Mirror Heavy Cruisers: Surprisingly Beastly

cptrichardson12 · February 2014

For a 'mere' 9-console ship, the Mirror Heavy Cruisers are a surprisingly effective vessel. They pack the turn rate of an escort with even 'meh' tier RCS thrusters, while they don't have any particularly strongly endowed areas in terms of consoles they aren't lacking in any area either, with any reasonable skill allocation they have a hull well into the 40k+ area, and the bridge officer seating is almost ideal (could swap the lt. engineering for the ens tac).

The thing is basically an ultra heavy cannonless escort.

orangeitis · February 2014

Hes, tier 5 Heavy Cruisers are great. I have a fleet HC, and I fly it without any keybind TRIBBLE(never got the hang of setting any of that up), and it's one of my best ships.

Also, the Constellation saucer got accidentally put in already on mirror and fleet variants, so there's that too.

kimmym · February 2014

Even tho I have the Fleet Ambassador, I've been thinking of picking one of these up, if just to fly something different for a day or 2 before I discharge her.

At risk off setting of the Gal-R crew... I would really have loved to seen this as a mirror Galaxy instead...

gofasternow · February 2014

It's an under-appreciated ship and the Mirror version certainly shows that it can be awesome. I think one of the things that hurt it is because, when leveling up, it usually gets dwarfed by the Support Cruiser and it's a Tier 1 Fleet ship and all the "good" ships are Tier 3 and beyond.

futurepastnow · February 2014

They're very well-rounded ships. Too bad we won't see 10-console versions with that boff layout.

kimmym · February 2014

futurepastnow wrote: »

They're very well-rounded ships. Too bad we won't see 10-console versions with that boff layout.

I still hold out hope that one day we get a Mirror Universe expansion that lets us play our current Fed characters as their Mirror Universe counterpart, complete with ships switching over...

It will likely never happen... but... If we keep getting mirror ships eventually we will have mirror skins for every ship... If only unlocking the mirror skin also unlocked the I.S.S. Prefix...

Edit: WTB mirror Defiant as well... Hell, that one is even canon!

orangeitis · February 2014

futurepastnow wrote: »

They're very well-rounded ships. Too bad we won't see 10-console versions with that boff layout.

Unless of course we get a fleet holding in the mirror universe. Which is pretty possible with Stephen D'Angelo, the guy who wants moar and moar grinds, at the helm.

kimmym · February 2014

orangeitis wrote: »

Unless of course we get a fleet holding in the mirror universe. Which is pretty possible with Stephen D'Angelo, the guy who wants moar and moar grinds, at the helm.

Oh my...

That is even more likely then my dreams!

Somebody, make it happen!

Edit: So I can fly a 10-slot mirror beta vector! Oh my I think I'm having a nerdgasm...

orangeitis · February 2014

I remember making the suggestion a couple months ago.

(thread's dead, do not reply in it)

baudl · February 2014

futurepastnow wrote: »

They're very well-rounded ships. Too bad we won't see 10-console versions with that boff layout.

well there is, the fleet ambassador...it only has 7 turn, but that can't srsly be an obstacle when it comes to cruisers.
If there was a 2-3 turnrate difference that would be a gamechanging difference, but 1, not really.

ursusmorologus · February 2014

I have flown the Ambassador for the past year as one of main ships on my engi, and it is really a support cruiser in the true sense. The conosle layout, the BOFF layout, the power distribution, ... you are not expected to do a lot of damage, rather you're optimized to provide some CC and team heals in support of the tactical ships. Ambassador stats in particular lend itself to this role, due to the heavyish hull and moderate turn-rate, you can get in the middle of the fed ball and throw out Extend Shields and HE while also dropping gravwell for some CC.

(Prime Universe) Heavy Cruiser is more of an engineering attack cruiser, its fast and agile, stacking AtD and EPtW3 and DEM3 and whatever to do the most damage that a pure engi cruiser can allow.

Mirror Heavy Cruiser is ... something different from both of those. Not a support cruiser with that speed and weak hull, not an engi attack cruiser, now its more of an engi-heavy destroyer that cannot mount DHCs [?]. Strange bird ... DBBs/single cannons, a litte CC, and build a forward-firing cruiser for spawn-camping.

kimmym · February 2014

The Fleet Ambassador really surprised me how much I came to love her.

I already had the Odyssey pack and was flying a ScOdy, and thought next to her she was a waste of a ship slot.

Tough little ship... They really are quite comparable to each other. A truer tie I'm not sure I've ever witnessed, save for cases of straight up cut and paste. I still switch between the 2, not sure which one I like better.

cptrichardson12 · February 2014

Actually, I do notice a rather sizable difference in helm performance vs. my Fleet Ambasador.

Which is basically the closest ship in stats to this thing. It does have the advantage of a fourth engine console and the ability to mount two tac Lt's vs. this little ship.

But, the turn rate and as far as I can tell noticeably higher speed favors the MHC.

The best build I've yet found for it is a bomber style. Three DBB forward, alongside a special torpedo (tricobalt or gravimetric photon for the splash), and turrets alongside a cluster torpedo rear. This gives you a 1-2-3 punch. First, you fire a gravity well at a mob group, bundling them up. Then you hit aux2batt and activate fire at will 1 and high yield 2.

That gives you a tight cluster of enemies with their shields depleted getting hit with either a tricobalt device or a grav photon for extra hold. Then as you swing out, you lay the transphasic cluster in their face and pop evasive to come around for another go.

steaen · February 2014

I picked one of these up for 100k from the Exchange on Thursday - plenty of people opening their Hirogen lockboxes and them dumping these babies. I saw the asking prices drop from 1 Million to the aforementioned 100k in literally 15 mins.

Am I pleased with my investment? Yes, without a doubt. I picked it up really as a novelty thing - I've always had a soft spot for cruisers, and I like the 4 Nacelle thing - but I've found it to be a surprisingly good ship, especially for the booby prize in a Lockbox.

I'd definitely recommend grabbing one if you can.

captainoblivous · February 2014

I have to say, I'd really like to see a fleet variant of the mirror cheyenne replace the current fleet cheyenne.

knightdmosaic170 · February 2014

I over payed for mine clearly. I couldn't find one for a 100K. I ended up dishing out 300K for mine.

That being said, I picked it up because I collect the Mirror ships. I took it out for a ride and find it almost as good as my Fleet Excel. The layout is damn effective. I like the Lieutenant Commander Science station. However, now I am torn between my fleet Excel and this Mirror cruiser. It reminds me allot of my time using a Venture, one of my favorite ships in the game.

Give this ship a Fleet Version and I would abandon the Fleet Excel in a heart beat.

kimony · February 2014

I am enjoying my new heavy cruiser worth every ec (198,000).

Hey ship builders, great job on the Constellation saucer! LOVE it!!

Any chance we might get the proper hull, pylons and nacelles for that lovely Constellation saucer?

Thank you!

litchy74 · February 2014

I love doing a good bio for my toons, my Tac romulan is out of favour with the brass etc etc, but my question is, can fed allined roms fly the mirror ships or are they fed only? This heavy cruiser would suit his story.

kamakaze101 · February 2014

I have a "less than" optional build. But it works great for Any sort of PVE, even stfs of any sort. I like the tis Connie beams, have x6 on it, adva. Fleet photon up front (upgrading to a chromatin or quantum later) and cluster on back. Forward it packs a punch. Sideways? Please. Tholian recluse in 10-30 secs, depending how u time it. It works quite well. I know the Connie phasers arnt the best, but I want to upgrade to the mission ones, they do Xtra dmg. But I'm lazy so I have only 1 forward if those. Looks and sounds amazing though. DEVS! I demand dual beam bank Connie phasers!!! I actually have no time on it. Ill try do get one and post it. That's just a guess.

Edit: I don't pvp. I meant pve

tom61sto · February 2014

litchy74 wrote: »

I love doing a good bio for my toons, my Tac romulan is out of favour with the brass etc etc, but my question is, can fed allined roms fly the mirror ships or are they fed only? This heavy cruiser would suit his story.

Nope. Fed Only for anything level 40 or higher for Fed faction ships, mirror universe or no.

robeasom · February 2014

kimmym wrote: »

I still hold out hope that one day we get a Mirror Universe expansion that lets us play our current Fed characters as their Mirror Universe counterpart, complete with ships switching over...

It will likely never happen... but... If we keep getting mirror ships eventually we will have mirror skins for every ship... If only unlocking the mirror skin also unlocked the I.S.S. Prefix...

Edit: WTB mirror Defiant as well... Hell, that one is even canon!

They still have to release a mirror universe internal bridge skin. I hate not seeing the terran empire logo on the turbolift doors

cptrichardson12 · February 2014

I was thinking about poking Jamjamz about getting him to petition the rest of the dev team to make a Prime universe version of this layout labeled as a 'Patrol Cruiser'.

Amp the impulse modifier up by 3 or four points, maybe swap ens tac around for a sci ensign and a second lt. tac Flavor text being that Starfleet got ahold of a mirror heavy cruiser and adopted the design as a fast patrol cruiser to pin down incursions into their space and zoom ahead to hold the line long enough for fleet elements to show up.

By the way, getting a 'heavy' Constellation class hull that's a lot thicker across would be pretty sweet as a variant.

lasonio · February 2014

I have no idea what the mirror universe people are eating and drinking but they know how to make a battleship.

both aesthetically pleasing and can hold it's own. I think I flew my mirror patrol escort for a long long long long long time till I got the chimera and now i fly the fleet chimera, but from time to time I look at the USS Amara Lee and think what could have been.... now i want a mirror Chimera, lets make it happen people!

If given an option I would play a mirror universe faction in a heart beat.

wraithxii · February 2014

I use the Prime universe version as my main ship. To me, it's the best ship in the game. It really fits my play style. I also really like the looks and I like the boff set up. I picked this up because I wanted to have an I.S.S. version of my main ship. They are both great ships that are completely ignored by most STO players. The only change that I would make to both, is to up the inertia rate. It should be the same as the Avenger since it's a smaller ship. It doesn't make sense that it's inertia is worse than an Excelsior. A Turn rate bump of one or two I wouldn't be against, either.

cptrichardson12 · February 2014

wraithxii wrote: »

I use the Prime universe version as my main ship. To me, it's the best ship in the game. It really fits my play style. I also really like the looks and I like the boff set up. I picked this up because I wanted to have an I.S.S. version of my main ship. They are both great ships that are completely ignored by most STO players. The only change that I would make to both, is to up the inertia rate. It should be the same as the Avenger since it's a smaller ship. It doesn't make sense that it's inertia is worse than an Excelsior. A Turn rate bump of one or two I wouldn't be against, either.

I like the inertia. It gives it the occasional slide and makes it feel more like an aircraft performing high-g manuvers. But the prime version of it... yeah, uh, we've got better options. MUCH better options even for what it does. But this config is only represented either by a fleet edition ship, or something no longer being handed out (Support Cruiser Refit) and is available for EC. Much better.

farmallm · February 2014

I like seeing how the ship does, so far its looking good. And I do plan on buying it off the exchange soon as I can. I was wanting the "Prime" version, however I have to really invest into getting it, where this version is lot cheaper.

I been wanting this ship for a while to use. Looking forward to getting it.

ussdanube · February 2014

Sorry to ask but are we only getting the Constellation Saucer? Or are we also getting the hull, pylons and nacelles?

orangeitis · February 2014

^ don't know yet. Some speculate we'll get the rest of the Constellation in season 9, possibly as a C-store item.

rmy1081 · February 2014

ussdanube wrote: »

Sorry to ask but are we only getting the Constellation Saucer? Or are we also getting the hull, pylons and nacelles?

The Constellation Saucer was a total surprise and I don't think they meant for it to get out. Hopefully we get it, but only the devs know. I really like it and it's nice to have more actual star trek ships from the shows in the game. It's much more immersing .

The ship though is great

It's really balanced and fun to fly.

dontdrunkimshoot · February 2014

kimmym wrote: »

Even tho I have the Fleet Ambassador, I've been thinking of picking one of these up, if just to fly something different for a day or 2 before I discharge her.

At risk off setting of the Gal-R crew... I would really have loved to seen this as a mirror Galaxy instead...

if they pattern the next box's mirror ships off these ones, theres a good chance a ktinga and galaxy would be next, those are the counterparts of these ships. and if these have a LTC sci, those might have an LTC tac. an LTC tac ktinga, and galaxy, that would be christmas, i dont even care if they are 9 consoled. i love the ktinga, all its missing is some higher end tac skills imo. a galaxy that can put up more of a fight, id love that too, who doesn't want to kick some TRIBBLE in their favorite canon ship?

the best part about these mirror ships though is thier console setup. though they have only 9, they end up missing the console that honestly helps them out the least. only in the mirror universe can cruisers have 3 eng consoles i guess lol. hope the potentual mirror galaxy and ktinga are 3 across the board as well.

farmallm · February 2014

ussdanube wrote: »

Sorry to ask but are we only getting the Constellation Saucer? Or are we also getting the hull, pylons and nacelles?

I got mine the other day when I logged on for a short time. You only get the saucer section for now. It does gives it a more interesting look. Time will tell if they add the rest of the Constellation to it.

Mirror Heavy Cruisers: Surprisingly Beastly

Comments