ghosttr
Amarr Ashen Lion Mining and Production Consortium Aeternus.
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Posted - 2010.06.03 07:43:00 -
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It has been a long, long time since I last saw frigates being used as combat assets, their usefulness has waned ever more with the continuing introduction of larger ships. While all but the most advanced frigates have been relegated to shuttle and scout duties.
This brings up the question, why have frigates become this way? What problems lie within the very foundation of the ship class itself? And what can we do to fix it?
Its not just assault frigates, rocket-based frigates, or any other sub-class that have these issues, all frigates are affected. And though some may work around the base problems with the class with mwds and cloaks, the rest have to suffer from these issues and are left unattended and unused.
So what are these issues you may ask?
The first, most glaring problem is short range weapons and closing distance, frigates have extremely short range weapons, that while excellent for their size, force them to come into very close range of larger ships. Once in range they can perform their roles correctly, but getting into that range is a gauntlet in and of itself.
You would think that frigates would need to worry about enemy destroyers, or anti-frigate platforms would cause the most issue, but then you would be wrong. While closing the range gap frigates are left completely exposed to the high-caliber weapons of larger vessels.
Frigates due to their small size, and relatively high-speed, have the ability to avoid the fire of these guns, but only once they enter their own, short attack range. While some frigates can utilize microwarpdrives to close the range faster, leaving them exposed for far less time, and others can use cloaking devices to get them in close, most frigates do not have these abilities.
The problem isn't one with the frigate design, however. And retrofitting most frigates to use these countermeasures usually leaves them unable to perform thier intended roles.
Even if frigates do manage to pass the barrage of high-caliber weapons fire, and get within attack range, they will learn that their problems have just begun. Enemy ships have a vast array of weapons systems and devices, that can leave the frigate harmless at best, or leave the frigate a heap of scrap, with the pilot scurrying to safety in their escape capsule.
Energy neutralizers can easily and absolutely shut down a frigate, leaving the ship without power. This means that the frigate may not be able to tank, or have the use of thier weapons systems. Leaving them useless without damage, or offensive systems, and vulnerable with thier small base hp and no tank.
Energy neutralizers are not the only close in countermeasure larger ships have to use against frigates. Frigates can also encounter stasis webifiers, which will slow the ship to a crawl, giving large-caliber guns ample time to aim, fire and in most cases instapop the aggressing frigate.
A smartbomb may also be employed to dispatch frigates, the smartbomb usually covers the close-in area a frigate needs to perform his role correctly. Avoiding the smartbomb in many cases will force the frigate out farther from his potential target, again exposing him to the fire of the targets large-caliber guns.
Another common countermeasure against frigates is the use of light drones. These drones can usually outmaneuver frigates, and even avoid fire or tank a frigates weapons. Frigates can try to counter these and shoot them down, but they will find that the drones can leave just as fast as they came, coming and going from the safety of the parent vessel. And even if a frigate can manage to get ahold of one long enough to shoot and kill it, few can withstand the damage from the drones, and are forced to flee or die nonetheless. |