BoBoZoBo wrote:HA - Sorry - I was actually replying to another thread.
What I will end up doing is once a drone is targeted, I keep it orbiting me and I RR it.
They get a target they like and they usually keep hitting that one. I get to kill them
This approach is flawed for a number of reasons.
1. What if the drone is far away?
Please don't tell me drones are not intended to fly far away from the ship - this is directly countered by Electronic Warfare Drone Interfacing skill (improves drone control range), Drone Link Augmentor module (again improves drone control range). And before you argue that this is perhaps intended for Sentry drones, there's also Drone Navigation module (improves travel speed, not combat speed). I propose this proves drones ARE intended to travel long distances to their targets.
We should also be able to assume that the game is balanced. Thus, when Thermal damage is required, Gallente drones should be viable for use. Otherwise the game is unbalanced. This, coupled with the above paragraph, says that even incredibly slow Ogre heavy drones SHOULD be usable over long distances.
However, you and I both know that if an Ogre comes under fire 60km away, it will be dead long, long before it can be repaired. Even relatively fast Minmatar Berserker likely won't make it. If it is webbed, it definitely won't make it. And sentries are not always viable or desirable - such as in a moving fight, or extremely-close orbiting ships (Angels Cartel battleships orbiting at 2.5km).
2. Loss of DPS from return to repair?
Even assuming the drone can make it back within range, and assuming it doesn't get alphaed from 100% to dead in one shot, what about the DPS loss? Recalling a drone for repair is equivalent to turning off a turret on another ship. Add to that the DPS loss for travel time of the drone from from ship to original target, where it presumably takes damage, then time spent flying back, time spent undergoing repairs, and time spent once again traveling to target before resuming its damage dealing? All this HAS to be compensated. It isn't. Thus, the system is broken.
Look, I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm saying it is currently grossly, ludicrously inefficient compared to every other race. This change effectively damaged a HUGE chunk of Gallente ship lineup in PvE. Including but not limited to Tristan, Algos, Vexor, Myrmidon and Dominix. And that's just the T1 hulls.