[Titan]

The topic pretty much says it. I'm thinking of making ships (not custom made, just using ships that came with the game) that can be used in a fighter bomber role. By that, i mean a wing of these ships should be able to destroy a corvette, and still take on waves of fighters all by themself.

Though i said retail ships only, any ships are welcome. I'm currently testing with the Artemis D.H. class, but im planning to test all bomber types because i tested briefly with this idea about a year ago, and it worked semi OK... but not the best. Then again, i was using wings of Ursa's.............   

[Admiral Edivad]

The idea seems good, although when you have bombers that are as good as fighters, then there will be no reason to use fighters.... well, maybe they could be used only for super-elite pilots...

Good bombers are the ancient bombers in inferno, although they have no shields (but i'm not sure you're interested in ancient ships)

[Taristin]

Personally, I think that combining the two roles, while possibly being more convenient, is a bit of a balancing problem...

[Dysko]

The Athena was pretty good in both roles...

[Titan]

I am slowly evolving a test mission.... it kinda goes like this right now. Wing of attacking fighter bombers (to be known as FBs from now on) jumps in, attacks a shivan convoy of 3 asmoedous freighters (i know its spelled wrong!!!) thats guarded by a Rakshasa cruiser. im gonna put in the fighters soon.

Right now i've almost found the ideal loadout for the Artemis D.H..... it consist of a Prometheus S cannon for a primary, and two banks of Tornados and one bank of Cyclops... i experimented with inferno missiles, but though they tore apart Cains they didn't do much against anything else except freighters, plus the AI doesn't have the sense to use them against anything other that fighters and bombers. but this loadout isn't final because i haven't added fighters or bombers.

[Taristin]

The Athena was pretty good in both roles...

Nah, it was decent in both, but looked cool. It wasnt powerful enough to kill anything higher than a cruiser, on its own, and it wasnt maneuverable enough to be great in a dogfight.

It was a jack of both trades, master at neither.

[Titan]

OK, i think i have it. i added some stuff to the mission, listen to this.

i put in a faustaus that would come in once the Rakshasa and the convoy were destroyed. then i had waves of 4 shivan fighters come in at ten second intervals, in this order:

Basilisk
Aeshema
Manticore
Mara
Astaroth
Dragon

the basilisk i wasn' ready for, and they brought the faustaus down the 26% hull integrity. i was able tolead my wingmen through everything up to the astaroths. before the astaroths no shivan ship hurt the faustaus (except the basilisk) 2 of the 4 astaroths got through and brought the faustaus down to 6%. then the Dragons came; only one got through and it fired of a salvo from his primary and secondary weapons seconds before i brought it down. the salvo destroyed the faustaus, but i say the configuration worked out good.

For me the ideal loadout for the Artemis D.H. was Prometheus S cannon, with 2 banks of tornadoes and one bank of cyclops. but i understand this configuration isn't for everyone, and also it was only tailored for these circumstances. now moving on to test the Ursa...... 

[Janos]

Make a tactical fighter. Low primaries, can carry a bunch AA missiles and then maybe two - four big bombs. Uses high [afterburner] speed to reach and hit the target but cannot linger around in AA fire or it's toast. Like an Ulysses with bombs.

[Taristin]

That's a myrmidon, then.

[Titan]

anyway,  think this is going good. i like that idea for the mymdon with bombs, but i wanna do something like this, once i start modding. Can carry most primarys, has 2 missle banks and 1 bomb bank that can carry 1 o 2 cyclops. It would have killer engines, and a lotto juice for afterburners. But it would have about the same shield and hull strengths of a Loki, or maybe even that Tigris thing... (that was cool)

[Taristin]

i like that idea for the mymdon with bombs,

It already can. 2 Helios.

[Col. Fishguts]

Make a tactical fighter. Low primaries, can carry a bunch AA missiles and then maybe two - four big bombs. Uses high [afterburner] speed to reach and hit the target but cannot linger around in AA fire or it's toast. Like an Ulysses with bombs.

Haha you've read my mind, I just finished a model with exactly that design specs in mind. It's basically a fighter sized ship with a bomb bay bolted on. One primary bank with 3 firing points and another small secondary bank for Tornados/Harpoons allow it to punch a hole into the defending fighter screen. High speed and large AB capacity and below-average manoeuvrability make it suitable for quick hit&run attacks.

Basically an Athena that actually can carry a few bombs. I know the Myrmidon can too, but I hate its visual appearance

[Mad Bomber]

Ooh! Sounds good!

Any word on when it'd be available for download? (must add to MOD collection)

[Col. Fishguts]

Good question ... LOD0 is done and UV-mapped. Now I'm going through several texturing tutorials looking for tricks to make a decent map. The lower LODsneed to be done and some POFing also, but I hope to have it done soon-ish.

[TrashMan]

The Athena was pretty good in both roles...

Nah, it was decent in both, but looked cool. It wasnt powerful enough to kill anything higher than a cruiser, on its own, and it wasnt maneuverable enough to be great in a dogfight.

It was a jack of both trades, master at neither.

It was the best. And mind you, no fighter/bomber controlled by the AI can take out a cruiser alone. They are simply too stupid....Well, maby a Fenris.
I took out Destroyers in the Athena, so what does that tell you?..Right, nothing.

My personal oppinion is that it's manuverable enough tto be used in dogfights. In fact, in FS1, I used it all the time in dogfights (avengers + fury missiles = teh kill) and in crippling capships.

[asyikarea51]

Speaking of FS1, I didn't really use the other ships. Went through the campaign with the Apollo most of the time, and the Ursa in the last mission.

, I'm also reusing the retail (MediaVPs mostly) stuff in what I'm doing. Custom models are always few and far between IMO...

[Titan]

OK, getting back on topic!

I'm thinking maybe like just boosting the Artemis D.H. top speed and sacrificing a little bit of sheilding then making it so that its......... maybe you should just use an Ares stuffed with tornados and trebuchets.... that could work.. 

Edit: Personally i'm always good with just taking a Herc mrk.2 out with a double loadout of prometheus s cannons and one bank of tornados and one bank of trebuchets............ for me it is THE ship and loadout for tackling anything.......... 

[Taristin]

I took out Destroyers in the Athena, so what does that tell you?

That you modify your tbl's.

Now don't get me wrong. I loved the Athena. It's my favourite FS1 ship. But to say that it's the best at both roles is a horrible lie.

[Janos]

That's a myrmidon, then.

Purpose built! This is a magic word that beats everything!

[NGTM-1R]

That you modify your tbl's.

Now don't get me wrong. I loved the Athena. It's my favourite FS1 ship. But to say that it's the best at both roles is a horrible lie.

To be fair, you COULD take out a destroyer that way in FS1 given enough time and ordinance.