4 single cannon/ 4 turret combo is it doesn't have a killing blow to it, otherwise its one of my favorite set-ups for a fire support cruiser.

if im facing guys that can reliably kill me, i don't bother separating usually. usually thats in C&H that has groups of escort stomp gangs, instead of being splt up trying to cap.

don't bother with turn consoles at all, even when separated they add their % extra based on the base 6 turn rate. i get 18-19 wile separated, with considerably better inertia is pretty nice for a single cannons setup.

DEM functions when using CRF and the like now, im positive it didn't used too, and thats a large portain of this ships firepower, thanks to AtB giveing DEM3 at global up time. theres a limit to how many times DEM will deal damage a second it seems, its not quite every shot wile rapid fireing. STUPID.

when i alpha something squishy like an escort, ive been know to just pepper them down to nothing, if they have no support they cant deal with the heavy 3 console buffed glider damage, or tac buffed dem, EWP dot, and the cannons themselves, even with just 2 crummy tac consoles. but yes, the problem is there is no burst to speak of, its just extreamly heavy pressure damage that can be undone in an instant with any support around. there is 0 way to burst in this ship

whamhammer1 · October 2012

dontdrunkimshoot wrote: »

if im facing guys that can reliably kill me, i don't bother separating usually. usually thats in C&H that has groups of escort stomp gangs, instead of being splt up trying to cap.

don't bother with turn consoles at all, even when separated they add their % extra based on the base 6 turn rate. i get 18-19 wile separated, with considerably better inertia is pretty nice for a single cannons setup.

DEM functions when using CRF and the like now, im positive it didn't used too, and thats a large portain of this ships firepower, thanks to AtB giveing DEM3 at global up time. theres a limit to how many times DEM will deal damage a second it seems, its not quite every shot wile rapid fireing. STUPID.

when i alpha something squishy like an escort, ive been know to just pepper them down to nothing, if they have no support they cant deal with the heavy 3 console buffed glider damage, or tac buffed dem, EWP dot, and the cannons themselves, even with just 2 crummy tac consoles. but yes, the problem is there is no burst to speak of, its just extreamly heavy pressure damage that can be undone in an instant with any support around. there is 0 way to burst in this ship

I am a little confused then, what are the two "turn consoles" you have listed for your build in that link? Are they not RCS's?

As far as DEM3 and damage per shot vs damage per second, I will still take the increase in damage, especially for low tac boff cruiser. I rotate between AB1 and DEM3 as much as I can.

I have been playing a lot with the 180' Q Torp from the Regent. Between its same arc as the single cannons and its damage per shot, it is giving be a boost in damage, albeit with a little loss in my "sandblasting" capabality, but it is worth trying.

dontdrunkimshoot · October 2012

whamhammer1 wrote: »

I am a little confused then, what are the two "turn consoles" you have listed for your build in that link? Are they not RCS's?

As far as DEM3 and damage per shot vs damage per second, I will still take the increase in damage, especially for low tac boff cruiser. I rotate between AB1 and DEM3 as much as I can.

I have been playing a lot with the 180' Q Torp from the Regent. Between its same arc as the single cannons and its damage per shot, it is giving be a boost in damage, albeit with a little loss in my "sandblasting" capabality, but it is worth trying.

is there? that must have been an error, proboly meant borg, sep console, and 2 nutronium. that galaxy build on a fleet heavy cruiser or assault cruiser with the wind angle might be pretty ok, with glider ruining shields a HY1 with the tac ensign might be good

whamhammer1 · October 2012

dontdrunkimshoot wrote: »

is there? that must have been an error, proboly meant borg, sep console, and 2 nutronium. that galaxy build on a fleet heavy cruiser or assault cruiser with the wind angle might be pretty ok, with glider ruining shields a HY1 with the tac ensign might be good

I could see that working too. I think it has more to do with playstyle and tailoring it. SOme people ore willing to give up a bit of direct tankiness for turning, or overall distributed power etc....

Advice On Galaxy Retrofit Build

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