Sloth Arnini
ORIGIN SYSTEMS
   |
Posted - 2007.03.05 14:25:00 -
[1]
Normally, I wouldn't bother posting, but I was thinking about nano-BS on the bus to uni today (I'm very sad) and came up with a small idea of my own. It's probably not original, but I haven't read all this discussion. Incidentally, I've not done any serious maths (numbers hurt my head), and my intention is not to remove high speed warfare completely, indeed, the hope is that the following changes would enhance it.
The fundamental idea: give nanos a percentage based increase rather than a flat m/s increase. I suggest 6-9% (from unnamed to best named). Leave I-Stabs as they are, or maybe nerf their percentages slightly.
What I think will be the effects:
Nanofibres become more useful for frigates. I-stabs become more useful for BS, ensuring neither module is useless.
Fast frigates will go even faster- hopefully enough to catch nano-BS. If this isn't the case, then raise frigate base speeds somewhat (although poorly fitted frigs shouldn't be able to catch faction pimped BS, good named fitting should). However, they'll need to burn towards the BS to catch it: the increased sig radius makes them more vulnerable to missiles until they can get into a position parallel or orbiting. This gives the BS a window of opportunity to fight back.
Minmatar retain their speed advantage at all ship classes.
BS can still go quickly, but frigates can move like the wind as well (as they should). BS need to rely slightly more on their MWD than they do now (no nanos=no base speed bonus) and so probably take something of a hit to their maximum speed.
Nanoships may even receive a targeted NOS nerf: because it is possible that they will be swarmed by fast frigates, they may want to devote a couple of highs to point defence (i.e. guns). That means a Nanophoon might want to swap out a missile and a NOS for a couple of guns to ward off frigates- which means a cut in DPS and cap sucking ability, meaning the main target has a better chance of surviving. Drones and torpedoes will be useless when frigates are moving as fast as the BSes. Who knows, we may even see Dominixes fitting GUNS!
I think these small changes could make high speed combat more tactical, and hence more exciting. It adds another major factor in the trade offs necessary to make a viable setup. It also increases the involvement of player skill for all involved. The frigate tacklers will die if they just keep following the nano-BS. They'll probably fly into torpedoes with MWDs burning and go SPLAT (I'd guess so anyway, not an expert on missiles and high speeds). At one point they need to get orbiting, or maybe match speed travelling parallel (not behind) the nanoship. The nano-BS on the other hand needs to maneouvre to put the tacklers behind himself so he can minimise their transversal and ping them with his defensive guns or torpedoes.
You may say this doesn't eliminate the problem of inties getting NOSed until they can't use their MWD, and yes, frigate packs will probably take casualties. My answer is simple. Don't take 3 or 4 inties/fast frigs. Take 5. Or 6. If you can't deploy that many, you need to be more careful when nanoships are around. Or fly your own nanoship of course.
|