[spork]

So GG, do you Burn?

[GrimGriz]

Yes...I think. Depends on what you're talking about.

[spork]

Talking about the BurnMk2 which lets the Monsoon have 2000k more pre-gun power for only giving up 5v and 2.5 T/M. The stats varry slightly depending on gun config (gun mass and efficiency), but FeFi's now have a 70% throttle break point instead of 58%. I wish the mass had been lowered on the Bm2 at least to Dream level, but 2000k power boost is pretty a significant change.

I was just wondering what was your take on the new Burning Moon since you're probably the pvper who has spent the most time in the ship.

[GrimGriz]

Oh, in that case no. I had no idea what you were talking about. Honestly, I won't use ions in a soon until there are size 4 ions. Neither would I fly a typhoon with 4 deceptors. On the plus side you can do 'okay' with mortars in fleet engagements...smaller battles I figure you're still screwed though.

[Tim]

I burned in my monsoon once, but the doctor gave me a cream that cleared it up.

[spork]

I tend to agree that I'd rather fly an ion Phoon than an ion Soon since the firepower difference is pretty small and the Soon's profile is pretty large with fairly weak flight performance. But the Soon does have a lot more padding, missiles, and FF while not suffering the totally abismal flight performance of the Nado.

I'm not sure how comparing an Ion Soon to a Decptor Phoon fits though. Thorn Phoons, the long time standard don't make full use of their bigger gun slots, and the sz3 lasers (and all pulse lasers) are very difficult to use effectively. You don't always have to fill every gun/size slot, as you well know (2 Vantage Soon).

With the extra power, you could even do an IJ Soon reasonably at 48% breakpoint. Though I have a tough time choosing IJ over ions since ion have better range, better damage, and better power. You could even do Flail/Rak (if you are into ammo) at 57% breakpoint.

I'll probably give the Soon another try with Bm2s, and I'll probably revert back to my ion Phoon like I always do a few days after I get the bug to try a different ship. Anyway, just wondering what you thought about the Bm2 change.

[GrimGriz]

I hadn't ever noticed it. I flew the soon because I loved mortars after trying that whole 'combat mining' thing before the antiflux. Even though you cant run mortars at full throttle forever now, they still dont' draw enough power to warrant looking for ways to boost power.

One of more sorest points with pvp balance in Jumpgate is gun sizes. Mainly that everyone is always balancing the soon with the fighters, even though it's supposed to be balanced against a dragon...but that's another novel.

[spork]

The Bm2 change was just a couple days ago, so it wasn't there to notice. It also didn't get TRINN coverage the way the Shep and Trav+ did, nor did it get fixes.txt coverage the way the sz1 engines did.

Without getting into the novel too much, I think most people generally believe that the HFs are supposed to be balanced against the fighters and bombers...that all combat craft should be roughly balanced with each other with just a little wiggle room for mixed fleet balance. And I think most people generally believe that they are currently fairly balanced with just a few notable exceptions like the Raptor and Soon on the down side and the Dragon on the top side.

After flying the Intruder a little in the sim, it is fairly balanced with fighters. Sols are just too spoiled with full throttle firing to use it. The Dragon is still over the top in that class...tow shields on a fighter is just stupid.

[Wild_Bill]

I agree with spork, give the Dragon a Warden shield like a heavy miner! (scurries away gigglin' my head off).

[Nohbody]

But the Dragon does have an HM shield. The Khamsin only has an S4 shield.

[Sephiroth]

Yes all fighting type ships should be balanced with one another or you end up with the must-fly ships like we had in the past (before LF/MF rebalance). The truder is a very nice ship. It's not flown though because the Tensy is still uber (though not as bad as it was before). It needs a nerf.

The dragon certainly needs a nerf. I can't comment on the new Soon because I haven't tried it with the new burns. I think Mortars are fine as they are though, so I imagine that I will like the ship.