EVE General Discussion

removing means a completely failure on CCP's fault. And they won't do that unless they have no other option. A T3 nerf/change will be coming in soon anyways. It was promised in the November release but we will see.

The day AF's doesn't get balanced because it's only viable use is to get in to small FW plex.... That's the day CCP really would have given up in the balancing sector.

This is actually something I would think could work. Very different and defined roles

Immunity to Webber's gets my +1.

AF don't need any new bonuses they are already good ships. The problem is the t3d which have utterly wiped out AF usefulness in the same way they completely invalidated the T1 destroyers. If it wasn't for the fact the sabre has a bubble launcher that too would have been dumped on the pile of useless ships.

The key here is getting t3d nerfed down to the level of destroyers. No more tiny sig, no more crazy high speeds, no more high level cruiser tanks and no more overpowering firepower and range. You must be able to kill these things with a t1 frigate like a t1 frigate can kill a sabre, then AF will be able to shine like they did before t3d broke ship balance.

Re: t3ds invalidating other ship classes.

A non shitfit tech 1 dessie will scrap an AF; thrasher and coercer in particular, so this was a "problem" even before tactical destroyers. Not as much a problem as evidence the "food chain" in eve works, though.

Destroyers wreck frigates; that is their role. Assuming equal pilot skill and fitting level, a destoyer has got a snowballs chance in hell vs medium and even some large short range turrets by merit of a destoyers poor mobility to sig radius ratio (i.e. cruisers, BCs, and short range BS' all have little trouble vaporizing destroyers within disruption range).

So yeah, tactical destroyers are too strong in terms of use of propulsion mode or defensive mode to improve the sig:mobility ratio to survive or escape encounters that should have scrapped any destroyer. This is an entirely different topic, though.

In terms of making AFs strong enough or nerfing tactical destroyers hard enough that an AF can reliably solo a tactical destroyer it is never going to happen. It shouldn't.

EWAR resistance is probably the best baked in role for AFs; considering that with all types, tracking isnt involved so avoiding it through speed isnt possible. In cases of ewar like cap neutralization, the problem is accentuated because if you are in range of a large neut and locked your cap is gone as soon as they trigger the neut even if you are at velocities that keep you safe from turrets and miasiles. Since they are frigates, they don't have particularly impressive sensor strength or locking range, so again are easily jammed, or damped to where they are forced to operate within web and scram ranges.

Recieving actual frigate mobility as well as keeping an extra turret or launcher (vs the t1 base hull) + an application bonus would ensure that it doesn't hit too hard above its weight class, but is extremely useful in removing hostile hostile ewar and providing fast tackle in most other circumstances. Fittings could also use adjustment; they should be able to fit the most power and cpu hungry high slot modules expected for the hull as well as fit standard tank, damage, and tackle mods with a maxed advanced fitting skills character without having to make *really* tough decisions. Isn't the assault frigate the pinnacle of a combat frigate? There should be fitting space to match without severe limitations.

When I made lists with ships to train I was surprised by the long training time for Assault Frigs. Perhaps if T3 Dessis took longer to train and Assault Frigs were a short train they could be viable ships for newbies like me? Perhaps make them cheap to build too? And/or make them trainable for Alpha accounts?

Or just give Assault frigs above avarege slots and flexible bonuses, a bit like the Gnosis. That would make them a wildcard and you woul never know what they have fitted until you engage them?

Wait. Web range bonus would be dumb because then they'd have to kite outside their own gun range. lol

I could see this, but keep the small weapons and give them more cpu and power grid. AFs are a NIGHTMARE to tech 2 fit even with max skills. They might just be the hardest sub cap to fit due to CPU and PG.

Oh, you mean like interceptors?