SandKid
Caldari Colonial Defense Ministry
Templis CALSF
192
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Posted - 2015.07.03 18:05:56 -
[1] - Quote
CCP Rise wrote:Alexander McKeon wrote:Rise, I believe at this point that you're deliberately missing the root cause of the problem: the Ishtar breaks the rule regarding size-appropriate weapons on hulls. Sentry drones are fundamentally a battleship-sized weapon system, and aren't game-breaking when used on such; perhaps in need of tuning like the DDA effectiveness reduction, but that's all. The combination of cruiser-class signature and speed, T2 resists (remember that no T2 battleships are viable for fleet combat) and the long-range projection of sentries are what push the Ishtar over the top in combat situations.
For whatever it might be worth, making the Ishtar into an improved version of the VNI, with fast enough drone travel times to be useful, seems a more practical situation, and allows for fleets deploying heavy smartbomb contingents to be an effective counter. This is suggested so often but it just isn't the case. Drones not being locked to the size of their owner ship is one of the most consistent and distinct things about them. Vexors, VNIs, Myrmidons, Eos's, and Ishtars (at least) all use 'battleship sized' drones, and everything bigger than a destroyer can use 'frigate sized' drones. This flexibility is part of what makes drones really interesting and while sentries have become a big part of what makes certain hulls so strong, we don't want to lock drone ships into drones that match their ship size.
+1 on DDA changes
On Ishtar...I totally agree CCP Rise on where you're coming from on the 'flexibility' of drones. It is what makes the weapon system dynamic and unique. Removing Sentries or even the bonus from the Ishtar doesn't necessarily solve the problem. Nerfing the actual hull of the ship is an ok start, but perhaps the real problem is the drones themselves.
Sentry drones don't need a direct nerf to damage, but perhaps their ability to strike should be.
-Optimal Range and Falloff could be reduced
-Tracking Speed could be heavily nerfed (they are stationary after all)
-Perhaps integrate EWAR to affect Sentry Drones only
--i.e. target jamming, sensor damping, and weapon disruption on the host ship affect sentry drones (only)
A final, outlandish suggestion if you will, is to develop an anti-drone system or even a ship platform. Tier 3 Destroyer for giggles, why not? Much like drones, missiles, and bombs, develop a unique weapon system that auto-targets enemy drones. Call it "Point Defense" modules or some such and make them follow the S/M/L module tiers with S being effective against Small and Medium Drone, Medium effective against Medium and Heavy Drones, and Large being effective against Heavy Drones and somewhat effective against Fighters/Bombers.
Uses ammunition for varying ranges and dmg (as normal). Have the T2 variants follow typical range/dmg ideology. The large and medium modules, with T2 longrange ammo could be able to reach out to sentry drones around 75km. Drones don't have THAT many HP, so the modules could be used against ships but would be inferior to standard weapon systems. Think Defender missiles for drones. Hell, rework defender missiles FOR drones...that works too.
Again, crazy idea but maybe the problem with drone boats isn't the boats themselves but the lack of effective means for handling them. You really have only one option: kill the hull as killing the drones is neither easy nor effective. Short of nerfing drone bays (please don't, that's stupid) I personally think there needs to be a better counter to drones than smartbombs and FoF. |