Almost finnished training the Tengu, and suddenly I see CCP Fozzie announcing Heavy Missiles will be nerfed https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=155029&find=unread

Will people switch to Heavy Assault Missiles for the Tengu and Drake (the Assaults will not be rebalanced in the winter Expansion), or is it something thats just not done? I'm fairly new to these ships, that's all.

Heavy Missiles
-Base flight time reduced by 30%
-Base velocity increased by 6.66%
-In total, base range reduced by ~25%
-Damage decreased by 20% (rounded to closest digit)
-Affects all variant Heavy missiles, including FOF.

Tracking/Range Mods and Ewar
-These changes apply equally to guided and unguided missiles
-Modify tracking enhancers and tracking computers to affect:
Max flight time (with optimal range script)
Explosion radius and explosion velocity (with tracking speed script)

Heavy missiles go faster, hit harder, T2 ammo ship penalties are getting removed, and all at the cost of a 30% reduction in flight time combined with tracking computers/enhancers becoming rDPS->eDPS conversion modules just as they are for guns.

Did I miss the nerf or are people just focusing on the range of heavy missiles going from around 80km to 60km to the exclusion of all else?

Heavy missiles...hit harder

Fury: Increase damage, increase the severity of penalties to explosion radius and velocity
Rage: Reduce range, increase damage slightly

The meat of this thread however is about missiles. There's a number of missile changes we have planned for the Winter, including the already announced buff to light missiles, a nerf to heavy missile range and damage to put them in line with other long range cruiser weapons, a rework of all T2 missiles so they become usable, and the expansion of both tracking enhancers and tracking disruptors into the realm of missiles.

All Missiles
Increase missile acceleration so that real range is much closer to the client assumed range of flighttime*speed against a stationary target. This means a slight range buff for all missiles, and missiles will act in a way that is more intuitive to newer players.

Light Missiles
-Explosion radius reduced from 50 to 40
-Damage increased by 10% (rounded to closest digit)
-Affects all variant light missiles, including FOF.

Heavy Missiles
-Base flight time reduced by 30%
-Base velocity increased by 6.66%
-In total, base range reduced by ~25%
-Damage decreased by 20% (rounded to closest digit)
-Affects all variant Heavy missiles, including FOF.

Tech Two Missiles
-At the moment Fury missiles at Light and Heavy sizes have a faster explosion velocity than precision missiles, we'll be fixing this defect as part of the changes.
-Remove ship penalties from tech two missiles (ship velocity and signature radius)
Precision: Improve bonuses to explosion velocity and explosion radius, increase damage to match T1 missiles, reduce flight time slightly
Fury: Increase damage, increase the severity of penalties to explosion radius and velocity
Javelin: Just remove ship penalties
Rage: Reduce range, increase damage slightly

Tracking/Range Mods and Ewar
-These changes apply equally to guided and unguided missiles
-Modify tracking enhancers and tracking computers to affect:
Max flight time (with optimal range script)
Explosion radius and explosion velocity (with tracking speed script)
-Make TDs affect Missiles
Tracking speed disruption script lowers explosion velocity and increases explosion radius
Optimal range disruption script lowers flight time

Uhhh i guess you're trolling.

You're still talking about ~30km range on a drake with 2 TEs. Because of the way missiles work that will effectively be 25km or so.

So missile boats will have to add TEs with BCUs with their anemic slot layout?

Or TCs. Your choice.

I hear ya. Genuine question since you seem to know your way around fitting ships: I usually run TPs in my mids, so does this mean I have to choose between TPs or TCs? Or am I being a noob and missing something?

I usually run TPs in my mids, so does this mean I have to choose between TPs or TCs? Or am I being a noob and missing something?

It most likely will still do the same DPS as it currently does, just at a slightly less range(Until you take into account TEs and TCs). Oh and not to mention the fact that Furies are getting a DPS boost.

We don't know yet, basically. But my read so far is that TCs are going to be all around better. Not only do they effect everything and not just a specific target for 10 seconds, they can also either increase range or damage application.

This is actually sounding like all kinds of awesome. Rather than cycling painters, which is hellishly boring and micro-managey, you get the same choices you would on a proper gun boat and only have to fiddle with the module when you need another option. Now, if we could just get them to script omnis I'll be ridiculously happy....

I'm guessing you can either fit TE's in the lowslots or TC's in the mids. I'd make a guess and say that a TC in the mids would be the best option, considering how garbage a missile ship's dps will be (you'll desperately need all those BCUs).

Going by the current changes to heavy missiles a 2 BCU drake will do 300ish DPS out to 50km (400 with drones) and will be shut down by tracking disruptors. In other words it's garbage.

... in a Tengu.

Or about as good as a Harb (circa 300 gun DPS @ 53km with Aroura... or 170 gun DPS @ 48km with Radio - and that's with the same 2 Heat Sinks).

this change is stupid and will never ever go live like that.

I personally won't go HAM if the changes noted in the post happen. Probably give up on anything over Rocket-sized, shift over to Projectile or lazors on my alts instead.

Gutted about the proposed changes - loved doing Lvl 4s in my Drake. Preferable to my CNR & SNI.

I'd go as far as to say that drakes will become obsolete in small gangs if the current nerf goes through. There would be no real reason to fly them since tier 3 battlecruisers would be far superior in the damage at mid range role - due to their higher dps at all ranges, speed and ability to kill things quickly.