[JMN]

It's called reload time. Deal with it.

Thanks for such an enlightening comment.

[Ziame]

Tho' I'd love to have something like "override target locking" ability

Exactly. And I do not know why we have to wait 30 seconds before firing from the same bank 

Um, sry, but

LOLOLOLOLOL WUT!


I meant that you can't shoot bomb unless the target is locked (the funny thingie going "deedeedeedeet")

[The E]

Thanks for such an enlightening comment.

Sorry, but that's what it is. It's a gameplay mechanic that the designers thought necessary and fitting for their universe. If you don't like it, you can alter the tables to remove it. But be aware that that will make the AI a horror to deal with.

[headdie]

Thanks for such an enlightening comment.

Sorry, but that's what it is. It's a gameplay mechanic that the designers thought necessary and fitting for their universe. If you don't like it, you can alter the tables to remove it. But be aware that that will make the AI a horror to deal with.

* headdie shudders at the thought of rapid firing seraphim's during escort missions

[JMN]

Thanks for such an enlightening comment.

Sorry, but that's what it is. It's a gameplay mechanic that the designers thought necessary and fitting for their universe. If you don't like it, you can alter the tables to remove it. But be aware that that will make the AI a horror to deal with.

Thanks for clarification of your point, point taken. (no sarcasm)

[Colonol Dekker]

I like to think of the ordnance arming as well. Like the heavier stuff cycling up a fusion warhead or some techno crap

[Sushi]

Went for space superiority.

Likewise, although I'm pretty much always planning to be able to intercept bombers and shoot out beam turrets somehow too.

I just love the dogfights (especially now, when you actually have to HIT the silhouette, and not shoot in the "general direction")
What is the best SS fighter in your opinion guys?

Perseus, easily. Fast, reasonably tough, good weapon compatibility, good gunmounts.

Thanks for such an enlightening comment.

Sorry, but that's what it is. It's a gameplay mechanic that the designers thought necessary and fitting for their universe. If you don't like it, you can alter the tables to remove it. But be aware that that will make the AI a horror to deal with.

Actually, it would just up the stakes: all of the bombs will get launched pretty much at once. If you're in position to shoot down the bombs, it makes them easy, tightly-grouped targets... but if they do all land, target is in a world of hurt.

[Timerlane]

As far as bombers go, I tend to not see the point beyond Ursa/Sekhmet(and maybe the Artemis, but bad gunpoints). If it's a cruiser, a wing or two of Erinyes or Hercs should suffice, especially if Trebs are employed to remove offending AA beams and flak. If it's bigger, it's probably a much nastier target to have to attack.

Ursa can carry Maxims(or Disruptors/Akhetons, in a pinch) in it's second(er, first) primary bank to avoid having to spend extra payload on Trebs, plus the triple 'gunrack' is incredibly tightly grouped compared to most fighters/bombers that are Maxim capable.

Kayser turret is good at scaring Shivans off, at least(can occasionally kill Manticores by itself, and I've had at least one occasion where I ended up simultaneously 'dogfighting' two of the leftover Basilisks in Slaying Ravana, one targeted and kept above me for the sake of the turret, and attacking the other with my 'anti-fighter' bank).

Helios/Harbinger is also always a bonus if available, and while the Boanerges is more effective at emptying its full payload of Helios, it definitely needs more competent escort.

[Titan]

Hmmm... good question. I said space superiority.

The Perseus is by far my favorite. During a multiplayer team dogfight, it was me in a Perseus against 4 guys in Erynies and Herc 2s. I managed to stay alive for 8 and a half minutes before the host ended the game.

[Aardwolf]

As far as the whole "reload time" thing goes, I for one wouldn't mind seeing a mod where you (or maybe capships?) could fire bombs (or torpedoes, whatever) as quickly as you wanted but where the ammo limit was actually meaningful. Like... a (missile) cruiser has 32 torpedoes on board... fire them too slowly, and they'll get shot down one at a time... fire them too quickly, and it's overkill (and you're out of missiles)... or you could even get really unlucky and have all of them blow up prematurely thanks to the first torpedo's shockwave... but I digress.

[JMN]

As far as the whole "reload time" thing goes, I for one wouldn't mind seeing a mod where you (or maybe capships?) could fire bombs (or torpedoes, whatever) as quickly as you wanted but where the ammo limit was actually meaningful. Like... a (missile) cruiser has 32 torpedoes on board... fire them too slowly, and they'll get shot down one at a time... fire them too quickly, and it's overkill (and you're out of missiles)... or you could even get really unlucky and have all of them blow up prematurely thanks to the first torpedo's shockwave... but I digress.

Taking the offtop a little bit further...
Mod in which one could steer the flak canons/laser turrets/beams would be kinda cool

[Aardwolf]

As far as the whole "reload time" thing goes, I for one wouldn't mind seeing a mod where you (or maybe capships?) could fire bombs (or torpedoes, whatever) as quickly as you wanted but where the ammo limit was actually meaningful. Like... a (missile) cruiser has 32 torpedoes on board... fire them too slowly, and they'll get shot down one at a time... fire them too quickly, and it's overkill (and you're out of missiles)... or you could even get really unlucky and have all of them blow up prematurely thanks to the first torpedo's shockwave... but I digress.

Taking the offtop a little bit further...
Mod in which one could steer the flak canons/laser turrets/beams would be kinda cool

Go make it. It's definitely doable with scripting.

[BengalTiger]

I voted other, because I'd use a heavy assault fighter (the Erynies) for interception. It has enough speed (only 10 m/s slower than the Perseus on Aburn), the firepower (duh) and the durability to charge into formations of bombers. It's also good enough in the handling dept. not to need fighter escorts.

I'd also use the Perseus for space superiority, it makes a nice light fighter that dogfights well but it doesn't have enough firepower to punch through bomber formations.

And finally, the Sekhmet looks like a good escorter/antifighter missile launcher to me; somewhat like an overgrown, but better handling Potato.

[Thaeris]

As far as heavy assault goes, nothing beats the Herc 2 in my opinion. With the ability to do about any mission, a heavy assault mission can quickly (and effectively) evolve into an intercept or space superiority mission - then it's back to raping cruisers. 

[Timerlane]

I just wish the Perseus had a little more energy to play with; I prefer the Prom-S to the Kayser most of the time, but for a little extra damage output on a fast four-gun fighter, I can make an exception.

Going by the tables, the Ulysses and Perseus have the lowest power output of any Terran or Vasudan fighter in FS2(the Ulysses has almost half the gun energy capacity, though). About half the Shivan fighters have at least slightly better energy systems than the Perseus, and of the rest, the Manticore's and Astaroth's energy only has to support two cannons, and the Dragon is only worse in having 2/3 of the gun energy capacity.

Eeeh...little wonder the Erinyes seems so effective as an interceptor in comparison to the Perseus: slightly more missiles, almost 2/3 more power output, nearly comparable AB top speed and acceleration, more AB capacity, with slightly less AB energy consumption, and marginally higher AB recharge. Doesn't seem right for a fighter that's supposed to be almost as cutting-edge.

[Kie99]

Heavy assault, if you're in a good enough fighter (the Ares) it's ideal for nearly all missions

Bombing - destroy the engines with Trebuchets, blast away from outside of its range using Maxims
Escort - snipe enemies with Trebuchets
Dogfights - get a bit of space between you and your opponents, fire Tornadoes
Tactical bombing - Maxim/Trebuchet combination

[Colonol Dekker]

Regarding the cruiser ammo limit, has anyone fixed the set ammo limit in the fred cap loadout editor yet? 
 
It never seemed to make a difference.

[NGTM-1R]

Fighter pilots make headlines.

Bomber pilots make history.

[Dilmah G]

Fighter pilots make headlines.

Bomber pilots make history.

Amen.

[Thaeris]

...And fighter-bomber pilots change the balance...

 

Go Herc 2!