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Dual Heavy Cannons vs Dual Beam Bank
flash525
Member Posts: 5,441 Arc User
Now before you go thinking "what is this guy on about, cannons are obviously the better choice here" that all depends on what you're going to be doing with them. Typically, Tactical players (and non-Tactical players flying an Escort) will load their Escorts up with Cannons, a common setup tends to be x2 Dual Cannons, x1 Dual Heavy and a Torpedo Launcher on the front, and x3 Turrets on the back.
I've been debating whether to exchange the Dual Heavy Cannons for a Dual Beam Bank. The reasons are rather simple; with the Beam Bank I'm able to use Beam: Fire At Will, Beam Overload and all the Target Subsystem Attacks. When using the Heavy Cannons, I'm limited with what Boff Abilities I'm able to use.
Is the exchange worth it?
I've been debating whether to exchange the Dual Heavy Cannons for a Dual Beam Bank. The reasons are rather simple; with the Beam Bank I'm able to use Beam: Fire At Will, Beam Overload and all the Target Subsystem Attacks. When using the Heavy Cannons, I'm limited with what Boff Abilities I'm able to use.
Is the exchange worth it?
Post edited by flash525 on
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When using tactical abilities it's harder to call. Fire At Will versus Scatter is pretty much a wash, since FAW will get more targets meaning they don't have to be lined up as perfectly, but at the same time the tight focus of Scatter means your damage is focused more so you get kills instead of dents. However, FAW starts to reveal the fundamental problem of beams, which is energy drain. Lots of it.
Basically, unless you have some way to amp up your weapon subsystem's power level, beam-heavy ships are going to leave you putting out a lot less damage than you should be doing. Three dual beams with an escort's power bonus isn't too bad, but when you add in 3 rear turrets too it starts to take chunks out of your power budget.
For that reason, my opinion is that dual beam builds are better suited to battlecruisers than escorts. Using FAW with "reduces cooldown on beam special abilities" doffs along with a torpedo spread, is a great way to deliver punishment with things like the D'kora, Vor'cha, etc. Things that can realistically spare the slots for EPTW chains.
And subtargeting abilities really aren't worth it. They have a 45 second cooldown time with poor duty cycle, and require a high score in Flow Caps (on an attack ship?) to have good effect.
But, you can always just try it for yourself. Get some cheap Mark XI stuff to mess around with.
i would never put cannons on an Akira Class and never would put Beams on a Defiant Class.
that said, i have a Prometheus (SCI captain) and Akira [Armitage] (TAC captain) both with Dual Beam Banks, both perform very well (i'm not a DPS counter but i know if a setup FEELS good or too weak).
That said i just changed my Jem Bug Ship from 3x DBB to 3x DHC and it feels a lot better for this Ship (and also looks right, i just did not like the visuals of Polaron Cannons/Turrets, the Phase Polarons from the LockBox look a lot nicer, cleaner, so i'm going with those now).
A Dual Beam Bank with Beam Overload and some Tac Buffs can do some real nice spike damage, but the energy drain has to be countered, the more energy buffs you have the better the build will work but without Attack Pattern or Sensor Scans or sum such you will not get near a pure DPS Tac DHC build.
My Armitage (Akira!) for example has 2 DBBs, 1 Beam, 1 torp front / and back 2 Beams, 1 torp,
the nice thing here is that even with 3 beams it can still broadside for a bit without hurting the DPS too much and it is also tanky enough while the pure Escorts are usually a bit more squishy. Slap some Shield heal drones in the Hangarbay slot and it will tank a lot better.
The Beams here are really just there to deplete the shields, followed by as much Photon Torps as the Torpedo launchers and the C-Store console can spit out.
The MVAM Prometheus also has Dual Beam Banks, Beam Overload and the SCI captain supplies Sensor Scan (just as good as Attack Pattern Alpha, if not better) and the Holo Fleet works nicely together with the MVAM mode pets.
So more of a Pet Spam build, while not sitting in a Carrier but still having some decent pew pew in it.
so those 2 are not your classical glass cannons, they can take a beating, have something up their sleeve and still do nice dps.
i guess in theory DHCs could work better on maybe both ships, but as i said before, it would be boring if every ship used the same stuff, and i like to keep my builds Canon if possible, Akira and Prometheus both used Beams on TV, so i will not go with cannons on those.
I have DHC on my fed sci ship, and when i made a romulan, i wanted to try something else. SO i made him a tac. Still wanting to go different, i made him use DBB on an escort.
Sure, everyone says DHC on the escort would do MUCH better. But then, why even play him if i'm going to do the exact same thing as my sci character?
Honestly, I would swap out the Torpedo Launcher for a DBB before taking out a DHC.
If you're spreading your abilities across Cannons, Beams, and Torpedoes, you're too unfocused to get the most out of your ship. Either go Cannons & Torpedoes, or Cannons & DBB, not all three.
I will go in alpha and take out the biggest threat then recloak and reposition after buffs wear off. Note this is currently on my romulan VA tac but I use the same setup on my fed and klingon tacticals as well.
My sci use dual beam, and my tac DHC. But I'm waiting for a sales on the Vesta to buy it for my sci, and they will both use DHC.
I just find the DPS of a DBB so slow compared to DHC, I always feel I'll fall asleep.
And you made a ship that's average for everything, instead of a ship really good at something. You are broadsiding, but with less efficiency than a cruiser, you have some teeth in the front, but not as much as an escort, and some mines in the back for some explosions, but not much.
In the end, you probably end up with far less DPS than a broadsing cruiser and a DHC escort. Not to mention, broadsiding with DBB and beam is impossible as their firing arc is not overlapping. Or you need to turn your ship with each shot, which is a waste of time.
Now, it's fine if you talk about having fun, after all, you can do anything you want as long as you don't annoy anyone else. But if you talk about efficiency, well, it's the worst setup I can possibly think. I just hope you are able to have enough DPS, or you don't go into elite with it.
The setup's fallen out of favor lately, but a long time ago it used to be the go-to escort setup. Very hard to run two tactical teams with it, though, unless you're in a Defiant or tactical Kumari.
Thinking of 3 DBB front with the torp, and either 3 BA or two BA and another torp. Or drop one DBB for a BA. Even do 2 DBB and 2 torps front.
Any thoughts from you guys? No, I'm not going to do the cookie cutter escorts have all cannons and turrets. Would I use FAW with a beam escort or just Overload? Sample builds for you guys?
DeltaFox
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I just got my defiant class so I'm not sure what I plan on using on it, but from what I've heard dual cannons work the best.
USS Dallas (NCC361836-A) - Defiant Class
USS Florida (NCC361513) - Sovereign Class (Mirror)
USS Stonewall Jackson (NCC241861) - Prometheus Class
Discussion of energy types aside, you need the same type as whatever are on your front. So if you have phasers, you use phaser turrets.
DeltaFox
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Alrighty thanks bro!
A proper escort does not use normal Dual Cannons unless they are very concerned about the Proc. Most use 3 Dual Heavies and 1 Torp.
However, adding 1 DBB is actually a very good strategy. BO in practically all its marks will strip shields VERY fast and BO 3 basically = One Facing cooked and ready for Torp Death.
Perhaps your correct.. Like everyone I would like to think i've developed some modicum of knowledge in regards to load outs but during any one day, i'm using it in a very general manner against a wide range of ship types from borg probes to mirror battleships to borg cubes. I feel that building in specialization builds in weakness because although you may be extremely good with one type of opponent you end up sorely lacking against everything else. I'm not too concerned though as according to STOICS, my average damage is 1238 DPS with a peak of over 13000 DPS during any given fight.. Yes its true. I set it up to have fun, but isnt fun what a game is supposed to be about?? And yes, I go into elites with it.
What you should do is make a link to your build on stoacademy.com. And create a new thread, you'll get some pointers that way...the console your using is terrible...pick a specific type and boost the helm out of it
My PvE/PvP hybrid skill tree
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