After beating the Zidagra missions with a souped-up Lazira (god I love those... reminds me of my corvette in EV), I went to UE space and bought myself a Cruiser. I wanted a little more firepower and a lot more armor for clearing out The Rock. Current outfit is as follows:
-Dospect Armor
-5 Neutron Turrets (takes out a voinian frigate in VERY little time)
-6 Defence Launchers
-The rest is Defence Pods

I had originally stuck Phase Turrets on there and 8 Launchers, but the Neutrons take up more space, but do a lot more damage a lot faster.
What do you all think?

Personally, I'd have stuck with phase turrets. Neutrons may do more shot for shot, but phase is far more accurate and hence far more efficient against the fast-moving Crescent fighters you'll have to deal with throughout the Crescent.

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Actually, they aren't more accurate, but they fire over twice as fast, and do more damage per turret, per second, to shields then neutrons.

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"Why should I boast? The bards will do it for me -- and with music."
--Ertai, wizard adept

Quote

Originally posted by TheElf:
**After beating the Zidagra missions with a souped-up Lazira (god I love those... reminds me of my corvette in EV), I went to UE space and bought myself a Cruiser. I wanted a little more firepower and a lot more armor for clearing out The Rock. Current outfit is as follows:
-Dospect Armor
-5 Neutron Turrets (takes out a voinian frigate in VERY little time)
-6 Defence Launchers
-The rest is Defence Pods

I had originally stuck Phase Turrets on there and 8 Launchers, but the Neutrons take up more space, but do a lot more damage a lot faster.
What do you all think?**

Sell the defense pods and buy dispersal rockets. While their range isn't too good, they are very good at taking out swarming crescent fighters. Buy quite a bit of persuit missiles as well. Finally, buy all the swivel phase cannons you can.

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Prepare to succumb to superior intelligence
MOSS of the Crimson Guard, a (url="http://"http://www.planetarion.com")Planetarion(/url) alliance.
Winning isn't everything thing, it's the only thing.
Go have a good laugh with (url="http://"http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com")Bushisms(/url).

Quote

Originally posted by TheElf:
What do you all think?

You're right to go for Dospect armour - it's a much more efficient way to increase your survivability than an equivalent weight of shield upgrades.
As for the weapons, it depends where you want to go a'killing.

If I was fighting Voinians, I'd want a rocket launcher or two, since there are always opportunities to salvage a lot of ammo from them.

If I was fighting humans, I might change one of the rocket launchers for a hunter launcher, for the same reason. I would also consider changing to a phase armament, since human ships are mostly shielded, not armoured.

In the crescent, The rocket and hunter launchers would go, replaced by dispersal rocket systems and perhaps SAD's... and I'd be on phase weapons again.

If you like using your UE fighters, I would suggest that you get a tractor beam. You can use this to drag disabled UE fighters over diasabled UE carriers or cruisers, which will then take them back on board and repair them. That way, you can then board the ship and collect a freebie fighter. You can also use the tractor beam to pin Azdaras in place while you waste them.

Get the picture? I hate paying for secondaries!

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/evodude2001/home.html")Old & Unimproved: Cerberus Station!(/url)

Lord Asriel - Actually, I'm pretty sure that (in 1.0.2 anyway) neutron turrets do just slightly more damage/second to shields than phase turrets. But it's only a difference of about .6/second, so it's essentially meaningless. So if you don't need the anti-armor damage of the neutrons, there's no real reason to use them. And although the phase turrets aren't any more accurate, the shots travel faster so there's less chance of your opponent getting out of the way. This can make them seem more accurate.

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Paradigm, Captain of Industry
It's all comes down to your definition:
"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness." George W. Bush, as quoted on CNN

Quote

Originally posted by UE Crusader:
**Personally, I'd have stuck with phase turrets. Neutrons may do more shot for shot, but phase is far more accurate and hence far more efficient against the fast-moving Crescent fighters you'll have to deal with throughout the Crescent.

**

Actually, outfitting a UE Cruiser with neutron turrets is far more logical than phase turrets. If Elf is constantly fighting Voinians (as I assume he is), those phase turrets will hardly harm Voinian armor (or any ship with armor for that matter). Although I personally prefer phase turrets over the slower-firing neutron turrets, I'd never buy them unless I was either working for the Voinians or fighting in the strand portions of the galaxy.

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-Cap'n Skyblade
-Battle for Sol - Episode III: The Worlds Beyond the Milky Way - coming soon -

Quote

Actually, outfitting a UE Cruiser with neutron turrets is far more logical than phase turrets. If Elf is constantly fighting Voinians (as I assume he is), those phase turrets will hardly harm Voinian armor (or any ship with armor for that matter). Although I personally prefer phase turrets over the slower-firing neutron turrets, I'd never buy them unless I was either working for the Voinians or fighting in the strand portions of the galaxy.

I agree. Although, the advice I was giving was based on the ideal configuration for completing the Attack The Rock mission (which involves fighting quite a few Crescent ships). In other cases though, I do agree that neutrons are more suitable.

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(This message has been edited by UE Crusader (edited 08-15-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by UE Crusader:
**I agree. Although, the advice I was giving was based on the ideal configuration for completing the Attack The Rock mission (which involves fighting quite a few Crescent ships). In other cases though, I do agree that neutrons are more suitable.

**

I only use neutron turrets on vessels with lots of turret space and room (like the Voinian Cruiser). Anything below four neutron turrets just doesn't provide a high enough rate of fire for me. I hold a totally different view on the neutron cannon, however. If it was a cross between the phase and neutron cannon, the neutron would definately get my vote. Faster rate of fire, excellent range, and good accuracy.

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-Cap'n Skyblade
-Battle for Sol - Episode III: The Worlds Beyond the Milky Way - coming soon -

Skyblade, neutron cannons weigh three times as much as phase cannons, and they do not fire faster. I think phase cannons fire a little faster.

My UE Cruiser looked something like this:
5 Phase turrets
Dospect Armor
Azdara Bay -- 6 Azdaras

Unfortunately, there is no room for other secondaries with the Azdara Bay, just room for fuel upgrades and an afterburner. Carrying eleven fighters makes up for that, though. And no, I did not use this ship for killing Voinians.

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"Why should I boast? The bards will do it for me -- and with music."
--Ertai, wizard adept

Quote

Originally posted by Lord Asriel:
**Skyblade, neutron cannons weigh three times as much as phase cannons, and they do not fire faster. I think phase cannons fire a little faster.

**

The neutron cannon may weigh fifteen tons, but I'm absolutely positive that the neutron cannon has a faster rate of fire than the neutron turret.

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-Cap'n Skyblade
-Battle for Sol - Episode III: The Worlds Beyond the Milky Way - coming soon -

I don't think so. They each fire at about one time per second.

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"Why should I boast? The bards will do it for me -- and with music."
--Ertai, wizard adept

Quote

Originally posted by Lord Asriel:
**I don't think so. They each fire at about one time per second.

**

Hmm. Someone told me otherwise, and it appears during the game that the neutron cannon fires a bit faster than the turreted version.

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-Cap'n Skyblade
-Battle for Sol - Episode III: The Worlds Beyond the Milky Way - coming soon -

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Skyblade:
**Hmm. Someone told me otherwise, and it appears during the game that the neutron cannon fires a bit faster than the turreted version.
**

One of the three main primary weapons has a turreted version that truly matches its multi-barrelled graphic, with an increased rate of fire which is commensurate with the extra number of gun muzzles shown. The other two have the same rate of fire as their forward-mounted counterparts.

As for which is which... I can't remember, but I read it here on the boards, about a year ago.

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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/evodude2001/home.html")Old & Unimproved: Cerberus Station!(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by VoinianAmbassador:
**
One of the three main primary weapons has a turreted version that truly matches its multi-barrelled graphic, with an increased rate of fire which is commensurate with the extra number of gun muzzles shown. The other two have the same rate of fire as their forward-mounted counterparts.

As for which is which... I can't remember, but I read it here on the boards, about a year ago.

**

Hmmm... Blaze turret, perhaps?

Quote

Originally posted by VoinianAmbassador:
**As for which is which... I can't remember, but I read it here on the boards, about a year ago.
**

Well, this is from memory, but I've checked it out many times in the past, so I'm pretty sure this is correct. I'll try to confirm when I go home tonight.

• Blaze Cannons: reload of 12; Blaze Turrets: reload of 6

• Phase Cannons: reload of 24; Phase Turrets: reload of 12

• Neutron Cannons: reload of 30; Neutron Turrets: reload of 30

So although the Neutron Turret pict shows two cannons making up a single Turret, the gameplay does not reflect that. Maybe that's what you were remembering.

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Paradigm, Captain of Industry
And when you stare persistently into an abyss, the abyss also stares into you. - Nietzsche

Quote

Originally posted by Paradigm:
**
Neutron Cannons: reload of 30; Neutron Turrets: reload of 30
**

25, actually, at least in 1.0.2

(This message has been edited by Blackdog (edited 08-17-2001).)

Looking at the stats in ResEdit right now, it appears Paradigm was right about everything except that neutron cannons and turrets both have a reload speed of 25, not 30.

Now, as for the topic, another necessary upgrade is an RCS or Azdgari upgrade, as the (url="http://"http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~dsghosh/evosite/shipyard1.html#uecruiser")UE Cruiser(/url) is slower than a pile of bricks. It just doesn't fit my playing style (which involves quick maneuvering and the "spearhead", mostly) even with the upgrades, but they get it as close as it'll get. Remember, the Death Star got smacked down by lots of tiny X-wings. Big ships can and do lose.

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Visit my EVO web site at (url="http://"http://www.evoverride.com")http://www.evoverride.com(/url)!
"You know and do not know, that action is suffering,/And suffering action ... an eternal action, an eternal patience ... that the pattern may subsist, that the wheel may turn and still/Be forever still." -- Fourth Tempter, "Murder in the Cathedral", T.S. Eliot

If you are fighting voinians outfit with 3 em cannons and 2 neutron cannons. If you let a voinian ship behind you then that is your fault really. Secondly if you cn not manually hit a voinian ship I feel bad for you. Use your fighters and attack with them. Load up on hunters for the rest of you secondaries. Work for the zidagar and Igadzra as they will be the most helpful to upgrading a UE Cruiser. Work for the voinians also and get bronev plating 'cause it rocks. Finally M. Defence pods rock. They can be bought anywhere in the cresent and can be used against any type of ship because of the computers fly right at you and attack strategy. Don't bother with shield upgrades though. It only adds 5 shipyard units per shield enhancer. That space is better used for secondaries. Finally get the speed and manuverabilty upgrades cause this ship needs them.

Quote

Originally posted by shayborg:
**Remember, the Death Star got smacked down by lots of tiny X-wings.
**

That was because it was a fictional ship, and had to be destroyed to advance the plot of the trilogy.

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Prepare to succumb to superior intelligence
MOSS of the Crimson Guard, a (url="http://"http://www.planetarion.com")Planetarion(/url) alliance.
Winning isn't everything thing, it's the only thing.
Go have a good laugh with (url="http://"http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com")Bushisms(/url).