I am going to give my experiences when it comes to the Frigate issue. People complain often about Sniper and missile boats “sitting safely near spawn and destroying the entire team.” The problem with a statement like that is that the teams are relatively even. If you have frigates on the enemy team and yours… well, I think you see my point.
Secondly, “safe” is relative. Are they really safe from my Interceptor when I mini-warp right behind them, turn around and unload into their back, draining their shield and giving it to myself and then disabling all their modules while I pump a 30% boosted, 30% chance to crit into their xxxx over and over? In between capturing beacons I hunt down Frigates like nobodies business. I really just think people are not properly killing them or knowing when to run away. You don’t always have to kill the frigate but you can certainly harass the crap out of them to make them less efficient in doing what they are doing in between beacon captures.
I will often take down a frigate’s shields, do a bit of damage, and as soon as my shield’s are at half I’ll run off behind an asteroid. Then, I’ll recharge and run in there full speed blasting again, once they’re at half-hull, start rocketing and it’s lights out for them.
You have to know how to play the role you chose. I chose Interceptor as my main ship. I pick and choose my fights. I run away if I have too and come back when I can. I capture beacon’s nobody is watching. I attack frigates and send them in a frenzy looking for my little ship that doesn’t slaughter them easily, but if left unchecked will definitely kill them. I have played many, many regular style matches and not lost my Interceptor, not died once, and knocked out several Frigates and made them choose Fighter/Interceptor or a backup, less equipped Frigate.
Now, on to addressing some original points in the post.
Interceptors
- Need to move around ALL THE TIME in order to survive
*** This is not a hinderance. If you’re playing a fast ship why are you ever sitting still? I don’t really get why this is a weakness or a problem.
- ‘Okay’ damage at close range
*** If they did more damage they would be a bit too strong, don’t you think? When I come up to someone’s backside and unload laser/plasma into them and do thousands of damage in a relatively quick timeframe I feel alright about it, not sure about you. It also makes it harder for them to retaliate since I am so fast and so close.
- Extremely squishy
*** They are squishy, but speed makes up for it. You have to pay attention to your shields. If you’re in a crappy situation, leave it. That’s the idea… you can outrun things!
- NEEDS to be up close & personal in order to do damage, thus being in the enemy’s face at all times (extremely risky)
*** If you are in the enemy’s “face” then you’re doing it wrong. Use the speed and maneuvrability to allow you to avoid being shot at a directly angle. Learn to dodge missiles. Make a complete 180 reverse and watch that missile fly by you and eventually run out of range.
Frigates
- Can lay back the entire game, no enemy gunfire or risk taken at all
*** There aren’t other enemy frigates? There is nobody harassing them with faster ships? You don’t coordinate with anyone to destroy the slow frigates?
- Is able to dish out tons of damage
*** This is true. They trade speed and functionality(in terms of capturing beacons) for damage and resilience.
- Doesn’t require the player to move, once
*** Then the other team is doing it wrong. Make them move, slowly… very slowly, until they die.
- Tons of Hull and Shield
*** If they didn’t have high HP their mobility would make them incredibly weak. Imagine if we halved the HP of Frigates. Any interceptor could kill them with relative ease.
My main point is that you have to adapt and play the game with a strategic aspect to it. You can’t just battle in the middle and die to Frigates with long range weapons and complain about it. Do something! Kill them. Don’t just keep moving right into their main fire line and strength and expect to win. Exploit their weaknesses!