| Author |
Elite Assault Dread: How to Use it properly. |
Russian Roulette with Muskets
Grand Admiral
Joined: September 04, 2002
Posts: 393
|  Posted: 2008-10-10 04:31
The EAD is the UGTO's main closerange attackship, i say ship here because stations don't count as ships in my book.
Once in a while i see this ship horribly misused - quite outstanding if one considers the fact that you need to be quite high ranked to fly it in the first place - by fellow ugto Captains.
This small guide will give you hints on how to use the EAD.
First Of all lets look at the difference between the EAD and the BD.
The BD, or Battledread, is a multi purpose ship. Its weapons feature a multitude of cannons, some QST's and Lasers. It covers all engagementranges from long over mid to close pretty good and the armor coverage is all around good. You probably have flown this one for a while so you should know how good it is.
Now enter the EAD.
The EAD basicly gives up long and midrange combat - only featuring 4 qsts and a rack of Torpedoes (slow moving, high yield, unguided projectiles) - to excell at close combat. Its armor is Strongest in the Fore arc and the side armor are nearly as good. Aft armor is a weakspot, not because it is especialy weak but because you do not have weapons there. We'll get back to that soon.
With 5 Heavy Chemical lasers, said torpedoes and QSTs the EADs arsenal for Close combat is deadly. 2 Volleys can bring any Kluth dread into hull and icc's will hurry to transfer all shields to the arc currently hammered by you, which is conveniant because you do not need to maneuver to keep a weakened shield in your sights. Just hammer one arc the icc guy will drain all his shields trying to hold out - an endeavor doomed to fail at close range.
Now, i talked about close range all the time, what is close range? Close range is 0 - 250 GU. This distance will mean you're getting 100% Hitrate against targets your size and reasonable chances on targets below your size (shame on you for wasting your EAD like that).
So, HOW to use my closecombat knive fighter?
1.) TheBasicRules:
- "Speed is live!"
Keep moving. Standing still makes you a prime target because just about anyone will be able to angle in onto your wekspot. Also being on the move means you do not have to accelerate first.
- "Veni, Vidi i'm outa here!"
Learn when to give up on a target and save your skin. As soon as you have someone pounding your back and theres no backup to support you: jump away. If youre ganged upon by targets your size: jump away
Even a measly 1500 GU jump will give you time to turn your ship to get a unscathed armor arc into the line of fire. Very useful in a combat zone because most enemys will switch to a new target since following you means givving up one jump cycle to chase you while they run the risk of getting jumped themselves and being trapped between 2 targets.
The goal is to avoid taking serious hull damage. Hull damage takes ages to repair and you might need it later in an emergency.
- "Lol wut?!"
Learn the fine Art of Point jumping. Point Jumping means getting to the Navigation screen (F2) selecting a target and then use ctrl+leftklick to plot a jump target to "overshoot" your real target.
The Autopilot will always jump you 150-750 GU away from the target you choose, depending on your speed. At 15 GU/s it will be 750. at 0 GU/s it will be 150.
by Point jumping you will monitor the Targets position and movement behaviour in F2 to get a feeling on where he will be in a few seconds. You will place a marker with ctrl+leftklick behind the targets current location, you will also try to predict his position he'll be in in a few seconds and aim accordingly.
Point jumping is only viable if the distance isn't greater than 15k GU at max because the longer the jump the better you have to be at predicting the targets movement.
Try to jump to the targets side and rear because the front usualy is bearing weapons on you. Do not jump in front of a loaded gun..
- "Team Play - effing aweseome!"
Gang up. While the EAD is formidable on its own, ganging up will increase your killspeed, increase your surviability and it will make you look less like a selfish jerk whos going around all superman style. Share the combat with others, its supposed to be fun. Don't get out of your way to land the killing blow.
- "Power management - learn it!"
Do not hammer the spacebar. There i said it. Put your weapons into groups. one group for each weapon type. Use the weapons appropriate for the situation at the time.
The EAD is very forgiving in terms of power. The Torpedos and QSTs come cheap and you should basicly fling them at enemys all the time. QST for close to longrange (0-1200), torps for close to close-mid(0-450).
Lasers will seriously drain your power so wil lflux cannons and Fluxwaves.
Avoid using the small chemicals, put them to point defense and leave them be. Your money is one the heavy lasers.
If youre running low on power, reduce speed and RESTORE your power reserves before flying into direct combat again. You can still lob QSTs around while your power is restocking.
2.) Combat conduct.
So you got into combat, what to do now?
First of all: You have 3 armor arcs to work with. Fore, Left and right.
When engaging a target that shoots your, turn your ship around from left to right and back to have the enemys fire spread over all the plates. See that volley of toprs? Turn left to get them to hit your right armor arc. Now turn right to bring front armor back into the line of fire then switching to the left armor.
Its the poor mans shield rotation: Use it.
>>>These 3 armor arcs are the arcs youre working with. <<<
AFT armor however is your life saver: do not expose it for long under any ciumstance.
The EAD's weapons support this combat style, you will always have all guns blazing on your target this way.
Nose to the enemy, rear out into empty space.
Close in on the target, keep firing QST's and torpedos and break out the heavy chemical lasers once youre under 200 GU.
Once you have broken the shields/armor (you "hulled" the target) use flux cannons and the fluxwave to inflict system damage.
Keep close and continue to laser the target. Avoind using torpedoes or qsts at under 50 GU because you'll hit yourself too - unless youre clearly winning that is.
- "Gangbang"
Once in a while you will be attacked by several enemys at once.
If you have friendlys who can help you stay and fight for a while. weaken the most opportune target so the next guy can finish him then do your jump out.
You will always jump out because of two reasons:
Dieing is unsightly and helps noone.
Dieing means not giving supply prestige to new players and supply players in general. Do not be a bitch, give them their share of Prestige.
If you cant expect help, jump ount the instant youre ganged up upon by ships your size.
If they are smaller, lolwut them and continue pounding whatever youre after. A cruiser, 2 cruisers and even three wont "kill" you. Sure they will hurt you and chase you off eventualy but they won't be killing you.
- "Activate the gravity well!" - Interdictors and how to deal with them.
Short answer: you don't. its not your job to hunt down cruisers. Your actualy rather incapable to do it because they are faster than you and if its a dictor, jumping him won't work.
If you find yourself caught in a dictor field, call in help.
If you don't have help handy give them a good fight and take the loss like a man.
Do not log, wuss.
3.) Modding
Not much to mod there. one relefctive armor in left and right, 2 aft and 2 front will keep you safe from most attacks long enough to hand out the pain to others.
If you want slightly better power regeneration trade 2 IE drives for 2 pfe drives. it will lower your max speed to 13.2 but that wont hurt much. youre not supposed to play tag after all.
This concludes the basic guide to the EAD.
Have fun with this awesome ship.
[ This Message was edited by: Russian Roulette with Muskets on 2008-10-10 04:42 ]
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- In firepower we trust.
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Gejaheline
Fleet Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 19, 2005
Posts: 1127
From: UGTO MUNIN HQ, Mars
| Posted: 2008-10-10 07:23
All good stuff (I know I'm guilty of spacebar mashing, which is a habit I should get out of), but this bit struck a chord with me:
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 04:31, Russian Roulette with Muskets wrote:
If you don't have help handy give them a good fight and take the loss like a man.
Do not log, wuss.
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Yes! Someone who agrees with me.
See, with the modifications to ship stats in 1.5, everyone now has less armour and more hull. This means that you're going to be hulled more often, but running out of armour is no longer the virtually instant death that it used to be. If you're doing things right, when you're taking hull damage so will the enemy, and that means combat pres for both of you, which is a Good Thing. Jumping away the moment your armour is breached just denies everyone both combat and prestige. Which not a good thing, since everyone just goes "laame" and logs off in disgust.
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[Darkspace Moderator] [Galactic Navy Fleet Officer]
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JBud
Marshal
Joined: February 26, 2008
Posts: 1900
From: Behind you.
| Posted: 2008-10-10 07:29
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 07:23, Gejaheline wrote:
All good stuff (I know I'm guilty of spacebar mashing, which is a habit I should get out of), but this bit struck a chord with me:
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 04:31, Russian Roulette with Muskets wrote:
If you don't have help handy give them a good fight and take the loss like a man.
Do not log, wuss.
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Yes! Someone who agrees with me.
See, with the modifications to ship stats in 1.5, everyone now has less armour and more hull. This means that you're going to be hulled more often, but running out of armour is no longer the virtually instant death that it used to be. If you're doing things right, when you're taking hull damage so will the enemy, and that means combat pres for both of you, which is a Good Thing. Jumping away the moment your armour is breached just denies everyone both combat and prestige. Which not a good thing, since everyone just goes "laame" and logs off in disgust.
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yes now with 1.5 suicide missions are here... if i hull enemy ship enough my presgain outweighs my death
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Sanity Assassin (K'Luth propaganda)
Grand Admiral
Sanity Assassins
Joined: February 19, 2006
Posts: 919
From: Pittsburgh PA, USA
| Posted: 2008-10-10 07:45
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 04:31, Russian Roulette with Muskets wrote:
2 Volleys can bring any Kluth dread into hull and icc's will hurry to transfer all shields to the arc currently hammered by you, which is conveniant
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That needs to change.....if we want a balanced game.
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Russian Roulette with Muskets
Grand Admiral
Joined: September 04, 2002
Posts: 393
| Posted: 2008-10-10 08:47
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 07:45, Sanity Assassin (K'Luth propaganda) wrote:
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 04:31, Russian Roulette with Muskets wrote:
2 Volleys can bring any Kluth dread into hull and icc's will hurry to transfer all shields to the arc currently hammered by you, which is conveniant
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That needs to change.....if we want a balanced game.
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Youre not supposed to stare me down up front.
The whole being ganged thing applies to kluth even more, since you only need to hit the cloack to reposition yourself (and if the whole pinging issue is under control) you can avoid getting your innerds maimed by EAD or AD.
If youre actualy trying to lock horns with an EAD or AD, driving right at them hitting your weapons franticly cursing them that they have the audacity to turn another arc towards you while lobbing volley after volley of doom and death in your face then you effing deserve to get stomped over then and there.
Locking horns with assault class dreads = instant fail. They will outlast you (twitch turns ftw) and when you actualy are stupid enough to fly in their laser range on your own volition they will laser you to molten slug.
As far as im concerned luthis are the faction most dependant on smart maneuvering.
- attack the enemy from angles where cant blast you with his full arsenal
- Hit the cloack the moment you notice that volley hitting you in inconventient places
- speak with your team members to play triangle.
What is triangle?
One target, 2 luthis.
Luthi 1 engages target from behind stating combat as usual.
Luthi 1 will be outmaneuvered soon eniugh.
Luthi 2 used the time to get into the back of the target, starts hammering it.
Luthi1 is in front of the target, Luthi 2 is in its back.
Luthi 1 cloacks. Target will either run or turn trying to engage luthi 2 thus completing the triangle with luthis 1 and 2 swapping roles.
It doesnt matter if the target is a b or c, there will always be 2 others cornering it.
Problem with luthis today is: you're trying to beat us at our own game.
But you cannot do that. you dont have the staying power or the setup to do it as efficiently as we do.
You just storm in, uncloack without a plan and get hammered. The best thing you came up with (when i was around to witness): target a specific player who would just run towards his friends who hammered you down to hull.
UGTO has it easy. Our tactic basicly is staying together so we can maximize our firepower on whoever shows his head. We are the natural born campers.
You can't do that. Even if you flew 10 dreads to lock horns with us we could most liekly beat the living **** out of you simply because were better equipped to do such brute force "maneuvers".
Yes you all can focus fire on one target but so can we and we just have more armor to waste than you have, especialy since the target just needs to fall back and hide behind a friendly.
We are effectivly playing triangle with you, but youre the poor lonly sob in the middle. Sure you uncloack and scare a target but you have another dread bearing down on you instantly and the whole triangle movement begins.
Form 2 man teams, always stick together with your partner, speak with each other and coordinate your attack. Pick your targets.
With those t man units you can then form groups who will focus on accomplishing one goal together while still maintaing the triangle for each two man team.
How many ugto dreads will pound you now if everyone is enganged properly? How many can pound you fast enough before you cloack?
Don'd cloack last minute. theres no point at giving them eny free shots at you.
and fix pinging.
_________________
- In firepower we trust.
- I'm not buying this!
-we ran out of firepower.
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BackAlley
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: September 24, 2002
Posts: 203
From: Pittsburgh,Pa. USA
| Posted: 2008-10-10 09:17
This is an awsome post... I don't fly EADs much but, this will make me start....Kudos..
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Borgie
Chief Marshal
Pitch Black
Joined: August 15, 2005
Posts: 2256
From: close by
| Posted: 2008-10-10 09:31
best way to kill an EAD is, stick abAD up its rear and blast away!
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Mersenne Twister
Fleet Admiral
Joined: May 11, 2003
Posts: 1161
From: Sector C Test Labs and Contol Facilities
| Posted: 2008-10-10 09:38
Elite Assault Dread: How to Use it properly.
Phase 1: jump target and mash spacebar
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit
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I wouldn't screw with it if I were you. The doctor already holds you in poor favor. Messing with this might really fry his shorts.
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Gejaheline
Fleet Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 19, 2005
Posts: 1127
From: UGTO MUNIN HQ, Mars
| Posted: 2008-10-10 10:25
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 08:47, Russian Roulette with Muskets wrote:
...they will laser you to molten slug.
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Elite Assault Dreadnaughts: For when slug-killer just isn't enough.
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[Darkspace Moderator] [Galactic Navy Fleet Officer]
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Russian Roulette with Muskets
Grand Admiral
Joined: September 04, 2002
Posts: 393
| Posted: 2008-10-10 10:31
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 09:38, Mersenne Twister wrote:
Elite Assault Dread: How to Use it properly.
Phase 1: jump target and mash spacebar
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Die patheticly
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fixed.
_________________
- In firepower we trust.
- I'm not buying this!
-we ran out of firepower.
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DragonSlayer*Sanctuary*
Grand Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 25, 2005
Posts: 233
From: dragonslayer83
| Posted: 2008-10-10 14:38
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 09:31, Fatal Borgie wrote:
best way to kill an EAD is, stick abAD up its rear and blast away!
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Ead was added a Second plate of armor on its rear this time. Most pilots would have moved before u got enuff damage on that point.
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BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2008-10-10 15:31
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 09:38, Mersenne Twister wrote:
Elite Assault Dread: How to Use it properly.
Phase 1: jump target and mash spacebar
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit
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1) Get Doran.
2) Get EAD.
3) ????
4) Profit.
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Borgie
Chief Marshal
Pitch Black
Joined: August 15, 2005
Posts: 2256
From: close by
| Posted: 2008-10-10 16:41
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 14:38, DragonSlayer*Recruiting* wrote:
Quote:
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On 2008-10-10 09:31, Fatal Borgie wrote:
best way to kill an EAD is, stick abAD up its rear and blast away!
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Ead was added a Second plate of armor on its rear this time. Most pilots would have moved before u got enuff damage on that point.
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ooh didn't noticed extra plate in rear being that armor gets melted real quick anyway from ad
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Delando
Marshal
Joined: May 04, 2007
Posts: 260
| Posted: 2008-10-10 20:51
Quote:
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What is triangle?
One target, 2 luthis.
Luthi 1 engages target from behind stating combat as usual.
Luthi 1 will be outmaneuvered soon eniugh.
Luthi 2 used the time to get into the back of the target, starts hammering it.
Luthi1 is in front of the target, Luthi 2 is in its back.
Luthi 1 cloacks. Target will either run or turn trying to engage luthi 2 thus completing the triangle with luthis 1 and 2 swapping roles.
It doesnt matter if the target is a b or c, there will always be 2 others cornering it.
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Now there's a man knows his tactics. Excellent. This NEEDS to be made in to another guide for new mandi users. Very solid, yet simple to learn.
One point i would like to add is that the Ultra Aggressive tactic ur observe in Kluth players today is conditioned by the last 3 years of flying paper ships.
I think it's obvious to everyone that the kluth Dread has become substatially tougher and more deadly. As a result, players who have been forced to use garrila tactics are suddenly geting the Superman Complex.
(And who can blame them? I've been laughing in my sleep this whole week.) due to this, Kluth players are simply not afriad of geting hulled, resulting in what other factions regrade as almost SUICIDAL behavior.
But, U are most definately correct in that Kluth is a tactic-intensive faction by nature. Oraganic armor are by design weaker to human armor. It's ok to jump a BD head on because Mandi's higher damg output and cloak out weighs the disadvantage in weaker armor.
But in EAD's higher dmg output makes this more risky. While there is nothing wrong with leting loose ur battle lust. Strategy and unit tactics should be used to channel it to more lethal behaviors.
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BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2008-10-11 10:49
A) Power is live, sure - but you need to moderate it to keep your energy alive. Going full out is never a good idea.
B) The UGTO is the slowest accelerating and turning dreadnaught in the game - protect your back wisely.
C) Don't go wasting your HCL's at maximum range. Whilst SCL's take almost no energy for the EAD to spam away, the HCL's do not. Take care of them - do not alpha (assign all keys to 1 if you have to, except HCL's). They will drain your energy faster than you can imagine - wait until they're half way past the maximum range - at this range, they are as strong as disruptors - closer, they're even more damaging.
D) Fling your torps like you mean it. Your torpedoes are your best friend in the EAD. Circle your target, fling them, wait until his armour and shields are low, then turn into him and unleash five hells of CL fury. You will kill him, if not, severaly would him enough to E-jump away.
E) Turn away early. Don't over-run your target - this is a HUGE flaw I see so many EAD, and general dreadnaught pilots make. You do NOT fly over your target - moderate your speed, and make sure you can turn away for another pass.
F) Make use of a supply ship. Coupled up with a supply ship, the EAD is the most deadly force the UGTO has. The amount of times I've caused more than just hassle for several pilots with just me and Doran, is countless. Pick someone, ask them to fly wingman - if they're a decent supply pilot, they'll keep you alive much longer. If it's Doran, he's practically ubercharging you the entire time.
G) Run away when joo see me, coz I haz teh dev hax. Pewpew!
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