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Mixing beams + cannons. Good idea?

spotter5spotter5 Member Posts: 42 Arc User
edited April 2014 in Federation Discussion
Planning on getting the fleet Gal X tomorrow. just wondering if it's "okay" to mix beams with cannons? I wounldt call myself a DPS hound but I don't want to gimp my ship unnecessarily.

So, I was thinking

3 dual heavy/dual cannons + 1 dual beam bank up front

4 turrets at the back (maaaybe the wide angle quantum torp instead of a turret)

or

2 beam arrays/1 dual beam bank + 1 dual heavy cannons

4 beams at back

What do you guys think?
Post edited by spotter5 on

Comments

  • nobletnoblet Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Sure, you can do it. It'll just suck.;)
  • variant37variant37 Member Posts: 867 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Agree with noblet. Just like the Bortasqu' or the D'Deridex, just because you can throw DHCs on it doesn't mean you should.
  • spotter5spotter5 Member Posts: 42 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Alright, nice feedback. What exactly would make it suck though? The power drain? the boff powers?
  • variant37variant37 Member Posts: 867 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    spotter5 wrote: »
    Alright, nice feedback. What exactly would make it suck though? The power drain? the boff powers?

    The fact that it turns like a pig, just like the other 2 ships I named. You're not going to have targets in your forward firing arc very often.
  • baudlbaudl Member Posts: 4,060 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    spotter5 wrote: »
    Planning on getting the fleet Gal X tomorrow. just wondering if it's "okay" to mix beams with cannons? I wounldt call myself a DPS hound but I don't want to gimp my ship unnecessarily.

    So, I was thinking

    3 dual heavy/dual cannons + 1 dual beam bank up front

    4 turrets at the back (maaaybe the wide angle quantum torp instead of a turret)

    or

    2 beam arrays/1 dual beam bank + 1 dual heavy cannons

    4 beams at back

    What do you guys think?

    the 3 DHC and 1 DBB is ok, if you got access to high BO ability...but on the galaxy x, you kind of lack the tac boff slots for it.
    works on escorts with a lot of tac boff slots.

    the rest is really just gimping your build.
    Go pro or go home
  • spotter5spotter5 Member Posts: 42 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Wouldn't the synergy with the two Galaxy consoles which give the +2 turnrate and adding in those fleet consoles with the turnrate boost help mitigate the turnrate problemn though?

    Thanks for the feedback though! Will probably just stick to one weapon type for her. Shame it doesnt have a commander tac station though

    Always wanted to get the Gal X :D
  • thecosmic1thecosmic1 Member Posts: 9,365 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    What I suggest you do is spend some time flying around a T4 Galaxy loaded with Dual Beam Banks. Spend some time seeing how well you can bring the ship's forward-firing weapons to bear. That will give you a rough idea of what it is like to fly a Galaxy X.

    Yes, the Set Bonus will give you +2 to Turn, but you are still only an 8 even with that - and you have given up 2 Console slots to get that.

    The Galaxy X tends to try for an alpha strike coming out of Cloak. That way they get the cannon on target while no one can see them.

    The Saucer Separation will help quite a bit, though - assuming you want to constantly fight that way.
    STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
  • reginamala78reginamala78 Member Posts: 4,593 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    You could always do DHCs and turrets, run a single cannon ability with A2B CD-reduction, run with the lid off for the maneuverability. Of course in that case you're basically just an escort anyways, in which case why not run an actual escort? You certainly could make it work as a sorta 'heavy vaper,' its just kind of a square-peg-round-hole sort of thing.
  • rerednawrerednaw Member Posts: 159 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Depends on your style of play.

    If every last bit of DPS matters, then avoid cannons on a cruiser.
    If you are okay with the reduction, then roll with it.

    Out of your two options I would probably go with the second set. It will give you difficulty in heavy traffic...but normal PvE should run just fine.

    I fly a torp boat (non-fleet) myself and I mixed some cannons and turrets along with the torps. Mind you I don't normally run the elites....but I have seen some folks manage elites in a Connie and not die nor finish last.

    Experiment, fly a few random patrols and see what works for you. And have fun!
  • paxfederaticapaxfederatica Member Posts: 1,496 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    One thing I've been doing on some of my cruisers is putting only DBBs (and one torpedo) in front and only beam arrays aft - except for one turret. This is because without a turret, there is a 10-degree arc on each side that is beyond the arc of either beam type. Adding the single turret covers those last 20 degrees and still gives a little extra firepower in the rest of the arc, albeit not as much as another beam array would.
  • nobletnoblet Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    One thing I've been doing on some of my cruisers is putting only DBBs (and one torpedo) in front and only beam arrays aft - except for one turret. This is because without a turret, there is a 10-degree arc on each side that is beyond the arc of either beam type. Adding the single turret covers those last 20 degrees and still gives a little extra firepower in the rest of the arc, albeit not as much as another beam array would.

    Seriously? Just fit all beam arrays...;)
  • silverwidow2silverwidow2 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    not sure if your interested with a different ship but this is my avenger setup

    http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=dardanosone_0


    running beams and cannons and have yet found anything in PvE I cant destroy in seconds. even on the tribble server the undine get hammered hard.
  • gofasternowgofasternow Member Posts: 1,390 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I got a Fleet Gal-X and frankly, I think you're better off with just Beams. I tried a few builds myself, but one of the bad things about the poor Gal-X is that it has the Console power, just not the BOFF power.

    IMO, it should have been laid out like the Fleet Support Cruiser. That thing is a beaut.
  • ltdata96ltdata96 Member Posts: 15 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    Cannons work in combination with Saucer Seperation turn rate wise though the Dreadnought lacks of Tactical Boff spaces to support them.
    I'd recommend going all beams.
  • angrytargangrytarg Member Posts: 11,009 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I combine beams and cannons on a lot of ship for canon/aesthetic reasons - Klingons do that and the Galaxy Refit shows to cannons on it's saucer which justify the use of turrets or a cannon in my opinion. It's fun and works.

    If you go for number pushing and "owning" the game then it will most likely not work in your favour due to the simple fact that two different weapon types are affected by different abilities which, considering the limited room you have to slot abilities, equal less efficient use of your weapons.
    lFC4bt2.gif
    ^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
    "No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
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  • norobladnoroblad Member Posts: 2,624 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    There are a few places where mixing the two happen:

    - if you need a beam for a special attack, such as sci-ship system attack or if you want a BO3 attack in your lineup. I honestly dislike the 1 beam B03 idea but some people do it.

    - aft weapons. AP cannon ships might have the omni aft. DBB ships might have a turret aft.

    In general it is better to try to stick to all one type but all one type means one of 2 builds -- all beam arrays in a broadside boat or cannons & turrets. All beam arrays is senseless in a forward facing ship like a scimitar and turrets are awful so many replace 1 or 2 aft turrets with the ap and cutting beams.
  • ryakidrysryakidrys Member Posts: 830 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    the short answer is that beam arrays are one play style and dual heavy cannons are another. If you mix them, you will not do the best you can do for the sake of flexibility. Maximize for one play style.
  • nippeli222nippeli222 Member Posts: 56 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    I have on my venture-x dreadnought cruiser


    Fore
    two dual heavy cannons and one dual beam bank

    Aft
    three turrets and a beam array or four turrets

    works like a PERFECT for me
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  • warmaker001bwarmaker001b Member Posts: 9,205 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    Mixing beams & cannons and completely forsaking projectiles will be efficient with your skillpoints. Specifically, with a beam & cannon setup, I imagine an Escort/Raider/Destroyer with DHCs & 1 DBB utilizing CRF/CSV + BO.

    You can do the same with certain Cruisers / Battlecruisers, but since they generally only have LtCdr TAC at best, you will have some severe compromises in TAC ability space. Escorts and such are best for such setups.
    XzRTofz.gif
  • dahminusdahminus Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited April 2014
    The lack of tactical boff slots to support both is the most glaring offender here.

    It is better to go one or the another
    Chive on and prosper, eh?

    My PvE/PvP hybrid skill tree
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