Rate my Andoran ship build

apostles12 · June 2013

Hey all,

In prep for my getting to VA, I just wanted to run through my intended build for STF's and Elites.

Now I am fully aware that my skills should be ok but for sanity's sake it's the GorillaP's build for the Patrol Escort on stoacedemy. Links wont work here at work

With that done I was thinking about the Charal Escort ship. Reason being is that it has the right amount of Engi consoles while the Luit Universal can be used by my sci BOFF. I figured the extra 2 Engi consoles would come in handy for something correct me if I am wrong. I really love the look of those Andoran ships and I having flown escorts all throughout my career, something different at VA would be a good game changer. Otherwise it's the Heavy Escort Carrier to which I know what goes best in that.

That said here was the layout I had in mind. Please be brutal with your critique as I want something that can really help my team not hinder. FYI it goes without saying I am not rainbow-ing my weapons.

Forward Weapons: 2x Dual Cannons, 1x Quantum Torpedo and wing cannons
Rear Weapons: 2x Turrets

Deflector: Aegis then Borg
Engines: Aegis then Borg
Shield: Aegis then MACO

Engineering Consoles: Neutronium Alloy, Zero-Point Energy Conduit & ?? x2 I have a grappler and the Phaser Point defence console so these could go here surely
Science Consoles: Field Generator, Assimilated Module but two other consoles before I get these as fillers
Tactical Consoles: 3x Phaser Relay, 1x Zero Point Quantum Chamber

Devices: Subspace Field Modulator and Red Matter Capacitor

Bridge Officer Skills -

Commander Tactical: Tactical Team 1, Attack Pattern Beta 1, Torpedo High Yield 3, Cannon Rapid Fire 3
Lt. Commander Tactical: Tactical Team 1, Cannon Rapid Fire 1, Attack Pattern Beta 2
Lieutenant Science: Transfer Shield Strength 1, Hazard Emitters 2
Lieutenant Engineering: Emergency Power to Shields 1, Reverse Shield Polarity 1
Ensign Engineering: Emergency Power to Shields 1

I notice that peeps run alot of the escort builds with Torp Spreads and Scatter volleys. I love rapid fire and high yields but is the difference gimping myself if I dont go with spreads and scatters? I just love smashing a single target but is it such that the spread and volleys hit borg cubes all over the shop given their size?

And another thing, I can use Dual cannons as opposed to heavies correct? I have read a few times on here that the difference is negligible.

Please let me know what you think and if I am on the right or wrong track.

Thanks forum
Apostles

crusty8mac · June 2013

I would use DHCs instead of just DCs.

And for STFs, I prefer polarize hull instead of transfer shield strength for the tractor beam holds the Borg throw out. Looks like you have plenty of shield heals without the TSS.

I agree about using concentrated fire instead of scatter fire, except that scatter fire on the orion ships just looks so awesome from the captain's chair.

You might also try a full borg set for the tractor beam. There is nothing quite like holding your target in place while you pound them with all your cannons.

sander233 · June 2013

crusty8mac wrote: »

You might also try a full borg set for the tractor beam. There is nothing quite like holding your target in place while you pound them with all your cannons.

I do this on my Khyzon. With two or three field gen consoles it's not as squishy as you may think, and those shields come back up fast. I'm going to try swapping the field gens for emitter amps and see if I can't get the regen rate to outrun the incoming damage. :eek:

apostles12 · June 2013

Thanks so far guys for your advice.

I will probably move to the scatter volley and spreads when I get to actually doing these borg and other STF's. I think the single target alpha strikes I have been doing will come in handy whilst I level up.

Any other escort flyers want to chime in?

Thanks in advance
Apostles

raly95 · June 2013

Couple of thoughts / suggestions

I didn't see any bridge officer ability to break tractor beams. While evasive maneuvers can work, I like to fit either Polarize Hull (SCI) or Attack Pattern Omega (TAC) somewhere in the build. Borg use tractor beams like crazy in STFs, and a number of other NPCs have them too.

The great thing about APO is that it not only breaks tractors, but boosts speed and damage. I'd replace the APB2 you have with APO1, or even consider replacing CRF3 with APO3, then putting CRF2 in the APB2 slot.

I like having one copy of CRF and one copy of CSV, so as to have the ability to AOE groups but also focus on single targets (or avoid drawing Gate aggro)

My own preference is to try and have two hull heals, but you lose a shield heal for that. RSP is a great 'oh TRIBBLE' button on the escort, but Aux to Structural 1 can also be a great backup for when Hazard Emitters is on cooldown.

I would also look at an electro-ceramic armor console for STFs (gives a resist to plasma) and can be swapped in/out for STFs

One last suggestion, while I liked the Aegis set when it first came out, if you are looking for a ship set to use until you unlock the borg / MACO stuff from the rep system I would recommend taking a look at the jeh'hadar set that is free from the DS9 series episodes or even the breen set from the defari episodes. While not optimum, they are free (quest reward) sets and are decent mk XI purple sets to use while grinding out rep unlocks.

jadensecura · June 2013

The difference between Dual Cannons and Dual Heavy Cannons is small, but not negligible, it'll probably be something like 5%, so get the DHCs if you can. You'll also eventually want to swap out one of the turrets for the Kinetic Cutting Beam, especially if you keep CRF (the only disadvantage to the KCB is it can't be AoEd). Charal is a great ship, I'd tend toward the Khyzon (same ship but with the fixed Lt. as a Sci and 4 Sci consoles and 2 Eng consoles) but it's not a large difference, and I might be alone in that. Note that it gets 5 forward weapons, so you'll want another cannon on there. The standard advice is to go for all energy damage consoles in tac slots (max out the buffs to the main thing you're using rather than spreading them around). Look for Plasmonic Leech, it's a very nice powerful console, and will usually be better than the Grappler (except perhaps in PvP, I'm not too familiar with that environment, and doing PvP would require you to have a tractor breaker, either APO or PH, while in PvE you really don't need it). I'd also swap CRF3 and APB1, it's generally better to have a higher level attack pattern instead of a higher level cannon ability. I also find A2SIF more useful than RSP, although both are good choices. I do prefer CSV and TS to CRF and THY, although TS3 isn't really a great choice since it's advantage is just to hit more targets, and TS1 hits as many targets as CSV. Finally, I'd agree with raly95 that you could do well with a much cheaper Jem set rather than spending 3+ mil ec on Aegis, or a ton of dil. Another option would be Exchange gear, you can get blue Mk XIIs for roughly the price you'd vendor them at, and a [Pla] resilient shield and Positron deflector will probably do better in Borg STFs, although the Jem shield is stronger in other content, and the Jem engine is one of the nicest in the game (very good movement stats and a nice weapon power bonus as well).

apostles12 · June 2013

Thanks all for your valuable input.

Leaves me with some things to think about. Thanks again for all the advice.

Cheers
Apostles

byzanathos · June 2013

I personally wouldn't bother with the quantum torp and high yeald, if you stick with the torp I think spread is better with quant or photon, HY is good with plasma, a plasma HY is slow and targetable but at least it does significant damage. Great on stationary or slowed targets from close rage.

I'd be lying if i said I had numbers, just from my experience playing. All My builds I have are from trial and error not pulled from forums so they also kinda work the way I play.

I would get a DBB and use overload and put mines in the boot rather than Turrets

DBB overload can hit really hard and it's instant damage with longer range than torp and better against shields and fast moving targets.

mines can be situational but in the right situation they are awesome, like a target stumbles into range of 12 of your mines it will be hit hard and easily make up for the loss of turrets. Mines also help take down structures in STF's, just get close enough for them to be in range.

I find creating situations where you can do a burst of damage is better than prolonged DPS so mines > turrets for me.

Doing STF's consider tractor beam

with the recent changes spheres now move around the map like crazy using EPtoE and can out run mines and torpedos. Usually in a good group a tractor beam on a sphere will mean it dies. Honestly I go into STFs now and watch noobs chase spheres around the map trying and failing to keep them in range and I sit in one spot and when one flys in range it get tractor-ed and mined/cannoned down in no time.

I also like to use polarons and energy syphon because it seriously slows them down by draining their engine power. but that may not be fit for escorts.

Rate my Andoran ship build

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