Chessur wrote:I have stated before in this thread, but to me its pretty easy to differentiate HAC's from Tech 3 and Teir 3.
If CCP decides to give them a role, it should be that of a Kiting ship. Or if you want a dual role bonus (like those found on the force / combat recons) a kiting / med sniping role.
Teir 3's are not kiting ships (well at least not in the current meta). With the advent of T1 cruisers / navy cruisers Tier 3 ships are just not fast enough. Sure they have great DPS and in some cases projection, but they are poor solo ships if you are attempting to engage a gang that has multiple fast cruisers / light tackle. A HAC could differentiate its self from the Tier 3's in two / three areas:
1. Speed. Give the HAC's cruiser speed, and make sure that their speed is fast enough where outpacing T1 cruisers and anything that is not a frigate would be easy. Currently the Tier3 and Tech 3 are unable to outrun t1 / navy cruisers. Give the HAC's this job.
2. Projection bonuses on Med guns. Give every HAC superior projection bonuses. Allow the vagabond to actually apply DPS with AC's. Make sure that the deimos can actually kite with blasters, or give it something to help with rails. Just like the Tier3's the HACs should be very good at projection damage to 35K+++. The HAC's will be using medium guns, allowing them to handle lighter ships. IE. Cruisers / Dessies / T1 Cruisers more aptly than Tier3's. Again this separates the HAC's further, and gives them a very valid role in small gang / solo / fleet comps.
3. Tank. The HAC's being cruisers should not sport a great tank. Give them something that will give them increased survivability at range, or at least enough EHP / fitting to support a tank that will allow the HAC's enough time to:
a. Pull range on an enemy gang
b. Dive into long point range, to quickly point targets while attacking.
A cruiser should not have an amazing tank. Leave that job for the Tech3s, Command ships, BC's and BS. A cruiser has no place living inside of the range of heavy neuts, webs, scrams, and large tracking guns. A cruiser needs to use its speed and mobility to its advantage- that is its tank.
So now the other question, how can HAC's be different from Tech 3s?
This one is pretty easy to answer, if- like me you can see the validity of a kiting based cruiser. The Tech3s use to have a single kiting boat in the 100MN tengu. However post HML nerf, the Tengu has really been nerfed hard. HML's apply horrible damage to cruisers and down, and the 100MN tengu is no longer fast. With a T1 cruiser easily going 2.2K/s with out links, tengus with their 15+++ second align time just don't have the agility to keep up anymore.
That said, Tech 3's have really not been that useful out side of a few situations-
Heavy armor gangs. There you can see a lot of brick Scram proteus, Web lokis and the like. However you will never see a Tech 3 in a kiting situation any longer- they just don't have the projection, and in many cases the speed to be proper kiters. Let the Tech 3's be the super tank / brawly cruisers that they are. The HAC's should have nothing to do with that at all.
Lastly, the HACs should all have increased low slots inorder to give them room for nanos. and other mods that will help increase ther DPS at range. A turret ship like the eagle should not have to deal with only 4 lows. This can be double the case for ships that are also armor tankers. Now I am not saying that you also have to provide the fitting room for these slots. We don't want tohem to be able to be turned into super tanked brawlers. But they need something to set them apart.
In closing: Give HACs superior speed, projection, and damage at range when compared to T1 cruisers. Role bonuses should help accentuate these intended goals. Here are some examples:
1. MWD cap use
2. MWD sig (would have to be much greater than 50% however)
3. MWD / AB Speed bonus
4. Flat speed boost
5. Projection boost