Hey you KDF pros out there!
I'm mainly on my FED Engineer but would like to play a bit more with my tac KDF (just got bored after 2 yrs mostly FED and dont wanna play ROM), and i'd like to have some suggestions on a (tanky(?)) T5 C-Store/Fleet ship (T5 shipyard access possible), on my FED i prefer cruisers and tanky vessels in general (Latest toy i got me was the FACR). I want a ship i can use for for PvE and later also PvP (when i got some acceptable equipment)
I have the standard Negh'Var (that actually doesnt perform bad at all) and the Orion Flight Deck Cruiser from the C-Store giveaway - i'd like to try more carriers since i "only" have the Atrox on my fed, i have an eye on the Fleet Vo'Quv and the Kar'Fi, but i am interested in the fleet Battle Cruisers as well, somehow the Bortas also looks cool (at least for PvE) - budget is 2500 C MAX or any number of FSMs (still wanna get Fleet equip(/pets) so i'd prefer a fleet one to save dil/Zen).
I appreciate any input and already want to say thank you
Comments
Thanks for the input, if t would be a C-Store Bortasqu, what one is the one to "prefer" (your favourite)?
If you want to try a BoP, I bought the fleet Nough (I can't spell KDF ship names!) and was pleasantly surprised by it. It's a mean little thing! And didn't seem to be as fragile as it's stats lead me to believe.
Add to that, you get to launch Birds-of-Prey from your Hanger Bays
Return of Ja'Dok Series (6 Part Series)
Enemy of the Exile Series (4 Part Series)
Task Force Ja'Dok Series (3 Part Series)
The Bortasqu' is a bit more of a challenge. If you set it up right and learn how to fly it, it will hit like a runaway train. The problem: it turns like a runaway train. But that's why God gave us Aux2Dampeners.
...Oh, baby, you know, I've really got to leave you / Oh, I can hear it callin 'me / I said don't you hear it callin' me the way it used to do?...
- Anne Bredon
Let's start with my favourite - the Bortasqu'.
It's the closest thing the KDF has to a Fed. cruiser(not debating wheather it's a good or bad thing). Personally I love it. It's quite the slow turning one, so beams are not out of the question and with 4 or 5 tactical consoles it melts faces anyway. But take it from my experience - if you have the ability to mount DHCs on the Bort, you'll want to sooner or later. I still fly it as a beam boat when I feel like it and if you flied Fed. cruisers it should not be an issue for you.
But when you go into DHC/Turret setup you really witness the raw power of this monster. It vaporizes everything in it's way. The catch - you have to be able to get anything in your way. So as said by others, for this more Klingon oriented setup, you really have to invest in the ship and equipment and also takes a lot of practice and getting used to flying the Bort. However once you master it....well let's say I never stepped out of mine for 1.5 a year now.
I have the 3-pack and I usually use the Command one because I want to slap the 2-piece set for the bonus and it has the sensor analysis that combined with 4 tact. consoles melts faces anyway. When I really feel destructive, I take out the tactical one and just go on rampage lol. If you're going for one of the Bortasqu' ships, I'd recomend the tactical one because of the disruptor autocannon. That thing is epic.
Then we have probably the most popular one - the Tor'kaht.
This one was designed to blow stuff apart no doubt about it. It's very manuverable (for a cruiser) and combined with RCS consoles and good piloting it can bare it's DHC on target and even go into dogfights with some of the escorts. It's strong, it's durable, it packs one hell of a punch and it turns rather nicely. No wonder it's the preferred choice of many KDF palyers.
I would also like to turn your attention to 2 more ships that are not mentioned enough and seem underestimated, but are really good battlecruisers:
The K'maj (Fleet Kamarag), is one very solid cruiser. It's as strong as any KDF cruiser, flies like the Tor'kaht, but also gives you access to sci. ablities to play around with if that's your thing. I really like this ship, I think it's one of the better cruisers in the game.
The fleet K'tinga - well, I guess this one falls into the category of escort/cruiser hybids or light cruisers. It has the best manouverability of all cruisers, but least hull. The console/boff layout is very solid and many experienced KDF battlecruiser pilots don't hide their love for this one.
At the end, the fleet Corsair is worth taking a look at as well. Especially if you want to try and play around with a hangar. But you play this one mostly as a Fed. cruiser - no cloak, slow turning, no DHC. Mostly dependant on beams although it can be tuned to go with single cannon/turret setup.
But that's not what Klingon cruisers are about. You need DHC to feel the rage of a Klingon cruiser and the cloak is nice for the initial decloak alpha.
What would I personally recomend? Well, if I put aside my love for the Bortasqu' - I would say it's a close tie between the Bortasqu' and Tor'kaht(depending on playstyle), with the K'maj(fleet Kamarag) being also considered and seriously looked at.
Please tell me you didn't put Elachi Turrets on it.
Elachi weapons penetrate shields but only once every 5s, so you want that to be a DHC not a Turret. Not to mention normal Disruptor Turrets put up the Damage resist debuff.
If I ask you a question it is not an insult but a genuine attempt to understand why.
When I insult you I won't be discreet about it, I will be precise and to the point stupid.
Try a carrier, fly a battle cruiser, have fun with a lot of ships, but don't invest too much in anything but a true tactician's ship that needs to be optimized when you will feel ready for PvP. The Mirror ships are cheap and 100% sufficient for all PvE content (except the no-win scenario where you need an escort/destroyer anyway).
I recommend you to take a look at my escort and destroyer table. You will see that good options for the Klingon factions are actually more diverse than for other factions because you have access to birds-of-prey, quite unique ships indeed. The Hoh'SuS and the Norgh have already a lot to offer, and to compare with them, you can check Lobi ships like the Krenn, the S'Golth, the Tal Shiar adapted Destroyer. The prices of the latter two have been decreasing lately, they are cheaper than the usual 70-80M credits.
There are plenty of options, everyone can find one's own way.
The Guramba? looks pretty weak to me actually, can it compete with "heavy" Fed T5 escorts like a Fleet Patrol or an Armitage? It lacks of a console (but i admit it has a cool BOFF layout (same as the Patrol)).
But as i said, i'd more prefer a Battle Cruiser/Carrier/Battle Carrier
And since there are the Dil Mine-RCS it's much easier to find a good compromise between DMG res and Maneuverability...
Thx for the offer i'll shoot you a mail the following time (depends on when i go on next time).
I bought the 3-pack when it came out and played around with the different variants and the console set but now I really just stick with the tac variant and the console that comes with it (disruptor autocannon.)
The 2pc bonus is nice, and the subspace snare is great for snagging an unsuspecting tacscort at Ker'rat, but you're better off slotting in a +turn neutronium console or a tachyokinetic convertor or something instead.
So if you're not looking for anything fancier than max pewpew, just grab the Tac Bortasqu'.
...Oh, baby, you know, I've really got to leave you / Oh, I can hear it callin 'me / I said don't you hear it callin' me the way it used to do?...
- Anne Bredon
I got the three pack when it came out since it is cheaper together than piecemealing it. I'm not particularly fond of it, but at least all varients are unlocked for all my characters if the ship later strikes my fancy.
I have the 3 pac but I use the tac version most, if i could only have 1 that would be it. As for what others are saying about the bort, its love/hate. It is a extremely high learning curve high payout ship when using DHC. For someone like me who is experienced in handling it with DHC, it is much better then the Fleet Torkaht, which I haven't bothered using in months. The Bortasqu is tankier, has a much more versatile boff layout, and 5 tac consoles on the tac version, and the autocannon can hit hard at times and is fun. I don't see a need to give that up for the extra turn rate the Torkaht gets, especially since LoR with all the stuff that buffs turn being improved like RCS, impulse thrusters, epte, aux2id with doff, and the dil mine consoles.
Also if you feel like loading beams on it and playing like a fed cruiser, the tac Bort outperforms all of them doing that to.
Look at a Fleet Advanced Escort if you want a good comparison ; enjoy the 5th tactical console and the ability to use a Gravity Well 1 in order to keep your targets in pack...
If you want something close to a carrier but effective for a tactical captain, the Jem'Hadar Heavy Escort Carrier is a wonderful option (38K of hull, the same as some battle cruisers). If you want something close to a battle cruiser, consider the Tal Shiar Adapted Destroyer (39K of hull, more than some battle cruisers). If you were a Romulan, I would point out at the Mogai retrofit, less expensive...
I agree.
Pick up the Mirror ships (Vo'Quv, Vor'cha and Qin) before spending Zen.
The Mirror Vor'cha isn't bad in a Tac role.
RIP KDF and PvP 2014-07-17 Season 9.5 - Death by Dev
It's nice to see this. Even if it's rare. Or maybe because it is rare.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAAgaD-zbotq2By_2-8qqIg?feature=results_main
I'm sure somewhere on there you will find videos on various top level KDF ships.
The little N'Orgh is, IMO, the best, toughest and hottest BOP in the game. It delivers a staggering Alpha strike and generally has incredible burst damage. Running STF's I can usually sweep in on something that 2 or 3 cruisers have been whittling on and chew it to bits on the first pass. I used to be all about my Hegh'Ta before I got the N'Orgh. Just wish they'd give us a B'Rel skin for it... won't happen but would be nice as that's the iconic BOP look.
The Torkaht is the one everyone loves. It's fast and nimble enough to qualify it as an assault cruiser. Some run cannons or DHC on theirs and I've done it but have found that a beam boat with beam arrays aft and beam arrays/DBB's fore is what works best for me. That allows me to run FAW and BO. It's tough, durable, hard to kill and packs a tremendous wallop. In the unique Fleet skin it looks, to me, like a giant beaked turtle...
The Fleet K'Tinga is a true assault cruiser. Not as tough as the Torkhat and certainly not as nimble as a BOP it's the best marriage of cruiser and raptor. Great for most things short of PVP (but I have seen them in PVP). I've run mine with cannons and beams... works well either way. In fact the Fleet K'Tinga can take just about any layout you wanna go with.
A lot of it depends on your style of play and what you want to do with your Tac. Right now I'm favoring BOP's (KDF) and Escorts (Fed). Next month I'll probably be back in cruisers heheheheh.