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Explain to me DBB on slow Cruisers
weelerd
Member Posts: 22 Arc User
There are numerous players who fly large and slow Federation cruisers equipped with dual beam banks. The low inertia and wide turning angles of particular Federation cruisers, like the Odyssey for example, is so commonly known that explaining these drawbacks does not seem worthwhile. Low inertia and wide turning angles of Federation cruisers couple with the relatively narrow firing angle of dual beam banks appears at first to be counter intuitive to ship design. Given such a design would have on combat performance, I have to wonder why players who choose to fly their ships this way choose to do so.
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On a traditional 8 slot cruiser with 4 fwd / 4 aft setup, I never do that. Going forward heavy negates most of the 4 aft slots. 1 omnibeam, 1 KCB at the rear, with maybe 2 turrets not getting the benefit of any tactical attack buffs. It's a very large waste. And Cruisers don't have the TAC station count to be throwing in Beam and Cannon abilities all around unless Attack Patterns are being forsaken completely.
The other issue is how a front-heavy build is flown. They're typically flown where you need to maintain that forward arc on the targets. In many cases this negates movement and nudges you towards turreting, resulting in minimal to zero bonus defense (and more TRIBBLE hitting you). Or if you DO want to maintain speed, bonus defense, then you're resorting to attack runs... Buff up, fly towards the target, fire everything, then break off, circle around for another run. It works, but that's time your forward weapons are not pummeling the target.
Compared to a traditional beamboat using beam arrays where you can maintain good movement, turning, while still presenting broadsides to the target. You maintain better speed, bonus defense, less TRIBBLE hitting you. It's much easier to fly, much safer, while still giving a lot of firepower.
I run the Vesta Class and even I use the standard beam arrays on it since I use BFAW a lot with torp spread.
At least, that's what I do, so that charging in before broadsiding would have a little more punch on approach. As well, I have to sometimes aim forward to bring my Boff abilities to bear, so the DBB picks up a bit of the slack.
Suboptimal probably, but it's worked thus far, and since I use an RCS console to speed between front and side, isn't much of a problem.
Use Evasive Manuevers to reposition.
Nukara Appropriated Munitions.
The Hyper-Dual Refracting Tetryon Beam Bank with Refracting Assault is a glorious murderbeam light show when using fire at will against a crowd of enemies. Because 1 of your rear slots is filled with a mine launcher you only have to to carry 1 turret, and have the other slots filled with a kinetic cutting beam and an omni array.
As for turning with said loadout, I either go to 1/4th speed and slowly creep forward or go in reverse. Granted, in my case I am using the benthan cruiser, which is far more maneuverable than many other cruisers, it's also carrying a Universal - Hydrodynamics Compensator and Tachyokinetic Converter. That being said, the arc of the DBB is a lot wider than it seems and even when I have tried them on more cumbersome ships hitting a target was not an issue.
That is ... not good advice *if* you want high DPS.
If you know what your doing to accommodate for speed, console, trait, specs, you can run DBB's on cruisers.
Since when is "park and shoot" not working? Park at 3k away from a stationary and let'er rip. Especially with a DBB cruiser - keeps everything in arc while you intensify the forward firepower.
Works really well on my scimitar, but when i tried copy the layout on elachi sheshar, the ship is to slow for that
Basically, in PVE, pretty much anything is possible if you understand AI behaviour. If your target is busy somewhere else or is even slower than you (I'm looking at you, Borg Cube), then you can park and fire, no problem. If your target is fast and up close (notably if you are tanking), DBB will never woirk. So basically, know your target and you'll know what works.
P.S: If you have a lrcmdr sci slot, you can equip Gravity Well 1, which really helps in the keeping targets in your arc issue
I would never ever ever recommend a cruiser with a DBB build in PVP, mind you.